The Progressive Voters Guide of California
The 2020 inaugural edition of the Progressive Voters Guide in California reached 1 in every 29 voters in the state(~750,000 voters), with an average of 15,000 daily visits and an average of 10 minutes spent on site in the month leading up to the election. The Guide had an acquisition cost of $1 per 4,300+ users, and digital ads and content outperformed industry averages by 2-7x. We met the needs of the 100,000 CA voters searching for such a guide, and reached an additional ~650,000 voters.
Motivation
Before 2020, California lacked a voter guide that offered detailed, progressive insights into down-ballot races. By 2018, over 100,000 voters were actively searching for such a guide online. Recognizing the need for such a resource, Courage California aimed to fill this gap by working with the Progress Now network to launch the Progressive Voters Guide in California. This initiative sought to equip voters with easily accessible, quality information about candidates' track records, policy positions, and endorsements from trusted progressive sources. I was hired to create a comprehensive research and writing program for the guide that would use a democratic recommendation process based on public records, fiscal transparency, and a network of over 65 progressive grassroots organizations representing and advocating for millions of Californianson issues like affordable heathcare, education and housing. As time went on, I was also tasked with engaging voters.
The primary challenge was creating a guide that would serve as a reliable resource for progressive voters statewide, covering an extensive range of races and providing actionable recommendations. The guide needed to be accessible, user-friendly, and capable of reaching a broad audience, including younger voters and those typically underrepresented in the democratic process.
Approach
The project involved several key steps:
Comprehensive Research: Gathered and synthesized information on candidates across 435 races, including federal, state, county, and selected local elections.
Content Development: Created research-backed clear, concise, and standardized summaries of candidates' backgrounds, policy stances, and endorsements, focusing on highlighting progressive choices.
Multi-Format Accessibility: Ensuring the guide was available in various formats and accessible across all devices, with a particular focus on mobile accessibility to cater to the majority of users.
User Engagement: Created social media and digital marketing to reach and engage potential users, especially targeting younger demographics and those traditionally left out of the democratic decision-making process.
Brand Leadership: Developed the visual identity and messaging for the Progressive Voters Guide, ensuring consistent, impactful communication across digital platforms, print guides, and media partnerships.
Editorial and Production: Designed a research, writing, and editing process as well as a recommendation vetting process that involved over 65 partners and every part of the internal organization as well as directly recruiting and supervising a six team of freelance writers to produce 450 entries in the span of about two and a half months.
Outcomes
The inaugural edition of the Progressive Voters Guide in California achieved the following milestones in its first year:
Widespread Reach: Consulted by one in every 29 voters in California, reaching more than 750,000 users.
High Engagement: An average of 15,000+ daily active users with 10 minutes average time on site during election season, indicating strong engagement and reliance on the guide for voting decisions.
Targeted Audience Impact: Nearly one in two users were under 35, demonstrating the guide's appeal to younger voters. Additionally, 71% accessed the guide on mobile devices on election day, underscoring the effectiveness of the mobile-first approach.
Organic Search Results: The guide became the top organic search result for nearly all included races, ensuring visibility and accessibility for those seeking information.
Significant ROI: Achieved an ROI of 4,300+ users for every $1 spent, showcasing the efficiency and impact of the marketing and outreach strategies employed.
Leadership & Impact
The launch of the Progressive Voters Guide in California in 2020 represented a groundbreaking step towards redefining progressive engagement and voter education in the state. By identifying and filling a critical information gap, the initiative not only empowered voters with comprehensive insights into down-ballot races but also significantly contributed to the democratization of the electoral process. The success of the Progressive Voters Guide in California underscores the value of targeted, value-driven resources to mobilize and inform a diverse electorate.
Filled an Information Gap: Before the guide's launch, there was a notable absence of comprehensive, progressive-focused voter resources in California, particularly for down-ballot races. The 2020 Progressive Voters Guide in California provided voters with in-depth guidance on candidates and issues reflecting progressive values and priorities.
Empowered Underrepresented Voters: Recognizing that many potential voters, especially younger individuals and those from marginalized communities, often feel disconnected from the political process, Courage California aimed to engage these groups. The 2020 Progressive Voters Guide in California provided accessible, mobile-friendly information that bridges the gap between these communities and the democratic decision-making process.
Influenced Down-Ballot Races: Down-ballot races often have significant impacts on local and state policies but receive less attention than top-ticket elections. By focusing on these races, The Progressive Voters Guide in California influenced policy outcomes at all levels of government, aligning with progressive values and goals.
Enhanced Democratic Participation: Encouraging informed voting is fundamental to a healthy democracy. By offering clear, concise information on candidates, including their track records, policy positions, and endorsements, The Guide clarified the voting process and enhanced overall voter turnout and engagement.
Supported Progressive Candidates and Policies: By highlighting progressive candidates and providing recommendations, the Guide supported the election of officials more likely to advocate for equitable and representative governance. This support promoted policies including social justice, environmental sustainability, and economic equity.
Built a Progressive Movement: The Guide engaged partners to build and strengthen the progressive movement in California. By providing a resource that aligns voters, elected officials, and the movement itself, the Progressive Voters Guide in California fostered a more cohesive and effective push for systemic change.
This initiative served as a model for other states and organizations in the ProgressNow network looking to enhance democratic engagement and advocate for progressive values through informed voting. As we look to future elections, the lessons learned and successes achieved by the Progressive Voters Guide in California offer valuable insights into the power of accessible, comprehensive, and strategically deployed voter education resources.
Lifecycle & Evolution
A major challenge in strategic design is building architecture that can handle intense organizational complexity from day one, while remaining stable as the project changes hands over time.
In 2020, I designed the initial framework to simultaneously process and vet recommendations from over 65 grassroots organizations on a highly compressed timeline. The structural goal was to create a rigorous data and narrative blueprint capable of managing that high level of stakeholder consensus and regulatory compliance immediately.
Six years later, while the editorial priorities, value-alignment, and operational structure have shifted and simplified under new stewardship, the foundational infrastructure remains the active engine of the program. The resilience of the original 2020 design allowed the project to transition into a permanent institutional asset.
This project serves as a clear case study in design durability versus values drift. While I am no longer affiliated with the content or ideological direction of the current guide, the system's capacity to hold its shape over six years demonstrates the strength of its original blueprint. I bring this focus on building stable, highly resilient infrastructure for complex organizational ecosystems to my current strategic design and advisory work.
