A political campaign is a process through which an individual seeks elected office or a position within government. It may include a primary or general election for the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of the federal and state governments. It also may involve a re-election race for incumbents or nonpartisan offices, such as city council, county board of commissioners, school boards, or township supervisors. The goal of a campaign is to gain as much support as possible from the electorate in order to win a seat, influence public policy, or advance an agenda.
The most competitive campaigns attract the attention of major partisan ecosystems that will raise and spend money to ensure their elected members or candidates are safe in contested races, which will impact party control and the outcome of salient policy debates. These races will usually have more professional campaign operations and a higher level of staffing than less competitive contests.
It is important to think strategically about your career goals before deciding to work on a campaign. Aside from the obvious, such as gaining experience in the practice of law, it is critical to determine which types of policy positions you want to promote and with which political parties, if any, you wish to affiliate. Those decisions will shape what kinds of roles you should pursue on a campaign and at which levels of government. Also consider your personal needs, such as a preference for geographic location, work-life balance, and whether you need to pay for rent or other living expenses.