ABOUT THIS TOOLKIT

Between December 01, 2020 and March 01, 2021, RuralOrganizing.org carried out a campaign to capture, analyze, and share the lessons learned by rural engagement leaders from 2020 campaign trails. To this end, we conducted 70 “2020 Exit Interviews” with progressive rural organizers, candidates, and civic leaders. Then, compiled our qualitative data into the set of conclusions and recommendations contained in this report.

The purpose of this effort was to ensure key lessons learned by rural organizers on the front lines of the 2020 election cycle were documented and recorded. Historically, these organizers and local candidates spend months accumulating valuable insights, but campaigns typically close up shop before collecting the valuable feedback on tactics, platform, and messaging from those who were actually on the ground talking to voters. Because these frontline insights never make it back to campaign leadership, critical real world experiences are excluded from the post-election analysis and planning for the future. Instead, media pundits develop their own analyses, which political strategists then adopt and share with philanthropists. They in turn invest in plans that aren’t informed by those who were in the field on the front lines.

After months of research, we were left with three key findings:

• Electoral campaigns are hamstrung by a lack of permanent rural civic infrastructure.
• Local issue campaigns in off-years are the best way to build that infrastructure.
• In order to leverage new rural civic infrastructure, candidates must incorporate those local issues in their platforms, outreach, and messaging.