Volunteering on a Political Campaign
Volunteering on a political campaign is a great way to get involved at any level. Candidates for local, state, and national office are always in need of volunteers. Campaigns rarely turn volunteers away!
If you feel strongly about a particular issue or candidate and would like to advance the cause, contact the campaign and inquire about volunteering. Most campaigns have many volunteer positions, including the following:
Distributing lawn signs to local residents
Stuffing envelopes and distributing campaign literature
Participating in phone fundraising drives
Doing opposition research
Calling registered voters on Election Day
Driving voters to the poll booths on Election Day
Coordinating fundraisers and campaign appearances
Researching issues and clipping newspaper articles
Attending debates and other candidate forums
Campaigning with the candidate
Helping with office work at headquarters
Posting campaign fliers
While the young Bill Clinton was attending law school at Yale University in Connecticut, he volunteered on Joe Lieberman's first campaign for state senate. Two years later, Clinton spent the summer with future wife Hillary working on Senator George McGovern's presidential campaign in the state of Texas. Only four years after that experience, Clinton was elected attorney general of Arkansas.
Contributing money to a political candidate is another way of getting involved, but without a large time commitment. Some citizens hold fundraising events for candidates in their homes, and invite friends to contribute to the campaign. Candidates are particularly appreciative of fundraisers, and typically seek their counsel and advice on issues.
Volunteering on a political campaign is particularly valuable for citizens who have political ambitions of their own, because it illustrates the time commitment, dedication, and hard work required to run for office. Many candidates get their start in politics by volunteering on a campaign.
