political campaign essay

Guide to Working on Political Campaigns

Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising 4039 Wasserstein Hall (WCC) 1585 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02138

Introduction

Political campaigns offer the opportunity to develop and refine a wide assortment of skills in an extremely fast-paced and flexible environment. Moreover, they give a unique perspective into the electoral process, as well as the cares and concerns of elected officials and the American public. Campaign work can often lead directly or indirectly to government employment down the road.

Campaign work is certainly not for everyone. There is usually little formal mentoring, little structured feedback, little administrative support, and little free time – and given the finite nature of the campaign cycle, often little long-term stability. But for those with a passion for political campaigns or for getting a unique perspective on our democratic process, getting involved in one can be an incredibly rewarding and fruitful experience. And as in other career arenas, getting involved in one campaign is usually the best way to get involved in others down the road.

On What Type of Campaign Could I Work?

When you think of a campaign, you may first picture the presidential races most highlighted by the media. But there are thousands of campaign experiences and opportunities ,  whether you are committed to a geographical region, a specific candidate, or a certain political party’s platform.

There are 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives (not including non-voting delegates from Washington, D.C. or the U.S. territories); 100 U.S. Senators; tens of thousands of state legislators, elected state judges, mayors, and city councilmembers; and hundreds of state governors, auditors, attorneys general, treasurers, and secretaries of state. The vast majority of elections to fill these offices feature some form of campaign.

Beyond elected officials, there is also a wide array of issue-oriented ballot initiatives or referenda which generate campaigns of their own, ranging from local school bonds to national hot-button issues such as abortion.

How do I decide which campaign is right for me?

Deciding on a campaign means evaluating your own constraints and identifying exactly what you want to get out of a political campaign experience, as well as thinking about how such an experience would fit into plans for your future. You should ask yourself questions along these lines:

With little experience but a high level of motivation and competency, you may find yourself in a relatively senior post on a small campaign – perhaps even running it. Good campaigns are meritocracies, and you can rise quickly if you earn it. However, it can be more challenging to secure a position with a lot of responsibility for one of the major parties’ presidential campaigns.

Larger campaigns will be more likely to support paid campaign positions, though even they may ask or expect you to work as a volunteer for a while. On the flip side, the biggest campaigns can also rely on a steady flow of volunteers and have less need to bring on non-essential paid staff.

Do you want to stay close to home or are you willing to relocate?

Are you willing to travel, and if so, how frequently?

Do you prefer to work at campaign headquarters or in the field?

Any campaign will want to know that you are in it for the long haul before giving you a position of responsibility, but the “long haul” on a local campaign may be just a month or two, while the presidential “long haul” can be as many as two years. And there are ways to assist campaigns without working on them full-time; part time options amount to a distinct and valuable set of roles.

There may be more competition and jostling for choice spots on a larger campaign, whereas a smaller campaign may experience less turmoil. Unfortunately, though, the degree of competition sometimes depends less on the size of the campaign and more on the quirks of an individual campaign structure.

How do I choose a candidate?

Tip O’Neill is credited with explaining that “all politics is local,” and many individuals find it easier to land a position with a hometown or home-state candidate. Hometown status is no guarantee of a position, however, and many campaign staff work for public officials from thousands of miles away. If geography is a concern for you, you may want to consider where a candidate is based and whether you want to work at their campaign headquarters or occupy a more mobile role, like field organizing or advance work, in a particular campaign state.

The candidate’s popularity may also be a consideration, as the most popular candidates are also likely to foster the most competitive environments for job seeking.  For example, it may be easier to secure a more prominent position with a candidate other than the frontrunner.

Don’t spend too much of your energy trying to guess who will win a campaign. Go where there is a candidate for whom you are passionate, and where there are opportunities that interest you. It’s also common for party nominees to hire staff from their former competitors’ campaigns after the losing candidates drop out of the primary process, so as you build skills, experience, relationships and reputation, you may be rolled up into a winning campaign. In some cases, it could be more advantageous over the long-term to have a more senior position with a losing candidate and be hired over to the eventual nominee’s senior team, than to have a very junior position with the winner. An exception to this rule is that some campaigns can turn incredibly nasty, and the winning campaign might not consider hiring anyone from a campaign that cast aspersions on their candidate.

Will working for a losing candidate impair my chances for professional opportunities down the road?

There are usually too many moving parts for success or failure to be attributed to one particular individual. As long as you have acquitted yourself well and commanded the respect of your supervisors and colleagues, there is little to no stigma attached to working for a losing candidate. In terms of your future job search, the experience is much more important than the result. In fact, many prominent lawyers have made valuable connections working on “failed” campaigns.

What Is Campaign Work?

Can someone with a legal background do legal work, or can they be used effectively in other ways on a campaign.

If you mention that you are an attorney when you first present yourself to a campaign, it might be assumed that you want to do legal or policy work. There is certainly some legal work that will take advantage of your training on most campaigns. This could include: ensuring ballot access; evaluating election laws to help design absentee and get-out-the-vote strategies; surveying communications for compliance with various legal requirements; processing contributions and structuring fundraising events; reviewing contracts for personnel, field offices, equipment, and data; and helping to prepare reporting documents for submission to federal and/or state regulatory bodies. However, keep in mind that most campaigns, especially during primary elections, do have attorneys on staff who take on the various legal issues that might arise.

Policy jobs are often among the most sought after in a campaign. That being said, you don’t have to limit yourself to jobs with “policy” in the title to do policy-related work. Keep in mind that many forms of campaign work—including field organizing work such as canvassing, where you engage with the public to explain your candidate’s goals and ideas—include policy work and training as a part of messaging and voter engagement.

It is important to note that most attorneys do not necessarily do legal or policy work on campaigns. They work in virtually every capacity, including those that do not require legal skills.  Lawyers have been fundraisers, political desk representatives, speechwriters, constituent liaisons, schedulers, advance team leaders, field organizers or field managers, volunteer coordinators, technology managers, spokespersons, communications consultants, media buyers, convention organizers, event planners, and even campaign managers. Detailed descriptions of various campaign functions are available at the end of this guide.

Many of the same skills that contribute to good lawyering—like the ability to work under pressure, synthesize information, and give attention to detail, to name just a few—are invaluable on the campaign trail, and many lawyers are sufficiently versatile that they are able to pick up wholly unfamiliar skills in the fast-paced campaign environment. Keep in mind that there are also frequent opportunities to try out different kinds of jobs across campaigns—you are by no means locked into whichever role you may start with.

Remember also that having a law degree or being a law student does not make you more qualified to work on a campaign than someone who has no legal experience. Employers value  campaign  experience. Even when the work involved is quintessentially lawyering, lawyering in the campaign context is more prized than fancy lawyering in another arena. That’s not meant to be discouragement: you can provide substantial value even without deep campaign background. If you do not have any campaign experience, show up and be willing to work hard at whatever is required.

The Hiring Process

How do i get involved, or how do i make connections if i do not already have them.

Although some campaign jobs are posted on online job boards, networking will always be a crucial way to obtain a job in the political field. Even if you don’t have inside connections, these can be surprisingly simple to cultivate. More so than most jobs, a spot on a campaign is rarely secured through the cover letter and interview process alone. Instead, someone you know will get in touch with someone they know to get the ball rolling. If you do not know anyone currently working on a particular campaign, reach out to campaign alums; many campaign workers are repeat players, and if a friend has worked on a campaign before, chances are good that he or she may know someone now working on the campaign that has caught your interest.

Use your college or law school alumni connections. Identify alumni working on campaigns or otherwise affiliated with partisan work ( i.e. , groups such as the National Republican Senatorial Committee or Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee). Also, student groups often have an inside track on the campaigns. Contact the presidents of the law school GOP or Dems, or the American Constitution Society or Federalist Society; they should be able to help you or put you in touch with someone who can. If they do not have any contacts, they could refer you to undergraduate partisan groups.

If you do not have a particular connection, you might simply show up at a campaign office or event, introduce yourself, and ask how you can help. If you can volunteer for a period of time, or are willing to travel, you may be put to work after just one visit to the campaign office with resume in hand. Watch social media, read the newspaper, and be on the lookout for ways to get involved with a campaign of interest to you.

Few high-profile jobs are parceled out to sudden volunteers, but you might be able to parlay a volunteer spot secured early in a campaign’s life cycle into something with more stability as the campaign gathers steam and takes on more people. Senior campaign staff will look to the people who are already involved with the campaign to take on positions of greater responsibility. If you can volunteer, put in the hours that the staff are putting in; they will respect your commitment and be more likely to consider you as one of their own. (More time = more connections.) But be careful not to act as though you are there just to “make connections”. Keep your head down and get your work done. Being good at what you do is one of the best ways to get noticed.

The second-best solution requires a bit of moxie and a bit of homework: look at regulatory disclosure records (the Federal Election Commission [FEC] for federal races, and equivalent state bodies for state races) to find out if a partner at a law firm with which you are affiliated was a major donor to a past campaign in the same party. Occasionally, major donors may know of available routes to campaign work even if they have not themselves worked full-time on a campaign. Also, research the campaign’s consultant disbursements to identify the outside people and firms involved in the campaign; these consultants can be another avenue to making connections on a campaign.

Do I have a realistic shot at high-profile campaigns if I do not have an inside connection?

That depends on what you want to do. If you do not have an inside connection, you are not going to be the campaign manager of a presidential campaign, or even a highly-placed deputy. But if you do not mind a position that is considered less glamorous in the campaign world, a high-profile campaign is not out of reach, especially if you start early. Communications and policy work tend to be the most highly sought after, and therefore the first to go to people with inside connections. Other functions—especially field positions such as organizers, which are often more commonly available—may be more open to those without such a connection. Even in presidential campaigns, many people start as volunteers in the primary season.

To whom would I direct my application?

  It is not always easy to figure out where to send a campaign application. First, of course, check the campaign website for job postings, and follow application instructions for any that interest you. If there are no such postings, then on a smaller campaign, you might send your application directly to the candidate, or to the campaign manager. On a larger campaign, you may be able to determine the functional or geographic head of the department you want to work for from press reports or from the campaign website. There may be a central volunteer coordinator tasked with placing campaign volunteers. If you cannot determine the appropriate addresses from public sources, simply send your materials to someone whom you know to be affiliated with the campaign, and ask that they forward your materials to the appropriate individual.

What materials should be in a campaign packet?

If you are submitting your application cold, you should prepare a resume, emphasizing any political or campaign experience, and a succinct cover letter. This may be a different resume than you would have for other legal jobs; if you’ve had two or three campaign- or policy-related experiences, consider highlighting them in a separate section near the top.  In your cover letter, you should state as clearly as possible what you would like to do on the campaign and how flexible you are willing to be. Keep in mind, as mentioned above, that there are not many policy or communications jobs on a campaign, especially for someone with no close connections.  The most numerous and available jobs are often in the field—field organizers or field managers—so including a willingness to do this could help.

Often, campaign personnel are too overburdened to give much thought to placing new hires or volunteers, and may sit on an application simply because they do not have time to think of an appropriate placement. To the extent that your cover letter can save them the mental effort, it will be processed more quickly.  Do not get so busy boasting about experience and qualifications in your cover letter that you fail to explicitly mention the candidate and your support of them.

Along the same lines, demonstrating your own competence will often speak louder than a resume. If you want to do a particular type of work that requires written output (briefing papers, policy papers, talking points, speechwriting), include an example of what you would produce for the campaign: not a generic writing sample, but something tailored for your position in your chosen campaign. The bigger the campaign, the more useful this approach will be. If you are living in Minneapolis and want to work on the gubernatorial race (or any other state or local race), writing out a stump speech is not going to be as effective as going down to a campaign office and introducing yourself.  However, if you are from Cedar Rapids and write up a precinct-by-precinct field plan backed with data for a presidential front-runner, they just may get back to you.

Am I going to be paid?

Maybe. Especially if you have had similar campaign experience before, you may be hired for a particular spot at a particular salary. If not, you may be expected to work as a volunteer first, especially if the campaign is just getting its fundraising operation started.

