Last week, I had the pleasure of attending Netroots Nation, the largest gathering of Democratic practitioners and operatives. ECDA has learned and borrowed much from American campaign practitioners, but this was my first encounter of going to their home turf and seeing where their community stood ahead of the 2024 presidential campaign. This year’s conference was held in Baltimore, a city I have worked in before. It was thrilling to return under such unique circumstances and to see the city in a new light.
Civic Religion
On the first day, the event was graced by the Mayor of Baltimore and several congressmen and women who addressed the conference. It was clear from the start that American politicians have a different rhetorical tradition than what I am accustomed to. Their speeches felt almost like sermons, drawing from the rich tradition of the American church. Each speech was filled with messages of hope, stories of past political struggles, and the triumph that hard work brought after numerous setbacks. The speakers also
elevated heroes—usually progressive politicians who have passed away—urging us to follow in their footsteps.
Professionalism
The conference attracted thousands of participants and featured more parallel sessions than one could count, each with dozens and sometimes even hundreds of attendees. The vibe was professional—almost like a trade meeting. It could have been the annual pool cleaners’ meeting or the bodybuilders’ association (who were actually next door). In Europe, the pool of practitioners is much smaller, but at Netroots, I got the sense that this was an established career path for many young practitioners. Running digital campaigns was not just a job; it was their profession.
Memorable Sessions
Of the dozen or so sessions I attended, two stood out to me: one on dashboards and another on vote tripling. The dashboard session was particularly enjoyable because I love tracking metrics and ensuring that a campaign’s work can be quantified. As the adage goes, “What gets measured improves.” The session summarized how digital programs should approach selecting and tracking metrics effectively. The vote tripling session was also a highlight, as it is one of my favorite relational organizing tactics. I realized even more that many organizations I work with in Europe are already running cutting-edge, state-of-the-art programs.
The Technology Vendors
The conference also featured a hall for tech vendors with at least 100 booths. Companies offering tech solutions to campaigns and advocacy organizations were packed in. From CRMs to email supporters, contribution pages to collect donations, AI-powered tools, SMS apps, and canvassing solutions, there was no shortage of innovation on display. It was nice to see how rich and diverse the tech scene was in the United States and to visit the booths to see what could be relevant in Europe - where stricter regulations limit the use of softwares and protect voters and their privacy.
Looking Ahead
The next Netroots Nation conference will be in New Orleans. I highly recommend any European digital campaigner to attend. It’s an unparalleled opportunity to learn, network, and be inspired by the professionalism and passion of our American counterparts.