Questions to Ask Yourself before Volunteering for a Campaign

A resident of York, South Carolina, Maurice Leverne Huggins works in child protection services. When not at work, Maurice Leverne Huggins gives motivational talks to youth and volunteers at political events.

If you are thinking of volunteering for a political campaign, the first step is to find one that suits your skills and interests. To do that, you have to consider these questions:
- How much responsibility are you comfortable handling?
- Are you geographically flexible?
- How much time will you be devoting to the campaign?
- Do your values align with those of the candidate in question?

If you have little political volunteering experience but want plenty of responsibility, opt for a small campaign, possibly at the local level. Larger campaigns have larger teams in which it will be tougher to secure senior positions, whereas small campaigns are more accommodative of newcomers, making it easier to rise in the ranks.

If you are geographically flexible, you can support a candidate from a different county or state. If not, work on campaigns closer to home.

However, even with local campaigns, mobility is an issue. Would you be okay traveling with the candidate, canvassing the county or municipality, and doing fieldwork? Or would you prefer to work from the campaign’s headquarters?

Time is another critical element. Volunteer work at a campaign is not payable, so your participation will depend highly on how much free time you have to give outside of your professional roles and family engagements. Join campaigns that give you the flexibility to participate part-time if you have full-time work.

Finally, volunteer for candidates whose values mirror your own. You can read about candidates’ values on their campaign websites. It is much more fulfilling to campaign for someone you believe in.