One Cent a Text: How Low-Cost SMS Ads Are Flooding South Dakota Mailboxes

South Dakota residents are facing a high volume of political text messages in the days before Tuesday's election. These messages come from political parties, candidates, and political action committees. They serve different purposes. Some provide brief biographies of candidates. Others attack political opponents. Many simply urge readers to cast a ballot. A portion of these texts originate from out of state. The timing coincides with the final push of the current election cycle.

Julia Hellwege, the Diane Jones Meier Distinguished Professor of Gender and Public Policy at the University of South Dakota, attributes this trend to financial efficiency. She notes that organizations, including 501(c)(4) groups, favor text messaging because it requires fewer resources than traditional media. A campaign can purchase a list containing voter file data and phone numbers. The cost to send a single message can be as low as one cent per person. This allows for personalization at a scale that other methods do not easily support.

While the volume of these messages feels like a surge to many voters, data confirming a larger investment compared to previous elections is not yet available. The effectiveness of the strategy is also under observation. Hellwege suggests that texts may increase voter turnout. However, they are less certain in changing who a person votes for. The content of the texts shifts as the date of the vote approaches. Early messages focus on fundraising and candidate details. Later messages demand action. Some use positive language to rally support, while others use fear to motivate response.

One specific tactic involves telling voters that their voting status is public record. Hellwege describes this as a shame-based strategy. It has shown effectiveness in campaign mailers. Recipients often feel uncomfortable with the claim. They may question why the information is being used against them. Yet the knowledge that their choice can be looked up creates a sense of obligation. Another category, which Hellwege calls underdog messaging, asks for help because the campaign is trailing slightly. This approach signals competitiveness while emphasizing that the campaign cannot succeed without the individual's help.

The saturation of these messages has caused some voters to block the numbers or move the texts to spam folders. Hellwege views this behavior as a potential sign of voter fatigue. She describes it as a saturation point where the direct-to-trash option becomes the norm. Polls in South Dakota will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time on Tuesday. Voters can access further details on the South Dakota Secretary of State’s Voter Information Portal.