Most paid positions are paid weekly, and except for experienced and high-profile senior operatives, the compensation will be fairly meager. Depending on the structure of the campaign and your particular role, you may also be hired as an independent consultant, without medical insurance or other benefits.  Few people take entry-level campaign positions for the immediate monetary rewards.  Most realize that working for free will provide them with connections that will pay off later in their career, especially if they have political aspirations or aspirations in political law.

Some campaigns provide different forms of support for their volunteers, which can cut down your living costs. You may not have to pay rent if you can arrange campaign housing with supporters. Additionally, depending on your role, you might have access to a campaign vehicle. And certain jobs, such as advance work, will cover traveling expenses.

Getting Involved as a Student

Is full-time work for a candidate the only way to get involved.

  There are many ways to get involved with a campaign without giving up your day job or taking a leave from school. (Important note: some government or nonprofit “day jobs” may limit the extent to which employees can be involved with campaigns. Make sure you check on your legal limitations or ethical obligations before signing up for a campaign). For example, you might help a campaign with fundraising, after-work voter outreach through phone banking, weekend canvassing, or get-out-the-vote operations closer to Election Day. You could also take on election protection work part-time, or for a limited pre-election period (election protection ensures that eligible voters are readily able to cast ballots that count).

Since every day on a campaign can feel like a fire drill, staffs often appreciate someone outside the office who can do long-term research (often opposition or legal research).  “Long-term” in this context can mean days or (sometimes) weeks, not months. In order to succeed in such a role, you must be good with self-managed work and timelines.

There are also campaign jobs that do not involve dedicating yourself to only one candidate. You could work for one of the umbrella party organizations, like the Democratic National Committee or Republican National Committee, or for one of the blanket campaign organizations, like the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) or Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC, often referred to as the “D-triple-C” or “D-trip”).  You could work for an independent political entity, like the political fund of a union or trade organization or issue-oriented nonprofit, or for a PAC or SuperPAC or other “527” organization (like Progress for America or The Club for Growth). You could work for a campaign vendor that services multiple candidates, or for a law firm with an election law or campaign practice, or a nonprofit that works on electoral issues from a nonpartisan perspective. Working with such organizations can help enrich your understanding of party structures and the issues at the center of a given campaign.

I do not want to work in politics, but I feel strongly about this candidate. If I spend a summer working on their campaign, will I jeopardize my chances of finding post-grad employment by “wasting” a summer?

  This move can be a bit risky (though see the note about leaves of absence below: the calculations are different for a “gap semester” than for a summer on the normal track). The wisdom of such a choice will depend on many factors, including what you would be doing for the campaign, with whom you would be working, what other job experience you have, and what your post-graduate goals are. HLS students should talk to a career counselor in the OPIA office before committing to this route. Another important note is that campaign work may not qualify for  HLS’ Summer Public Interest Funding (SPIF) ; see discussion below.

If I can only work in the summer, how can I maintain my contacts so that if the candidate is elected, I could have the chance to work for them post-grad?

The best way to maintain your contacts is to continue working for the candidate in a limited capacity up through the election. Students have volunteered their time to canvass, make persuasion calls to voters, organize their school or local geographic community, organize fundraisers in the area, spread the word about local events, write letters to the editors of local papers, help produce drafts of policy papers, and dedicate election day to getting-out-the-vote. Especially if you have become a valued employee or volunteer over the summer, the campaign will be eager to have the (likely unpaid) extra help through the remainder of the year.

Even if you are not able to continue working with the candidate, however, do not assume that you will be shut out of a job further down the road. If your goal is to work for a candidate post-election, let the campaign manager know when you head back to school.  It is true that non-civil service government positions are often filled on a first-come, first-serve basis from the ranks of the campaign staff, but trusted summer employees may also be in the mix. If you are in the position to later apply for a position on an elected official’s staff, simply note your campaign experience – along with the specific role that you played on the campaign – in the cover letter.

Would a campaign accept my help exclusively during the winter term?

Yes, but do not expect the work to be either glamorous or paid. Short-term volunteers generally spend their time in jobs such as: administrative processing; responding to campaign mail and email; and, especially in January, contacting constituents in early primary states, either in person or by phone. During January of a presidential election year, presidential campaigns need volunteers to travel to Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, or South Carolina to knock on doors or do advance work. Unless you happen to be a credentialed and established expert in a particular subject area, it will ordinarily not be worth a campaign’s energy to develop the trust needed for in-depth policy work if you are only going to be around for a month. That said, particularly if you have little other campaign experience, these sorts of short-term volunteer stints are excellent first steps for positions with more responsibility later in your career.

How could I work for a candidate during the academic year?

See the answer on summer work above: many tasks performed during the academic year are similar to summer tasks, but happen on a smaller scale. Examples include doing voter outreach through phone calls or canvassing, organizing house parties, reaching out to political organizations across campus, and researching narrow issues. You can also join local City, Town, or Ward Party Committees for the various political parties.

You can also help to maintain a candidate’s web presence, either by blogging officially or unofficially for the candidate, or by maintaining or bolstering supporter websites. Or you could start or run a local political organization. For example, one of our HLS advisors started Republicans International with a few partners abroad to help overseas U.S. citizens with voter registration and absentee ballots.

And again, in presidential campaign years, Cambridge-based supporters are always needed to head up to New Hampshire during the academic fall to make contact with potential voters.

Does summer campaign work qualify for HLS summer public interest funding (SPIF)?

Campaign work is typically not eligible for  HLS Summer Public Interest Funding (SPIF) , as SPIF is a legal training program, for which campaign work does not qualify. Positions which are law related will be considered on a case by case basis by the SPIF Committee. If a student would like their position reviewed they should email a job description to  [email protected] .

Does summer or term-time campaign work qualify for clinical credit?

Campaign work cannot be done for clinical credit. Further questions on clinical credit can be directed to the  Office of Clinical and Pro Bono programs at HLS.

Should I ever take a leave of absence from law school to work on a campaign?

One of the greatest luxuries of being a student is the ability to press “pause” in your education and take advantage of some experiences that you can only afford to do at this stage of your life. This is the kind of opportunity that may rarely come around when you are already working full-time and settled into a rhythm with family and friends.

If campaign work is something you are truly interested in and passionate about, taking a gap semester could be a great way to get involved at a level that otherwise might not be possible during the academic year. Before taking a gap semester, take some time to consider your personal, professional, and financial situation, as well as the possibilities that are available to you. As always, OPIA advisors are here to help you.

Are there other ways to do campaign-related work as a student?

Working on a campaign, or with political organizations, is a unique experience.  But as mentioned above, there may also be ways to engage in political law or election law as a student, beyond a campaign.  In each state, there are a few law firms (or political law groups at firms) that will serve officeholders, candidates, and partisan organizations with ballot access and campaign finance compliance; there are also a few firms that do the same nationally.  And there are some nonpartisan nonprofits that work on voters’ access to the electoral process.  These entities may offer internships or externships; competition for such positions is substantial, particularly during a presidential election year.

Post-Grad Opportunities

Does campaign work qualify for the low income protection plan (lipp).

Campaign work is considered eligible employment for  LIPP as long as it is at least part-time (17.5 hours/week minimum) and compensated at a rate of at least minimum wage. However, LIPP does not cover people who are running for office because candidates are not compensated for their time.

What kind of position could a new law school graduate expect to have on a campaign?

The answer will depend greatly on the size of the campaign and on your previous experience. A law degree on its own does not make anyone qualified to work as a senior strategist or policy advisor. On a national campaign, the bad news is that you can expect to start at the bottom. The good news is that talent is often rewarded quickly and there is room for advancement. New law school graduates have filled many campaign positions not associated with the practice of law.

If you want to work for a campaign in a legal capacity, of course, you will have to ensure that you are appropriately licensed to do so. Although a recent law graduate will not usually be the final arbiter of legal issues on a campaign, it is not at all unusual for recent graduates to do the preliminary legal work, submitting more difficult questions to senior lawyers either employed directly by the campaign or serving the campaign as outside counsel.

What will taking a year to work on a campaign after law school do to/for a new graduate’s ability to get a job down the road?

Campaign work – even campaign work that does not involve the practice of law – helps to develop not only an individual attorney’s skills, but also their contacts in government service. Many campaign staffers go on to work in government after the campaign season, some in high-profile political appointments. A year of campaign work will thus put you in touch with many individuals who could further a job search related to the public sphere, whether on Capitol Hill or in the State House, or in private sector positions that focus on government-related work. Campaign work is certainly no guarantee that you will be swept into the corridors of power if your candidate is successful, and you shouldn’t stake your involvement in a political campaign on the likelihood of securing a job afterwards, but it can help to ensure that doors open quicker and wider, in a variety of settings:

• On Capitol Hill or in the Administration: If you work for a winning Congressional or Senate campaign, you could secure a job with the newly elected Representative or Senator for whom you worked, particularly if your candidate is new to Congress. However, a re-elected incumbent will have both a campaign staff and a preexisting Washington staff; the entire campaign staff will not go to Washington. Also, if you worked on a presidential or other federal race, other elected representatives on Capitol Hill likely backed your candidate, and this may be a boost to a job application in their offices — or in a political role in a federal agency in an Administration of the same party. Even if your candidate loses, you may still have success applying to officials who backed your former employer’s candidacy.  Finally, if your end goal is to work on the Hill, you might consider interning on the Hill in lieu of working for a campaign, since Capitol Hill values prior Hill experience, even if unpaid.
• In the private sector:  Most firms (especially in D.C.) are filled with Republicans and Democrats alike. Firms are going to care most about the narrative for “why private practice” and your overall credentials rather than the fact that you worked for a particular candidate, though firms with political law or government relations practices may well welcome campaign experience (for any candidate) as an added bonus. Importantly, campaign work also develops a set of skills that are highly valued in the private sector in many different practice areas. Your resume and cover letter should speak to your ability to manage projects, work under pressure, get results, be a team player, and interact with a diverse group of people.
• For Nonprofits:  Nonprofits will value many of the same skills as the private sector. Nonprofits also appreciate a specialized skill set. If you worked in the policy shop of a campaign, you will have impressive work product to refer to in interviews with an issue-oriented nonprofit.

If I’m already employed, how do I talk to my firm about a leave?

There are no set rules for asking leave from a firm to work on a campaign. Whether or not to grant such a leave, and under what conditions to do so, is within the firm’s discretion and its decision will depend on a number of factors, which may include how long the associate has been with the firm, whether the firm would be unhappy to lose that person, and how big an impact the associate’s leave would have on their practice group.

Common Functions on Political Campaigns

Before you approach a campaign to ask about a position, you should give serious thought both to the type of position you would optimally prefer, and to the types of positions you would be willing to take. Campaign workers usually begin with field, advance, or fundraising work, and later “graduate” to doing policy or political work–but the hierarchy is not rigid, and depending on your particular connections, it may be possible to enter the campaign process at a different point.

The lists below are arranged alphabetically, rather than in hierarchical order, as the relative hierarchy may depend entirely on the nature of a particular campaign. Finally, depending on the size of the campaign, several of these functions may be unnecessary, or handled by a single person.

Work Involving the Practice of Law

Ballot access laws are often cumbersome and esoteric, with fees and/or signature requirements from certain populations, all with their own deadlines. Lawyers have to review these requirements to ensure that a candidate or ballot measure is able to get on the ballot.

Campaign finance law places certain restrictions on campaign communications. Lawyers have to ensure that the communications comply with the statutory and regulatory requirements.

Each jurisdiction will have its own idiosyncrasies in terms of voter registration, absentee ballot, early vote, vote by mail and poll site regulations.  Parsing these requirements is necessary to inform a campaign’s registration and/or get-out-the-vote (GOTV) strategy and resource allocation.  These same laws can also form the basis of an election protection effort, to ensure that eligible voters are able to cast an effective vote.

