The Challenge

In 2021, first-time candidate D. Scott Phillips worked with Outcry Digital in his run for Heber City Council. This was also the first time Heber City used ranked choice voting (RCV), a system that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. Because this was his first run for office, Scott needed an extensive plan for outreach to effectively introduce himself to members of the community.

Outcry Digital Solutions

Outcry Digital developed a multi-faceted strategy for Scott’s campaign. This included the following initiatives:

  •     Website with details about his qualifications for candidacy
  •     Social media management on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter 
  •     Social media ads that only cost $70 but reached a total of 3,205 voters
  •     A database of 18,544 voters for targeted outreach and communication 
  •     Peer to peer texting with a total of 3,925 messages sent

We also planned meet and greet events throughout the community to drive engagement with voters and demonstrate Scott’s commitment to public service. This provided unique opportunities for members of the community to get to know Scott and allowed him to actively engage with voters in an impactful way. 

Results

Eight candidates initially filed to run for two positions on the City Council. In the end, half of them dropped out, leaving four on the general election ballot. Our efforts helped Scott secure a victory after leading all three rounds of the ranked choice voting process.

Reflecting on his win, Scott credits Outcry Digital with providing strategic and impactful direction that allowed him to accurately convey key messaging. “Outcry Digital helped me get what I was feeling and thinking into a format that could be disseminated to the public in a clear and easy way to understand,” he said. “They helped keep me organized and on topic. I don't think I could have done it without their help.” 

 

Since Scott’s decisive win, we have transitioned into constituent outreach to assist him in keeping his promise to maintain open dialogue with the community. This effort includes website and social media management, as well as email campaigns. We also provide detailed newsletters updating constituents on the important decisions being made at each City Council meeting.