A few months ago I was talking with a friend about how one could volunteer for a political campaign. Like most I had no clue where I’d even start. Since he had been a part of many, I thought I’d pick his brain. Sure, I could’ve just Googled it but I wanted to hear it from some who had first hand experience.
What had spurred me into even thinking about this is our economies disastrous state, and Clint Eastwood’s recent speech at the GOP convention. I’m now more concerned with what my role and responsibilities in it are. This year I feel more compelled to participate. You could say I’m not too political. Most of what I know is through talking with friends and coworkers. I identify more closely with Republican views and normally follow just close enough to make an “educated” voting decision. This is not the smart way to go about it though. One should know the policies of who they’re voting for and not just be swayed by opinion or political party. If you feel the urge to volunteer for a political campaign I’ve gathered some tips from my friend and others that’ll be good to know.
Regardless of political party here are some tips to Volunteer for a Political Campaign:
Before getting to our first bullet I’ve included the most important and impactful words that Clint Eastwood had to say. You can read the full transcript here.
[quote]“Something that I think is very important. It is that, you, we — we own this country. We — we own it. It is not you owning it, and not politicians owning it. Politicians are employees of ours. And — so — they are just going to come around and beg for votes every few years. It is the same old deal. But I just think it is important that you realize that you’re the best in the world. Whether you are a Democrat or Republican or whether you’re libertarian or whatever, you are the best. And we should not ever forget that. And when somebody does not do the job, we got to let them go.” ~Clint Eastwood[/quote]
Decide on a Campaign
There are many elections going on each year in various areas, from the national to the county level. Once a volunteer has aligned with a specific party, most of these elections work to support each other. Picking a party might seem simple. You might choose one based off of your family or friends. For myself, I go with the one that resembles my beliefs more closely. Once you know, a search on the web will usually result in the information needed to start along the path of volunteerism. It is important to find out what elections are going on and where people are needed the most. The end result is to win, and a volunteer should go where he or she is most needed.
Find The Campaign Office
The first stop after an initial search should be to a local campaign office. This is a gathering place for like-minded volunteers. Someone there will be in charge and willing to help any new volunteers out with information and direction. This should be an enjoyable time, as the volunteer meets others who agree with him or her on a point of view, and many new friends can be made in this manner. My friend says he even got a date through it. Google “Volunteer for a Political Campaign” for your city and you’ll receive plenty of hits.
Help Where It’s Needed
Usually, a new volunteer will be tasked with mundane, boring work, such as filling up balloons and stuffing envelopes. Although these activities seem trivial and boring, they are the backbone on which campaigns are won and lost. It is the responsibility of these volunteers to get the word out about their candidate. The more balloons that are inflated, the more envelopes that are sent to citizens, the more exposure the political candidate receives. Another way to get the word out is door-to-door canvassing. This can be an experience filled with stories of meeting supporters and antagonists. Most likely the latter will become a funny story later on. It is hard work, but also rewarding!
Be Helpful, Be Informed
Once a volunteer settles into the routine of basic tasks, he or she must be careful not to stay there forever. The more useful a volunteer is, the more likely it is that they will be given a more exciting job. The best way to achieve this is to stay well informed about the progress of the campaign and to be anxiously engaged in the cause. Supervisors will be able to tell the difference between a volunteer who isn’t excited about the race, and one who is up to date on the campaign and the strategies involved. Most likely your enthusiasm will show and opportunities will grow.
Move Up by Distinguishing Yourself
The actively engaged volunteers will be given new, exciting responsibilities. Distinguish yourself from other volunteers. Most political campaigns offer many opportunities to advance to a more important position. This may take more than one campaign, but in the end, activism is always rewarded. Not only will the jobs be less tedious, the volunteer will be in a position to affect more positive change within the campaign itself. Being extremely helpful has perks as well, like meeting with the candidate and being mentioned at rallies. And if you’re looking for a political career path then this is one of your best options for future opportunities.
Election Day Volunteering
For you early birds you’ll love this; you night owls it’ll be your political enthusiasm that gets you up. On election day you’ll need to wake up very early and head on over to the polling place. Each state has different laws but normally you’ll set up camp 100-200 yards away with signs and to pass out pamphlets to promote your party’s candidate. You’ll probably walk away with some good antagonist type stories too. All in good fun! Right? It’s only politics.
Now Volunteer for a Political Campaign if you can and don’t forget to Vote…
In an exciting election year like this one there are many opportunities for you to help your favorite party in achieving their goals, and helping this great country down the path of success. The volunteer spirit of the citizens of the United States is one of this country’s many assets. And through the efforts of political volunteers, the political process receives a personal and democratic touch.
As men (women too for our female readers) we need to cast our vote behind who we believe will do the best job. The best job for our country, fellow Americans and future children. If we remain nearsighted and say we’ll just skip until our ideal candidate comes along then we’re not participating and are willingly giving up our voice. Volunteer for a political campaign if you can or support someone who does. In a perfect world we’d nominate and then pick our own candidate. But that isn’t an option, so let’s run with what we can do.