Exports: File Setup

How to set up your voter data to be exported

FLS Help avatar
Written by FLS Help
Updated over a week ago

Voter data may be exported into a text (CSV), spreadsheet (XLS or XLSX) or database (MDB) file format after successfully completing a voter record count from Basic or Advanced Counts. After setting up the file, the export request will be processed, and the completed file may be downloaded in ZIP format to your computer.

Select the list type

  • Mailing List: appropriate for mailers and address labels

  • Phone List: applicable for phone banks

  • Walk List: includes separate address fields for sorting in walking order

  • Precinct List: voter information with political geography

  • User Defined List: customize your voter list with database fields

  • Phone Detail List: includes comprehensive telephone provider information

Using the User Defined List style

Select the User Defined List style to customize a voter list by choosing individual field values. Voter Key, Household Record ID, Household Member ID, and Household Code fields are automatically selected for data processing. Use Save Voter List to retain your changes for new export requests.

Add Tag Fields / Tag Attributes

Select one or more tag names to append to a User Defined List. The tag names will be added as separate columns at the end of the spreadsheet. This feature is only available for User Defined List exports and is not supported in other list types.

Add Vote History Fields (added April 2021)

Select one or more elections to append vote status to your voter list. Each selected election will be added as a separate column using the Election Code value. For example, the 2020 General vote status will be listed in your export as "VH20G." This feature is available for all export list styles.

Select Household and Sorting attributes

Exported records may be householded to include one row for all voters in a household or include individual voter records instead. Use the first two household options for mailing and phone lists to prevent duplicated records and contacts.

Use these options to include one household record per row

Households - Only Members Matching Count: the exported data will only include voter names which match your count criteria.

Households - All Members: all voter names in the household will be displayed (based on Household Name Format option).

Select the appropriate Household Name Format option for setting up mailing labels in the first column of the spreadsheet for the household.

Use these options to include an individual voter record per row

Households - Individual Members: includes individual records for each member in the selected household (added April 2021).

Individual Voters: includes every voter record that matches your count criteria.

Your export may be sorted by Voter Name, Precinct, Zip Code, Neighborhood, and Registered Address. The Odd/Even Order option sorts voter records by odd and even house number, to allow walking on one side of the street.

Using Neighborhood ID and Reg Address ID (added September 2023)

  • Neighborhood ID: neighborhoods are grouped by a state/neighborhood code (such as CA26445) that can be used for sorting voter contact lists.

  • Reg Address ID: voters with a common registered address are grouped with a numeric code that can be used for sorting voter contact lists.

Neighborhood ID, Neighborhood Segment ID, and Reg Address ID field values are included in Mailing List and Walk List export styles, and either field may be added into a User Defined List.

Use Random Sample to reduce the export's final output to a specified number of records. Please note that your assigned export limit will apply to the original count and not the sample size.

Household Format, Sorting and Random Sample

Export to a Tag

Count results may be directly exported into an existing voter tag instead of a downloadable file. Select one tag name and all individual voter records will be applied to the tag if they have not been previously posted into that tag.

Download the export file from the Export Queue

The Export Queue page displays the progress of your export, and the file is ready to be downloaded to your computer when the status is Complete and the file name appears as a link. All files are saved in the ZIP format to allow for faster downloads. Follow the prompts on your web browser to save the file to your computer. You may have to click your browser's back button to return to the Export Queue page after downloading the file.

ZIP files may be extracted using tools provided in your computer's OS or from third-party applications. We recommend using the open-source 7-Zip application. Windows may include Compressed Folder Tools when selecting the file in File Explorer.

Exported files may be shared with others by sending a temporary link to download the file.

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