The Michigan Democratic Party (MDP) seeks a talented Deputy Voter Protection Director for Programs to ensure that all eligible citizens are able to cast ballots that count in 2022. This position will work closely with the Voter Protection Director to organize the MDP’s statewide voter protection effort, which encompasses voter education and assistance, early vote observing, Election Day observing at polling places and absentee counting rooms, and monitoring of post-Election Day canvassing and certification.
Responsibilities
As our Deputy Voter Protection Director, you will have four main areas of responsibility:
1. Lead the execution of intervention programs and efforts
- Manage a robust Poll Challenger program for elections, including recruiting and training volunteers, precinct prioritization and assignment, reporting mechanisms, and issue resolution processes.
- Manage and support multiple staff members responsible for recruiting, assigning, and supporting volunteers.
- Recruit and support lawyers to serve as Law Firm Captains, who will recruit Challengers in their firms.
- Manage the training and deployment of observers of pre-Election Day activity in clerk’s offices and satellite offices, and develop a response plan to resolve issues identified.
- Support the Voter Protection Boiler Room on Election Day, making sure that voters’ issues are thoroughly documented, resolved where possible, and escalated where appropriate.
- Support the Voter Protection Hotline Manager in volunteer training, operations, reporting, and issue resolution. Monitor calls to the hotline to identify trends and proactively resolve issues.
- Track and aggregate issues reported from all sources (hotline, pre-Election Day observers, Boiler Room, direct voter calls, media) and proactively resolve them.
2. Direct and monitor communications regarding voting
- Develop a comprehensive voter education communications plan and calendar, and work with the MDP communications team to execute the plan.
- Ensure that all communications to voters include timely, relevant, and accurate information about voting, including the voter protection hotline number.
3. Lead efforts to fight voter suppression and election subversion
- Build relationships in communities that have been targeted for voter suppression.
- Identify potential threats to the franchise and support the mobilization of a coordinated response within the MDP.
- Work with the Voter Protection Director to monitor election subversion threats and support the MDP’s response.
4. Design and maintain strong data practices
- Administer LBJ, VAN/Votebuilder, Google Forms and other database tools to track issues, volunteers, and voters.
- Prepare regular reports for national partners and other stakeholders.
- Ensure that all volunteers and staff are properly utilizing databases and that their reports are timely, accurate, and escalated appropriately.
- Develop regular review processes to monitor reports, ensure all voter issues have been resolved, and aggregate and escalate trends.
Skills
We are seeking someone who, at their core, is fueled by the satisfaction of fighting for justice. You should be an organizer or political operative, eager to build an army of people who together will create meaningful change. You should be or have:
- A strong, data-driven organizer and relationship builder. Demonstrated ability to build large-scale, diverse volunteer organizations that effectively deliver results by motivating and holding volunteers accountable for their goals. Adept at using data to inform strategy development, monitor progress to goal, and report on and analyze outcomes, including familiarity with VAN/Votebuilder, LBJ, Excel, and other tools.
- Superb project management skills. Demonstrated excellence in developing and leading the execution of multiple, complex projects simultaneously. Able to spot issues ahead of time, creatively resolve them, and keep the team on track to meet its goals.
- Self-starter who is highly skilled at managing up, down and across. The ideal candidate knows how to leverage limited manager or leader time to get the information needed to move decisions, and the work, forward, while at the same as knowing how to communicate effectively with peers on your team and across the organization.
- Strong lens and judgment on issues of race and equity. Clearly and consistently articulates a sophisticated understanding of racial equity and structural racism as it relates to the work we do and how we operate internally at MDP. Organizes from a racial justice perspective, with emphasis on voter suppression’s disproportionate impact on communities of color.
- Commitment to Democratic values and electing Democrats in Michigan.
- Prior Michigan experience preferred but not required.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The Michigan Democratic Party is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to maintaining a non-discriminatory work environment, and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
How to Apply
Send cover letter and résumé to [email protected]
