Campaign Door Hangers and Push Cards That Voters Keep

What Should a Campaign Door Hanger Say?

The front should say the candidate's name, the office, a photo and one line about why. The back should say the issues in a few short points, election day and early voting dates, how to find a polling place, the website, and any required disclosure.

Lead with the name and the office in the largest type. A voter who reads nothing else should still know who you are and what you are running for.

Keep issues to three short points. A door hanger is not a platform; it is an introduction that sends people to the website for more.

Add a QR code that opens the campaign website or a voter information page, with a short line such as "Learn more" beside it. Scan it from the proof with two phones before you approve. A code is a small thing on the back that turns a curious voter into a visitor, and it costs nothing extra to print on a double sided hanger.

What Is a Push Card?

A push card is a small card a candidate or volunteer hands to a voter in person at the door, at an event or outside a store. It carries the candidate's photo, name, office, a few points and the election date. It is what the voter takes home after a handshake.

Push cards are not a separate catalog product, but 4 x 6 postcards do the job. They are 16 pt gloss, sturdy in the hand, and printed double sided at no extra cost. They print in 48 hours, so a campaign can reorder quickly as events come up.

The 4 x 6 size also mails at the USPS postcard rate, which tops out at 4.25 x 6 inches, so the same design can go to a mailing list. Leave room on the back for the address and postage area if you plan to mail some of them.

How Many Door Hangers Does a Campaign Need?

Count the doors on the routes you will walk, then add extra for the routes you add later and for replacements. One hanger per door per pass is the simple way to count; a second pass closer to election day needs a second set.

250 3.5x8.5 UV Gloss Cover Stock door hangers are $246.09, which is about $0.98 a door hanger. Artwork prep is $14.99 per item. Printed in the USA in 3 to 5 business days and shipped nationwide, flat $10 shipping to any US address. The product page lists 500, 1,000 and larger quantities, each lower per hanger. A campaign that knows its routes saves by ordering the full count at once.

Split the order by message if you plan two waves: an introduction early and a get out the vote reminder near election day. Give the two waves different colors or headlines, so volunteers do not mix up the bundles and voters see that the second hanger is new.

Which Door Hanger Size Should You Choose?

Choose 3.5 x 8.5 inches for most canvassing. It is the standard size, fits a volunteer's bag, and holds a photo, name, office and a few points. An oversized 4.25 x 11 inch hanger gives more room for a larger photo and a fuller list of issues.

Set up the file with 0.125 inch bleed on every side and keep text away from the handle slot at the top. The door hanger size guide shows the die cut and safe areas.

What Rules Should You Check?

Check the disclosure rules and the delivery rules before you print. Many jurisdictions require a disclosure, often a paid for by line, on political advertising. The required wording depends on the office and the state, so confirm it with your campaign or your election office and put it on the proof exactly as required.

Never put campaign literature in a mailbox; mailboxes are reserved for postal mail. Hang it on the door handle. Some neighborhoods and buildings have their own rules about literature, so respect posted no solicitation signs.

For a wider look, see are door hangers legal.

How Do Door Hangers Fit the Rest of the Campaign?

Door hangers, push cards and yard signs work together. Yard signs build name recognition on the street, push cards follow a conversation, and door hangers reach the homes where nobody answered. Use the same colors, photo and name treatment on every piece, so voters connect them.

An 18 x 24 inch yard sign starts at $64.99 and prints the next business day; stakes are sold separately. For signs and the rules around them, see the political campaign sign guide.

How Do You Design a Door Hanger Voters Keep?

Design for the moment the voter pulls it off the handle. A clear photo of the candidate, the name in large type and the office right below it make the hanger readable in a glance. A clean layout with plenty of space looks more trustworthy than a crowded one.

Give the voter a reason to keep it. The election date, early voting dates and a polling place lookup make the hanger useful until election day, which is why it ends up on the refrigerator instead of the recycling bin.

Use the campaign colors, and keep contrast high. Dark text on a light background reads in any light on a porch. Test the photo at the printed size; a phone photo that looks fine on screen can look soft at 3.5 inches wide.

How Do You Organize Volunteers for a Canvass?

Organize volunteers around routes, not piles of hangers. Give each volunteer a route list, a bundle sized to that route, and a short script for when someone answers the door. Keep push cards in the same bag for doors where someone wants to talk.

Track which routes are done. A simple shared map or list prevents two volunteers from covering the same street while another goes untouched.

Remind volunteers of the basics: handle, never the mailbox; respect no soliciting signs; and leave every gate the way they found it.

When Should a Campaign Order?

Order early in the cycle, and order the full route count when you can. Door hangers take 3 to 5 business days after proof approval, plus shipping transit; push cards take 48 hours. Leave time for the candidate and the treasurer or compliance person to approve the proof.

Plan the get out the vote wave in advance, with the dates locked, so it is printed and in volunteers' hands before the final weekend.

What Should You Check on Campaign Proofs?

Check first for the dates: election day, early voting and registration deadlines. A wrong date is worse than no date.

Next, check for the disclosure. It must be present, readable and worded exactly as required.

Also check for the name, the office and the photo. Spell the name the way it appears on the ballot. Read the whole hanger out loud once; errors that the eye skips over are easy to hear.

How Do You Order Campaign Door Hangers?

Send the photo, the name and office, the points, the dates and the disclosure, and approve the proof. Artwork prep is $14.99 per item if you send a phone photo or a ChatGPT image, and a free proof comes with every order. Door hangers print in 3 to 5 business days and push cards in 48 hours, and each product ships for a flat $10 to any US address.