This resource hub collects what political organizations need to launch compliant Application-to-Person (A2P) 10 Digit Long Code (10DLC) messaging. It explains why political campaigns have additional requirements in The Campaign Registry (TCR) vetting process, then links to step-by-step guides for campaign registration, approval troubleshooting, and messaging best practices so teams can get approved quickly and send updates, donation asks, and time-sensitive notices without deliverability surprises.
Why 10DLC for political campaigns
Election season is just around the corner in the United States (and it’s already begun in some states). If you’ve encountered issues related to messaging campaigns in the past, you need to make sure your text messaging (SMS) traffic is registered with The Campaign Registry (TCR)!
Political campaign messaging, election SMS marketing, voter outreach, political fundraising, or other SMS blasts for political candidates are subject to some specific rules and regulations you should be aware of as you get started. With that in mind, it’s essential to get your 10 digit long code (10DLC) campaigns registered as soon as possible to be certain you won’t encounter any delays when it’s time to start sending messages.
What is 10DLC?
10DLC describes a standard 10-digit U.S. phone number. Its simplicity and wide reach make it an invaluable tool for conveying key messages, mobilizing supporters, and driving voter turnout.
SMS offers a direct and personal way to reach constituents and boasts an open rate of 98%. 10DLC is a great choice of phone number for sending political SMS campaigns due to the ability to use local U.S. phone numbers, which can be especially impactful for local elections.
However, if your organization is expecting to send an extremely high volume of time-sensitive messages, short codes may be optimal. You can read more about choosing the right number type for your campaign here.
What is The Campaign Registry for A2P 10DLC?
In order to make use of 10DLC for SMS campaigns, it is mandatory to register with The Campaign Registry (TCR).
TCR acts as a centralized database that allows carriers to track who is sending what and how much they are sending. It is designed to prevent spam and scam messages, as billions of spam texts circulate in the U.S. each month.
No matter what your use case, registration is required. TCR helps establish the legitimacy of your campaign, reducing the likelihood of messages being marked as spam. Other types of phone numbers like short codes also have their own, sometimes lengthier, registration processes.
If you choose not to comply with TCR, you will get hit with unwanted fines and penalties as your messages get marked as spam. To prevent deliverability issues, you must register each campaign with TCR.
Benefits of registering with TCR:
Although reduced spam is a great incentive that helps everyone across the U.S., your organization will enjoy several benefits from complying with TCR:
Enhanced deliverability: Registering with TCR improves the chances of your messages reaching their intended recipients. Major carriers use the registry to verify the legitimacy of traffic, ensuring that your messages are not flagged as spam.
Improved trust in your organization: By registering, political campaigns demonstrate their commitment to adhering to industry best practices and standards. This not only enhances trust but also reduces the risk of regulatory issues.
Increased message throughput: Registered campaigns often enjoy higher message throughput, allowing for more efficient and timely communication with voters. This is particularly important during critical phases of a political campaign, such as leading up to elections or major events.
How to register 10DLC with SignalWire
When choosing SignalWire as a campaign service provider, you’ll find it’s quick and easy to get registered. You can purchase phone numbers and register your campaigns all in your SignalWire Space. Our team will reach out to you if we find any issues with your registration.
As you get started, you will need to prepare your:
Tax ID
Campaign Verify Token
Political website
Opt-in information
Opt-in disclaimer
Additional 10DLC resources
At SignalWire, we’re experts on SMS. Here are a few resources to help you get your political messaging campaign registered as you familiarize yourself with the world of 10DLC:
Registering Your Political SMS Campaign Through TCR - Refer to this detailed guide written by our expert carrier operations team as you register your political campaigns. This will provide you with more details on a proper website, examples for opt-in messages, and how to unlock the political use case.
Navigating The Campaign Registry with SignalWire - Curious about trust scores for throughput, common mistakes, and words of advice from TCR experts? This guide will walk you through all you need to know.
A Beginner’s Guide to A2P 10DLC Campaign Registration - To get the basics of how to get started registering your messaging campaigns with SignalWire, this guide will give you a rundown of how to use our TCR wizard.
Tips for Successful Campaign Registration Through TCR - For more sample messages and general best practices on getting your campaigns successfully approved on the first try, check out our list of tips for registering with TCR.
Using SignalWire AI Agent to Create a SurveyBot - If you’re looking for easier ways to leverage voice calls for political polling in addition to SMS efforts, this developer guide will show you how to use SignalWire AI Agent to build a bot to do your polling for you.
SignalWire is a trusted industry leader in providing communications solutions for political campaigns and other organizations. The platform offers a reliable and efficient channel for conveying campaign updates, donation requests, and critical information to constituents.
Sign up for a SignalWire Space today and experiment with our messaging platform by taking advantage of our Platform Free Trial!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Application-to-Person (A2P) 10 Digit Long Code (10DLC) messaging for political campaigns?
Application-to-Person (A2P) 10 Digit Long Code (10DLC) is a carrier-regulated framework for sending political text messages from standard 10-digit numbers, where the sender registers a brand and campaign use case through The Campaign Registry (TCR) before scaling outbound messaging.
Why do political campaigns have additional requirements in The Campaign Registry (TCR)?
Political messaging is treated as a higher-risk category, so campaigns are typically reviewed more strictly during vetting. The review focuses on clear program disclosure, explicit opt-in, accurate campaign descriptions, and compliant sample messages, including STOP and HELP flows.
What information should a political campaign include in its opt-in call-to-action?
A compliant call-to-action typically includes the program name or description, who is sending the messages, expected message frequency, opt-out instructions, “message and data rates may apply,” and links to terms and a privacy policy.
What should political campaign sample messages include for approval?
Sample messages should match the campaign description and include compliant opt-out language. A complete program flow usually includes examples for the first message, HELP response, STOP instructions, and a STOP confirmation message.
How can political campaigns reduce rejections and speed up approval?
Use a working website that matches the brand identity, make opt-in language easy to find and consistent across pages, avoid mismatched message examples, include required disclosures, and keep campaign descriptions specific to the real sending behavior.