Campaign finance laws also restrict the sources of funds and require disclosure of some donations and expenses. Lawyers ensure compliance by reviewing checks coming in the door and reports going out.

Campaigns are essentially mini-nonprofit businesses, ramping up and shutting down with extraordinary speed. As in the case of any business, a campaign organization must be formed and organized in compliance with legal requirements. Campaigns will very quickly generate many contracts – including contracts for personnel, field offices, equipment, and data – that should be reviewed by an attorney. And campaigns produce legal disputes around employment and torts claims just like any other nonprofit.

Work Other Than the Practice of Law

Before a candidate appears in public, an advance team will scout the location, arrange logistics, and assist in drumming up an appropriate audience. Many advance teams have at least one staff member present during an event to oversee logistics. Advance work involves lots of travel; you could be on the road twenty days out of the month on a national or statewide campaign.  This work is less sensitive and is more likely to go to campaign novices who exhibit independence, self-confidence, imagination, and good judgment.

Campaign managers and their deputies integrate all campaign functions, sometimes doing, and sometimes directing traffic. It is ultimately their job to make sure that the entire campaign runs as smoothly as possible.

The communications staff is responsible for public manifestations of the campaign’s message and is a very politically sensitive area. Staff members write speeches, prepare and place ads (“paid media”), create media events (“free media”), and respond to press inquiries. The official campaign spokesperson or spokespeople will be members of the communications staff. As Election Day nears, communications generally takes on a lot of low-level hires to staff war rooms (which consists of watching a lot of television screens in shifts 24 hours a day).

Social media and digital communications management also play an increasingly important role in political campaigns, and campaigns recruit heavily for social media directors, digital strategists and digital organizers. Roles in this area may include monitoring candidates’ presence on social media, creating digital content (which can range from graphic design to writing for social media platforms), overseeing digital strategy and messaging across different platforms, coordinating with team members out in the field and at Headquarters, and tracking performance data and analytics. The presence of social media has turned a 24-hour news cycle into a half-hourly or hourly news cycle, and has accelerated the pace of all communications work, online and not.

Constituent liaison work involves conducting outreach to the local leadership of particular interest-group communities, which are sometimes organized along racial or ethnic lines and sometimes along professional or issue lines (e.g., “lawyers for XX”, “environmentalists for XX”). The political sensitivity of constituent liaison work can vary from campaign to campaign, and even within a campaign’s lifespan, but at times it can be quite high.

For major statewide or national campaigns, political parties may celebrate the end of the primary process with a formal nominating convention. Often, parties or campaigns will have their own team hired specifically to plan and coordinate these conventions. Important functions leading up to the convention may include addressing rules and platform issues and organizing delegate selection and support, as well as assisting with the substantial logistics of an especially visible gathering quite important to crucial party supporters.

Political campaigns increasingly rely on fast and rigorous iterative data analysis to guide a vast array of campaign activities, including voter targeting, fundraising, and research, to name just a few. Roles in this capacity can include gathering, analyzing and/or modeling data, or preparing it for visualization and presentation to a candidate or the public. Campaigns will value previous experience with digital marketing, online campaigns and/or coding. Work in this high-demand area can be a creative way to merge interests in technology and politics.

Field teams contact voters, assemble supporters, and create events in particular geographic regions. They help register voters, deliver campaign literature and other information, call potential voters to inform or persuade, track information from potential voters on prevailing issues or levels of support, and above all, are responsible for getting supporters to the polls on election day. In some campaigns, as election day approaches, many workers in other areas will get pulled into an “all hands on deck” field effort.

Fundraisers generate the cash that lets the candidate spread their message, which often serves independently as a test of the candidate’s credibility. Fundraising can involve big events, extended web campaigns, small house parties, group-based incentives or individual contributions. In any guise, it is welcome. Staff tends to consist of very young people, especially at the lower rungs.

A designated IT staff is critical, especially on a larger campaign. They keep the back office running, manage phone service, and ensure that the campaign’s computer network functions. More advanced campaigns need staff to tend the infrastructure for volunteer coordination programs or voter contact programs.

Campaign IT staff also perform other crucial tasks, like managing data security and ensuring that field offices and other more mobile teams are securely and properly equipped to perform their tasks. IT supports and works closely with many teams on a campaign, especially operations and data, and interacts with campaign staff to manage help desks and ensure smooth onboarding of new hires. Other specialized tech skills that can be of great use to a campaign include software engineering and web development.

The policy shop prepares policy and position statements, responds to issue-based questionnaires sponsored by interest groups (usually in the context of a group’s pending endorsement), and helps prepare talking points and position papers for the candidate on particular issues, ranging from education, health care, economic development and crime to international relations.

In a large campaign, these jobs are likely to go only to those with substantial experience in a substantive policy area.  You can develop this experience through work either by developing deep expertise in a practice area, or more broadly at think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation, the Brookings Institution, and the Center for American Progress.  Policy experience can also be developed on a smaller scale while at law school through intensive classroom or clinical experience, or through participation in groups such as the Federalist Society or the American Constitutional Society.

The political desks of a campaign usually have three primary functions: briefing the candidate on particular political terrain, securing the goodwill or endorsement (or tacit non-interference) of other political leaders, and maintaining a close liaison with the campaign’s field workers.  Political desks are usually arranged by geographic territories. This is very sensitive work, but campaigns occasionally hire newcomers, particularly those who are familiar with the local coverage area, if they are politically savvy.

“Opposition research” (the art and science of finding out as much as possible about the opponent) is extremely important and the most notorious research function, but by no means the only role of research staff.  Staff also researches their own candidate. This rapid response can be exciting for someone who loves the political game, but the hours can be grueling and boring. Expect twelve to sixteen hour days of Googling and Nexis research.

Research staff keep the campaign informed: they may vet would-be staff or volunteers, dig up details on particular policy proposals, or track media appearances by their own candidate, surrogates, and opponents. Research is one of the most sensitive areas of a campaign, but if the staff trusts you, it does not require a lot of experience. Research is a great introductory job in a campaign if you are willing to put in the hours.

The competing demands on the candidate’s time can be tremendous, and someone on the campaign has to be responsible for negotiating the competing priorities and setting the candidate’s schedule. In the complicated internal dynamic of a campaign, the schedulers are among those with the most internal clout because they guard the campaign’s scarcest resource. Scheduling is very sensitive work with the need for staff to be on call 24/7.

The candidate can only be in one place at a time; for everything else, there are surrogates. Surrogates are public or quasi-public figures enlisted to speak or appear on the candidate’s behalf – they may be members of the candidate’s family, prominent public figures, or other elected officials. Larger campaigns will have staff specifically devoted to scheduling and managing surrogate appearances, including providing speech materials and talking points that are closely coordinated with what the candidate is saying. Surrogate management is politically sensitive work and is quite interesting because you will get to meet some of the heaviest hitters in the business.

Campaigns must figure out how best to deploy their resources; though it may feel like the country is saturated toward the end of a campaign cycle, campaigns cannot possibly hope to reach everyone all the time. The targeting staff is tasked with determining which voters the campaign should prioritize contacting through different means – both in terms of general groups and specific individuals.  In many campaigns, this responsibility falls under the political shop and requires people who love campaigns and data management. If you want to groom yourself for this position, put Excel, statistical modeling, data analysis, and digital outreach skills on your resume.

Many campaigns are so awash in volunteers that they must find a way to productively harness this energy. Some will employ campaign staff specifically to find and manage volunteers and to deploy the talents of campaign supporters where they can do the most good. This is generally less sensitive work, but requires a lot of patience.

Presidential Transition and New Administration Resources

We have aggregated a sampling of frequently asked questions and resources to help you understand hiring processes for Presidential transitions and new administrations, and perhaps participate in them. Explore the Resources

If you have any inclination to be involved in a political campaign, do it! The pace can be challenging, but the work is rarely boring, and individual effort makes a difference every day. In addition to the satisfaction that comes from working for someone you respect and whose positions you support, there is a sense of gratification that comes from working on a project where there will be demonstrable winners, losers, and an end date. You will also build camaraderie and relationships with individuals that can be beneficial far into the future. Campaigns can provide a host of experiences and levels of excitement that are difficult to match in any other environment.

Ballotpedia  List of the campaign staff for the 2020 Presidential candidates.

Organizations That Focus on Campaign Work

Arena Arena aims to convene, train, and support the next generation of candidates and campaign staff. It hosts the Arena Summit, which brings together candidates, staff, and activists; offers training through the Arena Academy, and helps recruit and match talent to progressive campaigns.

Campaigns & Elections Non-partisan website that tracks all things political.  You can subscribe to their print magazine that is published ten times a year.  They also sponsor several conferences a year on specific election issues. Contact them for upcoming training events or see their website. On their site, you can subscribe to Campaign Insider, which will email political job opportunities as well as the latest inside scoop on campaigns around the country.

Campaign Jobs Here you can find a job board focused exclusively on campaign-related work.

Campaign Management Institute Washington, D.C. American University sponsors an intensive two-week semiannual training session in January and May on all aspects of political campaigning, taught by experts from both political parties. Non-degree-seeking students can apply to attend.

Congressional Progressive Caucus Center Legislative Fellowship Washington, D.C. The Congressional Progressive Caucus Center Legislative Fellowship is designed for emerging leaders who want to develop their own professional skills in policymaking and social change through learning from and working within a strong legislative operation on Capitol Hill. Fellows are placed in the offices of active members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Fellows work closely with CPC member offices to gain substantive legislative and federal policy experience in their issue focus.

Center for Digital Strategy The Digital Plan offers online and in-person trainings on digital strategy for nonprofits and political campaigns. Topics range from media engagement and digital planning to data management and adapting email use to a particular campaign. There are also templates, blueprints, and worksheets on many of these topics.

Fair Elections Center Fair Elections Center is a national, nonpartisan voting rights and election reform organization that works to improve election administration, protect access to the ballot through litigation, and provide expertise and advice to voter mobilization organizations.

GOP Training Resources This GOP page highlights political education programs including the RNC Campaign Management College, Campaign Finance College and Campaign Data College. The programs are open to individuals with a wide range of experience.

Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics Cambridge, MA The Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics has many programs and centers that can help you develop your skills and knowledge about a variety of topics related to campaigns, advocacy and voting rights. See for example the  Campaign & Advocacy Program ,  Community Action Committee , the  National Campaign for Political and Civic Engagement conference , the  Campaign Managers Conference  and the  Harvard Votes Challenge .

Inclusv Inclusv works to ensure that staff, consultants, and vendors of color are found at every professional level within advocacy, policy, and campaigns and elections. It helps to amplify available job opportunities from employer partners, elevate relevant training opportunities, and provide culturally competent career development trainings for staffs or conference attendees of partners.

The Leadership Institute Arlington, VA The Leadership Institutes provides training on campaigns, fundraising, grassroots organizing, and general politics to conservatives of all ages. It is also present on many college campuses and collects relevant job opportunities on its website.

The Mobilisation Lab The Mobilisation Lab offers training and coaching on advocacy campaigns, including an accelerator, workshops, and online courses. You can also find toolkits and frameworks on pressing campaign-related issues like digital voter engagement, security and storytelling strategy.

The National Democratic Training Committee The National Democratic Training Committee offers a free interactive, online campaign school with trainings on communications, digital campaign skills, field work, and fundraising.

National Federation of Republican Women Alexandria, VA The National Federation of Republican Women runs a Campaign Management School covering topics from budgeting to media strategy, with events held across the United States.

The New Politics Leadership Academy New Politics Leadership Academy is a nonpartisan non-profit organization dedicated to recruiting and supporting servant leaders (veterans and Americorps and Peace Corps alumni) to serve through politics. It offers leadership development experiences, educational programming, and networking events focused on political campaigning.

Political & Leadership Resource Map This website from Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics compiles resources and organizations, categorized by state, for women who are interested in running for office or in working on campaigns more broadly.

Re: Power Through a framework of inclusive politics, re:power holds multiple trainings for individuals interested in campaign work, including a Data and Analytics Camp, a Digital Organizer School, and an Advanced Campaign Management School.

