Matlow for Mayor — Campaign Internship (Spring + Summer 2026)
Build a people-powered movement in Tallahassee while learning how campaigns work from the inside.
Interns will develop real organizing, communications, and campaign skills while helping elect Jeremy Matlow Mayor of Tallahassee. This is a structured program with clear roles, weekly goals, and mentorship from experienced staff.
Applications close: Monday, December 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET
About the Internship
The Matlow for Mayor campaign is building a people-powered movement in Tallahassee. Interns support a competitive citywide race while gaining hands-on experience with organizing, community partnerships, digital and field tactics, and campaign operations.
The program is team-based and structured: every intern has a defined role, clear expectations, and regular check-ins with campaign leadership.
There are two broad paths:
- Campus Organizing — based at FSU, FAMU, or TSC, focused on student engagement.
- Community Organizing — citywide work across neighborhoods and events.
Applicants may choose a campus track, a community track, or a blend of both, depending on interest and transportation. Reliable transportation is strongly preferred for community roles.
Timeline (Eastern Time)
Terms & Duration
- Spring Term: January – April 2026
- Summer Term: May – August 2026
- Preferred: Interns who can commit to both terms (up to 8 months, through August 19, 2026).
- If the campaign advances to a General Election runoff, an additional term may be added with opportunities for current interns to continue.
Advancement & Paid Opportunities
- Interns may be promoted into leadership roles based on performance.
- Paid opportunities begin June 2026, with preference for prior interns and volunteers.
- The campaign will work to secure funding to compensate Spring 2026 interns beyond stipends, but that cannot be guaranteed yet.
Hours & Scheduling: Interns must maintain at least 10 hours per week, not exceeding 20 hours. Some evenings and weekends are required for direct voter contact, events, and field work.
Campus-Specific Roles (FSU, FAMU, TSC)
These roles focus on peer-to-peer outreach, student organizations, and voter work on campus.
What you’ll do: build and maintain relationships with campus groups such as BSU, CSA, Student Foundation, SGA, leadership programs, and more.
Core work: book rooms, coordinate speakers and panels, manage confirmations, recruit volunteers from partner groups, and collaborate on campus-facing events.
You’re a fit if: you like coalition-building, logistics, and working with a diverse mix of student organizations.
What you’ll do: lead voter registration work on campus in coordination with existing efforts.
Core work: secure tabling or dorm permissions, register voters in compliance with Florida law, develop dorm-by-dorm outreach plans, staff shifts, and track registrations plus follow-ups (including vote-by-mail and early vote reminders).
You’re a fit if: you’re friendly, detail-oriented, and energized by helping first-time voters participate.
Cross-Campus & Community Roles
These positions may be based on campus, citywide, or a mix of both — you can shape your focus in collaboration with the campaign.
Core work: recruit and schedule volunteers, research and prioritize events, staff tabling, track sign-ups and confirmations, maintain shift rosters, and help grow neighborhood and campus teams.
Core work: create short-form video, graphics, and social content; run polls; write captions and explainers; and help package stories for the website and press.
You’re a fit if: you’re creative, consistent, and tuned in to what resonates online with both students and community members.
Ideal for: journalism, media, or PR-focused students.
Core work: draft op-eds and letters to the editor, pitch stories to campus and local outlets, draft press releases and advisories, support candidate interview prep, maintain a coverage tracker, and coordinate with the content team.
Core work: support fundraising emails, texts, and social posts; research prospective donors and small-host events; prepare call-time materials; track pledges; plan small fundraisers; and help steward donors and volunteers.
Core work: coordinate, train, and manage volunteer canvasses and phone banks; recruit volunteers; schedule and manage shifts; lead script and data trainings; track voter contacts and analyze numbers in VoteBuilder (VAN) and Scale to Win; create turf and call lists; and lead debriefs.
You’re a fit if: you’re energetic, organized, and passionate about direct voter contact.
Core work: attend events with the candidate, capture photos and video, collect contact info and commitments, recruit volunteers on-site, ensure the candidate has materials and time checks, execute the movement plan, and submit same-day event reports.
Requirements: high professionalism and discretion, reliable transportation, evening/weekend availability, and ability to move light materials.
Weekly Structure & Expectations
- Two in-person trainings during launch week (2 hours each).
- Weekly team check-in (around 30–60 minutes, usually via Zoom).
- Monthly in-person team planning meetings (2 hours).
- Field shifts scheduled around your classes and availability: canvassing, tabling, phone banking, events, and social media work.
- Each track has concrete weekly goals (e.g., volunteers recruited, voter contacts made, content pieces completed, events staffed).
Tools You’ll Use
Interns will be trained together on shared tools, regardless of track. You’ll use:
- Signal — team communication.
- Google Workspace — Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Forms.
- Mailchimp (or similar) — email program.
- Social media — Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok.
- Scale to Win — phone outreach tool.
- VoteBuilder (VAN) and MiniVAN — voter data and canvassing.
- Zoom and Google Meet — meetings and trainings.
- Call-time software (e.g. Campaign Deputy) — for candidate fundraising calls.
You don’t need prior experience with these tools, but a willingness to learn and explore them is important.
Compensation & Support
- Monthly gas/transportation stipend to help with local travel.
- Paid positions available starting June 2026, with preference given to prior interns and volunteers.
- Internship may qualify for course credit if approved by your institution.
- Skill-building curriculum, mentorship, and leadership pathways.
- Letters of recommendation for interns who successfully complete the program.
- The campaign intends to expand compensation for Spring interns as funding allows.
Qualifications
- Alignment with Matlow for Mayor values: people-powered, ethical local government; transparency and accountability; equity for historically under-invested neighborhoods; affordable housing; environmental stewardship; support for small/local businesses and the arts; workers’ dignity and fair pay; inclusive democracy; and respectful public engagement.
- Enrolled at FSU, FAMU, or TSC (or a recent alum). High school students in Tallahassee with reliable transportation are welcome.
- Strong communication skills, reliability, and follow-through.
- Comfort speaking with peers and community members in person.
- Ability to work some evenings and weekends and travel locally around Tallahassee.
- Reliable transportation is required for community-based roles and the Candidate Body Person position.
- Commitment to respectful, inclusive organizing and adherence to an ethical code of conduct.
How to Apply
Please submit your application through the online form:
In the form, you’ll be asked for:
- Your resume.
- A short statement (about 150–200 words) on why you want to work with Matlow for Mayor and what you hope to learn.
- Your preferred tracks (you may choose up to two from the roles listed above).
- Your weekly availability for Spring/Summer 2026, including any constraints.
- Your campus or community affiliations (student orgs, leadership roles, volunteer groups, media, etc.).
Application deadline: Monday, December 15, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. ET
After applications close, selected candidates will be invited to a Zoom interview (January 7–13, 2026), and final decisions will be shared by January 15, 2026.
Equal Opportunity
Matlow for Mayor is an equal opportunity organization. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, or veteran status.
Questions?
For questions about the internship or application process, please contact:
Email: matlowfortallahassee@gmail.com
If you need accommodations for interv