Case Study: No TransLink Tax achieves decisive 62% referendum victory with NationBuilder

A victory for the underdog using a smart digital hub

No Translink Tax was the grassroots “NO” campaign in a Metro Vancouver referendum on a proposed 0.5% sales tax, facing a well-funded $7 million opposition and starting 13 points behind in the polls. With a shoestring budget, the campaign needed a tightly organized digital hub to communicate its message, mobilize supporters and collect donations — so they built their site and supporter infrastructure using NationBuilder’s campaign software.

Using NationBuilder as the backbone, the site centralized content, data collection, email blasting, fundraising and advocacy tools to turn online interest into action. The NationBuilder-powered campaign raised just shy of $40,000, secured 11,427 pledges to vote No, captured over 10,000 new supporter emails, activated hundreds of volunteers and ultimately won decisively with 62% of the vote; the effort also earned two Pollie Awards for the website and internet strategy.

No Translink Tax