Host a simple, welcoming postcard writing party. Doesn't require a big house or a huge crowd; just a few people, some postcards, and a plan you can repeat.

What Is a Postcard Party?

Postcard parties are small, concrete actions that help turn out voters who are often missed by other outreach. A few people around a table can write dozens of postcards in an hour or two, each one a personal reminder that someone is paying attention and wants them to vote.

So:

  • Pick a time and place that works for you,
  • Bring a few people together, and
  • Make it easy to write and mail cards for a good campaign.

Bottom line: If you can host a game night or book club, you can host a postcard writing party.

Why This Works

Campaigns rely on direct voter contact like this to reach people who aren’t otherwise engaged. A small group writing regularly can reach thousands of voters over time.

Typical party:

  • 3–6 people
  • 1–2 hours
  • 50–150 postcards written

Impact in the Real World

Candidate social media post with stacks of postcards

This is a social media post from one of the candidates we’ve written to support. Because we use a distinctive postcard (the blue magnolia design I print for us), I can recognize our cards in the stack. We wrote about half of the 6,000 she mentions here; I’ve circled our magnolia in yellow.

Make It Your Own

Start Small on Purpose

  • Your first party can be 3–6 people at your kitchen table, a café, or a corner of a library.
  • Cramped spaces are fine. People can use clipboards, lapdesks, or their knees as desks.
  • You do not need 20 RSVPs to “count.” A handful of people each writing 10–20 postcards adds up fast.
  • Think of this as an experiment you can repeat and refine, not a one-time big event.

Once you’ve done it once, doing it again is much easier: you’re just running the same play with small tweaks.

Pick a Space & Format

  • Home: living room, dining table, patio, whatever you have.
  • Café: reserve or claim a couple of tables; everyone buys a drink or snack.
  • Community spaces: libraries, community centers, faith communities, senior centers.
  • Existing groups: bring postcarding to a book club, club, or retirement center that already meets.

You just need somewhere to sit, something to write on, and enough light.

Food helps: a bowl of chocolates, cookies, fruit, chips, tea or seltzer lowers the stress level and makes people more likely to return. Ask people to bring something if that makes it easier.

Campaigns & Supplies

You don’t have to invent your own campaign. Most hosts plug into existing ones (Swing Left, Activate America, Reclaim Our Vote, etc.) or campaigns their local group is already running.

When you choose a campaign, check:

  • Deadlines and mail-by dates,
  • Who you are writing to (new voters, low-propensity voters, voters facing barriers),
  • Script and rules (what you can/can’t say, required postcards, nonpartisan language).

Basic supply list:

  • Postcards (campaign-provided or homemade, depending on rules),
  • Voter addresses, printed in sets people can grab,
  • Pens (blue ink is standard; colored pens and stickers if you like),
  • Stamps,
  • A simple instruction sheet with sample script, “do not” rules, and mail-by date.

Decide in advance whether you’re providing stamps and postcards or asking people to bring or chip in. Be transparent about costs.

Make It Welcoming & Keep People Coming Back

  • Greet people as they arrive; use name tags if it’s a bigger group.
  • Give a 2–3 minute orientation:
    • What campaign you’re doing,
    • Why it matters,
    • What you’re asking them to write.
  • Offer different roles:
    • Writing postcards,
    • Proofreading addresses and messages,
    • Adding stamps or stickers,
    • Counting how many cards are done.
  • Close by thanking people and pointing to the next event or clear next steps.

Small touches (music in the background, a quick round of introductions, celebrating every 10 postcards) make it feel like something people want to come back to.

Your Repeatable Checklist

Create a short checklist you can use every time. Here’s a template you can copy and adapt.

Before the Party

  • Pick date, time, and location.
  • Choose campaign(s) and request or download addresses.
  • Decide who brings what (postcards, stamps, snacks, clipboards).
  • Post the event (Mobilize, email list, group chat, social media).
  • Send at least one reminder a day or two before.

Day of the Party

  • Arrive early and set up a clear “postcard station” with:
    • Addresses in small bundles,
    • Instructions and sample scripts,
    • Postcards, pens, stamps.
  • Put snacks and drinks where people can reach them.
  • Have a simple welcome script and orientation ready.
  • Take a rough count of how many postcards get written.

After the Party

  • Collect finished postcards if you’re mailing them, or make sure everyone knows the mail-by date.
  • Send a short thank-you email or text with:
    • How many postcards you wrote,
    • Reminder of mailing instructions,
    • Date or idea for the next party.
  • Update your checklist:
    • What went smoothly?
    • What did you forget?
    • What would you change next time?

You don’t have to figure this out alone. If you’d like sample scripts, checklists, or to talk through your first event, reach out and we’ll do our best to support you.