Start Date: As soon as possible. Application review begins, on a rolling basis, on August 25.
End Date: No later than November 10, 2020, or pending credit needs.
Hours: Part-time position. 5-20 hours per week, depending on credit needs.
Location: Due to COVID-19 the majority of duties will be remote however preference will be given to applicants in or near Whatcom County.
2020 is a unique opportunity in Whatcom County, national and local politics offer us the chance to elect Democrats and progressive champions in our region. To further this cause the Whatcom Democrats are seeking to hire enthusiastic, determined interns to support our field organizing efforts by furthering voter contact and recruiting volunteers to maximize the campaign’s reach. Campaigns are only successful if they execute a robust field strategy centered around connecting with voters in ways that facilitate conversations.
Our campaign is committed to ensuring a dynamic and productive learning experience for our interns. While there are certain components of the interns’ job that are essential, like organizing volunteers, we want interns to take an active role in shaping the experience. We are open to discussing ways that we can incorporate interns’ specific interests into their responsibilities and work streams.
Field: Our Campaign’s Top Priority
The field campaign will consist of digital outreach, phone calls, and community organizing culminating in intensive Get Out the Vote efforts.
Essential duties for the Intern position include:
- Recruiting, training, and interacting with volunteers. It is crucial that volunteers get training that provides them all the tools they need to be effective and that leaves them feeling empowered and valued.
- Talking to voters over text and on the phone. Daily and weekly reporting of phone totals will be expected.
- Assisting in voter registration program.
- Managing information through our database system (Votebuilder, via the NGP VAN). All data gathered during and after the campaign will become the sole property of the Whatcom Democrats & the Washington State Democratic Party.
Fundraising/Events
- While the field campaign is the top priority, the Intern may help with some events as needed. These events will be remote or use other safety precautions.
Qualifications/Requirements:
- Afternoons, evenings and weekends are the most important voter contact times and evening work will be required.
- Previous experience with organizing and/or outreach is appreciated, though not required.
- Should have an understanding of local issues Whatcom County is facing now and in the future.
- Will have very strong communication skills, must be very personable, and work well both alone and as part of a team.
- The Intern must be highly professional at all times.
- Discretion is a must; the Intern will have access to highly sensitive information and must guard that carefully. The Intern will not speak to the media unless given explicit permission. The Intern will assume that anything written online (including email) may be forwarded (even accidentally) and seen by the media and the opponents; therefore, the Intern will use extreme care in all communications.
- The Intern is one of the public faces of the campaign and will conduct themselves as such, both on and off the clock.
- The Intern must use message discipline when speaking about the candidates and the campaigns.
Reports to: Campaign Manager
Compensation
Eligible for school credit through local colleges and universities.
Supervisor Name:
Henry Pollet
Campaign Manager, 2020 Whatcom Democrats Campaign
Mobile: 206-708-3407; Email: HenryFPollet@gmail.com