Introduction

The FDDC Email System (FES) allows users to create email campaigns and send them to a large number of recipients. The system is functionally similar to commercially available products such as MailChimp and Constant Contact, but is available to qualified users at a fraction of the cost. 

This guide walks new users through the FES 2.0 email platform, focusing on segment creation and email building workflows. It includes background, key definitions, and step-by-step instructions with helpful context.

Administration

Troy Shimkus is the lead administrator and developer of the system.

Text or email Troy with questions and for technical support:  t.shimkus@nwdemocrates.com; 407-443-6844.

✨ First Login Overview

To launch the app go to: https://fes.flddc.org/s/login

• Upon logging in, your dashboard will appear mostly empty.
• This is normal: most content is tied to contact segments and campaigns.
• We’re still developing dashboard widgets for standard users.
• You won’t see any contacts directly. Instead, you’ll work with segments, which let you group and target contacts based on filters or imported lists.
  

👥 About Segments
Segments are defined groups of contacts that share a common trait (e.g., all Democrats in a county, or all male voters in a district).

There are two types of segments:

• Filter-based segments: Built within FES 2.0 using field filters.
• List-based segments: Static segments based on VAN exports (manual process).
• You will also see a built-in segment called “Placeholder“:
  • This segment is empty and used for safe testing.
  • It cannot be edited.
    

✍️Creating a Filter-Based Segment

1. Go to Segments > New.
2. Fill out the form:

• Name: Choose something descriptive
• Alias: Auto-generated, but editable. Used in searches.
• Public Name: Leave blank (not used currently).
• Visible to Other Users: Leave unchecked. Only check this if the segment should be visible system-wide.
• Active: Toggle on only when the segment is ready for use.
• Description: Document who this is for and how it will be used.

3. Click the Filters tab:

• Always start with a County filter to stay within your scope.
  • In FES 2.0, County is stored as the “Company Name” field.
  • Use three-character abbreviations.
• Add other filters like Party, Gender, etc.
• You can use AND/OR nesting to build complex criteria.
  • AND selects voters with both criteria
  • OR selects voters with either criteria A or B (e.g., in one of the two precincts)
• Click Save & Close.
  ⌚ Note: Filter-based segments are dynamic and automatically update every ~10 minutes as contacts qualify/disqualify. Allow up to an hour for full build.
  You can refresh the segment list page to monitor population.

📦 Creating a List-Based Segment (from VAN)

1. Run a VAN search and export the LIST

2. The list must include:

• State File Voter ID for matching
• Ideally a full voter record to locate any missing contacts
  • Voter File VANID
  • State File ID
  • Name
  • Age
  • Ballot Zip
  • County
  • County IDDate of Birth
  • Legislative Districts
  • Party 
  • Precinct 
  • Race/Ethnicity 
  • Source File Sex
  • Preferred Email

3. Submit the file to the FES team for processing.
⚠️
List-based segments are static. They will not update over time. You must re-export/re-import to refresh them.

📈 Create a Segment for Testing Emails

• You can build a test segment using a known email or voter ID.
• The contact must already exist in FES 2.0.
• If it doesn’t populate, notify support or request test addresses be added.

📧 Creating an Email

1. Go to Channels > Emails > New
2. Choose Segment Email (not Triggered Email).

• Subject: This is what recipients will see.
• Internal Name: For your reference only.
• Preheader: Optional short preview text.
• Segment: Choose your target segment.

3. Click the Advanced tab:

• From Name: Your club name.
• Reply-To: Where replies will go.
• From Address: Leave blank to use FDDC’s default. Contact support if you’d like to use a custom address.

4. Click Save & Close.

🎨 Choose a Theme and Use the Builder

1. On the Themes tab:

• Browse and preview themes.
• Click Select on the one you want.

2. Click the Builder link to open the visual editor.
   From here, you can begin designing and editing your email with content blocks, images, and styling.
   

✅ Summary: Key Steps

Log in: Dashboard will be mostly empty.

Segments:

• Use filter-based segments for dynamic audiences.
• Always start filters with County.
• Placeholder segment is safe for drafts.

List-based segments:

• Export from VAN, must include Voter ID.
• Static only.

Email creation:

• Use Segment Email option.
• Set From/Reply-To details in Advanced tab.
• Use Themes > Builder to edit the design.