Case Study: National Run for Office Day 2024

As Director of Mobilization at Civic Nation, Emma led the full development and execution of National Run for Office Day 2024 — a nationwide initiative designed to recruit Gen Z and underrepresented Americans to run for local office. In partnership with Run for Something Civics, this campaign reached young people across digital channels, community networks, and media outlets with a clear message: you deserve a seat at the table — and we’ll help you take the first step.

Emma oversaw every aspect of the campaign, including strategy, messaging, platform rollout, partner engagement, legal compliance, operations, and cross-team execution. The campaign launched on January 23, 2024, and was designed to have a lasting cultural impact.

What We Delivered

• A multi-platform digital campaign reaching young people via SMS, email, organic and paid social, and influencer partnerships

• Creative messaging rooted in youth voice, urgency, and accessibility

• National partner and brand toolkits to enable widespread local activation

• A legally compliant 501(c)(3) engagement flow with a seamless digital sign-up experience

• Full campaign infrastructure, including an entirely new brand developed from scratch, integrated website, copy, and compliance to community amplification

• An in-person event featuring local elected officials and Run For Something leadership, in partnership with fashion workwear brand Argent

Highlight: President Obama’s Campaign Post

X/Twitter Post from President Obama

“If you’re thinking about running for office — or just starting to imagine the possibility — today’s the day. Sign up. Step up. Let’s go.”

This post was a centerpiece of the campaign’s amplification, putting a trusted national voice behind a youth-focused call to action. It dramatically increased reach and brought real momentum to the launch across platforms.

Additional Campaign Assets & Press Coverage

• Facebook Reel: A short-form campaign video featuring first-person messaging and Gen Z storytelling

• Corporate & Community Partner Toolkits: Messaging, talking points, and social assets distributed to partners across the country

• Teen Vogue: Run for Something Celebrates National Run for Office Day: National press coverage highlighting Gen Z civic leadership

• PR Newswire: National Run for Office Day Recruits Gen Z: Formal campaign announcement highlighting goals and reach

• Civic Nation Campaign Archive: Overview of National Run for Office Day and other Civic Nation youth-focused initiatives

• Archived Campaign Website – runforofficeday.com: Original campaign landing page featuring the unique brand, sign-up CTAs, issue framing, and storytelling

• Instagram Post by @deeptinyc: Example of localized community-driven promotion by a trusted youth organizer

Why It Matters

This campaign didn’t just aim for reach — it aimed for representation. We created something that reflected Gen Z back to themselves, honored their voices, and gave them a practical path into public service. The tone was genuine, the strategy was sharp, and the execution was designed for both impact and compliance.

At The June Group, this is precisely the kind of work we do best: campaigns that center youth, move fast, and still get every detail right.

Case Study: When We All Vote Sweepstakes

The Challenge

Ahead of the 2022 and 2024 elections, When We All Vote needed a new way to reach young and diverse voters — especially Gen Z and historically underrepresented communities. The goal: build culturally relevant campaigns that inspired people to take civic action, while staying fully compliant with 501(c)(3) nonpartisan standards.

The Approach

As Director of Mobilization at Civic Nation, Emma June Welsh-Huggins led the launch and execution of When We All Vote’s national sweepstakes program.

• Cultural Alignment: Partnered with major festivals, entertainment brands, and Broadway to meet voters where they were — in music, community, and culture.

• High-Impact Incentives: Paired once-in-a-lifetime prizes (VIP tickets, travel, and meet-and-greets) with simple, legally sound pathways to civic engagement.

• Cross-Functional Leadership: Oversaw digital strategy, communications, partnerships, organizing, data/tech, and operations to deliver seamless campaigns.

• Compliance & Integrity: Every campaign included transparent rules, 501(c)(3) compliance review, and action pathways (pledge, register, opt-in) that supported participation without barriers.

Featured Campaigns

• Blavity House Party Sweepstakes — VIP tickets, airfare, and hotel; reached Gen Z and millennial Black voters.

