A political campaign is an organized effort to secure a majority (or sometimes just a plurality) of votes in order for a candidate to win election to public office or pass ballot initiatives. Campaigns are typically staffed by a combination of paid staff and volunteers, who seek to identify, persuade, organize, and mobilize supporters of the campaign’s goals.
Campaigns are a great way to develop and refine a wide variety of skills in a fast-paced environment. However, campaign work isn’t right for everyone. It all depends on your personal fit, interests, and broader career goals.
During a campaign, it’s important to balance the desired level of voter contact with available resources. It’s also helpful to focus on a limited number of issues that align with your passions and your electorate’s priorities.
Once the campaign begins, it’s a good idea to have a way to collect donations immediately. As soon as people start to get excited about your run, they want to give their support! To make this easy on them, have a link ready to send to them and be sure to ask for a donation. Using a donation processor that can collect employer, occupation, and any other information your election rules require for disclosure is crucial as well. Ideally, you’ll also have a system in place to log the name, email, and any additional info they share so you can follow up with them later. This is the first of many requests you’ll be making, so it’s important to be polite and clear about what you’re asking for.