Using Relational Organizing to Win Your Political Campaign

To learn more about relational organizing tactics, take our relational organizing 101 course: https://traindemocrats.org/course/rel...

Relational organizing is a crucial component of any campaign’s field plan. This strategic approach to voter outreach and mobilization emphasizes the use of pre-existing personal relationships to encourage action. Relational organizing encompasses a wide range of tactics that can be as simple as asking supporters to reshare campaign content or as complex as a highly systematized GOTV program.

This panel is part of NDTC’s 2021 Build Blue Week, a week-long event where we gather the top minds and influencers in Democratic politics to discuss how we can collectively build long-term Democratic power throughout the country. Register for our upcoming Build Blue Week 2022 panels here: https://traindemocrats.org/build-blue/

This relational organizing training brings together elected officials, top organizers, and campaign experts to answer learners’ questions. With moderation from YT Bell, National Organizing Director of Care in Action and Clarkston City Council member, panelists include:

Greta Carnes, Former National Organizing Director, Pete for America
Monique Alcalá, Former Coalitions Director, Virginia, Biden for President
Nsé Ufot, CEO, The New Georgia Project

NDTC’s mission is to provide candidates, campaign staff, and local leaders with the political campaign training and resources they need to run for office and win their election.

Building authentic relationships with community members is a critical element of community organizing. Our “How to Talk to Voters: Values-Based Conversations” will teach you how to effectively engage with potential supporters: https://ndtc.me/3OjMLq6

Knowing how to identify and leverage your pre-existing relationships is an important skill for getting the word out about your campaign. A strong, engaged network helps with campaign fundraising and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts. NDTC's “personal network mapping template” worksheet will help you assess how best to organize your network around your campaign: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ur-c...

Click below for a transcript of this video lesson.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11...

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:31 Intro to training + introducing panelists
6:50 What makes relational organizing so powerful?
20:16 What are the best way to organize your campaign to set up an effective relational organizing operation?
36:20 What’s the biggest mistake campaigns make when trying to connect to voters through relational organizing?
41:18 How do you respond to misinformation from friends and family without scolding them?
45:06 How do you resolve the tension between accountability & structure in voter contact and letting your volunteers have agency?
49:42 Advice for folks who feel relational organizing gives campaigns less control
53:25 Closing

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