Understanding Contact Record Suppressions in EveryAction
When you run a contact search or build a mailing list, you probably do not want every single record in your database to show up. Some contacts have moved. Some have bad addresses. Some have passed away. Suppressions are the built-in way EveryAction handles this automatically.
A suppression is a filter that excludes contacts from search results based on a specific status on their record. Instead of manually removing contacts one by one, suppressions do that work for you the moment you run a search.
This article explains what suppressions are, what each suppression field means, and how canvass result codes can apply suppressions to contact records. If you are ready to apply suppressions right now, see How do I apply suppressions on contact records?
What This Feature Helps You Do
- Automatically exclude contacts who should not receive outreach
- Build cleaner, more accurate mailing lists without manual filtering
- Understand why certain contacts are missing from your search results
- See how your canvassing data connects to contact record status
How Suppressions Support Your Work
| What Suppressions Do | Why It Helps You | Real-World Use Case |
| Filter out bad addresses | Reduces returned mail and wasted outreach budget | You pull a postal mailing list and bad addresses are automatically excluded |
| Exclude deceased contacts | Prevents insensitive or mistaken outreach | A supporter passed away; suppression keeps them off your next appeal mailing |
| Flag NCOA contacts | Surfaces contacts who may have moved out of your area | You are targeting by district and need to exclude people who may no longer live there |
Suppression Field Definitions
When you open Create a List, you will see a set of suppression options. Here is what each one means:
| Suppression Field | What It Means |
| Good Voting Address | Includes only contacts whose voting address has not been marked bad by a user and is known to be accurate. |
| Bad Voting Address | Excludes contacts whose voting address has been marked bad by a user. For example, a contact marked as "moved" will have their voting address flagged as bad. |
| NCOA Mailing Address | Excludes contacts flagged as having filed a National Change of Address (NCOA), which indicates they may have moved. Note: NCOA is required for bulk mail rates and is not the same as a USPS Verified address. If a record is flagged as NCOA, the voter may no longer live in the same district or state. |
| Bad Mailing Address | Excludes contacts whose mailing address has been marked bad by a user and is no longer a current, valid address. |
| Exclude Deceased | Removes contacts who have been marked as deceased. |
How Canvass Result Codes Affect Suppressions
When your team records the outcome of in-person or phone outreach using canvass result codes, some of those codes automatically apply suppressions to the contact record. This means your outreach data directly affects which contacts appear in future searches.
Result Codes That Apply Suppressions
When one of the following result codes is selected, it automatically updates the contact record with the corresponding suppression:
| Result Code | What It Does to the Contact Record |
| Deceased | Marks the contact as deceased. |
| Moved | Marks the current primary/voting address as bad and archives it on the contact record. |
| Wrong Number | Marks the specified phone number as bad and archives it on the contact record. |
| Disconnected | Marks the specified phone number as bad. |
| Do Not Text | Sets the opt-in status on the specified phone number to opt out. Note: this does not apply the Do Not Text suppression to the record. |
| Do Not Walk | Applies the Do Not Walk suppression to the contact record. |
Result Codes That Do NOT Apply Suppressions
The following canvass result codes record useful information about a contact but do not add any suppressions. These codes are often used by organizers or volunteers to flag important details without affecting how the contact appears in searches.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
● Inaccessible: The contact or property could not be reached.
● Vacant: The property appears to be unoccupied with no evidence of residence.
● Spanish: The household is primarily Spanish-speaking.
● Refused: The contact declined to participate or engage.
● Other Language: The household primarily speaks a language other than English.
● Commercial: The address is a business or company.
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What are suppressions in EveryAction? | What does NCOA mean in EveryAction? | How do canvass result codes affect contact records? | What is a bad mailing address suppression? | Why is a contact excluded from my search results? | What does Exclude Deceased mean in EveryAction? | How do suppressions work in EveryAction? | Suppressions in EveryAction