A Starter Guide for First-Time Campaign Managers in Virginia

What to expect, what to avoid, and how to keep your campaign on track

If you are a first time campaign manager in Virginia, congratulations. You have taken on one of the most intense, rewarding, and chaotic jobs in politics. Whether your race is in Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, or a smaller locality, the fundamentals of campaign management are surprisingly similar.

1. Build your calendar first

Your calendar will save you or destroy you. Virginia has a unique election timeline, and managing it well is half the job.

Mark these early:

• first day of early voting

• last day of voter registration

• absentee ballot send dates

• local event deadlines

• internal deadlines for printing and mail

Political mail in Virginia needs time to travel. Yard signs and palm cards need time to be produced. If you print in Virginia, you generally gain flexibility, but you still should plan ahead.

2. Prioritize communication flow

You will be answering texts, monitoring email, fielding volunteer questions, tracking the candidate, solving problems, and handling last minute changes.

Set up systems that make communication easier:

• shared calendars

• shared folders

• group chats for the field team

• weekly check ins with volunteers

The more organized you are, the easier your life becomes.

3. Get your printing plan locked early

Most new campaign managers underestimate this part. Whether you are in Fairfax County, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Richmond, or Roanoke, the printing timeline matters more than anything else on the logistics side.

Here is what to plan early:

• your first batch of palm cards

• your yard sign order

• your early mail piece

• your digital print files

• your colors and fonts

• your logo usage

• who will print your materials and how fast they can deliver (us, of course!)

Avoid sending materials across the country during crunch time. Late shipments hit campaigns in Northern Virginia especially hard because field operations are largest there.

4. Do not treat printing like an afterthought

Campaign materials are part of your field strategy. They are not “extra”.

They support:

• door knocking

• visibility

• volunteer energy

• momentum

• your message framing

A simple delay in printed materials can slow down your entire operation. Printing inside Virginia usually helps you avoid that risk.

5. The message triangle matters

Campaign managers often get pulled in a dozen directions. Your message triangle keeps you centered. It should be short, simple, and easy for volunteers to repeat.

Every piece of campaign literature, whether printed or digital, should reflect that message triangle.

6. Avoid these common first-time manager mistakes

Across Virginia, these mistakes show up again and again:

• printing too late

• not ordering enough materials for early voting

• underestimating shipping times

• forgetting that volunteers need palm cards to canvass

• skipping union printed materials

• trying to use one design for everything

• not tailoring messaging to different parts of the district

Northern Virginia districts are dense and move fast. Hampton Roads districts are more spread out and rely heavily on signs and mail. Richmond requires strong consistency.

Knowing your region helps you avoid wasted time and wasted materials.

Being a first time campaign manager in Virginia is intense, but it is also one of the most rewarding roles in politics. You will learn fast, adapt constantly, and become the central hub of the entire campaign.

If you stay organized, plan your printing early, and keep communication tight, you give your candidate and your volunteers the space they need to succeed.

Campaigns do not run themselves. They run because you keep them moving.

And printing in Virginia helps keep that movement steady.

Need help planning? Give us a call, we’re here to help!