Political Non-Profit Communications Intern
Intern Description:
In an age of "fake news" and political hyperbole, voters deserve factual, unbiased information to help them make informed decisions. Our Marketing/Communications Internship Program offers positions in our Membership department which provides interns an insider's look into modern day campaigning, social engagement and in-network communications. Interns work to provide voters with unbiased information by expanding and solidifying a social media strategy, ensuring member engagement, and ensuring Vote Smart is present in the social media zeitgeist. Our Marketing/Communications Interns will work with our company website, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The work of our interns empowers voters by allowing them to instantly research candidates without worry of misdirection or partisan spin. While this position is an unpaid internship, we are willing to work with Universities for intern credit if paperwork is supplied and talked about during the interview/application process.
In 2020, Vote Smart Researchers delivered factual information on over 17,000 candidates, from all 50 state legislatures to the president, to over 13 million users. Vote Smart is highly regarded by all sides of the aisle as a source for factual and truly nonpartisan info having been cited by hundreds of news outlets nationwide and around the globe!
A great opportunity for anyone looking to start a career in politics, journalism, marketing or communications by fostering skills and a deep respect for non-partisan cooperation, objective fact seeking, communications engagement and big-data handling.
Vote Smart interns will:
- Gain valuable experience in a nonpartisan environment
- Review, Bolster and Implement current Social Media and User Engagement platforms and plans
- Strengthen writing and communication skills
- Apply and expand your learning about the American political system
Ideal candidates will:
- Be able to set aside political beliefs and be objective and nonpartisan while working.
- Demonstrate strong social engagement, written communication, and professionalism.
- Have strong attention to details
National Intern applicants must submit the following:
- Completed application form, available at http://votesmart.org/internships/application
- Resume
- Cover letter.
For additional information, students and recent graduates interested are encouraged to check out our website and internship program page
Qualifications:
Be able to set aside political beliefs and be objective and nonpartisan while working.
Demonstrate strong social engagement, written communication, and professionalism.
Have strong attention to details
Be committed to completing hours (part time: 130 over 10-13 weeks)
Documents needed:
Resume
Cover Letter
Application completed here: https://votesmart.org/internships/application#.XK5KhNs3kfI
Check with your Internship Coordinator BEFORE accepting to determine how you might do this internship for credit.
Company Description:
Vote Smart's mission is to provide free, factual, unbiased information on candidates and elected officials to ALL Americans.
Vote Smart offers resources online at VoteSmart.org. Users can search our database of over 40,000 candidates and find their "political soulmate" using VoteEasy.
We also offer a toll-free hotline and a hard copy resource, the Voter's Self-Defense Manual.
Departments:
Officials Research: conducts research on politicians in state and federal office
Elections Research: conducts research on candidates for state and federal office, as well as election information
Membership/Communications: communicates our resources to the general public, media, and thousands of our members across the country
Information Technology: responsible for maintaining our internal systems and our online products
Achievements:
A study comparing Project Vote Smart to the New York Times, Yahoo, Fox News, CNN, and other major political information systems reports that Project Vote Smart is superior to all.
- Markle Foundation
For reliable, meat and potatoes political information, research experts nearly all recommend Project Vote Smart.
- The New York Times
[Project Vote Smart] would make the Founders weep with joy.
- U. S. News & World Report
Awards:
VoteEasy was honored with:
- a Communication Arts Interactive Annual Award
- selection for the Museum of Modern Art's "Talk to Me" exhibit showing the most advanced methods of displaying complex data sets
Our Future:
Our goal is to develop our system for getting facts to citizens, particularly on mobile, in order to increase our user base from the 12 million Americans that used us in 2016.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/votesmart
Work Environment:
Working diligently independently, our open office allows for effective collaboration between researchers, teams, and administration.
Training:
Each staff member and intern receives individualized, on-the-job training within their area of expertise with a singular point-of-contact supervisor.
Tuition Reimbursement, and more:
We can assist in scholarship requirements and class credit internship requirements.
Work Hours:
Monday-Friday
8am-5pm
Part time interns work 15-20 hours per week.
Check with your school's Internship Coordinator BEFORE accepting the hiring offer to determine if this position satisfies the criteria for receiving academic credit.
If you have any questions, email intern@votesmart.org.