How We Won 15 Local Elections This November

November 2025 was a landmark month for C&S Political. Across three states, our team helped 15 candidates win their local elections — from city council seats to county positions. These weren't easy victories. Many were challenging races in competitive districts where every vote mattered. Here's how we did it.

The Challenge: Diverse Races, Limited Resources

Our November campaigns faced several common challenges:

• Low voter turnout environments — Local elections typically see 15-25% turnout
• Limited budgets — Most campaigns had under $50,000 to spend
• First-time candidates — 11 of our 15 winners had never run for office before
• Competitive districts — 8 races were decided by margins under 5%
• Short timelines — Several candidates entered races just 90 days before Election Day

These constraints required strategic thinking and flawless execution. We couldn't afford to waste time or money on tactics that wouldn't deliver results.

Our Winning Strategy: Five Key Elements

1. Hyper-Targeted Voter Identification

In low-turnout elections, identifying likely voters is everything. We used predictive modeling to score every voter in each district based on their likelihood to turn out. This allowed us to focus our limited resources on voters who would actually cast ballots.

For each campaign, we created three primary target universes:

• Base Mobilization (30-35% of contact universe): High-propensity voters likely to support our candidates who needed reminders and motivation to turn out
• Persuasion (25-30% of contact universe): Moderate voters with mixed partisan leanings who were open to our message
• New Voter Engagement (15-20% of contact universe): Infrequent voters who matched our candidate's demographic and issue profiles

This targeting allowed us to have meaningful conversations with the voters who mattered most, rather than wasting time on unlikely voters or hard opposition.

2. Localized Message Development

National political messaging doesn't win local elections. Voters care about potholes, school budgets, and local development projects — not partisan talking points.

For each campaign, we conducted:

• Community listening sessions to understand local concerns
• Opposition research on incumbent voting records and policy positions
• Message testing through small-scale digital surveys
• Local media monitoring to track community conversations

This research informed unique messaging for each campaign that resonated with local voters. One city council candidate centered her campaign on traffic safety after a community listening session revealed it was the top concern in her district. She won by 12 points in a district that had gone to the opposition party in the previous election.

3. Integrated Field and Digital Operations

Our campaigns didn't choose between field and digital — we integrated them seamlessly. Here's how it worked:

Phase 1: Digital Introduction (Weeks 8-6 before Election Day)

• Targeted Facebook and Instagram ads introducing candidates
• Geo-targeted video content highlighting local issues
• Email campaigns to identified supporters

Phase 2: Field Engagement (Weeks 5-2 before Election Day)

• Door-to-door canvassing in high-priority neighborhoods
• Phone banking to persuasion and base voters
• Community events and town halls

Phase 3: GOTV Digital Reinforcement (Final 2 Weeks)

• Personalized email reminders based on field interactions
• Peer-to-peer texting with voting information
• Digital ads targeting identified supporters with polling location info

This phased approach meant voters heard from our candidates multiple times through different channels, significantly increasing message penetration.

4. Volunteer-Driven Ground Game

With limited budgets, we couldn't afford to hire large paid staff. Instead, we built volunteer operations that punched above their weight.

Our volunteer success came from several key practices:

• Structured recruitment: Every supporter was asked to volunteer, with specific, low-commitment asks
• Training and support: All volunteers received training on canvassing, phone banking, and messaging
• Technology tools: Mobile canvassing apps made volunteering easier and more effective
• Recognition and motivation: Regular updates, volunteer appreciation events, and public recognition

In one county commissioner race, we recruited 87 volunteers who made over 15,000 voter contacts in the final three weeks. The candidate won by just 234 votes — direct voter contact made the difference.

5. Relentless Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV)

In low-turnout elections, GOTV operations are often decisive. We built comprehensive GOTV programs that started early and intensified through Election Day.

Our GOTV protocol included:

• Early vote mobilization: Targeted outreach to high-propensity supporters encouraging early voting
• Vote-by-mail chase program: Multiple contacts with vote-by-mail voters who hadn't returned ballots
• Election Day operations: Poll monitoring, last-minute voter contact, and ride-to-polls programs
• Real-time voter file tracking: Continuous monitoring of who had voted, allowing targeted follow-up

In races where we implemented aggressive early vote programs, our candidates averaged 58% of the early vote — building insurmountable leads before Election Day.

Campaign Spotlight: Sarah Martinez for City Council

Sarah Martinez's campaign exemplified our approach. A first-time candidate running for city council in a suburban district, Sarah faced an 8-year incumbent with high name recognition and a 3-to-1 fundraising advantage.

The Challenge: Low name recognition, limited budget ($32,000), and a district that had elected the same party for 20 years.

Our Strategy:

• Identified 4,200 high-propensity persuasion voters through predictive modeling
• Developed messaging focused on transparent government and youth investment
• Recruited 43 volunteers for door-knocking and phone banking
• Made over 8,000 voter contacts through canvassing and calls
• Ran targeted digital ads reaching 85% of likely voters
• Implemented aggressive early vote and GOTV programs

The Result: Sarah won 52.3% to 47.7%, flipping the seat and becoming the first person of color elected to the city council.

Key Lessons for Future Campaigns

1. Data-Driven Targeting is Non-Negotiable

Every one of our winning campaigns used voter data to guide targeting decisions. Campaigns that tried to "talk to everyone" struggled. Those that focused on data-identified targets consistently overperformed.

2. Local Issues Win Local Elections

Candidates who talked about local issues specific to their communities performed significantly better than those who relied on party messaging or national issues. Voters want to know you understand their neighborhood.

3. Field Contact Matters More in Low-Turnout Elections

Direct voter contact has exponentially more impact in local elections than in high-profile races. In our analysis, voters contacted by canvassers were 12% more likely to turn out than similar voters who weren't contacted.

4. Early Vote Matters

Campaigns that banked votes through early voting and vote-by-mail programs had significantly lower stress on Election Day and higher win rates. Building an early vote lead creates momentum and allows final-week resources to focus on persuasion rather than just turnout.

5. Volunteer Energy is Contagious

Campaigns with strong volunteer programs generated enthusiasm that translated into votes. Neighbors talking to neighbors is still the most powerful form of political persuasion.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Our November success provides a proven template for winning local elections in competitive environments with limited resources. As we look toward 2026 midterm elections, these lessons will be even more critical.

The keys to victory remain constant: know your voters, develop local messaging, integrate field and digital operations, mobilize volunteers, and execute flawless GOTV. Candidates who master these fundamentals will win. Those who don't will struggle.

At C&S Political, we're already working with candidates preparing for 2026. The winning strategies we developed in November are being refined and adapted for next year's campaigns. If you're thinking about running, the time to start planning is now.