I’ve had a pretty good couple of years as a Lib Dem – in 2018 I was part of the team that produced a “shock” victory in South Cambs, going from 14/57 to 30/45 councillors, and last month I helped organise our Chelmsford campaign, where we went from 5 to 31 seats, the highest gain in the country. I know how to win elections.
But 3 years ago I didn’t. Richmond Park by-election was great for our party and the remainer cause, but it was also great personally for me, because I got to learn from the best.
In December 2016 I had a free week so I offered to go and help out with the by-elections, and James Lillis said I could help with GOTV. So on the Saturday before I turned up at HQ, and after a morning of delivery and canvassing reported for duty at the data bunker.
The next week was one of the most stressful, entertaining and fulfilling of my life. It started with drawing out polling districts on a huge map on the floor whilst the rest of the team jumped over me (not deliberately, it was just a small space) and ended with me being responsible for the organisation of all the Polling Day materials that ensured our committee rooms could Get Out the Vote. But more importantly I was in a room with the best Lib Dem campaigners in the country – and I learned so much from just observing them. I got to see the deliberations about what to say in literature, observe the candidate prep for hustings, watch data guru’s creating lists in connect, discuss whether we should include Bob Geldof saying “F*** Zac” in an online video and be part of the most finely tuned Get Out The Vote machine the party has ever organised.
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