About the Race
In Pennsylvania, there are over 600,000 students enrolled in state colleges and universities–that’s the most of any battleground. These young voters have the numbers and the power to determine the outcomes of elections up and down the ballot in 2024.
And while young Americans do believe they have the power to change the country, just 2 in 5 say they feel well-qualified to participate in politics.¹ Most young Americans do not believe they have been adequately prepared to understand the impact of their vote, or even how to cast it.² That uncertainty depresses turnout: in 2022, just under 1 in 4 young voters cast a ballot.³ Young people are not apathetic–we are failing to adequately prepare and engage them.
At Project 26, we have proven that with the right support, young people are ready to do more than deliver key votes–they are ready to lead.
We’re building a scrappy and innovative operation to protect and expand democracy by elevating youth leadership on campuses across the state in order to empower thousands of college students to take control of their futures, get organized, and vote in the 2024 elections.
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2022 Youth Survey, CIRCLE at Tufts University, https://circle.tufts.edu/our-research/broadening-youth-voting.
46th Biannual Harvard Youth Poll, Harvard Kennedy School, https://iop.harvard.edu/youth-poll/46th-edition-fall-2023.
2022 Youth Survey, CIRCLE at Tufts University, https://circle.tufts.edu/our-research/broadening-youth-voting.
What Will You Do?
Campus organizers will work on key campuses across Pennsylvania to build organizations that engage students, provide value to young people, and prepare systems for key 2024 races. This position will be based at one of Pennsylvania’s universities and requires a significant amount of in-person work.
This is not a conventional organizing position. Instead of spending time in a field office making calls, a typical day will require being on campus in person talking to students. You will be asked to get goofy, creative, and gritty-as-hell to build a startup that empowers young people for many elections to come.
Responsibilities Include:
Draft plans for your campus program in the upcoming cycle and assist in shaping the overall vision for the organization in 2024.
Recruit, train, and manage a team of paid fellows and volunteers who will mobilize their peers and create a movement on campus.
Build relationships with a coalition of administrators, student leaders, and student organizations on campus.
Assist in building the systems and services that overcome barriers to student civic engagement and voter turnout to empower students and prepare for 2024.
Manage fun and engaging events to educate students about the upcoming elections and empower them to organize their peers.
Conduct direct voter contact and list-building through dorm-storming, high-traffic canvassing, relational organizing, and more.
Pilot a coordinated narrative-building & story collection campaign that centers young people across Pennsylvania.
Exercise discretion in the use of campaign resources in support of your organizing program.
All other duties as assigned.
Who Are You?
As a successful candidate for this job, you will:
Have a passion for inspiring and empowering young people to get involved in the political process.
Be excited to think outside the box and to ideate and innovate to find the most exciting and effective GOTV tactics.
Be eager to talk to as many students as possible (and be comfortable talking to _a lot of _strangers/potential volunteers).
Be scrappy and flexible; able to manage several tasks simultaneously.
Be a self-starter, exceptionally well-organized, and have strong time management skills.
Have a driver's license and access to a reliable car.
Be able to work weekends and irregular hours as required.
Be located near or be willing to relocate to one of our focus campuses.
Previous experience organizing for an electoral campaign is a plus; previous experience with campus organizing is a bigger plus. Neither is required.
We will be hiring for this position in multiple cohorts, with the first group starting ASAP and additional hiring waves to follow. Students who will be graduating over the Spring and Summer of '24 are strongly encouraged to apply now!
**Job Details: **This is a full-time role compensated at $23.50 an hour. It is eligible for overtime. Campus organizers are also eligible for a generous benefits package, including health, vision, dental, and travel.