This data dictionary is your guide to understanding the Survey Response values that describe a voter’s plan to vote and their position in the vote-by-mail process. This data lives in the Voting category of Survey Questions in Nexus, primarily under the Vote Plan / VBM Status question types.
Why this data is organized as a journey
Vote Plan and Vote by Mail (VBM) data describe a voter moving through stages, and each stage calls for different outreach. Viewing the values as a journey, rather than a flat list, is what makes this data most useful for getting out the vote.
Stage 1: The Plan. Values describing how the voter intends to vote - in person on Election Day, early in person, by mail, or unsure. Voters indicating mail or early intent could be viewed as candidates for enrollment and early-vote programs, whereas unsure voters often need information before persuasion.
Stage 2: The Request. Values describing whether the voter has requested a mail ballot, not yet requested, or has experienced issues.
Stage 3: Ballot in Hand. Values describing whether the voter has received their ballot and not yet returned it. This could be helpful in developing a chase universe and identifying voters who completed every step but the last one.
Stage 4: Ballot Returned / Voted. Values indicating the voter has returned their ballot or already voted. Identifying these voters could allow users to create a suppression list, as continued GOTV contact wastes resources.
Stage 5: Ballot Cure. A separate set of values indicating a returned ballot has a defect requiring voter action to count. Cure data is time-sensitive and vital to ensuring that every eligible vote is counted.
Finding the exact values for your geography
Specific status values vary by state, reflecting differences in election administration. Rather than working from a memorized list, use the Select Responses function in Nexus (Survey Questions → Voting) to browse the actual status values and response volumes available for your geography before configuring a query. See “Vote-by-Mail Examples” for full workflows built on each stage.