One Year in Politics documents and studies the experiences of Democratic staffers to help win progressive elections in 2024 and beyond.

︎︎︎

225 First
Time Staffers.
40 interviews.


All were directly involved in the
2020 election cycle.



415 Jobs
Held.

53% with a
campaign.

26% with
with the
Democratic
Party.

21% with an
Organization.



One Year in Politics (outline)

Introduction from the author

Motivations of First-Time Staffers in 2020
_Shared-Experiences Led to Involvement
_Availability of Recent Graduates
_Similar Ideologies & the Crowded Primary

Representation & Inclusion in Political Spaces
_Women Outnumber Men as First-Time Staffers
_An Absence of BIPOC Staffers

On the Job as a Young Staffer
_Advantages
_Barriers (environment, Gen Z outreach, burnout, and more)

Conclusion

Interviews Full (print version only)

Appendix
_Compensation Breakdown
_Additional Reading & Resources
_Project Credits




One Year
in Politics


A Politics Project

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