March 3, 2022
CHICAGO, IL – Progressive Turnout Project announced the creation of its Fellows Advisory Board, composed of current and former state legislators from across the country who will guide PTP’s Campaign Fellows program. The Campaign Fellows program, which first launched in 2018, funds and trains local staff on PTP-endorsed campaigns in the final two months leading up to Election Day.
“As we expand our Campaign Fellows Program to state legislative races — and ensure we’re building a strong class of Democratic organizers — we’ve brought on a Fellows Advisory Board made up of current and former state legislators with firsthand experience in the importance of direct voter contact for a winning campaign,” said Alex Morgan, Executive Director of Progressive Turnout Project.
When the program launched in 2018, PTP had 103 Campaign Fellows working on federal races who made over 950,000 voter contact attempts and connected with over 115,000 voters by knocking on doors and making phone calls.
In 2020, the Campaign Fellows program grew to 174 Campaign Fellows, propelling federal Democratic candidates to victory by making over one million voter contact attempts and reaching 130,000 voters.
In 2021, PTP launched a legislative pilot for state-level races in New Jersey and Virginia. In New Jersey, 70 Campaign Fellows worked with 51 campaigns, representing a $255,000 total investment. In Virginia, 97 Campaign Fellows worked with 63 campaigns, representing a $315,000 total investment.
“By investing in state legislative races, Progressive Turnout Project is investing not just in individual candidates, but in the future of our democracy. When I won my first election by just 300 votes, I saw firsthand that skilled and dedicated organizers are one of the most valuable resources a campaign can have. Every single Campaign Fellow working on a legislative race will make an impact in the fight to defend our democracy,” said State Rep. Darrin Camilleri (MI-HD-23), Chair of the Fellows Advisory Board.
Building on the success of PTP’s 2021 Campaign Fellows state legislative pilot program, the Fellows Advisory Board will guide the scaling of the Campaign Fellows program to state legislative races in 15 target states and a nationwide federal program for a total investment of over $5 million.
Campaign Fellows work directly with campaigns, and will receive additional training, mentorship, and support from the PTP Fellows team.
“Campaign Fellows aren’t just the folks who will help us win the next election cycle — they are the future organizers, campaign managers, and candidates who will keep the Democratic party successful for years to come,” said Colleen Martin, PTP’s Chief Political Officer.
Fellows Advisory Board Members
- Darrin Camilleri, Michigan State Representative (Chair)
- Andrés Cano, Arizona State Representative
- Bee Nguyen, Georgia State Representative
- Ram Villivalam, Illinois State Senator
- Sarah Anthony, Michigan State Representative
- Cecelia González, Nevada State Assemblywoman
- Becky Whitley, New Hampshire State Senator
- Javier Martinez, New Mexico State Representative
- Ashton Clemmons, North Carolina State Representative
- Casey Weinstein, Ohio State Representative
- Jennifer O’Mara, Pennsylvania State Representative
- Alex Askew, Former Virginia State Delegate
2022 Campaign Fellows State Legislative Targets
- Arizona
- Georgia
- Iowa
- Maine
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Wisconsin
###
Progressive Turnout Project is the largest voter contact organization in the country, specifically dedicated to mobilizing the Democratic Party and defending democracy. Our mission: Rally Democrats to Vote. Since 2015, our trained field staff, fellows, and volunteers have made more than 59 million voter contact attempts across 39 states. PTP is grassroots funded, with more than 2.3 million unique donors and an average contribution of $19.13.
