The Election University Campaigns and Politics Podcast

In Episode 37, we attempt to unpack the roles and responsibilities of a local elections director. Our hosts talk with Registrar of Voters for Orange County, Neal Kelley. Orange County is the 5th largest voting jurisdiction in the nation and weathered an enormous turnout election in 2018 that was nearly as high as the 2016 election. What goes into conducting an election like that? Were there attempts to attack and corrupt the election? Was Orange County turning completely blue on the radar? 

Welcome to Season 2, fair listener! Political commentators and pundits have long-predicted the death of political direct mail. But is it dead or does it continue to persuade voters? In Episode 36 (our first full episode of Season 2), our hosts dig deeper into the data with Lionel Dripps, Managing Director for Program and Digital at The Voter Participation Center, who answers the burning question and so much more.

We preview our upcoming Season 2 with a Holiday Bonus episode! In Episode 35, our hosts chat with Rene LeBeau, program manager for Seattle's Democracy Voucher Program. A very specific, first-in-the-country type of public financing program for funding candidate campaigns, Democracy Vouchers made their debut in 2017 and are getting geared up for Round 2 in 2019. What is this peculiar program and what is its impact on candidates and campaigns? Tune in as we learn more about the Vouchers and what is changing for 2019.

In Episode 34, our hosts interview Kerry Kriseman, spouse of St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, about her 20-year front row seat on campaigns. From having "The Conversation" before his first run to color-coded scheduling to facing hate crimes at her child's school, Kerry shares with our listeners how she dealt with it all. Now, she's using her extensive communications background to write a book about her experience. She offers great advice to other spouses on how to navigate the campaign's highs and lows. 

In Episode 33 of the podcast, our hosts talk with Russ Swindell, Chief Client Strategist for Public Policy Polling - one of the country's top rated polling firms. We talk about ways down ballots campaigns can afford accurate, useful research and polling information without breaking the bank. We discuss the challenges of polling post-2016 and what Russ is seeing after 1,200 polls across the US this year in terms of the impending blue wave. 

In Episode 32, our hosts talk with cybersecurity expert, Jake Braun, one of the organizers of Def Con's "Voting Villages" about the vulnerabilities of our electronic voting machines. Last year's Voting Village invited hackers to find exploits and vulnerabilities in electronic voting machines. This year, they invited kids, ages 5-17 to hack replica websites of various Secretaries of State. What happened? Listen to this eye-opening episode and find out!

How far did Russian meddling in the last election extend? What were some of the tactics employed to mislead and manipulate folks outside of the Facebook ads and Twitter trolling efforts extensively covered by the media? In this week's episode, our hosts talk with election systems expert, Joshua Franklin, and his discovery of foreign adversaries buying up domain names and redirecting them to phishing or pharmaceuticals sites. And we learn about his program designed to protect campaigns: Election Buster. Election Buster is an independent, open-source tool created to identify malicious domains disguising as candidate webpages and voter registration systems.

In Episode 30, we are recording live from Def Con 26 in Las Vegas, the world's largest and oldest hacker conference, to talk with experts on elections, hacking, and privacy. First up, we talk with Montana State Representative Daniel Zolnikov from District 45. He ran for office at 25 years of age, was sworn into office at 26 and is chair of the powerful Energy and Technology Committee at 31 years of age. We discuss how this conservative gets high praise from the ALCU, what he's done to protect the freedom of the press, and his slate of bills protecting Montanans' privacy. And we also talk about what he faced as a young candidate running for office and his advice for other young candidates who want to run.

In Episode 29, our hosts talk with Naseem Makiya, owner and CEO of a new GOTV app, called Outvote. Friends who get reminders from friends are twice as likely to vote. With Outvote, you can become a digital canvasser for your favorite campaigns by matching your contacts lists against voter files to see who is registered to vote in the districts or jurisdictions of your favorite candidates. It's a simple and effective app for campaigns of any size.

In Episode 28, our hosts talk with Gayatri Agnew, candidate for the State House in the 93rd District in Arkansas. In a regular series of case studies on campaigns, our Election University hosts discuss the state of Gayatri's campaign midstream, what makes this red-leaning district winnable and what advice Gayatri would give other prospective candidates. Plus we learn how Gayatri plans to double the number of women of color in the Arkansas legislature when she wins her election and what she feels makes Bentonville, Arkansas so special. 

In Episode 27, our hosts talk with Nate Gowdy, Time Magazine and CNN photographer for the 2016 Presidential election. He photographed the Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, and Trump campaigns and gives our listeners great advice on how to get the best shot. Whether you have a sophisticated digital camera or a simple iPhone, you can improve the photos on your campaign with some tips on maximizing the best lighting and angle. 

In Episode 26, our hosts talk with Marco Lowe, political commentator on King5 News and adjunct professor at Seattle University where he teaches "Campaigns and Elections." Marco brings two decades of campaign and media relations experience to the podcast to help campaigns calibrate their press expectations and help them maximize their chances of landing a great article or story. Nervous about dealing with reporters or journalists? This episode will ease some of those concerns and prepare you as you manage this vital part of campaign life. 

