It’s another Saturday so for those who tune in, welcome to a Saturday Diary of Nuts & Bolts of a Democratic Campaign. Each week, we discuss issues that help drive successful campaigns, and once a month we look into “Horrible mistakes you should avoid” (last Saturday of a month). If you’ve missed prior diaries, please visit our group or follow Nuts & Bolts Guide.
For those who have been following, you know that our candidate, Jessica Jones, is preparing her run for a state senate seat. Her campaign has already assembled data, gathered local resources, she’s begun to interact in a way designed to generate some earned media. We also took time to discuss how to not screw up your campaign by keeping online expenditures in control.
This week, we’re going to talk about a coordinated campaign and the impact on Jessica Jones run for office.
When we hear campaign coordination, we often think of ethics violations, breaking rules, and people getting into hot trouble. Super PACs and back room deals. Coordinating with those outside organizations is of course bad - and prohibited. If campaign coordination is prohibited, what is a coordinated campaign?
Well, there is one group that you absolutely CAN coordinate your campaign with — and that’s your own party. County parties and state parties often offer a “coordinated campaign”. These campaigns are designed to reach and influence all Democrats within your county, district, or statewide.
There are many levels to a coordinated campaign, and Jessica Jones may be asked to attend and take part in planning the coordinated campaign for her district. The state & county party wants to reach into Jessica Jones district not only to help our candidate, but also to help the State House candidates beneath her. They may embark on a mail campaign, a paid canvass, TV or radio as just a few examples.
In a coordinated campaign meeting, Jessica Jones will get to voice some of her opinions on what she thinks will resonate in her district and she will be invited to “buy in” to the program. This outreach, when done properly, can be a huge benefit for Jessica Jones, helping her reach and turnout Democrats in her district.
Let’s talk about some of the traditional efforts of a coordinated campaign.
Early ID & Potential Canvass
Early ID & Canvass used to be the life blood of Republican coordinated campaigns. It is an effort to identify potential Republican voters in the fall, Republicans will either phone bank or walk districts to get back in touch with voters. They use issue surveys, at the door reminders, and phone calls. This is a way they use to make sure where the voters actually live. By identifying if voters have moved, they can help them re-register and make sure they vote.
More and more, Democrats at the state and county level are also working on enacting this process. At this point — February in an election year — Republicans are typically making the rounds with a coordinated. Now, Democrats are looking to do the same. Presidential years make this part a bit easier, as campaigns will want to identify voters who can head to their caucus sites. Imagine off years as trying to accomplish this effort without a presidential primary ongoing.
This early identification, cleaning up the voter rolls by updating addresses and re-registering voters with corrected information is an easy first contact.
As county and state staff members of the coordinated collect data, they freely turn over the data and information to party members who are running for office in that district. This updated data can also help candidates find potential donors, activists and future precinct leaders.
Issue and Branding Opportunities
Coordinated campaigns also serve as an effort to increase issue awareness and improve candidate branding. Because our candidate, Jessica Jones, is embarking on a race for State Senate, she of course will be discussing issues that have come up in the state senate frequently. She will also need to respond to policies from the Governor and respond to policies advocated by Republicans, even outside of her district.
The state & county party also use coordinated campaigns to raise Issue opportunities and handle branding. If the state is currently battling a long, protracted fight over infrastructure. The party may run mail into Jessica Jones district informing people of where the Democrats stand on the issue; where Republicans stand on the issue. They can put on the air TV & Radio that promote the Democratic policy or address the Republican Policy.
In other words: a coordinated effort to improve the opportunity for Democrats to prevail in the fall.
Get Out the Vote Efforts (GOTV)
Most people think about a coordinated campaign as focused around this element. GOTV. County, state and other groups will work to make sure that prior identified voters actually get to the poll or cast an early ballot. For states that use Advance Ballot or vote by mail efforts, the party may work on “chasing ballots”, following the number of ballots turned in from expected voters and following up to make sure that their votes get to the state offices in time to be registered.
Get out the vote campaigns impact every single Democratic candidate, from city office holder to Governor and President. As a result, when the coordinated campaign works effectively, all Democrats on the ballot benefit by making sure that efforts into their district influence voters to get out and do their civic duty.
The Role of a Candidate in a Coordinated Campaign
It’s important for the candidate to realize that a coordinated campaign with the county or state party does not happen without them. This isn’t something the state just does for you and the campaign has little or no input.
In fact, these campaigns often involved candidates and others and will make sure that they aren’t “stepping on your toes”. Example: if you’re a Democrat running in a district that is facing the loss of a hospital, you might tell your state party: I need more of the messaging from our county and state party about what we are going to do about medicaid expansion. If your district is rural and facing concerns over falling commodity prices, the state may talk about those policies.
Remember, unlike PACs or paid advocacy groups, you are always a member of your state party, and your state party is — in almost every state (Adam B is free to correct me if this changes in some states) free and open to address in very public formats what exactly the stances of the Democratic party are and why you are a good candidate for the Democratic party.
There are numerous issues involving a coordinated campaign that I just can’t really address directly in a simple diary — because answers can be complicated by which office you are running for, the role the state may take based on the rules in their state, and the functions which your state may want a coordinated campaign to involve and roles they do not participate in. They also may be shaped by the office you are seeking and how much money your campaign invests (or doesn’t) in a coordinated field and messaging plan.
Still, for Democrats, the efforts that a well-run county & state party can make on your behalf can make significant differences in the outcome of your race.
Next Saturday: Keeping Your Cool. How to Respond to the Unexpected.
Nuts & Bolts: Building Democratic Campaigns
Contact the Daily Kos group Nuts and Bolts by kosmail (members of Daily Kos only).
Every Saturday this group will chronicle the ins and outs of campaigns, small and large. Issues to be covered: Campaign Staffing, Fundraising, Canvass, Field Work, Data Services, Earned Media, Spending and Budget Practices, How to Keep Your Mental Health, and on the last Saturday of the month: “Don’t Do This!” a diary on how you can learn from the mistakes of campaigns in the past.
You can follow prior installments in this series HERE.