Campaign Basics

When running for office, think of your bank account as something that should seldom be touched. Your main objective is to have as much cash as possible for voter contact and GOTV.  Regardless of what you’re running for, or how much money you’re able to raise, you should always exercise campaign trail efficiency. Showing restraint now will help you in the end.

No matter how many advocacy campaigns you have done, people will always have a ton of questions about advocacy metrics to judge how successfully those campaigns were run, and if they were effective.

A summer lull in campaign action means extra time to gear up for the electoral battles ahead of this fall, in 2018, and beyond. As Democrats across the country deliberate party priorities and the best ways to communicate our values after a series of losses, you can sit back and do the same with these porch reads. 

This week's campaign strategist is Nancy Leeds. Nancy is a writer and Political Campaign Operative who recently earned her MPA in Social Policy and Management at Columbia University. Sometimes people hire her to work on their non-profits and campaigns. When that happens, these opinions are still hers and do not reflect those of her candidates.

Whether it is your first or last advocacy or political campaign, one thing never changes—numbers matter. Learn what campaign metrics you need to track.

Staying up to date on a campaign dictionary can be exhausting, so we have compiled a list of useful campaign terms to keep your lingo up-to-date, enjoy!