Metro DC DSA is gearing up for the 2026 general election cycle!

This two-day Electoral Training Intensive is designed to grow our bench of organizers, build real skills, and bring together DSA members, allied organizations and movements, and new folks into meaningful, sustained participation in our electoral project. Over the next few months, Metro DC DSA will be running a campaign for residents in Northern Virginia to vote "Yes on All 3" to enshrine reproductive freedom, marriage equality, and restoration of voting rights in the Virginia state constitution.

Building power also means building relationships. Throughout the weekend, there will be intentional opportunities to meet people, connect across experience levels, and make friends. We’ll wrap Sunday with a social bringing together new folks and experienced organizers alike. It’s important we create space for mentorship, relationship building, and solidarity.

Sunday, August 9 – Electoral Organizing 101

Time: 11:00am - 2:00pm

Location: TBD

Who should attend:
Anyone, no prior experience required (Invite your friends!)

Goal: Participants will have an introduction to the relationships between DSA and electoral organizing. We will go over the basics of door-to-door canvassing and then split up into groups to apply this training to organize a real canvass.

Training topics include:

• Why DSA invests in electoral organizing

• Why canvassing is a core tactic for winning
  

• Hands-on canvassing best practices, which includes building understanding of campaign structures and engagement pipeline to support long-term participation
  

• Introduction to VAN/MiniVAN (time permitting, with space to practice)
  

• Overview of Metro DC DSA endorsements, candidate context, and door goals, including how to use the campaign dashboard

• Lessons from recent DSA campaigns
  

Working session on planning and launching canvasses (Electoral Deep Dive/Day 1 participants are required to attend, barring emergencies)