Within the span of 26 hours, we all witnessed the seamless transition from the Biden campaign to the Harris campaign. President Biden made a deeply personal decision in service of our democracy and as a result, we have a new candidate at the top of the ticket. The change in energy is palpable as voters see a new path for our party.

At Higher Ground Labs, we're energized by the possibilities this moment presents. Our mission has always been to support and accelerate technologies that can make a real difference for modern campaigns of any size. Now, it's time to put these cutting-edge tools to work.

From message testing and real-time polling to AI-assisted content generation, from leveraging creator networks to powering relational organizing efforts, we have at our disposal a toolkit that was unimaginable just a few election cycles ago. Used wisely and strategically, these tools can help the Harris campaign and Democrats up and down the ballot reach more voters and engage them in deeper, more meaningful ways.

Learn more about the tools in the HGL portfolio that might help your campaign or organization as you pivot your strategy in the days to come by reading our latest blog post.

Coming up:

• On August 8th at 2pm ET, join Higher Ground Labs and NextGen America for a virtual showcase on the cutting-edge tech powering democratic campaigns and progressive organizations to mobilize youth voters in 2024.
• Join industry practitioners at the final edition of the AI Open Mic series focused on voter contact, cohosted by HGL's Progressive AI Lab, Analyst Institute, Cooperative Impact Lab, and Research Collaborative tomorrow (August 6th),
• See you at the Democratic National Convention? Stay tuned to join HGL at our events. We can't wait to see you in Chicago! 

Leah Bae
VP, Programs & Partnerships at HGL 

In the two days following Biden's withdrawal, Vote.org saw its highest levels of new voter registrations of the whole cycle, with 38,500 people signing up. Of the new voter registrations, 83 percent were from people aged 18-34.  

This influx of new voters and supporters presents both an opportunity and a challenge: how can we ensure Democratic campaigns and progressive organizations turn new interest into actual votes? 

On August 8th at 2PM ET, join Higher Ground Labs and NextGen America for a virtual showcase on the cutting-edge tech powering Democratic campaigns and progressive organizations to mobilize young voters in 2024.

In the next three months, Harris and her team face the monumental task of reintroducing her to the American people and articulating her vision for the future. They’ll need to do this at breakneck speed, while also further scaling a robust voter contact operation that can go toe-to-toe with our opposition. 

As we dive into the specifics of how technology can power this historic campaign, let’s remember what’s at stake. This isn’t about algorithms or datasets – it’s about people. It’s about using every tool at our disposal to ensure that every voice is heard, each vote is counted, and our democracy emerges stronger.

Check out the five tools in the HGL portfolio that might help your campaign or organization as you pivot your strategy in the days to come.

Between the New Tools Showcase we cohosted with New Media Ventures, the record-breaking attendance at our annual Political Tech Community Happy Hour, the AI training co-presented with Cooperative Impact Lab, and the Redefining Outreach Panel moderated by HGL advisor Jonae Wartel — NN24 was a massive success!

Congratulations to the winners of the 2024 New Tools Showcase: Social Currant (HGL6) — Overall Winner & Best New Feature/Product, Synthesizer AI by Change Research (HGL2) — Best New Tool, and Relentless (HGL6) — Most Innovative Use of Existing Tech. A special shoutout to the other finalists: Chorus AI, CIVA, DonorAtlas, DSPolitical, Indigo, Movement Infrastructure Group, Pipeline Initiative, Quiller, and Votivate. Join us in congratulating this crew!

Join industry practitioners at the final edition of the AI Open Mic series, cohosted by HGL's Progressive AI Lab, Analyst Institute, Cooperative Impact Lab, and Research Collaborative. This special edition of the AI Open Mic will be led by Cooperative Impact Lab, featuring their AI Cohort with a focus on voter contact and constituent engagement. RSVP and learn more here.

Prepare for GOTV with Arena! Designed for busy campaign staff, in this flexible workshop series you’ll be able to pick the sessions that most apply to your specific needs that will result in a stronger, more intentional GOTV program. Learn more about the two-hour, hands-on sessions including HGL’s Tech Stack Training here.

Join HGL’s Leah Bae and Jose Cornejo for an expert Q&A hosted by the National Democratic Training Committee on August 8th at 1PM ET. They’ll discuss: 

• Foundations of Generative AI (what it is, risks, and opportunities)

• Using AI Safely, Securely, and Responsibly

• How to Get Started with AI 

• Practical Tools and Use Cases (that you can try immediately!)

Register and learn more at this link.

Join Cooperative Impact Lab at the Hackathon in NYC on August 9th. Join developers, designers, organizers, and campaigners to prototype new ideas using generative AI. The NYC Hackathon will explore innovative applications of AI in campaigns and progressive causes. Participants will collaborate, learn from each other, and showcase their projects in a public demo. We'll be briefing attendees on the AI political tech landscape. RSVP and learn more here.

Check out 40+ political tech job openings on the HGL Portfolio Jobs Board. Apply to be an Analyst at INTRVL, State Recruitment Strategist with Relentess in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, or Michigan, and more.