A behind-the-scenes look at political campaigns

Presidential campaigns are more complicated than other races. Rather than focusing on one district or state, they concentrate on multiple areas simultaneously. Candidates must campaign in each state (appearances, voter mail, etc.), tailor their message to each state’s voters and operate by each state’s preferred style of campaigning (for example, Iowa voters prefer door-to-door campaigning).

Presidential campaigns have a national headquarters, a state headquarters and smaller offices throughout each state. Since similar activities happen in each state, campaign functions are duplicated throughout the nation. The national office may handle major functions such as legal and strategy, but each state has its own operations and teams, behaving like arms of a major business.

Campaigns (presidential and non-presidential alike) are typically divided into the following functions.

• Legal: This team gets the candidate on the ballot. Presidential campaigns bring an extra layer of complexity because, for the primaries and caucuses, candidates need to be on the ballots for all 50 states and the territories. Campaigns must research the laws, follow all procedures, and pay any filing fees. Further, because each state and territory has different processes for assigning delegates (winner-take-all or proportional allocation among candidates) and delegate allocation affects campaign strategy, the legal team must research these processes and brief the campaigns.
• The legal team also reviews campaign materials and ensures appropriate disclosures, files reports to the Federal Election Commission, verifies that donations are within legal limits and makes contracts with employees and vendors.
• Fundraising: This area is one of the most time-intensive and important. Campaigns not only buy television and radio ads, but they must also pay for salaries for staff, office supplies, rent and utilities for offices, event spaces, transportation, postage and the design and production of stationary, promotional materials and advertising. Staffers target and call potential donors as well as track donations. Candidates call donors, spend time with them and make speeches at fundraisers.
• Finance: This team makes payments and keeps track of all financial matters. They also determine what expenditures can be made. Campaigns can have tight budgets, so they must be selective with costs.
• Strategy: These individuals determine which issues to address and how to do so, voters to target, events to hold, ads to run, locations to air ads, etc.
• Consultant: Many campaigns utilize a consultant who advises on strategy and other matters.
• Policy: This team researches issues and also meets with the candidate on policy issues.
• Polling: The campaign polls potential voters to obtain data to be used in strategy decisions. They often do so through volunteer phone calls and/or an outside polling firm.
• Logistics for Events: Staffers must secure event locations, coordinate the candidate’s schedule, arrange transportation for the candidate, publicize the events, encourage others to attend them, secure media coverage, obtain introductory speakers, set up the events (chairs, signage, etc.) and work the events (pass out campaign material, collect voter contact information, etc).
• Material Creation and Distribution: All campaigns have signs, stickers, mailings, yard signs, etc. An in-house or outside entity designs the materials, usually with the strategy team helping with the message, and legal approves them. Next, printers make the materials. Finally, the campaign distributes them via mail, staff/volunteer delivery and handouts at events.
• Advertising: Campaigns advertise on television, radio and the Internet. Similar to material creation, campaigns must design the ads, ensure their legality and produce them. The strategy team then decides on the markets in which to run the ads, and campaigns buy the air time.
• Press: The press team issues press releases, answers media requests, sets up interviews and helps with speech writing. This team, along with the policy team, prepares the candidate for media events and debates.
• Research: This team researches the campaign’s own candidate and policies, opposing candidates and current events and policies.
• Technology: The technology team sets up phones, computers, etc. It also sends out emails, creates and updates the campaign website and social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) and uses Internet tools (such as Search Engine Optimization and Google Analytics) to drive traffic to the candidate’s Internet presence.
• Data Collection, Management and Usage: Campaigns are data-driven. They amass voter information through phone and email polls cross-referenced by zip code (asking a voter’s preferred candidate and/or key issue), Facebook posts and publicly available information (such as party registration). Campaigns use this data to identify supporters and undecided voters, pinpoint important issues, and predict the demographics and location of likely supporters. Campaigns follow up with undecided voters with phone calls, emails and/or literature on the candidate’s stances on voters’ key issues.
• Campaigns plan events based on the probable location and demographics of swing voters. They invite backers to volunteer or put up yard signs. Last, they use information on supporters for the “ground game” (the process of encouraging supporters to vote). Campaigns often call all of their advocates on election day.
• Volunteer Recruitment and Management: Campaign staff must recruit, instruct and motivate volunteers.
• County Infrastructure: Campaigns often have chairs (who are volunteers) in each of a state’s counties. Campaign staff must recruit and organize them. County chairs persuade others to support the candidate, recruit volunteers and encourage others to attend events.
• Volunteers: Volunteers (also called grassroots) are critical because they make phone calls (for polling as well as event and voter turnout), write letters and postcards, stuff envelopes, deliver material, attend events, persuade others to support the candidate and post on social media.
• The Candidate: The candidate makes fundraising calls, meets potential donors, gives interviews, studies policy and current events, formulates strategy, supervises the office(s) and does events (often several per day separated by hundreds of miles).

Campaigns are complicated and costly endeavors. Before committing to run, candidates should consider all aspects of a campaign and develop a plan to successfully manage their intricacies.

Michael Abramson is an attorney and author of “A Playbook for Taking Back America: Lessons from the 2012 Presidential Election” (available on Amazon) Follow him on Twitter: @mbabramson. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelineson submissions.