VoteRunLead Focused on helping women run for and win political office, VoteRunLead also has trainings for communications and fundraising and hosts a network of women involved in politics and campaigns.  

Organizations That Focus on Voting Rights Issues

This list is not exhaustive; many other civil rights organizations engage, to a greater or lesser degree, in voting rights work.

All Voting is Local Washington, D.C. and Nationwide All Voting is Local fights to eliminate needless and discriminatory barriers to voting before they happen, to build a democracy that works for us all. It is a collaborative campaign housed at The Leadership Conference Education Fund, in conjunction with the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation; the American Constitution Society; the Campaign Legal Center; and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

ACLU Voting Rights Project New York, NY Established in 1965, the ACLU Voting Rights Project has worked to protect the gains in political participation won by racial and language minorities since passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The ACLU is currently litigating voter suppression and minority vote dilution cases in over a dozen states, from coast to coast, in every region of the country.

Advancement Project Washington, D.C. The Advancement Project is a next-generation, multi-racial civil rights organization that uses innovative tools and strategies to strengthen social movements and achieve high-impact policy change. It focuses on issues including voting rights, the school-to-prison pipeline, education justice and immigrant justice.

Brennan Center for Justice Washington, D.C. and New York, NY The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law is a nonpartisan law and policy institute dedicated to protecting the rule of law and the values of Constitutional democracy. It focuses on voting rights, campaign finance reform, ending mass incarceration, and preserving our liberties while also maintaining our national security.

Campaign Legal Center Washington, D.C. Campaign Legal Center (CLC) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. CLC watchdogs government officials, provides expert analysis and helps journalists uncover violations. CLC also participates in legal proceedings across the country to defend the right to vote and ensure fair redistricting.

Declaration for American Democracy Washington, D.C. The Declaration for American Democracy is a coalition of over 240 member organizations committed to the protection of voting rights through national legislative initiatives to combat gerrymandering and government corruption.

DNC Civic Engagement and Voter Protection Washington, D.C. The Civic Engagement and Voter Protection department is concerned with safeguarding the right to vote by ensuring fair, accessible elections.

Demos Washington, D.C. and New York, NY Demos is a dynamic “think-and-do” tank that powers the movement for a just, inclusive, multiracial democracy. Through cutting-edge policy research, inspiring litigation and deep relationships with grassroots organizations, Demos champions solutions that will create a democracy and economy rooted in racial equity.

Let American Vote Washington, D.C. Let America Vote is an organization that fights back against proposals across the country that make it harder for eligible voters to exercise their constitutional right to cast a ballot.  

Books and publications providing both practical advice as well as personal perspectives and anecdotes; See also publications by the RNC, DNC, and local state committees

Campaign for President: The Managers Look at 2016 by The Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School Published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2017

The Campaign Manager: Running and Winning Local Elections 5th Edition by Catherine Shaw Published by Routledge, 2014

The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns by Sasha Issenberg Published by Broadway Books, 2013

Acknowledgements

Created by:.

Sharon Kelly McBride ’04  is Senior Vice President of Advocacy at Human Rights First. Before joining Human Rights First, she was Research Director and Policy Advisor for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s Senate Democratic Communications Center.

Justin Levitt ’02  is Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Law at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. Before joining the faculty of Loyola Law School, he was Counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law; he has also worked with multiple candidates, including serving as the National Voter Protection Counsel for a major presidential campaign. While at HLS, he received a Masters of Public Administration from the Kennedy School of Government.

Amanda Tammen Peterson (former 1L Advising Initiative Coordinator)  is a transplanted Westerner with extensive experience in local and state political campaigns. Amanda, a registered Democrat, brokered her first bipartisan deal when she married her husband, a registered Republican.

Many thanks to the following for their guidance:

James Flug ‘ 63 : Former Senior Heyman Fellow, Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising Virginia Greiman : Attorney Advisor, Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising Sarah Isgur ‘ 08 : Political Analyst, CNN Rachel Pemstein:  Assistant Director for Alumni Advising, Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising Joan Ruttenberg ‘ 82 : Director of the Heyman Fellowship Program and Assistant Director for Government Advising, Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising Alexa Shabecoff : Former Assistant Dean for Public Service, Bernard Koteen Office of Public Interest Advising Missi Sousa : Former Intern Coordinator, John McCain for President Gabriella Elanbeck : Summer Public Interest Fellow 2019

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It takes lots of money to win elections. Here's what you need to know

Ximena Bustillo

This photo illustration shows the mugshot of former President Donald Trump next to a website called Trump Save America JFC, a joint fundraising committee on behalf of Donald J. Trump for President 2024, which is selling merchandise bearing his mugshot. Stefani Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

This photo illustration shows the mugshot of former President Donald Trump next to a website called Trump Save America JFC, a joint fundraising committee on behalf of Donald J. Trump for President 2024, which is selling merchandise bearing his mugshot.

Television ads, logos, stickers, staplers and staffers. They are all needed to run political campaigns. And they all cost money.

Fundraising is one of the key components of political campaigns. Candidates spend a significant period of time talking to donors and mobilizing grassroots donations in order to keep their campaigns alive.

"Campaign finance matters," said Michael Kang, law professor at Northwestern University who specializes in campaign finance, among other matters. "It's the way that candidates fund their outreach and messaging to voters."

And the dollars add up. In the 2020 election, political spending topped $14 billion, according to OpenSecrets , doubling what was spent in the 2016 presidential election, making it the most expensive election cycle.

"We just see money in politics growing every year," said Shanna Ports, senior legal counsel for campaign finance at Campaign Legal Center. "There are new methods of technology, especially around the internet and digital platforms that campaigns want to be able to spend a lot of money on to reach voters and to micro-target people with their messages."

Media advertising accounts for a large part of spending, according to Kang. It's a race to the top.

"That's really what drives up the costs and the fact that everyone's pretty well funded and spends a lot of time fundraising," Kang said. "So you have to keep up with your opposition to get your message out."

A worker sets up signs at the Dallas County Fairgrounds for a rally with Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump on Oct. 16 in Adel, Iowa. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption

A worker sets up signs at the Dallas County Fairgrounds for a rally with Republican presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump on Oct. 16 in Adel, Iowa.

Why raise money?

The advertisements that propel a candidate's message to voters on various media platforms take money to produce and to run.

"There's only so much you can do without paying for some sort of advertising, whether it's TV, radio, print, the internet. All of those things require money and they're very expensive," Kang explained.

But he said there are also plenty of other expenses that don't go to media outreach such as paying for pollsters, hiring campaign staff and printing yard signs and posters.

For the Republican contest there is added incentive from the Republican National Committee, which has set thresholds for a minimum number of unique donors as one of the metrics for qualifying for the debates. So, candidates for the 2024 election cycle have already gotten creative.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson barely qualified for the first GOP presidential debate. But he did, thanks to the help of college students, according to POLITICO .

Current GOP front-runner Donald Trump has used his recent legal troubles as a way to garner financial support, sending out emails and texts requesting donations following several indictments and court appearances. He is even selling merch with his own mug shot.

Conversely, Biden, who is the Democratic front-runner, has boasted high fundraising totals in the first two quarters compared to his GOP rivals, running a more traditional fundraising operation.

President Biden greets Democratic National Committee staff and volunteers after speaking at DNC headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 24. Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption

President Biden greets Democratic National Committee staff and volunteers after speaking at DNC headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 24.

What is the FEC?

The Federal Election Commission is the sole federal agency tasked with enforcing campaign finance laws.

There are six FEC commissioners and, according to law, no more than three can be from the same political party. Ideally, this makes decisions from the commission bipartisan because it takes four to make a decision.

The commissioners oversee who is spending money and how, ensuring political committees and candidates are filing accurate and complete reports which are later posted by the FEC, and they investigate allegations of illegal activity.

"But in practice, especially in recent years, that has been resulting in a lot of stalemates, a lot of split decisions, where the three Democratically appointed commissioners, three Republican-appointed commissioners disagree," Ports said, adding that a 3-3 split means no penalty is assessed to someone who is alleged to have broken the law. "And when that happens, the law doesn't get enforced."

It has also stalled the FEC's ability to issue guidance to those asking how to best follow the law, Ports said.

"A political committee or a campaign can come to the FEC and ask for what's called an advisory opinion where it basically will say, 'I want to do X thing. Is that OK?'" Ports said. The FEC writes an opinion saying yes or no and why. "But when there's a 3-to-3 split, the commission says there's nothing, there's no opinion rendered."

Commissioners have argued before lawmakers in Congress that despite the partisan divides, it has reached a consensus on 90% of enforcement matters since January 2021. But lawmakers during a hearing last month said that on higher level issues, such as enforcement allegations related to Trump, partisan splits persist.

Chair of the Federal Election Commission Dara Lindenbaum, center, listens during an Aug. 10 FEC public meeting on whether it should regulate the use of AI-generated political campaign advertisements. Stephanie Scarbrough/AP hide caption

Chair of the Federal Election Commission Dara Lindenbaum, center, listens during an Aug. 10 FEC public meeting on whether it should regulate the use of AI-generated political campaign advertisements.

Ins and outs of the law

Federal laws apply to those running for federal office. But each state has its own set of laws for those running in elections within each state.

These laws can govern contribution limits, or how much an entity looking to give can give.

They also govern the disclosure of the money, meaning candidates or advertisers have to report how much they have received and from who.

But one thing that does hold true across all jurisdictions: people can't be stopped from spending.

The Supreme Court in 2010 decided that political action committees are able to take unlimited contributions from donors, except foreign nationals and federal contractors. Widely known as the Citizens United decision, it also allowed corporations and nonprofits to spend money on political campaigns and explicitly back a candidate as long as they don't directly coordinate with candidates.

Ports and Kang say that this decision led to the rise of the use of political action committees.

What are PACs and super PACs?

A political action committee, or PAC, is organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. PACs tend to represent specific interests such as business, unions or ideologies.

"The basic difference is that super PACs engage only in independent expenditures. That is, they don't give money to candidates or to parties, and they don't coordinate with parties or candidates in how they use their money," Kang said. "That distinction allows them to raise money without contribution limits. And so that's what makes them super."

In 2022 there were 2,476 super PACs formed by a wide variety of interests. Together they raised over $2.7 billion and spent over $1.3 billion.

PACs, meanwhile, are subject to contribution limits and can coordinate with candidates. Often, presidential candidates will announce super PACs related to their individual ideology before announcing they are jumping into the race.

Three months out, the Iowa Caucus is Trump's to lose

New campaign fundraising numbers have been released for the 2024 presidential race, does money increase the chances of a win.

Fundraising is a contributor to a campaign's success, said Kang, but so are other issues like candidate quality.

"Usually if you're spending a lot of money, often the opponent is also spending a lot of money and they kind of cancel out," Kang said. "That's not to say that having money is not important or doesn't help you win, because if the opponent is spending a lot of money, you're better off spending a lot of money too."

For presidential elections, candidates have to meet deadlines for their reporting. During presidential election years, such as 2024, candidates will have to file each month. The first report of the year will include all of 2023 fundraising and it is due Jan. 31, 2024.

• 2024 Republican Presidential Primary
• 2024 campaign
• 2024 GOP primary
• 2024 election
• Federal Elections Commission
• campaign funding
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Essay on Politics: Topics, Tips, and Examples for Students

Defining What is Politics Essay

The process of decision-making that applies to members of a group or society is called politics. Arguably, political activities are the backbone of human society, and everything in our daily life is a form of it.

Understanding the essence of politics, reflecting on its internal elements, and critically analyzing them make society more politically aware and let them make more educated decisions. Constantly thinking and analyzing politics is critical for societal evolution.

Political thinkers often write academic papers that explore different political concepts, policies, and events. The essay about politics may examine a wide range of topics such as government systems, political ideologies, social justice, public policies, international relations, etc.