In Episode 25, host Jason Bennett talks with veteran political consultant, Dean Nielsen of Cerillion N4 Partners about the planning involved for prospective candidates who want to know what to do now to prepare for the future. With experienced in 37 states, Dean walks EU listeners through messaging, photos, contacts lists and the single best piece of advice in preparing a potential run for office.

Not every campaign involves a bloodbath or negative campaign or even raising thousands of dollars. Some are actually pretty tame. In Episode 24, our hosts outreach into a small suburban town in New Jersey to speak with Interlaken School Boardmember Jill Barrett. She walks us through what motivated her to run for this position, what it was like to have her young son help swear her into office, and what we all should do to get more people to run for office. If you're feeling daunted by the possibility of a run, then this episode is for you.

In Episode 23, we talk with Brendan Tobin, Head of Growth for ECanvasser.com - a field canvassing app for political campaigns. We discuss how this low cost app is being used in more than 70 countries and how the company is handing the more than 100 campaigns it is onboarding a month. Plus, we talk the repeal of Ireland's Amendment 8, GDPR and toxic partisan climates. 

In Episode 22, our hosts talk with Eric Liu, former speech writer and policy adviser for President Bill Clinton. Based on a specific request from an avid podcast listener the Election University Podcast covers the topic of speech writing and how to deliver an effective stump speech. Plus, we talk about how to retain optimism during particularly trying times.

In today's episode, the Election University website is getting an upgrade. Our hosts discuss two new free tools for candidates and campaigns: a free jobs board and a free approved vendor list. Jobs will always be free to post and free to access. We are requiring employers to list a salary range - NO DOEs allowed! We also detail how a political vendor gets "EU Certified" and how you can make or claim your own profile for free. Plus, we talk about our other free tools we've previously released: a campaign cybersecurity Ebook, a sample Code of Conduct and our sample Employee Contract.

When you think of states that have earned an "F" rating from NARAL Pro-Choice America, which states come to mind? Does Rhode Island? It should because it has. How is one of the bluest states in the country earning such low scores when it comes to women's reproductive health? In today's 20th episode, our hosts talk with two founders of The Woman Project, a feminist art-activism project in Rhode Island to learn more about what's happening in Rhode Island and why five women came together in 2017 and used art and activism to push the legislature to do better when it comes to women. 

In Episode 19, co-hosts Reiny Cohen and Jason Bennett discuss the confusing and blurry world of online advertising, IP and cookie tracking and how to better improve your targeting of online ads. Audience Partner's President, Jordan Lieberman walks us through his simple, low-cost tool, CampaignGrid Direct, which allows campaigns to place their own ads with their own targeting. If you're trying to understand how campaigns can better target their ads online, then you don't want to miss this episode!

In this week's episode, the Election University Podcast hosts continue their roadshow in Nashville with a great interview with Chris Hayler, Senior Account Executive of Stones' Phones, to discuss phones and campaigning. Is this once highly-used, cost-effective, targeted method for reaching voters going the way of the dodo bird? Or are phones evolving and getting more creative about the ways they can engage and persuade voters? We discuss specific ways campaigns can use phones to help spread their message and debunk some common misconceptions about the use of paid phones during election season.

In Episode 17, our hosts talk with China Dickerson of Dickerson Strategies and Deputy Political Director of NARAL Pro-Choice America about the topic of diversity and the Democratic party. In our 3-part series from the AAPC's Pollie Conference in Nashville, China joins the Election University Podcast after her conference speech to discuss how political folks can do better in their candidate recruitment, their staff hiring and their retention of people of color in campaigns and government. 

In today's episode of the Election University Podcast, our hosts talk with Minnesota's Congressman from the 5th CD and Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee, Keith Ellison. Is there a blue wave coming in November 2018 and, more importantly, will Democrats seize the opportunity? Congressman Ellison walks us through message discipline, running for office, and his thoughts on this year's elections. 

In Episode 15, we talk with opposition research consultant, Jake Wagman of Shield Research on the what opposition research is, how you can do it, and why you should do it on yourself and your staff. No one wants to be caught off-guard on the campaign trail. You may not want your election to devolve into mudslinging but it's best that you arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible. 

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), a global environmental group that started in the 1960s, talks with the Election University Podcast hosts to discuss ways to use environmental messaging on campaigns. We talk with Morgan Pinnell, EDF's political affairs manager, about their new Campaign Academy - four free training modules for candidates who want to learn how to message their campaigns with an environmental bent. If you're a candidate who wants to incorporate pro-environmental messages into your campaign, you're going to want to listen to this episode and get signed up! 