• Roots Picnic Sweepstakes — All-expenses-paid trip to Philadelphia; aligned with early vote outreach.

• iHeartRadio & ONE Music Festival Sweepstakes — VIP access in Las Vegas and Atlanta; national reach into key electoral states.

• Suffs Broadway Sweepstakes — Travel and tickets to Broadway; targeted young women, LGBTQ+ voters, and first-time voters.

• Meet Michelle Obama Sweepstakes — High-trust, high-impact engagement driver across national SMS and email lists.

Creative Execution

Campaigns used SMS-first messaging, mobile-optimized copy, email flows, and organic social content. Toolkits supported cross-promotion by creators and partners, with trusted messengers — from local influencers to Michelle Obama — amplifying reach.

Results

• Thousands of new opt-ins across SMS and email

• Significant spikes in youth voter engagement tied to registration deadlines and early vote periods

• National amplification through partners like Blavity, Roots Picnic, iHeartMedia, and Michelle Obama herself

Why It Matters

The sweepstakes weren’t just promotional campaigns — they became an innovative model for digital organizing. By blending cultural incentives with accessible digital actions, When We All Vote expanded its reach to new audiences, proving that civic engagement can be fun, values-aligned, and legally sound.

This work reflects The June Group’s expertise in designing strategy, creative, and compliance as one integrated system — and delivering results with clarity, speed, and impact.

The Challenge

In 2020, Senator Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign faced one of the toughest tests of any race: the Iowa caucuses. With dozens of rivals competing in the first-in-the-nation state, the campaign needed a digital program that matched the scale and energy of its ground game. The goal was to localize national messaging, elevate Iowa voices, and create digital pathways to mobilize caucus-goers — especially young, rural, and campus-based voters.

The Approach

As Iowa Digital Director, and later as a National States Mobilization Strategist, Emma June Welsh-Huggins designed and led a comprehensive digital program built to convert enthusiasm into action. The strategy combined storytelling, mobilization tools, and rapid response to ensure digital infrastructure worked seamlessly alongside field operations.

Key components included:

• Localized Storytelling – Grassroots-driven content, video storytelling, and authentic digital narratives highlighted the voices of farmers, teachers, small-business owners, and student organizers, ensuring the campaign felt of Iowa rather than just in Iowa.

• Integrated Digital & Field – Digital, organizing, and communications teams collaborated closely to ensure consistency of voice, relational language, and alignment with on-the-ground mobilization efforts.

• Targeted Mobilization – SMS, email, paid media, and peer-to-peer outreach were deployed to reach undecided voters and mobilize supporters, with a particular focus on increasing youth turnout on campuses.

• Rapid Response – Real-time content and engagement strategies were produced around debates, surges in organizing activity, and other key campaign moments, boosting visibility and driving supporter action.

Examples of Key Work

• Designed and executed SMS and peer-to-peer texting programs that mobilized caucus-goers in real time.

• Produced on-the-ground video and digital content amplifying local supporters and caucus captains.

• Developed state-specific segmentation strategies targeting young, rural, and first-time voters.

• Coordinated campus-focused relational organizing programs that turned students into volunteer leaders.

Results

• Established a visible, values-driven digital brand for Warren across Iowa, reinforcing her message of bold, structural change.

• Built robust volunteer recruitment and engagement pipelines that strengthened field operations statewide.

• Created digital tools and content that translated into measurable turnout and caucus participation.

• Developed scalable models for SMS, P2P, and relational outreach that influenced subsequent early-state strategies.

Why It Matters

The Warren campaign’s Iowa digital program demonstrated that organizing extends beyond field offices into every inbox, text message, and online conversation. By blending authentic local storytelling with a strategic digital framework, the program built trust, mobilized voters at scale, and set new standards for integrating digital strategy with grassroots organizing.

This case study highlights The June Group’s expertise in designing digital-first mobilization programs that integrate strategy, storytelling, and organizing into a single, high-impact system.