Getting Started
Suppressions allow users to adjust the content of a search. Applying suppressions are particularly useful if you need to pull something like a mailing list and want to exclude all bad addresses, deceased contacts, etc.
Understanding Suppressions
You can apply suppressions to make sure your results will return only good addresses, exclude deceased voters, and filter people who have filed a national change of address (NCOA), for example. It's beneficial to take a look at what suppressions are enabled by default when you Create a List.
If you do not need any suppressions enabled, select the link Remove All Suppressions to include all records that match your search criteria regardless of these statuses.
Defining Suppressions
The following definitions are general terminology that explain several suppressions fields.
Definitions
- Good Voting Address - An address that is not marked bad by a user and is known to be an accurate address for the individual.
- Bad Voting Address - An address that has been marked bad by a user. For example, when a person has been marked as “moved”, their voting address is marked as bad.
- NCOA Mailing Address - National Change of Address (NCOA) is a registry of people who move or otherwise change their address in the United States. Use of NCOA is required in order to obtain bulk mail rates, as it minimizes the number of misaddresses and eases the job of the postal service. Not to be confused with “USPS Verified Only” addresses for mail-delivery. If record is flagged as an NCOA record, that voter may no longer live in the same district or state.
- Bad Mailing Address - A mailing address that has been marked bad by a user and is not a current, valid address for the individual.
- Exclude Deceased - Removes voters who have been marked as deceased.
Canvass Result Codes and Suppressions
Canvass Result Codes that affect suppressions are listed below. When selected, these Canvass Result Codes apply the following suppressions to the contact record:
-
Deceased - Marks the person as deceased.
-
Moved - Marks the current primary/voting address as bad and will Archive it on the supporter's contact record.
-
Wrong Number - Marks the specified number as bad and will Archive it on the supporter's contact record.
-
Disconnected - Marks the specified number as bad.
-
Do Not Text - Sets the opt-in status on the specified phone number to “opt out” and does not apply the Do Not Text Suppression.
-
Do Not Walk - Applies the Do Not Walk suppression to a person's record.
Canvass Result Codes that do not affect Suppressions
If applied to a record, these Canvass Result Codes do not apply suppressions. These codes can be used by organizers or volunteers to convey critical information. The following list includes, but is not limited to, these types of canvass results:
- Inaccessible - The contact or property is inaccessible to reach.
- Vacant - The property appears to be vacant without evidence of residence or habitation.
- Spanish - The household or contact is primarily Spanish-speaking.
- Refused - The contact refused to participate or engage.
- Other Language - The household primarily speaks a language other than English.
- Commercial - Listed as a business or company.