Election Day · November 3, 2026
Welcome to the
Coordinated Campaign
Everything you need to plug in, build your base, and win on November 3. This page is your starting point as an endorsed candidate in the 2026 General Election.
Our Philosophy
Why This Works
The SB Dems Coordinated Campaign is built on a simple, science-backed principle: real conversations win elections.
Person-to-Person Contact
Direct, one-on-one conversations about shared values are scientifically proven to be the most effective way to win elections.
Door-to-Door Efficiency
Canvassing is the most cost-effective way to share information about candidates and deliver your printed literature directly to voters.
Targeted & Purposeful
Every conversation is educational, targeted to persuadable voters, and promotional, helping voters understand who you are and why your candidacy matters.
Division of Labor
What the Party Does vs. What You Do
The coordinated campaign is a partnership. Here is exactly who is responsible for what.
The Party Handles
- Staffing the field operation (walk lists, phone lists, mobile app)
- Recruiting, scheduling, and training volunteers daily
- Coordinating all field activity across the county
- Printing the Democratic Slate mailer
- Posting endorsements on sbdems.org
- Promoting events and endorsements via member communications
- Issuing press releases announcing endorsements
You Are Responsible For
- Recruiting your own volunteers to walk and phone for your race
- Printing candidate-specific literature and yard signs
- Creating your own direct mail pieces
- Building and maintaining your candidate website
- Driving press ads and letters to the editor
- Participating actively in the field campaign
Field Program
How We Run the Field
Our field program is coordinated, high-volume, and built to maximize voter contact across the entire county.
Unified Endorsed Slate
Canvassers carry the Democratic Slate so every door knocked simultaneously benefits your race and every other endorsed candidate on the ballot.
Ballot Measures Covered
Volunteers are trained to speak to key ballot measures alongside candidates, giving voters a complete Democratic perspective at every door.
Weeks of Canvassing
Weekend walks run every weekend from the September kickoff straight through to Election Day, with daily phonebanks on weeknights.
Regional Field Organizers
Dedicated regional staff across South and North County coordinate all logistics, so you can focus on your voters and your message.
Election Landscape
Know What We're Up Against
Midterm general elections bring large, motivated electorates and competitive races up and down the ballot. Here is what that means for your race.
Typical countywide voter turnout in a midterm general election cycle
Voter groups we target: Democrats, Independents, and minor party liberals
Race on our endorsed slate benefits when canvassers carry the unified Democratic slate
Who We Target
Volunteer Strategy
Building Your Volunteer Base
Volunteer coordination is a shared effort. The party keeps the field running, but your campaign is responsible for recruiting people who walk specifically for you.
Coordination
Bringing all volunteers together under one coordinated structure is the most efficient way to cover the most ground and stretch every hour of volunteer time.
Party Support
Party staff recruits, schedules, and trains volunteers daily for evening phonebanks and weekend walks. You gain from this infrastructure automatically.
Your Responsibility
Your campaign must actively recruit volunteers who will walk and phone specifically for your race. Do not rely solely on the party pool to carry your numbers.
Share Your Regional Mobilize Link
We use Mobilize for all volunteer sign-ups. When someone signs up through your regional link, they are automatically added to our database, can browse and register for open volunteer shifts, and receive automated email and text reminders before each event. Sharing your link is the single most effective thing you can do to grow your volunteer pipeline.
Key Dates
Campaign Calendar
Mark these dates now and build your campaign plan around them. Missing a recruitment weekend or fundraising deadline has real downstream consequences.
September 7
SB County Democratic Party Labor Day Picnic Bring Lit + Signs
Bring yard signs and candidate literature to distribute. This is your first major public visibility moment of the fall campaign and an essential volunteer recruitment opportunity.
Mid-September
Countywide Campaign Kickoff Weekend All Hands
The biggest volunteer recruitment weekend of the cycle. Every endorsed candidate should have supporters signed up and walking. Be present and visible at your regional kickoff event.
September 30
Q3 Fundraising Deadline
First major campaign finance reporting deadline of the fall. Coordinate any end-of-quarter pushes with your fundraising team well in advance.
October 5
Voter Registration Deadline
Last day to register to vote in California for the November 3 election. Ensure all your supporters are registered and help direct any new voters to registertovote.ca.gov.
October 6
Vote-by-Mail Ballots Begin Mailing GOTV Begins
All registered voters receive a ballot by mail starting this week. Field intensity should increase significantly from here. Every walk and call has immediate impact.
October 11 & 12
Vote-by-Mail GOTV Weekend Big Recruitment Push
Second major volunteer recruitment weekend. Voters have their ballots in hand. Canvassing and phonebanking now translates directly into returned ballots.
October 21
Ballot Drop-Off Locations Open
Official ballot drop boxes open across the county. Remind your supporters and volunteers where to return their ballots if not mailing.
October 23
Pre-Election Fundraising Deadline
Final major reporting deadline before Election Day. Any contributions received after this date must be disclosed separately. Plan your final fundraising push accordingly.
October 24
Intensive GOTV Begins
All operations shift to maximum voter contact. Phonebanks and walks focus exclusively on identified supporters who have not yet returned a ballot.
November 1 & 2
Final GOTV Weekend Critical
Every available volunteer should be walking and calling. This weekend decides close races. Have your ballot-chase list ready for any outstanding supporters.
November 3
Election Day Win
Polls open 7am to 8pm. All operations shift to same-day voter contact and poll support. Ensure your campaign has a plan for last-minute ballot return assistance.
Your Next Steps
What You Need to Do Now
These are the four things you must complete to get your campaign plugged into the coordinated campaign. Do these first.
Recruit Volunteers for the Fall Kickoff Weekend
Start recruiting your volunteer list now for the mid-September countywide kickoff weekend and all subsequent weekend walks and weekday phonebanks. The campaigns that arrive at kickoff with a volunteer list win the fall. This is your single highest-leverage action right now.
Commit to Every Weekend Walk Through November 3
Weekend walks run every Saturday and Sunday from the September kickoff through Election Day. Your campaign should have a presence at walks in your district every single weekend, no exceptions.
Bring Literature and Signs to the Labor Day Picnic
Drop your candidate-specific yard signs and printed literature at the Labor Day Picnic on September 7 or at the Democratic Party office beforehand. Canvassers will distribute your materials alongside the unified party slate all fall.
Contact Your Field Organizer Today
Reach out to your regional field organizer to get your campaign officially integrated into the canvassing and phonebanking schedule. Confirm your literature delivery plan and volunteer sign-up link. Do not wait until September.
Get in Touch
Your Field Team
Your field organizers are your primary point of contact for everything related to canvassing, phonebanking, volunteer coordination, and logistics. Reach out early and often.
North County Field Organizer
Jovany Medina
Santa Maria, Lompoc, Santa Ynez Valley, Guadalupe
South County Field Organizer
South County
Carpinteria, Santa Barbara, Goleta, Isla Vista
Party Headquarters
SB Dems Office
226 E. Canon Perdido St., Suite C, Santa Barbara
Ready to plug in?
Contact the field team and get your campaign on the schedule before the September kickoff. Do not wait.
Email the Field Team