The Campaign Workshop Blog

Hal Malchow Shares Insights From His Latest Novel

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…

Know Your Strategy Before You Pick Campaign Tools

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. How many votes do I need? Having a real vote goal is essential for winning campaigns. Identifying the win number and a vote goal will allow you to figure out how many votes you need to win and create a strategy around them. Who…

Seth Masket on why Political parties matter and the activism that changes them in the long run.

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. He is a founder of and…

Why cash on hand matters for campaign fundraising.

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. A better answer to the donor would have been, “I have $35,000 on hand. I just got through a tough primary and am…

7 Questions with Alex Niemczewski, CEO of BallotReady

*Authored by Ilana Foggle (TCW Intern) Alex Niemczewski is the CEO of 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. Alex is an alumnus of The University of Chicago with a background in workforce development. Prior to BallotReady, she founded a research consulting firm and taught…

How to Use Twitter as a Tool During Your Campaign

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…

7 Questions About GDPR with Ecanvasser

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. From a political or advocacy viewpoint, areas of particular concern would be gaining consent to hold voter data, dealing with mandatory requests for information from voters, and, of course, the reputational damage accruing…

Is it time to fire your political consultant?

It is that time of year when things may not be going the way you want them to. And You blame your self your team and your political consultant. You are behind in the polls. You are not getting press attention. There is not as much money in the bank as you thought. You feel a ton of pressure. Your consultants and your manager are not working as hard as you are. Not enough people know about your campaign. You are not on television yet. Your opponent has more Facebook friends than you do. Your campaign…

7 Questions with the co-founder of Jefferson's List," Dan Siegel

Dan Siegel is the co-founder of "Jefferson's List," a startup that connects candidates with political professionals and makes the hiring process more transparent. Prior to the creation of "Jefferson's List," Siegel opened a consulting firm to bring high-quality management talent to down-ballot races. Dan has run 26 campaigns in six states. He is a member of a number of local and national organizations including New Leaders Council, Leadership Philadelphia, and the Truman National…

Political Candidates Must Learn to Delegate

The process for finding good political candidates doesn’t involve filling out a job application. When a candidate decides to run for office, they may not realize that the time commitment requires hours of work and many more hours in the day. Sadly, the time commitment it takes to be a political candidate is not changing anytime soon. Prioritizing tasks as a candidate, campaign manager, or political campaign staff is critical to running any political campaign.  Delegation might be the scariest part of…