LEAD Campaign Academy

The LEAD Ohio Campaign Academy combines our traditional candidate, judicial candidate, and campaign staff trainings into a comprehensive, 50-hour training program. Over the course of 6 weekends, the LEAD Campaign Academy will cover campaign best practices and candidate development; specific guidance for judicial candidate compliance; and resources for those interested in working on campaigns.

The LEAD Campaign Academy is taught by some of Ohio’s most seasoned campaign professionals, former candidates, current representatives and judges in respective areas of expertise.

Candidates

Candidate training includes:

  • Pros and cons of running for office 

  • Campaign planning

  • Developing a finance plan and budget 

  • Fundraising

  • Navigating different forms of media

  • Effective messaging

  • Voter contact tactics

  • Creating a healthy volunteer culture

  • Overview of campaign compliance

Judicials

Candidate training, plus:

  • Preparing to run for judicial office

  • Judicial Campaign Compliance

  • Navigating endorsements

  • Judicial Fundraising Compliance

Staffers

Candidate training, plus:

  • Roles and Responsibilities as campaign staffers

  • Volunteer recruitment and management

  • Creating a campaign timeline

  • Working with vendors

  • Political relationships

Applications for the 2025 LEAD Campaign Academy are now closed.

Please be sure to stay in contact for our next Campaign Academy and other training opportunities

Our Academy wouldn’t be possible without support from our friends at