Taking on campaign internships

October 19, 2023

Guest blog by CAS students 
Noelle Delumpa and Victoria Strawbridge  

This semester, as part of our coursework in the Philosophy, Politics, and the Public program, we have worked on behalf of two Cincinnati City Council races. It has been a riveting experience to work on head-to-head campaigns.  

As peers, we learn and discuss issues in class, opening discourse to differing perspectives. On the campaign, however, we act as both supporters and competitors to one another. With Noelle working for Liz Keating’s campaign and Victoria for Anna Albi’s, we see that while the parties disagree on issues, it is crucial to find common ground. Most importantly, we find this common ground in supporting and preserving our democratic system, which places the people’s voices at the forefront of our minds.  

Contributing to the Cincinnati City Council campaigns has offered us an exciting opportunity to personally interact with local voters through attending fundraising events and canvassing in neighborhoods. Having firsthand experience creates a new perspective on our political system because rather than observing the parties up until elections (their ads, mail, canvassing, etc.) we see the work taking place behind the scenes.  

As American citizens, we often find it easy to take a passive role in democratic engagement. However, stepping into the role of campaign interns requires us to take an active role in our democracy. In contrast to analyzing a politician's message, we must think of the best way to communicate our candidate’s agenda. Because both of us are from outside of Cincinnati, we have had the opportunity to learn more about the inner workings of the city and what kinds of issues the local voters are passionate about.

Our time with the campaigns has confirmed our belief that it takes boots-on-the-ground hard work to run a campaign. The array of small tasks necessary to conduct a campaign may not seem like much, but they add up to result in robust voters, informed voting plans, and a greater understanding of legislation. It is not something that can be seen, but its influence is not barred by the illusion.  

Whether it is getting doors shut in our faces while canvassing or engaging in a productive conversation with a voter, we know that the effort we are putting in makes a large difference in the long run.