A political campaign is a coordinated effort to support a candidate for a public office. The most notable campaigns are those of presidential candidates, but there are tens of thousands of state legislative races; hundreds of mayors and city council members; dozens of governors, auditors, treasurers, attorneys general, and other state elected officials; and many more local offices that require regular elections for their officers.
While the vast majority of campaigns are uncontested, those for competitive offices (offices with margins in the single digits or more) attract interest from the major party ecosystems and often involve highly professional campaign operations. In some cases, staff from competing campaigns are rolled up into the winner’s senior team as they build skills, experience, and relationships with the party nominee.
The majority of staff positions on a political campaign are field or advance jobs, which involve working directly with voters and other supporters. Most staffers will begin with field or advance work and then “graduate” to policy or other office-based roles, but this hierarchy is not rigid and it’s possible for prospective staffers to join a campaign at a different stage depending on their connections.
The nature of the work can be demanding, especially in competitive campaigns. Typical duties include making or receiving calls to persuade voters, meeting with potential donors, managing and training volunteers, and performing other tasks to meet the campaign’s goals. This can be physically and socially exhausting, but it can also be very rewarding if the campaign wins.
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