The most effective way to recruit election judges by text is a short sequence from your party organization to volunteers who have already opted in: an invitation, a details message, a confirmation, a reminder to finish the county's steps, and a thank-you. Five texts over a few weeks, each one under 160 characters, with committeepersons answering replies from their own precincts.
Below is a template sequence you can adapt, along with how judges are actually appointed in Illinois, so your messages promise only what your organization can deliver. Pay, training and scheduling details come from your county election authority, so link people there rather than quoting numbers.
For the broader Illinois election calendar, see our guide to running for local office in Illinois.
How election judges are appointed in Illinois
Under 10 ILCS 5/13-1, the county board appoints judges of election in each precinct. It appoints them from certified lists furnished by the county central committee chairs of the two leading political parties: three judges from the first party and two from the second. The law also says the chair of each county central committee shall, "insofar as possible, list persons who reside within the precinct."
That is why most county parties ask their committeepersons to recruit judges. Committeepersons know who lives in each precinct and who might be willing to serve. The county chair submits the list, and the county board makes the appointment.
Two things follow for your texts:
- Do not promise an appointment. Your organization recruits and submits names. The appointing body decides.
- Do not quote pay or training details unless they come straight from your county election authority. They vary by county and can change. Point volunteers to the official source.
Who you can text
Only people who opted in to receive texts from your organization. A sheet or sign-up counts as consent only if it says plainly that the person agrees to receive texts, with the date recorded.
That means you should not text:
- Everyone on a petition you circulated.
- Names from a voter file or walk list.
- Past judges whose numbers you have from a paper roster, unless they opted in to texts from your organization.
If your opted-in list is small, start collecting at the doors now. A sign-up line like this works:
By writing my cell number below, I agree to receive text messages from the Elm Township Democrats. Msg and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.
Why the organization sends, not the committeeperson
Political texting requires Campaign Verify, and an individual committeeperson texting personally is not eligible. A party organization, such as a township or county party committee with an EIN and a published filing, can be verified. So the organization holds the account and sends the sequence, and committeepersons work the replies from their own precincts. We explain this model in texting your precinct: what a committeeperson can send, and from whose account.
The five-text sequence
Use your organization's name in every message so volunteers know who is writing. Timing is approximate; adjust it to your county's deadlines.
Text 1: The invitation
Send to opted-in volunteers in the precincts where you need judges. If this is their first message from you, include opt-out language.
Elm Township Democrats: we're recruiting election judges for April 6. Want to serve in your own precinct? Reply YES for details. Reply STOP to opt out.
A shorter version for people who already hear from you:
Elm Township Democrats: we need election judges in Precinct 12 for April 6. Interested? Reply YES and we'll send details.
Text 2: Details, sent to those who reply YES
Keep this factual and send people to the official source for pay and training.
Thanks! Judges work at the polls on Election Day. Your county election authority sets pay and training. Details: [county clerk link]
Use the real link to your county election authority's judge page. If you are not sure which office handles it in your county, your county party can tell you.
Text 3: Confirm their information
Your committeeperson or county chair will need a few details to put a name forward. Ask for them by text only if your organization is comfortable handling them that way; otherwise, a call or a short form works.
To put your name forward, Dana (your committeeperson) will reach out to confirm your address and availability. OK?
Committeepersons take it from here in the inbox, answering questions one to one.
Text 4: Reminder to finish the county's steps
Most counties have their own steps for judges, such as an application or a training session. Remind volunteers without stating specifics you have not confirmed.
Reminder from Elm Township Democrats: please finish any steps your county election office asks of judges. Questions? Reply here.
Text 5: Thank you
Send this once your list is submitted, or after Election Day.
Thank you for stepping up as an election judge. Elections in Elm Township work because neighbors like you show up. -Elm Township Democrats
Handling replies
The sequence will start conversations. Some patterns to expect:
- "What does it pay?" Point them to the county election authority's page. Do not guess.
- "I can't do the whole day." Thank them and note it. Ask your county chair whether there are other ways to help.
- "I served last time." Thank them and confirm they want to be listed again.
- "Which party do I need to be?" Under 13-1, judges come from lists furnished by the two leading parties' county chairs. Your organization can explain how your county party handles its list.
- STOP. CampaignCNX+ opts them out automatically. Do not follow up.
Committeepersons are the best people to answer these, because the volunteer is their neighbor. The organization decides who has access to the inbox and who answers which replies.
Timing around the 2027 elections
Illinois has two election dates in 2027: February 23 and April 6. Work backward from your county's deadline for submitting judge names. Your county chair will know it.
If your organization is setting up texting for the first time, leave room for verification. Carrier approval takes days, and Campaign Verify can take 1 to 2 weeks if the PIN comes by mail. Campaign Verify requests made before November 15, 2026 expire January 31, 2027; requests on or after November 15 last to January 31, 2029. For most party organizations, filing on or after November 15 covers both 2027 elections and the 2028 cycle.
Keeping the list for next time
Election judges are needed every election. When the cycle is over:
- Keep a record of who served, by precinct.
- Note who wants to serve again.
- Keep the opt-in sheets on file. They are your record of consent.
Because the list lives in the organization's account, it stays with the precinct even if a committeeperson moves. Under Illinois law, a committeeperson who stops living in the precinct leaves a vacancy (10 ILCS 5/7-8), filled under your party's rules, usually through the county chair. The next committeeperson can pick up the same list.
Setting it up with CampaignCNX+
CampaignCNX+ files carrier registration for your organization on 10DLC and toll-free, and guides you through Campaign Verify. You get a two-way inbox for replies, automatic STOP handling, and quiet-hours scheduling, so recruitment texts arrive at reasonable hours.
To start, 100 free SMS included. Your number is $5 a month. A recruiting sequence to a few hundred volunteers fits easily on pay as you go at $0.06 per SMS, or on Basic at $55 a month with 1,000 SMS.
For more on how we work with Illinois party organizations, visit our Illinois political texting page.
Start recruiting
Open the account in your party organization's name, collect opt-ins at the door, and have your sequence ready when judge recruitment begins.