After selecting a specific research topic, a writer should conduct extensive research, gather relevant information, and prepare a logical and well-supported argument. The paper should be clear and organized, complying with academic language and standards. A writer should demonstrate a deep understanding of the subject, an ability to evaluate and remain non-biased to different viewpoints, and a capacity to draw conclusions.

Now that we are on the same page about the question 'what is politics essay' and understand its importance, let's take a deeper dive into how to build a compelling political essay, explore the most relevant political argumentative essay topics, and finally, examine the political essay examples written by the best essay writing service team.

Politics Essay Example for Students

If you are still unsure how to structure your essay or how to present your statement, don't worry. Our team of experts has prepared an excellent essay example for you. Feel free to explore and examine it. Use it to guide you through the writing process and help you understand what a successful essay looks like.

How to Write a Political Essay: Tips + Guide

A well-written essay is easy to read and digest. You probably remember reading papers full of big words and complex ideas that no one bothered to explain. We all agree that such essays are easily forgotten and not influential, even though they might contain a very important message.

If you are writing an essay on politics, acknowledge that you are on a critical mission to easily convey complicated concepts. Hence, what you are trying to say should be your main goal. Our guide on how to write a political essay will help you succeed.

Conduct Research for Your Politics Essay

After choosing a topic for the essay, take enough time for preparation. Even if you are familiar with the matter, conducting thorough research is wiser. Political issues are complex and multifaceted; comprehensive research will help you understand the topic better and offer a more nuanced analysis.

Research can help you identify different viewpoints and arguments around the topic, which can be beneficial for building more impartial and persuasive essays on politics. Sometimes in the hit of the moment, opposing sides are not able to see the common ground; your goal is to remain rational, speak to diverse audiences, and help them see the core of the problem and the ways to solve it.

In political papers, accuracy and credibility are vital. Researching the topic deeply will help you avoid factual errors or misrepresentations from any standpoint. It will allow you to gather reliable sources of information and create a trustworthy foundation for the entire paper.

If you want to stand out from the other students, get inspired by the list of hottest essay ideas and check out our political essay examples.

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Brainstorm Political Essay Topics

The next step to writing a compelling politics essay is to polish your thoughts and find the right angle to the chosen topic.

Before you start writing, generate fresh ideas and organize your thoughts. There are different techniques to systematize the mess going on in your head, such as freewriting, mind mapping, or even as simple as listing ideas. This will open the doors to new angles and approaches to the topic.

When writing an essay about politics, ensure the topic is not too general. It's always better to narrow it down. It will simplify your job and help the audience better understand the core of the problem. Brainstorming can help you identify key points and arguments, which you can use to find a specific angle on the topic.

Brainstorming can also help you detect informational gaps that must be covered before the writing process. Ultimately, the brainstorming phase can bring a lot more clarity and structure to your essay.

We know how exhausting it is to come up with comparative politics essay topics. Let our research paper writing service team do all the hard work for you.

Create Your Politics Essay Thesis Statement

Thesis statements, in general, serve as a starting point of the roadmap for the reader. A political essay thesis statement outlines the main ideas and arguments presented in the body paragraphs and creates a general sense of the content of the paper.

Creating a thesis statement for essays about politics in the initial stages of writing can help you stay focused and on track throughout the working process. You can use it as an aim and constantly check your arguments and evidence against it. The question is whether they are relevant and supportive of the statement.

Get creative when creating a statement. This is the first sentence readers will see, and it should be compelling and clear.

The following is a great example of a clear and persuasive thesis statement:

 'The lack of transparency and accountability has made the World Trade Organization one of the most controversial economic entities. Despite the influence, its effectiveness in promoting free trade and economic growth in developing countries has decreased.'

Provide Facts in Your Essay about Politic

It's a no-brainer that everything you will write in your essay should be supported by strong evidence. The credibility of your argument will be questioned every step of the way, especially when you are writing about sensitive subjects such as essays on government influence on economic troubles. 

Provide facts and use them as supporting evidence in your politics essay. They will help you establish credibility and accuracy and take your paper out of the realm of speculation and mere opinions.

Facts will make your essay on political parties more persuasive, unbiased, and targeted to larger audiences. Remember, the goal is to bring the light to the core of the issue and find a solution, not to bring people even farther apart.

Speaking of facts, many students claim that when they say ' write my essay for me ' out loud, our writing team is the fastest to respond and deliver high-quality essays meeting their trickiest requirements.

Structure Your Political Essay

Your main goal is to communicate your ideas to many people. To succeed, you need to write an essay that is easy to read and understand. Creating a structure will help you present your ideas logically and lead the readers in the right direction.

Sometimes when writing about political essay topics, we get carried away. These issues can be very emotional and sensitive, and writers are not protected from becoming victims of their own writings. Having a structure will keep you on track, only focusing on providing supported arguments and relevant information.

Start with introducing the thesis statement and provide background information. Followed by the body paragraphs and discuss all the relevant facts and standpoints. Finish it up with a comprehensive conclusion, and state the main points of your essay once again.

The structure will also save you time. In the beginning, creating an outline for essays on politics will give you a general idea of what should be written, and you can track your progress against it.

Revise and Proofread Your Final Politics Essay

Once every opinion is on the paper and every argument is well-constructed, one final step should be taken. Revision!

We know nothing is better than finishing the homework and quickly submitting it, but we aim for an A+. Our political essay must be reviewed. You need to check if there is any error such as grammatical, spelling, or contextual.

Take some time off, relax, and start proofreading after a few minutes or hours. Having a fresh mind will help you review not only grammar but also the arguments. Check if something is missing from your essays about politics, and if you find gaps, provide additional information.

You had to spend a lot of time on them, don't give up now. Make sure they are in perfect condition.

Effective Political Essay Topics

We would be happy if our guide on how to write political essays helped you, but we are not stopping there. Below you will find a list of advanced and relevant political essay topics. Whether you are interested in global political topics or political science essay topics, we got you covered.

Once you select a topic, don't forget to check out our politics essay example! It will bring even more clarity, and you will be all ready to start writing your own paper.

Political Argumentative Essay Topics

Now that we know how to write a political analysis essay let's explore political argumentative essay topics:

• Should a political party take a stance on food politics and support policies promoting sustainable food systems?
• Should we label Winston Churchill as the most influential political figure of World War II?
• Does the focus on GDP growth in the political economy hinder the human development index?
• Is foreign influence a threat to national security?
• Is foreign aid the best practice for political campaigning?
• Does the electoral college work for an ideal political system?
• Are social movements making a real difference, or are they politically active for temporary change?
• Can global politics effectively address political conflicts in the modern world?
• Are opposing political parties playing positive roles in US international relations?
• To what extent should political influence be allowed in addressing economic concerns?
• Can representative democracy prevent civil wars in ethnically diverse countries?
• Should nuclear weapons be abolished for the sake of global relations?
• Is economic development more important than ethical issues for Caribbean politics?
• What role should neighboring nations play in preventing human rights abuse in totalitarian regimes?
• Should political decisions guide the resolution of conflicts in the South China Sea?

Political Socialization Essay Topics

Knowing how to write a political issue essay is one thing, but have you explored our list of political socialization essay topics?

• To what extent does a political party or an influential political figure shape the beliefs of young people?
• Does political influence shape attitudes toward environmental politics?
• How can individuals use their own learning process to navigate political conflicts in a polarized society?
• How do political strategies shape cultural globalization?
• Is gender bias used as a political instrument in political socialization?
• How can paying attention to rural communities improve political engagement?
• What is the role of Amnesty International in preventing the death penalty?
• What is the role of politically involved citizens in shaping minimum wage policies?
• How does a political party shape attitudes toward global warming?
• How does the federal system influence urban planning and attitudes toward urban development?
• What is the role of public opinion in shaping foreign policy, and how does it affect political decision making
• Did other countries' experiences affect policies on restricting immigration in the US?
• How can note-taking skills and practice tests improve political engagement? 
• How do the cultural values of an independent country shape the attitudes toward national security?
• Does public opinion influence international intervention in helping countries reconcile after conflicts?

Political Science Essay Topics

If you are searching for political science essay topics, check our list below and write the most compelling essay about politic:

• Is environmental education a powerful political instrument? 
• Can anarchist societies provide a viable alternative to traditional forms of governance?
• Pros and cons of deterrence theory in contemporary international relations
• Comparing the impact of the French Revolution and World War II on the political landscape of Europe
• The role of the ruling political party in shaping national policies on nuclear weapons
• Exploring the roots of where politics originate
• The impact of civil wars on the processes of democratization of the third-world countries
• The role of international organizations in promoting global health
• Does using the death penalty in the justice system affect international relations?
• Assessing the role of the World Trade Organization in shaping global trade policies
• The political and environmental implications of conventional agriculture
• The impact of the international court on political decision making
• Is philosophical anarchism relevant to contemporary political discourse?
• The emergence of global citizenship and its relationship with social movements
• The impact of other countries on international relations between the US and China

Final Words

See? Writing an essay about politic seems like a super challenging job, but in reality, all it takes is excellent guidance, a well-structured outline, and an eye for credible information.

If you are stressed out from juggling a hundred different course assignments and have no time to focus on your thesis, our dissertation writing services could relieve you! Our team of experts is ready to take over even the trickiest tasks on the tightest schedule. You just have to wish - ' write my essay ' out loud, and we will be on it!

Ready to Enrich Your Understanding of Politics?

Order our thought-provoking essay today and elevate your intellectual game!

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• Views of the parties and possible changes to the two-party system
• Other important findings
• Explore chapters of this report
• In their own words: Americans on the political system’s biggest problems
• In their own words: Americans on the political system’s biggest strengths
• Are there clear solutions to the nation’s problems?
• Evaluations of the political system
• Trust in the federal government
• Feelings toward the federal government
• The relationship between the federal and state governments
• Americans’ ratings of their House member, governor and local officials
• Party favorability ratings
• Most characterize their party positively
• Quality of the parties’ ideas
• Influence in congressional decision-making
• Views on limiting the role of money in politics
• Views on what kinds of activities can change the country for the better
• How much can voting affect the future direction of the country?
• Views of members of Congress
• In their own words: Americans’ views of the major problems with today’s elected officials
• How much do elected officials care about people like me?
• What motivates people to run for office?
• Quality of recent political candidates
• In elections, is there usually at least one candidate who shares your views?
• What the public sees as most important in political candidates
• Impressions of the people who will be running for president in 2024
• Views about presidential campaigns
• How much of an impact does who is president have on your life?
• Whose priorities should the president focus on?
• How different are the Republican and Democratic parties?
• Views of how well the parties represent people’s interests
• What if there were more political parties?
• Would more parties make solving problems easier or harder?
• How likely is it that an independent candidate will become president?
• Americans who feel unrepresented by the parties have highly negative views of the political system
• Views of the Electoral College
• Should the size of the U.S. House of Representatives change?
• Senate seats and population size
• Younger adults more supportive of structural changes
• Politics in a single word or phrase: An outpouring of negative sentiments
• Negative emotions prevail when Americans think about politics
• Americans say the tone of political debate in the country has worsened
• Which political topics get too much – and too little – attention?
• Majority of Americans find it stressful to talk politics with people they disagree with
• Acknowledgments

Americans’ dissatisfaction with politics extends to their views of presidential campaigns, both present and past. Only about a third (35%) say they are satisfied with the people who will be running for president next year.

Looking back at recent presidential campaigns, sizable majorities say they were not informative, too long and not focused on the right issues. Nearly eight-in-ten Americans (78%) say recent campaigns did not feature party nominees who were good candidates.

Most Americans say who the president is makes a big difference for such areas as the U.S. standing in the world and the mood of the country. Far fewer say who is president makes a big difference to their personal life.

Large shares of both Republicans and Democrats say the president should focus at least a fair amount on the priorities of people who voted for them. Smaller majorities say they should focus on the interests of people who did not vote for them. Republicans are less likely than Democrats to say the president should focus on the priorities of people who did not vote at all.