The Purple Campaign, a non-profit dedicated to ending workplace sexual harassment, is partnering with the Election University Podcast to discuss ways to end harassment and assault on campaigns. In our 13th episode, we talk with Purple Campaign co-founder, Jessica Patterson, to discuss what sexual harassment is, the education campaign around raising awareness and the steps needed to end it once and for all. Plus, we discuss the two free tools campaigns can use to set clear standards on the campaign trail: a sample Campaign Code of Conduct and an sample Employee Agreement.

Now-Senator Doug Jones in deep Alabama - a trend of things to come or a fluke situation? Democrats have picked up more than 40 seats across the country since the 2016 election, many in red districts where President Trump won by more than ten points. In our 12th episode we speak with the former Executive Director of Idaho and Arizona's Democratic Party, Maria Weeg, who has seen waves before and offers great insight and advice to candidates on what they can do to optimize this environment.

In our 11th episode of the Election University Podcast, we review "VoterCircle," a low-cost relational organizing platform that leverages campaign supporters' address books to connect with voters. VoterCircle CEO Sangeeth Peruri walks us through his own contentious school board race which inspired this new campaign tool. He shares how VoterCircle was used extensively both in the big Virginia wins and also in Doug Jones' huge upset in Alabama's special election in 2017. 

In our 10th episode, we talk with Celeste Headlee, famous TedTalk speaker, NPR journalist and author of "We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations that Matter." Her TedTalk of the same title has been viewed more than 12 million times and has been rated a "must-view" by Glassdoor and CNBC. She shares with our listeners the results of extensive research on how to communicate more effectively and what introverts can do to succeed in a business where the pressure to network, persuade, and build relationships rules.

In today's episode, we hear from Tennessee media consultant John Rowley of CounterPoint Messaging on the basics of how to do video when your campaign has little-to-no budget. We also discuss the rise of digital advertising vs. traditional TV advertising. John gives our listeners some great advice on how to tell your story with a visual. 

The Blue Wave of 2017 in Virginia produced many fantastic wins for Democrats, including a top target in Jennifer Carroll Foy's race for House Delegate in the 2nd District. In today's episode we discuss the basics of fundraising with her fundraiser, Diondra Musgrave. Diondra helped now-Delegate Carroll Foy raise nearly $500,000 between cash donations and in-kinds in a short period of time. She shares her expertise on specific ways first-time candidates can raise the funds they need to win their races. Plus, we hear what it was like on election night when Democrats won 15 seats and nearly flipped control of the House of Delegates. 

In our seventh episode, we talk to Assemblymember Yuh-Line Niou about how this remarkable 32-year old raised nearly $500,000 and knocked on 9,000 doors to win her historic race in New York's 65th District. This is part one of a multi-part series highlighting young candidates who break the traditional campaign molds and overcome tough obstacles to win their races.

In our sixth episode, we discuss a thought-provoking, slightly controversial study out of Stanford University with its author, Assistant Professor David Broockman. The study, titled "The Minimal Persuasive Effects of Campaign Contact in General Elections: Evidence from 49 Field Experiments," generated quite a few headlines when it was published. In this episode, we drill down on what it means for campaigns, what the exceptions are, and how campaigns can adjust their campaign dollars accordingly.   

Ally Coll Steele, Hillary Clinton's Deputy National Voter Protection Director for the 2016 Presidential race walks us through what she saw during the 2016 election. She also shares her insight into what she's concerned about going into the midterms and what local campaigns can do to protect voters. 

Our 4th episode is dedicated to all those partners, spouses, SOs, offspring and other family members by featuring advice from two fantastic political spouses: Charlyn Daugherty, wife of Republican Travis County Commissioner Gerald Daugherty and Steve Williamson, husband to Democratic Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal from Washington's 7th Congressional District. Politics is hard on candidates but it also can be hard on the folks closest to their political orbit: the partners and family. Charlyn and Steve share their experiences with us about how they handle the wild ride that is electoral politics. Plus, we here stories on how Charlyn won an Emmy and Cleo Award for her work on her husband's campaign and how Steve got the Dalai Lama to wear his baseball hat!

Wikileaks, John Podesta, DNC emails, Russia hacking...those are only the concerns of a Presidential campaign, right? Wrong. In our 3rd episode, we talk with Benjamin Caudill of Rhino Security Labs about why your personal & campaign information is just as valuable to hackers. More importantly, we discuss what you can do to improve your own security. With some simple free & low-cost tools, we can take your campaign security from a low level of protection and quadruple your level of security. This episode is Part 1 of a two-part series on cybersecurity. 

Our second episode of Election University's podcast features advice from two of President Obama's 2008 field directors, Rory Steele and Chelsea Waliser, on how to get a job in politics. With a combined three decades of work in politics, our guests walk us through informational interviews, what your resume should look like, and how to nail the interview process. 

Welcome to the first episode of Election University's podcast with your hosts Jason Bennett and Reiny Cohen. Our weekly podcast is for candidates, staff, and other interested politicos who want to learn more about campaigns. In this first episode, we cover what Election University is and what we hope to accomplish with our podcast.