Help Wanted: Candidate Support

This year, we have the strongest slate of Democratic candidates we have ever had!

Now, we need to do our part to help them get elected.

Each campaign will have a handful of key members that form the backbone of a campaign. Several of our candidates are still looking to fill those roles. So I need YOU to consider stepping up and filling these roles. 

Our candidates were brave enough to put their names on the ballots. Now let’s help them get elected.

I have identified some key campaign roles below. Think about YOUR skill set. The best volunteers are the ones whose skill set matches their role. If you see a role you think you could fill, please reply to this email, and I can connect you with the candidate who needs it.

Joel Levi with his Campaign Director, Tricia and volunteers.

Campaign Manager.

A Campaign Manager is effectively the campaign's CEO. More than anything, the Campaign Manager must be someone who makes things happen and has a “get shit done” attitude.  The Campaign Manager is responsible for taking the candidate’s vision and putting it into action. You must ensure the day-to-day work stays focused, organized, and on track. You will oversee all volunteers and staff and ultimately have the final input on field activity, communications, fundraising, and making the best use of limited resources. The campaign manager works VERY closely with the candidate. You must ensure the candidate spends their time on tasks only they can do. Best suited for someone with strong organizational and teamwork/people skills and who likes to take charge and get shit done. You do not have to have run a campaign before; the right skill set can be more valuable than experience. 

Treasurer.

The treasurer is responsible for the campaign’s financial compliance, budgeting, and record-keeping. This includes tracking all contributions and expenditures, filing required campaign finance reports on time, and telling the campaign manager what is budgetarily possible. Anyone who has worked in finance or HR will find this job easily doable. Best suited for someone comfortable with spreadsheets, a calculator, and data entry. 

Finance director (aka fundraising chair).

The finance director is responsible for the campaign’s fundraising strategy and execution. The finance director will rarely ask for money and is instead responsible for helping the candidate identify who and how to ask. The finance director will work closely with the candidate to help them leverage their existing relationships and connections to identify fundraising opportunities that are available to THAT specific candidate. This includes developing fundraising plans, managing call time, helping the candidate identify potential donors, and ensuring the campaign meets its financial goals. Best suited for someone who has experience in fundraising and donor research.



Communications Director.

The Communications Director manages the campaign’s message. At the local level, the candidate will only be required to give a handful of speeches. Instead, the Communications Director will spend most of their time writing and/or coordinating the writing of press releases, social media posts, and campaign literature. You will oversee all campaign communications, ensuring a disciplined message. Best suited for someone with strong writing skills and the ability to respond quickly in a fast-moving environment. (Note - social media experience is helpful, but not required. Many of the campaigns can borrow directly from County or City postings.

Digital Director.

The Digital Director oversees the campaign’s social media presence. The candidate’s time is most effective when trying to earn votes or raise money; they should not spend it posting on social media. For some campaigns, the Communications Director will handle this. However, it can be very efficient to have someone that you can just send photos or ideas to, and they handle the social media post. Best suited for someone who is very familiar with social media and can use applications like Canva to create graphics. 

Volunteer Coordinator.

The Volunteer Coordinator recruits, assigns, and schedules volunteers.  There will be many volunteers who sign up to help a candidate. The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for reaching out to volunteers, assessing their skill set, and assigning them to a role. The Volunteer Coordinator is often the first point of contact for new supporters and plays a key role in building an inclusive, welcoming campaign culture. Best suited for someone who is friendly, organized, and enjoys working with people.

Field Director.

The Field Director is responsible for building and executing the campaign’s voter contact program, including canvassing, phone banking, text outreach, and volunteer deployment. The Field Director will help determine when and how voters will be contacted, and track progress to ensure the campaign reaches voters efficiently and consistently. The Field Director turns people power into measurable votes. Best suited for someone who can turn data and goals into a logistical operation. This role is a perfect fit for anyone with an engineering  or project management background, although that is not required.

Data Director.

The Data Director manages the information needed to keep the campaign running smoothly, including voter databases, reporting, logistics, and internal processes. The Data Director will work closely with the Field Director. They ensure staff and volunteers have the tools and information they need to succeed. Best suited for someone who is highly organized, comfortable with technology and data systems, and skilled at problem-solving behind the scenes.

Events Chair.

Event planning is a specific skill set. The campaign will have a handful of events, and the candidate should not use time planning events that could be spent contacting voters or donors. Best suited for someone good at planning events - you know who you are.

If you are interested in helping Democrat candidates win and see yourself in one of these roles, please completed this form.

Volunteer with a Campaign

Let's Go HamCo!

Josh Lowry

HamCo Dems Chair