Most Americans (63%) say they are not too or not at all satisfied when thinking about the people who will be running for president in 2024. In the survey, conducted in mid-July, about a quarter (26%) say they are fairly satisfied. Just 8% are extremely or very satisfied.

While there is widespread dissatisfaction in both party coalitions, Republicans are somewhat more satisfied than Democrats. Among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents, just 24% are at least fairly satisfied (with only 4% reporting they are extremely or very satisfied). Among Republicans and Republican leaners, about half (48%) are at least fairly satisfied (including 13% who are extremely or very satisfied).

Americans are critical of recent presidential campaigns in negative ways, with seven-in-ten or more saying they haven’t been informative (71%), have focused on the wrong issues (77%), have lasted too long (72%) and haven’t featured nominees who were good candidates (78%).

Americans are more evenly split over whether campaigns have been interesting or dull, although they are still more negative than positive. About half (52%) say recent presidential campaigns have been dull, while 44% say they have been interesting.

Partisan and engagement differences on recent presidential campaigns

There are relatively modest partisan gaps in views of whether presidential campaigns are interesting, informative, go on too long, focus on the right issues or result in good nominees. But in both partisan coalitions, there are some notable differences between more and less politically engaged people.

Dull or interesting?

People who are less politically engaged are considerably more likely to say recent political campaigns have been dull, rather than interesting. And this holds among both Republicans and Democrats. More than six-in-ten (64%) less politically engaged people say campaigns have been dull, but that falls to about four-in-ten among people who are highly politically engaged.

Are too long or not too long?

People with higher levels of political engagement are particularly likely to say presidential elections go on too long. Though majorities of those at all levels of political engagement say this, 80% of high-engagement people hold this view (including 76% of high-engagement Republicans and 85% of high-engagement Democrats), this drops to about six-in-ten (62%) among people with low levels of political engagement.

Have the nominees been good candidates?

Although clear majorities also say recent presidential nominees have not been good candidates, Democrats overall are somewhat more likely than Republicans to say this (82% vs. 73%). The partisan gap is somewhat wider among more engaged Americans: 85% of highly engaged Democrats and 69% of highly engaged Republicans say recent presidential elections have not yielded good candidates.

Today, 67% of adults say who is president makes a big difference for the United States’ standing in the world, with clear majorities saying the same for the mood of the country (65%) and national security (58%).

Roughly half of Americans (52%) also say who is president makes a big difference for the health of the economy.

By comparison, far fewer Americans say who is president makes a big difference in their personal lives. About a quarter (24%) say this (though half say this makes some difference).

Regardless of whether the winner of a close presidential election is a Democrat or Republican, Americans overwhelmingly say the president should focus on the priorities of the people who voted for them. But sizable shares also say the president should focus on the priorities of those who voted for the president’s opponent and the concerns of those who didn’t vote.

About eight-in-ten adults say a president of either party who takes office after a close election should focus at least a fair amount on the priorities of those who voted for them, with nearly identical shares saying this about a Republican president who wins narrowly (82%) and a Democratic president who wins narrowly (83%). Roughly a third say this group should receive a great deal of focus from a president of either party.

Clear majorities of Americans also say a newly elected Republican (70%) or Democratic (73%) president should focus on the priorities of the people who voted for the other candidate. However, the public is less likely to say that the president should focus a great deal on this group’s priorities (22% for a Republican president, 23% for a Democratic president).

Americans are less likely to say a new president should focus on the priorities of the people who didn’t vote. Still, six-in-ten say a president of either party should focus at least a fair amount on this group’s priorities.

Partisan views of presidential winners

Democrats and Republicans alike overwhelmingly say that presidents should focus a great deal or fair amount on the priorities of the people who voted for them following a close election.

Those who identify with or lean to each party are slightly more likely to say this when asked about a presidential winner of their party (86% each). Still, at least eight-in-ten say that a winning president should focus on the priorities of their voters – even when the president they are being asked about is a member of the opposing party.

But when asked about the priorities of people who voted for the losing candidate, both Democrats and Republicans are more likely to think the losing side’s concerns should matter when the losers are in their partisan coalition.

For instance, 80% of Democrats and Democratic leaners say a Republican president should listen at least a fair amount to the people who voted for that president’s Democratic opponent. But a smaller share (69%) of Democrats say a Democratic victor should listen to people who voted for that president’s Republican opponent.

The pattern is nearly the same among Republicans: When asked about a Democratic president, 81% of Republicans say the president should listen to those who voted for the Republican, while 63% say a GOP president should listen to Democratic voters. 

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say a president should focus on the concerns of people who did not vote – and this is the case when asked about both Democratic and Republican winners. About two-thirds of Democrats, compared with 54% of Republicans, say this in both scenarios.

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Is Negative Political Campaigning Really So Bad?

The conventional wisdom about negative political campaigning is that it’s ugly and destructive. But is it effective?

With a crowded field of candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, the contenders are seeking ways to distinguish themselves. One obvious way is running negative campaign ads, targeting each other or Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton.

The conventional wisdom about negative political campaigning is that it’s ugly and destructive, but effective. But is that really true? In a 2007 paper for The Journal of Politics, Richard R. Lau, Lee Sigelman, and Ivy Brown Rovner investigated the question , looking at 111 academic studies.

One criticism of negative ads is that they turn potential voters off from the political process. But the authors found little evidence to back that up. Of 10 studies that looked at whether people are more or less interested in a campaign if there are negative ads, two reported increased interest, while four found reduced interest.

There was more conclusive evidence on the related question of whether negative ads affect viewers’ knowledge about a campaign: 11 out of 15 studies that considered this question found they increase knowledge, though the effect wasn’t terribly strong.

When it comes to voter turnout, Lau, Sigelman, and Rovner find that study results on the effects of negative ads are mixed. Of 57 papers that looked at the question, a few found large positive effects and a few others found large negative ones. Many others found that negative ads had no effect at all.

On the other hand, when it comes to the effects of negative campaigning on voters’ feelings of political efficacy and trust in government, the authors did find a fairly consistent, negative pattern. So, even if negative ads don’t keep people from learning about races or voting, they may contribute to a general sense of discontent with the political system.

But on to the key question: Do negative ads work? Of 43 studies that directly tested ads’ effects on voting patterns, only five found appreciable benefits for the attacker. Five others found backlash effects that hurt the aggressor more than the target. The truth, the authors write, is that there is simply no evidence that attack ads are a smart move for political campaigns.

What’s particularly striking about these findings is that they aren’t new. The authors were actually expanding a previous analysis of the literature that Lau, Lee, and two other authors published in 1999, which basically reached the same conclusions. And yet, they write, negative campaigning remains very much alive and well, representing 30 to 40 percent of all campaign messages.

The authors offer a few suggestions about why this is. One interesting hypothesis is that political consultants are biased in favor of negative ads. While campaigns typically play up one or two positive themes, targeting a general audience, negative messages tend to be more numerous and finely tuned to specific audiences. That means consultants spend a disproportionate amount of their time on negative messaging and may tend to give it more credit for success.

Another possibility, of course, is that political operatives, pundits, and journalists just don’t read academic studies.

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• 150 Political Essay Topics

Whether it’s for a political science class, government class, or history class, you will eventually have to write a political essay. A political essay explores the various explanations for particular events that have transpired in the past and the different effects of those events on society and politics.

Political essays can be pretty challenging for students because the depth and scope of the subject matter can be quite vast. Additionally, a lack of knowledge about the workings of government and the political process can make writing a political essay quite difficult.

Fortunately, we’ve created a handy guide detailing essential components of political essay writing. Additionally, we’ve included 150 political essay topics students can use to get started.

The Basic Components of a Political Essay

Regardless of the topic’s complexity, political essays all have the same essential components – an introduction, a thesis, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Students can create an assertive and well-crafted political essay by understanding how these components work together.

The Introduction

The introduction of a political essay should grab the reader’s attention and give them an overview of the main points covered in the essay. An excellent way to do this is by starting with a provocative statement or posing a thought-provoking question. A great example of a political essay introduction could sound something like:

“In a world where the powerful seem to always get their way, is there any hope for democracy?”

The Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is the most critical component of a political essay. It is the main argument or points that the essay will be making. Everything else in the essay should support the thesis statement. A thesis statement is probably the most challenging part of writing a political essay for many students because it can be challenging to distill the essay’s main argument into one or two sentences.

Some tips for writing a strong thesis statement include:

• Make sure that the thesis statement is arguable. In other words, it should be something that someone could reasonably disagree with.
• Be as specific as possible. A thesis statement that is too vague will make it difficult to write a strong essay.
• Keep it short and to the point. A thesis statement should be no more than one or two sentences.

Great examples of a political essay thesis statement include:

“The current state of democracy is in danger due to the rise of populist leaders who exploit the fears of the people.”

“The government should do more to combat the rising inequality in society by implementing policies that help the working class.”

The Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of a political essay are where the essay’s main argument will be fleshed out in detail. Each body paragraph should focus on one specific point that supports the thesis statement. When writing body paragraphs, it is essential to:

• Start with a topic sentence that introduces the main point
• Support the topic sentence with evidence from credible sources.
• Connect the evidence back to the thesis statement.
• Repeat for each body paragraph.

The Conclusion

The conclusion of a political essay should sum up the main points of the essay and leave the reader with a solid and clear understanding of the argument being made. A great conclusion should:

• Restate the thesis statement in different words.
• Summarize the main points of the essay.
• Leave the reader with something to think about.

Some examples of final thoughts to end a political essay could be:

“It is clear that democracy is under threat from populist leaders. However, there is still hope as long as people remain engaged and fight for their rights.”

“The current state of democracy may be troubling, but it is nothing new. Throughout history, there have always been those who seek to undermine it. The key is to remain vigilant and to stand up for what we believe in.”

The Do’s and Don’ts of Political Essay Writing

While the tips above will help you write a solid political essay, there are also some things to avoid if you want your essay to be successful. Here are some dos and don’ts of writing a political essay:

Do research your topic inside and out.

A well-informed essay is always more persuasive than one that simply regurgitates the opinions of others. When researching, always use reliable sources and take good notes so you can easily refer back to them later.

Don’t forget to proofread and edit your work.

No matter how well-written and informative an essay is, if it is full of typos and grammatical errors, it will likely not make a good impression on the reader. Before submitting, proofread your work and fix any errors you may have missed.

Do be sure to stay objective.

A political essay is not the place for you to share your personal opinions. Instead, it should be a well-reasoned and unbiased exploration of the topic at hand.

Don’t forget to cite your sources.

If you use any information from outside sources in your essay, be sure to properly cite them according to the required citation style. Not only is failing to do so plagiarism, but it also makes your argument look weaker if you cannot back up your claims with evidence.

Do try to be concise.

A political essay is not the place to ramble on and on. Instead, get to the point and make your argument in as few words as possible. This will keep the reader engaged and prevent them from getting lost in your essay.

With the advice above, you should be well on your way to writing a successful political essay. However, if you need some additional inspiration, here are 150 more essay topics to get you started.

Political Essay Topics About History

• Compare and contrast the policies of two different presidents.
• How did the Cold War shape American foreign policy?
• What was the most significant event of the 20th century?
• How did the American Revolution change the political landscape?
• What were the causes of World War I?
• How did Napoleon Bonaparte rise to power?
• What were the significant effects of the French Revolution?
• Compare and contrast the American and French Revolutions.
• What caused the fall of the Roman Empire?
• How did Ancient Greece contribute to modern democracy?
• What were the major political parties of the 19th century?
• How did the Industrial Revolution change the political landscape?
• What were the major triggers of World War II?
• What was the Holocaust, and how did it impact politics?
• How did the Cold War end?
• What are the legacies of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher?
• How has the European Union changed over time?
• What are the major political parties in power today?
• Compare and contrast the administrations of Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
• How has social media changed the way we engage in politics?

