The Campaign Workshop Blog

On any campaign, having access to good voter file is important. For good reason, the trend on most modern political campaigns has been to be data driven. But there are many pitfalls to avoid when using political data and a lot of ways that political data can go wrong. So it’s important that there’s always a human on the other end of that data asking questions and using reason instead of just taking the data at its face value. Below are a few top tips on how to successfully use political campaign data.

Political internship interviews can be challenging. All political greats start somewhere. a political internship can help teach you important skills necessary for future success in the political field- it will be your first political job. New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand interned for former New York Senator Alfonse D’Amato during college, while Virginia Senator Mark Warner interned for three different Connecticut Democrats throughout high school and college. But with other exceptional candidates vying for the same internships as you, securing your first political internship can be difficult. You need to set yourself apart from these candidates to seal the deal and start your journey into the world of politics. One way to differentiate yourself from the sea of wannabe politicos is to master the internship interview. From one political intern to a future one, here are important tips to keep in mind as you get ready for interview season:

Whether you have been a nonprofit executive director in the past or this is your first time as a new executive director, taking over an organization has its challenges. Follow our 10 tips to make your transition into a new executive director job smooth:

After hitting the snooze button, the political intern wakes up. Already having their work clothes packed, they grab a quick breakfast and head off to the gym.

Everyone has a story to tell. For politicians, advocates, and change makers, how you tell your story is essential. A great way to do this is through writing a book about your life. Every major politician of the last few decades has penned an autobiography, telling their story of how they achieved the American Dream. Political advocacy books include how the writer grew to overcome obstacles and persevere to make the world a better place.

I am not a political pollster, and I don’t play one on T.V. But, I am a big consumer of political polling and spend a lot of time working with pollsters to craft political surveys. When it comes to creating a political survey, we often see folks make the same mistakes.

Campaign manuals and eBooks on politics (especially good ones) are hard to come by. So here is a list of our favorite campaign manuals to help progressive candidates win campaigns. These campaign guides come from experts in a range of different fields. They cover everything from debate prep to messaging. Here is a run-down of our favorite eBooks and campaign manuals by Meg Ahern, the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, and more:

Looking for a good organizational campaign tool? Today I am going to explain why every political and advocacy campaign should use Slack to coordinate and streamline group communication.

Aly Sterling is the founder and president of Aly Sterling Philanthropy, a non-profit consulting firm that specializes in fundraising, board governance, strategic planning, and executive search partnerships. Most recently, Aly partnered with a legal aid foundation in Los Angeles to lead their first-ever capital campaign for a new building headquarters. She also served as fundraising counsel to a prominent healthcare system managing multiple regional and national campaigns raising more than $85 million.

Why the Most Positive Social Change is to Subscribe to the Resist Podcast List
I love a good podcast. Amongst all the Fox News dog whistle rhetoric, it is good to hear positive social change.  This list is a compilation of favorites from the TCW staff and we know you will love them too. Listen, get inspired, and go instill positive social change throughout the world. Welcome to The Campaign Workshop’s Resist Podcast List.

Hal Malchow has over thirty-five years of experience in politics, having worked for four Democratic presidential nominees and a long list of Senate, congressional, and gubernatorial candidates. Hal Malchow’s pivotal role in introducing data science to American political campaigns and measuring the impact of voter communication tactics changed the way campaigns are run. In his latest novel, No Popes in Heaven, Hal Malchow draws upon his experience to highlight the absurdities of our political system and the negative consequences of well-meaning reforms for our democracy. We sat down with him to hear all about his new book.

There are so many campaign tools out there it can be hard to choose which one to use. Here are a few questions that you should ask before you lay down money for a campaign tool.

Seth Masket is a political scientist based at the University of Denver who specializes in political parties, campaigns and elections, and state legislatures. In 2016, he authored The Inevitable Party: Why Attempts to Kill the Party System Fail and How they Weaken Democracy. Seth Masket writes a weekly column with Pacific Standard.

Campaign fundraising is on everyones mind. A candidate calls a frequent donor and asks for help. The donor asks the candidate, “What is your cash on hand?” The candidate answers, “I have raised a total of $350,000 dollars.” “Great,” the donor responds, “but what is your cash on hand?” “$35,000” says the candidate. “Umm. Let me get back to you,” the donor replies and hangs up. Ouch.

CEO Alex Niemczewski runs BallotReady an online voter guide for local, state, and national elections. In 2015, BallotReady started with a test run in Chicago’s 2015 mayoral runoff election on a budget of only $180. This year, BallotReady will be available in all fifty states.

Since President Obama’s use of social media revolutionized modern campaigning, sites like Twitter have become hotbeds of political activity, discussion, and advocacy. For political candidates, maintaining an engaging and active Twitter account has become one of the most effective ways to connect with voters and expand campaign awareness. While headlines are plagued with news of erratic and inaccurate Twitter updates, succumbing to Twitter mistakes can turn your account into a detraction instead of a tool. Here are a few of my tips to ensure that you’re ready for Twitter domination.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is, in brief (hold on tight, this may take awhile) legislation covering any organization that holds personally identifiable data about EU citizens. It forces these organizations to manage and control this data in a clear and transparent way.