Petition season is the best list-building window most local campaigns get. You are already at the door, talking to voters who like you enough to sign. If you carry a separate supporter sheet and ask each signer whether they want a text when early voting opens, you can finish circulating with a list of people who said yes, ready for the winter.
The key word is separate. A petition signature is not consent to receive texts. A sheet counts as consent only if it says so plainly and the date is recorded. So you collect two things at each door: the petition signature, on the official form, and the opt-in, on your own sheet.
Our guide to running for local office in Illinois covers petitions, filing and the full 2027 calendar. This post is about what to do with the conversations along the way.
The 2027 dates that shape your plan
Illinois has two tracks for the 2027 consolidated elections, and the timing of your list depends on which one you are on. These dates are from the ISBE 2027 calendar; confirm anything specific to your office with your election authority.
February 23, 2027 track
For partisan municipal races in towns over 5,000, nonpartisan municipal primaries, council-manager cities, and all City of Chicago offices.
- Circulation began July 28, 2026.
- Filing: October 19 to 26, 2026.
- Objections due November 2.
- Ballot certified December 17.
- Early voting from January 14, 2027.
- Election February 23, 2027. In Chicago, the runoff is April 6.
April 6, 2027 track
For school, park, library, community college, fire protection and forest preserve boards; independents and new-party municipal candidates; and most nonpartisan villages (confirm for your village).
- Circulation began August 25, 2026.
- Filing: November 16 to 23, 2026.
- Objections due December 1 or 2.
- Ballot certified January 28, 2027.
- Early voting from February 25, 2027 (or March 12 where a February primary ran).
- Election April 6, 2027.
Filing periods moved about three weeks earlier this cycle, so the window between your last door and your first text is shorter than many campaigns are used to.
Step 1: Carry two sheets, not one
Put the official petition on top of your clipboard and a supporter sheet underneath. Do not write on, staple to, or add columns to the official petition form. Candidate petitions are signed in ink on the official form with a notarized circulator statement, and objections strike signatures. Keep it clean. If you are unsure what can appear on your petition, ask your election authority or an election attorney.
The supporter sheet is yours. At the top, print a plain consent line:
By writing my cell number below, I agree to receive campaign text messages from Friends of Pat Rivera. Msg and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.
Columns: printed name, address or precinct, cell number, a checkbox or initials for the text consent, and the date.
Step 2: Ask after the signature
The ask works best right after someone signs, when the conversation is warm. Keep it simple and specific:
"Thank you. Would you like a text when early voting opens? If so, add your cell here."
Some people will say yes, some will not. Do not push. A smaller list of people who chose to hear from you is worth more than a long list that reports you as spam.
Circulators can also note who offered to help: a yard sign, a house party, a few hours of door knocking. Those notes go on the supporter sheet too.
Step 3: Keep your margin in mind while you list-build
Your first job at the door is still signatures. Objections strike invalid signatures, so collect a margin above the minimum. Many campaigns aim for 1.5 to 2 times the minimum as common practice, not because the law requires it. Confirm your exact number with your election authority.
The supporter sheet should never slow the petition down. If a circulator is short on time, the signature comes first.
Step 4: Enter the sheets every week
Paper sheets get lost. Set a weekly routine:
- Collect supporter sheets from circulators each week.
- Enter only complete lines: name, cell, consent marked, date.
- Keep the paper sheets in a folder. They are your record of when and how each person opted in.
- Set aside incomplete lines. Do not text them. Ask again at a later door.
If you use a canvassing app such as Beacon to route circulators door to door, you can record which doors were visited and the result, and add a survey question to capture whether the person signed. The text opt-in itself still needs the dated, plainly worded sheet.
Step 5: Get your texting setup ready before you need it
Political texting needs Campaign Verify and carrier registration, and both take time. Carrier approval takes days. Campaign Verify can take 1 to 2 weeks if the PIN comes by mail. You also need a committee with an EIN and a filing published by your election authority, since candidates with no committee are not eligible.
There is one timing point to plan around: Campaign Verify requests made before November 15, 2026 expire January 31, 2027. Requests made on or after November 15 last to January 31, 2029.
- February 23 candidates: if you file Campaign Verify in October, your token expires January 31, 2027, during early voting, and you would need to request again. Many February campaigns can wait until November 15, finish setup in late November or early December, and still have weeks before January 14.
- April 6 candidates: filing on or after November 15 lines up well with your November 16 to 23 filing window and leaves plenty of time before February 25.
Step 6: Plan a short sequence, not a stream
Your opted-in supporters agreed to hear from you about the election. Respect that with a short, useful set of messages.
For February 23 candidates
Welcome (December, once you are set up):
Hi, this is Pat Rivera's campaign. Thanks for signing up at your door this fall. We'll text a few key dates. Reply STOP to opt out.
Early voting opens (January 14):
Early voting for the Feb 23 election starts today. Find your site on your county clerk's website. Thanks for your support. -Pat
Final days (the weekend before February 23):
Election Day is Tues, Feb 23. If you haven't voted yet, your county clerk's website lists your polling place. Thank you. -Pat
For April 6 candidates
Welcome (December or January):
Hi, this is Jordan Lee for Library Board. Thanks for signing up while I was collecting signatures. Reply STOP to opt out.
Early voting opens (February 25, or March 12 where a February primary ran):
Early voting for the April 6 election is open. Your county clerk's website lists sites and hours. -Jordan
Final days:
Election Day is Tues, April 6. Thank you for signing my petition last fall and for your vote. -Jordan
Replies will come in. Answer them like a neighbor would. A two-way inbox lets you see and respond to each one.
What not to do
- Do not load your petition sheets into a texting tool. A signature is not consent.
- Do not text anyone whose supporter sheet line is incomplete or undated.
- Do not text from a personal phone at scale. It skips carrier registration.
- Do not keep texting someone who replies STOP.
For more on where consent starts and stops, read can you text the people who signed your nominating petition?
How CampaignCNX+ fits
CampaignCNX+ files your carrier registration for you, on 10DLC and toll-free, and guides you through Campaign Verify. Once you are approved, replies come into a two-way inbox, STOP replies are handled automatically, and you can schedule sends to respect quiet hours.
For a list built at the doors, most local campaigns do not need much volume. Pay as you go is $0.06 per SMS. Basic is $55 a month with 1,000 SMS. To start, 100 free SMS included. Your number is $5 a month, and nothing sends until it is bought.
For the Illinois details and what we offer local campaigns there, see our Illinois political texting page.
Start before the rush
Set up your account now, keep collecting opt-ins at the door, and be ready to send your first welcome when the registration clears.