Political Essay Topics About Ideologies

• What is the difference between socialism and communism?
• What is capitalism, and how has it changed over time?
• What is Marxism, and what are its significant tenets?
• What is fascism, and how did it come to power?
• How do different political parties view taxation?
• What is the role of the government in a capitalist society?
• How does socialism differ from fascism?
• What is the difference between conservatism and liberalism?
• What is the difference between nationalism and patriotism?
• How do different political parties view welfare?
• What is the role of the government in a socialist society?
• How does communism differ from socialism?
• What is the difference between democracy and dictatorship?
• What is the role of the government in a communist society?
• How do different political parties view education?
• What is the difference between environmentalism and climate change activism?
• What is the role of the government in protecting the environment?
• How do different political parties view gun control?
• What is the role of the government in ensuring public safety?
• How do different political parties view healthcare?

Political Essay Topics About International Relations

• Compare and contrast the foreign policies of two different countries.
• How has globalization changed the international political landscape?
• What are the major causes of war?
• How does terrorism impact international relations?
• What is the role of the United Nations in international politics?
• What are the significant issues facing the European Union today?
• What is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and what is its role in international politics?
• What are the major issues facing NATO today?
• What is the difference between developed and developing countries?
• How do developed and developing countries view each other?
• What is the role of the International Monetary Fund in international politics?
• What are the significant issues facing the International Monetary Fund today?
• What is the World Trade Organization, and what is its role in international politics?
• What are the major issues facing the World Trade Organization today?

Political Essay Topics About Social Issues

• How has the abortion debate changed over time?
• Discuss the political influences that make someone pro-choice or pro-life?
• How has the gay rights movement changed over time?
• Has the government been effective in stymieing the rise of racism?
• What is the difference between sexism and misogyny, and is one political party more prone to it than another?
• How has the Me Too movement changed the conversation about sexual assault and harassment?
• What is the relationship between poverty and crime, and does politics have anything to do with it?
• What is the relationship between education and income inequality?
• Has the government been effective in tackling income inequality?
• How do different political parties view reproductive rights?
• How does religion influence politics?
• What is the relationship between immigration and crime?

Political Essay Topics About Economic Issues

• Should political affiliation have any bearing on economic policy?
• What is the difference between a free market and a command economy?
• How has globalization changed the world economy?
• What are the major issues facing today’s world economy, and are politics to blame?
• Should voters or Congress be responsible for economic policy?
• What is the role of the government in an economy?
• What is the difference between Keynesian economics and supply-side economics?
• What is the difference between laissez-faire capitalism and crony capitalism?
• How have politics funded the rise of inequality in the United States?
• Should the rising cost of healthcare be considered a political issue or a social issue?
• How do different political parties view deregulation?

Political Essay Topics About Politicians

• Compare and contrast the political careers of two different politicians.
• Analyze the effectiveness of a politician’s political campaigns.
• Discuss the role that charisma plays in politics.
• How much does a politician’s personal life influence their political career?
• What is the difference between a successful and unsuccessful politician?
• How do special interest groups influence politics?
• What is the difference between a lobbyist and a politician?
• What is the difference between a career politician and a term politician?
• Compare and contrast the political ideologies of two different politicians.
• Are career politicians more effective than term politicians?
• How do campaign finance laws influence politicians’ decision-making processes?

Political Essay Topics About Elections

• Should the Electoral College be reformed or abolished?
• What is the difference between primary and general elections?
• Discuss the role that voter turnout plays in elections.
• How does gerrymandering influence elections?
• How do campaign finance laws influence elections?
• What is the difference between open and closed elections?
• Should there be term limits for politicians?
• Should people be allowed to vote by mail or early voting?
• How did democratic elections come to be?
• Should voting be mandatory?
• How can we make sure that every vote is counted?
• What is the difference between a hung parliament and a coalition government?
• Should countries have more than two political parties?
• What is the difference between a first-past-the-post system and a proportional representation system?
• What is the difference between a parliamentary system and a presidential system?

Political Essay Topics About Laws and Regulations

• How does a bill become a law?
• What is the difference between a law and a regulation?
• How do regulatory agencies influence politics?
• Discuss the pros and cons of gun control laws.
• Should there be stricter penalties for hate crimes?
• Should the death penalty be abolished?
• Should there be term limits for Supreme Court justices?
• What is the difference between civil law and criminal law?
• How do interest groups influence the passage of laws?
• Should there be limits on campaign spending?
• Should corporations be allowed to donate to political campaigns?
• What is the difference between a veto and a filibuster?
• How does the process of impeachment work?
• What is the difference between judicial review and judicial activism?
• Should members of Congress be allowed to vote for pay raises?

Political Essay Topics About Foreign Policy

• Should the United States have a policy of isolationism?
• How does foreign aid influence politics?
• Should the United States intervene in other countries’ affairs?
• How does the United Nations influence politics?
• What is the difference between diplomacy and foreign policy?
• How do trade agreements influence politics?
• What is the difference between an alliance and a treaty?
• How do sanctions influence politics?
• What is the difference between a colony and an empire?
• How does decolonization influence politics?
• How do border disputes influence politics?
• What is the difference between a refugee and an immigrant?
• How does immigration policy influence politics?
• What is the difference between a country and a nation?
• How does nationalism influence politics?

Political Essay Topics About Civil Rights and Liberties

• What is the difference between civil rights and civil liberties?
• How do the Bill of Rights and the Constitution influence politics?
• Should there be limits on free speech?
• How do hate speech laws influence politics?
• Should there be limits on the right to bear arms?
• How do gun control laws influence politics?
• What is the difference between a search warrant and a warrantless search?
• How do search and seizure laws influence politics?
• How do Miranda rights influence police interrogation?
• What is the difference between probable cause and reasonable suspicion?
• How do stop and frisk laws influence politics?
• Should there be limits on police use of deadly force?
• How do racial profiling laws influence politics?
• What is the difference between affirmative action and reverse discrimination?
• Should there be limits on affirmative action?

No matter the type of essay you need to write, these 150 political essay topics should give you plenty of material to work with. Remember that you can always narrow your focus to a specific country, a specific type of government, or specific law or regulation. And if you need help writing your essay, re-read the helpful tips above to ensure you get a good grade.

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Analyzing Political Campaign Advertisements Essay

Introduction, eisenhower answers america, kennedy –nixon debate, works cited.

A political campaign refers to an organized effort that tries to influence the manner in which decisions are made in a group. Campaign messages usually have the information that a politician or a candidate would like to pass to the voters.

For instance, a campaign message may describe policy issues. Such points normally act as a summary of the campaign agenda of the candidate. Advertising of campaigns is one of the mechanisms that are always used by candidates to inform people about their political manifesto.

Campaign advertisements can be done through many ways. For example, they can use newspapers, television, and even radio advertisements. Political advertising enables politicians to address a wider audience. Hence, they can persuade many voters to support them.

There has been a drastic change in the way political advertisements are done in U.S.A. For example, in 1948 Truman was happy for having greeted approximately half a million voters.

He also covered over thirty thousand miles during his campaign period. In 1952, that trend of reaching voters changed when another presidential campaign took place. With the invention of television sets, political adverts started featuring on television commercial advertisements.

In 1952, the first political campaign advertisement featured on television, and it was meant to reach Dwight D. Eisenhower’s supporters. “Eisenhower, created forty twenty-second television spot commercials entitled, Eisenhower Answers America”.

In his advertisement, he talked about finding a solution to corruption, solving the Korean War, and he also informed his audience about how he would improve the economy. In this case, he reached his targeted audience without necessarily shaking their hands.

This advertisement enabled him to convince American voters that democrats had over stayed in power since 1933, and they were no longer leading the nation properly. He managed to win overwhelmingly against Adlai Stevenson who was a democratic nominee.

In 1960, there was another intensive presidential election campaign, in which John Kennedy managed to seriously defeat Nixon. John Kennedy also came up with close to two hundred advertisements. Two of his advertisements overpowered Nixon’s efforts.

“The first one was an advertisement derived from a speech he had made in Houston. “In this case, he called for religious tolerance in response to criticisms that Catholicism was incompatible with a run for the Oval Office”.

The second one was the remarkable Kennedy –Nixon debate. “John Kennedy was able to put Nixon on the defensive with his unexpected grasp of the facts, but Nixon held his own in responding to the Kennedy criticisms”.

This debate reached approximately eight million viewers and it led to the success of Kennedy in the elections. The debate greatly impacted on Nixon’s Campaign profile which was initially better than Kennedy’s.

The analysis of election campaign advertisements reveal how various strategies can lead to the success of an election candidate. The advertisements mentioned above depict the democracy that prevails among the American people.

In this case, election candidates have to convince voters that they are suitable for public offices. “Since America has become more culturally diverse, political advertising must become less negative and more dialed into the minds and homes of the American public”.

Messages should also be customized so that they can reach people with various beliefs and needs in the country. In my view, campaign advertisements are important tools for election campaigns, and they can lead to the success of a candidate if properly used.

Casey, Shaun. The Making of a Catholic President: Kennedy vs. Nixon 1960. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Diamond, Edwin. The Spot: The Rise of Political Advertising on Television. New York: The MIT Press, 2001.

Kraus, Sidney. The Great Debates: Kennedy vs. Nixon, 1960. London: Indiana University Press, 2001.

Murrin, John and Paul Johnson. Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People. New York: Wadsworth Publishing, 2005.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2019, March 22). Analyzing Political Campaign Advertisements. https://ivypanda.com/essays/analyzing-political-campaign-advertisements/

"Analyzing Political Campaign Advertisements." IvyPanda , 22 Mar. 2019, ivypanda.com/essays/analyzing-political-campaign-advertisements/.

IvyPanda . (2019) 'Analyzing Political Campaign Advertisements'. 22 March.

IvyPanda . 2019. "Analyzing Political Campaign Advertisements." March 22, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/analyzing-political-campaign-advertisements/.

1. IvyPanda . "Analyzing Political Campaign Advertisements." March 22, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/analyzing-political-campaign-advertisements/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Analyzing Political Campaign Advertisements." March 22, 2019. https://ivypanda.com/essays/analyzing-political-campaign-advertisements/.

• Dwight D. Eisenhower's Military Career
• Dwight D. Eisenhower’s Foreign Policy
• Eisenhower and Lyndon Johnson: Economy and Foreign Policies
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A campaign is an effort on the part of a candidate or organized group to convince a segment of the population to reach a particular decision. Said differently, campaigns reflect competition over ideas. The goal of any political campaign is for a candidate to be elected so that candidate can advance specific policy goals or political ideals. In a democratic system, candidates interested in attaining political office find it necessary to campaign in order to appeal to their respective constituencies in the period preceding an election. In a presidential, congressional, statewide, or local campaign, for instance, that effort typically involves convincing registered or likely voters to support one party’s political candidate over the alternative. Ultimately, those candidates who are elected are often said to have run an effective campaign, while those who lose are viewed as running an ineffective or less successful campaign.

In nearly all cases, the process is much more complicated than this simple dichotomy would suggest, but this can be a useful starting place for thinking about the campaigning process.

Although all campaigns for elective office are unique or different, there are certain similarities in political campaigns regardless of which office a candidate is trying to attain. In many respects, the most important feature of a campaign is finding effective and innovative ways of increasing one’s name recognition with likely or potential voters. This can involve meeting with small groups of voters face-to-face; giving speeches to larger crowds; sending out mailers listing one’s qualifications for office; and advertising on billboards, radio, or television. While some strategists might claim that any name recognition is a good thing, the most effective campaigns are designed specifically to elicit a favorable response among voters regarding the candidate. Essentially, the candidate tries to generate a positive “brand” name that will be remembered favorably by the voters when they go to their polling place on election day. In this respect, campaigning is not unlike creating a favorable image for a popular laundry detergent or brand of shampoo that shoppers will want to purchase.

