Campaign work does not end on Election Day. Win or lose, the most important work after the votes are counted is learning what happened — and what it means for the next race.
Working on two recent elections brought that lesson into focus from very different vantage points: a 2025 citywide mayoral race and a 2026 local Assembly race. The candidates, scale and political dynamics were different. But both races pointed to the same reality: when turnout collapses, the best-organized campaigns gain power far beyond their size.
There is already plenty of analysis about the surge of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)-backed victories across New York City, what they say about ideology, and whether they represent a lasting shift in local politics. Those questions matter. But for campaigns, the more useful question is simpler: who actually showed up?
Politico captured the anxiety of Primary Day bluntly: “Where y’all at?”
The concern was real. Participation was lower, and every vote carried more weight. By mid-afternoon on Primary Election Day, June 23, just over 330,000 New York City voters had cast ballots, according to the New York City Board of Elections.
The figures were striking. According to the New York Post, just 7% of active voters supported underdog challenger Darializa Avila Chevalier over Rep. Adriano Espaillat in one of Tuesday’s marquee primaries. Whatever one thinks of the candidates or ideology, that figure should alarm every campaign operative in the city.
When turnout drops that sharply, campaigns cannot rely on broad support or favorable polling. The people who show up decide the race. That makes repeated communication even more important: voters need to hear the stakes early, often and in plain language.
A strong ground game is essential. Campaigns need canvassers, phone banks, poll-site coverage and direct voter contact. But those efforts work best when the message has already done its job — making voters understand why the race matters and why they need to participate.
Too often, voter engagement from the messaging side starts with a scrambled “Voting Starts Tomorrow” email or a last-minute post about poll hours. Those reminders may help. But they are not a winning turnout strategy.
Voters do not need another slogan telling them their vote matters. They need a clear reason to believe their vote affects their life, their neighborhood and their future.
The takeaway from the DSA’s sweeping victories is clear: voter engagement must be built into the campaign from day one. Every press release, email, interview and community touchpoint should help voters understand the stakes and feel urgency to participate.
Money can amplify a message, but it cannot manufacture trust. Campaigns still have to identify voters, answer their doubts, communicate repeatedly and give them a reason to act.
This applies across fields. Persuasion matters. Messaging matters. But none of it matters enough if passive support never translates into action.
James Christopher is a veteran political consultant and communications strategist who owns James Christopher Communications LLC, a public relations and political strategy firm.