Democrats Don’t Run in 50% Of Races. Let's Change That.

We’re on a mission to make Democrats competitive everywhere. It’s time to contest every race.

Run for Office

Seven people stand outside posing for a photo. They are holding political campaign literature. Behind them is a waving American flag.

A volunteer for the Allegan County Democratic Party smiles for a photo while sitting at her desk. Behind her are maps of Michigan and the county, as well as Michigan political campaign signs.

Three members of the Nash County Democratic Party stand in an office holding a banner that says "NASH. UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLUE."

A local political candidate poses for a photo while holding campaign literature on a rural sidewalk.

10 people pose for a photo in an office lined with political campaign signs.

An American flag hangs from a barn that's surrounded by yellowed grass.

Building Power from the
Ground Up.

Every year, tens of thousands of local elections go uncontested by Democrats, allowing the radical right to dominate. We’re here to change that. By contesting every race, we challenge extremism, strengthen communities, and restore local democracy.

Our Work

Our Programs

Candidate Recruitment

We’re leaving nearly 100,000 elections uncontested every year. We are on a mission to recruit Democrats in every district where a Republican candidate is running unopposed.

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Local Party Support

Folks on the front lines — non-urban Democratic local parties and organizers — don’t have the support they need to win. We're changing that through our grants program. We’ve distributed over $1 million to organizing groups and are just getting started.

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Campaign Support

Running for local office — especially as a first-time candidate — can feel daunting. You aren’t alone. We're here to be your guide.

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Our Impact

11,899

Candidates Recruited

5,216

Democrats Elected to Local Office

43%

of Candidates Won Their Race

$1.5M

Granted to Local Organizing Groups

What program participants are saying:

"Hearing the stats from Contest Every Race, I was flabbergasted. And then finding out we are having MAGA people walk onto school board and Trump endorsing local county supervisors... I was shocked and knew I needed to do something.”

Brian McMahan

Candidate for County Board of Supervisors Seat 5, Mohave County, AZ

“ We went from raising $2,000 in 2023 to $40,000 in 2024. These expenses did not even feel possible before we were a Contest Every Race program.”

Granville County Democratic Party, North Carolina

“By using the skills learned from Contest Every Race, we were able to triple our volunteers.”

Allegan County Democratic Party, Michigan

“My representative has been in office for 10 years but has not been active or shown up for our community. After Contest Every Race texted me, I realized I can do better than that because I know what's on the line.”

Anissa Wiseman

Candidate for Georgia State Representative, District 175

“As someone who never ran a campaign...I really don‘t know how I would have done it without guidance from experts Contest Every Race connected me to.”

Matthew Petersen

Candidate for DePere School Board, Wisconsin

“We had dozens of new volunteers who heard about us through Contest Every Race texts and who completed at least one shift. Paulding was one of only a dozen counties in Georgia to move bluer this cycle.”

Paulding County Democrats, Georgia

FAQs

How many races do Democrats leave uncontested?

I got a text from Contest Every Race. Why?

What types of races do you focus on?

I'm running for local office and want support. Can you help?

I'm interested in learning more about running for local office. Can you help?

I've heard you give grants to local groups. How do I apply?

I'd like to work with Contest Every Race on candidate recruitment. Do you partner with local groups?

Get Involved

We can't do it without you

Run for Office

If you love your community and are sick and tired of seeing Republicans run uncontested, you should run for local office.

Run for Office

Volunteer

Our candidates and organizing partners need help. Sign up, and our team will reach out to you with opportunities to help via remote and in-person volunteer opportunities.

Volunteer