Another essential aspect of a successful campaign is the ability to raise money. Creating a favorable brand name is not an inexpensive endeavor. It is costly both in terms of time and money. As such, candidates need to raise substantial sums of money in order to wage an effective campaign for any political office. Not surprisingly, the higher the stakes, the greater the amount of money needed to win an election. Presidential candidates, for instance, often find it necessary to raise enormous sums of money during the primary stage of the campaign and are still not assured the nomination for office. Congressional candidates, in contrast, spend millions of dollars in attempts to be reelected to either the House or Senate. Sending out mailings, hiring operatives to assist with campaign efforts, and advertising on both radio and television are very expensive, and require candidates for political office to constantly raise money during their campaigns.

A third important feature of a successful political campaign involves crafting a message that will resonate with the voters. Candidates running for political office against an incumbent (one who already holds political office) have to convince voters both why the incumbent should not be reelected and why the challenger represents a more viable alternative. As such, a carefully constructed message targeted to a specific subset of voters who will help the candidate win is crucial. The message a candidate employs can vary based on whether it is a statewide or national race, the economic nature of the times, or which party currently is in power in government. During the 2008 presidential campaign, for instance, Democratic candidate Barack Obama campaigned on a message or theme of change. On election day, his message of change resonated with nearly 53 percent of the American voters who were tired of eight years of control by the Bush administration. In a similar fashion, candidates for Congress or statewide legislators can run on a similar message of change. The classic notion of “throwing the bums out” is often invoked in legislative campaigns to signify that the incumbents have lost touch with the voters and should be replaced with a new face—often one that represents change from the status quo.

While all of the above factors—name recognition, money, and a message that resonates with the voters—are necessary to win an election, they are not sufficient. In nearly all cases, the success of a candidate’s campaign is also contingent upon the ability of staff, volunteers, and party activists to motivate people to turn out to vote on election day. Even candidates with a well-recognized name, lots of money, and a strong message are not guaranteed victory unless their supporters are encouraged to show up and vote. This is why voter registration efforts and get-out-the-vote drives are important components to a candidate’s electoral success. Clearly, a candidate can do only so much in terms of motivating voters to participate in the election. Beyond that, it takes a well-organized and highly structured campaign staff as well as volunteers to encourage people to go to the polls. Since both party’s candidates seek to maximize turnout, it is ultimately the candidate whose strategies and tactics are more effective who will be the victor at the end of the day.

Presidential Campaigns

In many respects, the presidential campaign has become the focal point of elections in the United States. Every four years, Americans focus their attention on the pomp and circumstance associated with the presidential campaign. There is probably no equivalent political event that generates as much attention and interest in this country and around the world. Candidates vying for the highest elective office in the land often are required to start their campaign relatively early to have a chance of earning the nomination during the primary stage of the campaign. In recent years, it has almost become the case that as soon as one presidential campaign ends, the next one begins. If a candidate is to have a chance at raising the hundreds of millions of dollars necessary to wage a successful campaign, securing the delegates necessary to capture the nomination, and increasing one’s name recognition on a national level, it is not surprising that candidates need to begin campaigning as early as possible—in most cases, several years in advance.

Presidential campaigns occur in two stages. The first stage involves securing the party’s nomination for president during the primary stage of the election, and the second stage pits both parties’ nominees against one another in the general election. During the primary stage of the campaign, those starting early often have an advantage in terms of enhancing their name recognition, raising money, and securing commitments among delegates at the presidential conventions. It is at this stage of the process that candidates begin to craft a message for their campaign that will hopefully earn them the nomination. Although a frontrunner may emerge early on, there are often a number of potentially viable candidates seeking to earn the nomination during the primary campaign. Unlike the general election, the nomination stage is actually a series of elections. Thus, momentum plays a part in the primary process—winning a number of early contests can help propel a candidate to the nomination. As a result of limited resources, time, and other constraints, a gradual winnowing process occurs the longer the primary campaign continues. Ultimately, the slate of candidates is reduced to two or three after the initial caucuses and primaries occur. With additional primaries and caucuses held on various days, eventually only one candidate from each party is left, and that candidate ends up earning the most delegates and the respective party’s nomination.

Once the nomination for each candidate is secured at the party’s national convention, the general election campaign begins. This usually takes place around early September, right after Labor Day. This is the stage of the process when each party’s presidential candidate attempts to “seal the deal” with the American voters. This task is complicated by the fact that many voters have already made up their minds about who they intend to vote for well before the general election campaign begins. Some evidence suggests that nearly two-thirds of the American voters have already decided whom they will vote for before the final two months of the general election campaign. As such, both party’s candidates use whatever opportunities are available to reach out to undecided voters or weak “leaners” who might be convinced to vote for the opposing party’s candidate. It is during this stage of the campaign process that presidential candidates begin releasing television advertisements in, and traveling to, the competitive or battleground states in an attempt to secure a majority of electoral votes to eventually win the presidency.

The media plays an important role during both stages of the presidential campaign, as they are the main audience for much of what the candidates do when running for the presidency. Since media outlets want to attract as many readers or viewers as possible, they tend to focus on the “horserace” aspect of the presidential campaign. In other words, they focus much of their attention on which presidential candidate is currently in the lead, what presidential polls look like on a day-to-day basis, and what issues emphasized by the candidates seem to be resonating the most with likely or potential voters. Given the enormous costs of political advertising, presidential candidates value as much free media time as possible. If their actions are being covered by the media on a daily basis, that is less money that the candidates have to spend themselves in order to get their names out or to advertise their positions to voters. Nearly all presidential candidates travel with an entourage of press correspondents so they will be there when breaking news happens on the campaign trail. Despite the fact that their messages are being filtered through the media, candidates still value the access granted to them by various media outlets.

The presidential campaign has changed dramatically since the early days of the American republic. During much of the nineteenth century, presidential campaigns were carried out primarily by the party organizations. Presidential candidates were often said to wage what was known as a front-porch campaign—they would sit on their front porches throughout the fall greeting anyone who would come by to talk with them. However, they rarely if ever campaigned themselves. President Theodore Roosevelt was among the first to change this tradition as he traveled around the country by train during the 1904 presidential campaign. Several years later, Franklin Roosevelt was the first presidential candidate to appear in person when the Democratic Party nominated him at their convention in 1932. Since that time, the presidential campaign has steadily evolved into more of a candidate-centered system that is more familiar in the modern age. As such, candidates are largely responsible for selecting their own campaign staffs, paid consultants, and advisers with less support from the political party organizations than was the case during the nineteenth century.

Congressional, State, And Local Campaigns

Not surprisingly, congressional, state, and local campaigns receive far less attention and coverage than presidential campaigns. With literally hundreds of races at these lower levels, it is difficult for any one race in particular to generate as much attention as the presidential campaign. Every four years, and wherever possible, congressional or statewide candidates seek to ride the coattails of the presidential candidates during the election campaign. For instance, candidates for congressional or statewide offices try to appear with their respective party’s presidential candidates as much as they can during campaign visits to their district or state. Not only does this generate additional attention for their own campaigns, but it also offers a form of credible endorsement given that the presidential candidates are willing to appear on the same stage as the candidates running in these more localized races. Any type of “free” media coverage in this context is a good thing for statewide or congressional candidates since it reinforces the notion that they are both well-connected and important enough for the party’s presidential nominee to spend time visiting with supporters in the local constituencies. These types of candidates can also benefit from the increase in turnout during presidential election years since voters tend to go to the polls in greater numbers every four years.

During off-year or midterm elections, congressional or statewide candidates have a more difficult time generating as much media attention as might occur during a presidential campaign. However, this is probably more reflective of the candidate-centered electoral system in the United States. As noted earlier for presidential campaigns, candidates for congressional, statewide, or local races often run individually due to the candidate-centered nature of U.S. campaigns. Political parties can offer valuable services, especially in terms of voter education campaigns and get-out-the-vote efforts, but the role of parties in these types of races is far more decentralized than it used to be. Although candidates for congressional or statewide offices run under one of the two party labels, they often formulate their own campaign messages and strategies and are not unified under one broad party platform. As such, congressional candidates may run as Democrats that are both moderate and more liberal just as Republican candidates may run who are both centrist and more conservative on the ideological spectrum.

Do Campaigns Matter?

One question that repeatedly arises in the context of research on presidential elections is whether or not campaigns actually matter in terms of the overall election outcome. This is an important question that has been widely debated in the context of electoral politics in recent decades. To the casual observer, this question has a simple answer—of course campaigns matter. After all, why would politicians go to all the trouble of raising money, scheduling campaign visits, and debating their opponents if these activities had little or no impact on the outcome of the election? This is certainly a fair question. Time and resources are certainly scarce commodities for any candidate running for political office, and candidates do not want to waste them if they suspect they are not being allocated efficiently. Yet for all the logic underlying this inquiry, political scientists remain somewhat skeptical about whether campaigns matter for a variety of different reasons.

The main reason for this skepticism is the evidence from various forecasting models of presidential elections. Every four years, political scientists offer predictions about which party’s presidential candidate will win the upcoming election through the use of a variety of forecasting models. While some of the models are relatively complex in terms of the number of explanatory variables, others are fairly simple and predictions are based on factors such as the current state of the economy and the overall approval level of the incumbent administration. As is often the case, these relatively straightforward models offer an accurate prediction of the election outcome to within one or two percentage points. Since these parsimonious models can often predict the outcome of the election without accounting for any specific campaign effects, the natural question that arises is how important can campaigns be in light of this highly suggestive evidence? Furthermore, there is considerable survey evidence suggesting that a large proportion of voters make up their minds about whom to vote for months before the election occurs, which casts additional doubt on the overall effectiveness of campaigns.

Although some scholars discount the importance of campaigns in light of the above findings, many others suggest that, in most cases, the effects of campaigns may simply be muted. For instance, it may be the case that campaigns matter, but that the effects of competing campaigns tend to cancel each other out over the course of the months preceding the election. Others suggest that campaigns matter, but the effects are felt only at the margins in close, competitive elections when the number of votes between the two candidates is relatively small. Still others believe that campaigns are very effective at helping undecided voters make up their minds, but that they have little effect on the early deciders or partisan leaners who rely almost exclusively on party affiliation as a cue for whom to vote for in the upcoming election. Regardless of the scholarly evidence, it would likely be difficult to find candidates willing to forgo their campaign efforts on the off chance that the efforts might actually make a difference in terms of predicting who would go on to win the election.

Bibliography:

• Campbell, James E. The American Campaign: U.S. Presidential Campaigns and the National Vote, 2nd ed. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2008.
• “Forecasting the Presidential Vote in the States.” American Journal of Political Science 36 (May 1992): 386–407.
• Gomez, Brad T., and J. Matthew Wilson. “Causal Attribution and Economic Voting in American Congressional Elections.” Political Research Quarterly 56 (September 2003): 271–282.
• Herrnson, Paul S. Congressional Elections: Campaigning at Home and in Washington. Washington, D.C.: CQ Press, 2008.
• Holbrook,Thomas M. “Campaigns, National Conditions, and U.S. Presidential Elections.” American Journal of Political Science 38 (November 1994): 973–998.
• Do Campaigns Matter? Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 1996. Jacobson, Gary C. The Politics of Congressional Elections, 7th ed. New York: Longman, 2009.
• “Strategic Politicians and the Dynamics of U.S. House Elections, 1946–86.” American Political Science Review 83 (1989): 773–793.
• Kolodny, Robin. Pursuing Majorities: Congressional Campaign Committees in American Politics. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1998.
• Lewis-Beck, Michael S., and Tom W. Rice. “Forecasting Presidential Elections: A Comparison of Naïve Models.” Political Behavior 6, no. 1 (1984): 9–21.
• Sellers, Patrick J. “Strategy and Background in Congressional Campaigns.” American Political Science Review 92 (1998): 159–171.
• Sigelman, Lee, and Emmett H. Buell Jr. “You Take the High Road and I’ll Take the Low Road? The Interplay of Attack Strategies and Tactics in Presidential Campaigns.” Journal of Politics 65 (May 2003): 518–531.
• Wlezien, Christopher, and Robert S. Erikson. “The Timeline of Presidential Election Campaigns.” Journal of Politics 64 (November 2002): 969–993.
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