Just like politics themselves, there's a spectrum of opinions about mailers. Some people put them straight into the trash, while others use them to study up on propositions and candidates.
For those who dread a jam-packed mailbox, there's a simple solution to slowing down the arrival of mailers: vote early. Campaigns do not want to waste money if someone has already cast a vote.
“Consultants for campaigns, they pull the voter rolls either every 24 hours or they don't have money every 48 hours, so once they see that you voted, you're gonna stop receiving the mail,” said political analyst John Dadian.
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Pew Research finds about 20% of American adults rely primarily on social media for election news. Dadian, however, said mailers do still serve a purpose: Namely, name recognition.
“There's a reason why you see so much direct mail, why your mailbox gets stuffed, et cetera, and that is because it works," Dadian said. “There's a method to the madness.”
Among the other benefits to voting early, Dadian says: Avoiding unforeseen circumstances that keep you from the polls on Election Day, avoiding potentially long lines and ensuring your vote counts with time to spare.