Overview
This article explains how VAN Relay determines whether two records belong to the same person and what happens when multiple matches are found.
Step 1: Background Matching Begins Automatically
Before:
A record exists or is newly added in My Campaign or My Voters.
What happens:
VAN Relay continuously attempts to match records using:
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First and last name
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Date of birth
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Address
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Phone
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Email
Initial matches use strict criteria to avoid false positives. Later attempts relax criteria if no match is found.
After:
If a match meets criteria, records are linked automatically.
Step 2: Handling Multiple Matches
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If a record matches multiple My Campaign records, Relay selects the best match and links only that record.
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If a record matches both My Campaign and My Voters, both records are linked and store each other’s external IDs.
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If a voter record matches multiple VAN records, Relay links to all that meet criteria.
⚠️ Note: Manually linked records may be overridden if Relay finds a stronger match.
What else do you need help with?
How does VAN Relay match records in EveryAction? | How does EveryAction match voter records? | Why were two records automatically linked by VAN Relay? | What data does VAN Relay use to match records? | What happens when VAN Relay finds multiple matches? | Why did VAN Relay link the wrong record? | How does VAN Relay link My Campaign and My Voters records?