Update vote-by-mail status in UpVote
When your campaign receives updated absentee or vote-by-mail data from the state, Board of Elections, or a trusted data provider, upload it to a custom field in UpVote. Current VBM data helps your team identify voters with mail ballots and focus relational outreach where it is most useful.
Why this matters
Use current mail-ballot data to sharpen your GOTV program
Campaigns that receive reliable VBM data can use it to target outreach more precisely, understand where ballots are in the process, and give volunteers useful context before they contact voters.
Vote-by-mail status is a custom field
Unlike UpVote’s permanent vote-status field, VBM status is optional and campaign-defined. Create it only when your campaign chooses to track this information and has a reliable source for ongoing updates.
Identify voters with mail ballots
Give staff and volunteers clear context about which voters have entered the vote-by-mail process.
Improve targeting and reporting
Use Advanced Search and reporting to find the VBM segments that need additional reminders or follow-up.
Combine data with relational insight
Pair official VBM updates with candidate ID, vote-plan, and volunteer outreach data for a more complete GOTV picture.
Set up the field first
Create a dropdown that matches your incoming data
The dropdown options you create determine which values UpVote will accept during the upload. Define them before preparing your Excel or CSV file.
Recommended field setup
In the Admin Portal, open Custom Fields, click Add Custom Field, and choose Dropdown.
Upload process at a glance
- Create the custom field Use a clear name and add at least two dropdown options before saving.
- Open the Upload Center Click “Upload Excel/CSV File.”
- Select the update action Choose “Update custom fields,” then select “Search by ID.”
- Choose the parameter Select the Vote by Mail Status field you created.
- Upload and approve the file Review the preview, click Next, and then Finish.
- Check the import report After the status shows “Done,” open “Upload Details” to review successful and unsuccessful rows.
Prepare the Excel or CSV file
Use the template available in the Upload Center. The first row must contain the required headers, with one voter per row.
- ✓ Column A: Keep the header Voter ID.
- ✓ Column B: Keep the template header Value to set and enter the VBM status.
- ✓ Voter IDs: They must exactly match records in your UpVote database.
- ✓ Status values: They must exactly match the dropdown options you created.
Download the complete visual guide
Follow all nine illustrated steps while creating and updating your vote-by-mail custom field.
Use official, current data supplied by the relevant election authority or your trusted data provider.