A political campaign is an organized effort to elect people to public office or pass ballot initiatives. The goal of a successful campaign is to secure a majority (or at least a plurality) of votes. Campaign staffers and volunteers identify, persuade, organize, and mobilize supporters of a candidate or cause.
There are many different types of campaigns, including elections for 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives; 100 U.S. Senators; state governors, attorneys general, and treasurers; and thousands of local offices like city councilmembers and mayors. Campaigns are usually organized by partisan committees or state-level organizations.
Recruiting for a position on a political campaign is more challenging than for most jobs. A good way to get a foot in the door is through networking, which is often done by reaching out to college or law school alumni working on campaigns or involved with partisan groups such as the Democratic or Republican Senatorial Campaign Committees. Alternatively, you can reach out to your law school’s student groups such as the American Constitution Society or Federalist Society; they may have alumni who can help.
The job duties and responsibilities of a campaign depend on the nature of the election, but the overall mission is to reach, communicate with, and persuade voters to support the candidate or issue. Volunteers typically work on the ground conducting voter outreach, such as canvassing, making phone calls to supporters, or writing letters to the editor. Staffers are responsible for managing fundraising and other financial compliance, strategic decision-making, communications, and daily operations.
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