Connect With Us!
AAPC Featured Jobs
ABOUT AAPC
Contact us!
[email protected] or
703-245-8020
American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC)
1750 Tysons Boulevard, Suite
1500, McLean, VA 22102
POLLIE CATEGORIES
For a PDF of all categories and descriptions, please click here!
For more information on the 2026 Americas and U.S. Territories Division, please click here!
OVERALL
Candidate Division
| A01 | Direct Mail Campaign (Democrat) |
| A02 | Direct Mail Campaign (Republican) |
| A03 | Television Campaign (Democrat) |
| A04 | Television Campaign (Republican) |
| A05 | Digital Campaign (Democrat) |
| A06 | Digital Campaign (Republican) |
| A07 | Best Use of Opposition Research (Democrat) |
| A08 | Best Use of Opposition Research (Republican) |
| A09 | Best in Show (Democrat) |
| A10 | Best in Show (Republican) |
| A11 | Best Field Campaign (Democrat) |
| A12 | Best Field Campaign (Republican) |
| A13 | Best Fundraising Campaign (Democrat) |
| A14 | Best Fundraising Campaign (Republican) |
| A15 | Best Phone Campaign (Democrat) |
| A16 | Best Phone Campaign (Republican) |
| A17 | Best Radio Campaign (Democrat) |
| A18 | Best Radio Campaign (Republican) |
Ballot Initiative Division
Public Affairs/Issue Advocacy Division
Miscellaneous Division
DIRECT MAIL
Candidate Division
| B01 | For President |
| B02 | For Presidential Primary |
| B03 | For U.S. Senate |
| B04 | For U.S. House of Representatives |
| B05 | For Governor |
| B06 | For State Legislature |
| B07 | For Down-Ballot Statewide |
| B08 | For Mayor |
| B09 | For Local/Municipal/Regional |
| B10 | For PAC/Super PAC |
| B11 | For Organization |
| B12 | Bilingual/Multilingual/Foreign Language |
| B13 | Early Voting/Absentee Ballot/Vote-by-Mail |
| B14 | Best Use of Humor |
| B15 | Best Use of Negative or Contrast |
| B16 | Best Use of Illustration or Photography |
| B17 | Best Use of Social Pressure |
| B18 | Best Use of Targeting |
| B19 | Best Use of Slate Mail |
| B20 | GOTV |
| B21 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – President |
| B22 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – Presidential Primary |
| B23 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – U.S. Senate |
| B24 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – U.S. House of Representatives |
| B25 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – For Governor |
| B26 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – State Legislature |
| B27 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – For Down-Ballot Statewide |
| B28 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – Mayor |
| B29 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – Local/Municipal/Regional |
Ballot Initiative Division
Public Affairs/Issue Advocacy Division
Miscellaneous Division
TELEVISION
Candidate Division
| C01 | For President |
| C02 | For Presidential Primary |
| C03 | For U.S. Senate |
| C04 | For U.S. House of Representatives |
| C05 | For Governor |
| C06 | For State Legislature |
| C07 | For Down-Ballot Statewide |
| C08 | For Mayor |
| C09 | For Local/Municipal/Regional |
| C10 | For PAC/Super PAC |
| C11 | Bilingual/Multilingual/Foreign Language |
| C12 | Best Use of Humor |
| C13 | Best Use of Negative or Contrast |
| C14 | Best Use of Personality or Celebrity |
| C15 | [New] Best Use of Testimonial |
| C16 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – President |
| C17 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – Presidential Primary |
| C18 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – U.S. Senate |
| C19 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – U.S. House of Representatives |
| C20 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – For Governor |
| C21 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – State Legislature |
| C22 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – For Down-Ballot Statewide |
| C23 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – Mayor |
| C24 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – Local/Municipal/Regional |
| C25 | Best Use of Targeting |
Ballot Initiative Division
Public Affairs/Issue Advocacy Division
Miscellaneous
DIGITAL
Candidate Division
| D01 | Digital Adverstising – President |
| D02 | Digital Advertising – Presidential Primary |
| D03 | Digital Advertising – U.S. Senate |
| D04 | Digital Advertising – U.S. House of Representatives |
| D05 | Digital Advertising – For Governor |
| D06 | Digital Advertising – State Legislature |
| D07 | Digital Advertising – For Down-Ballot Statewide |
| D08 | Digital Advertising – Mayor |
| D09 | Digital Advertising – Local/Municipal/Regional |
| D10 | Digital Advertising – Best Use of Search Engine Marketing |
| D11 | Digital Advertising – Best Use of Targeting |
| D12 | Digital Advertising – Best Use of Digital Advertising for Acquisition |
| D13 | Website – President |
| D14 | Website – Presidential Primary |
| D15 | Website – U.S. Senate |
| D16 | Website – U.S. House of Representatives |
| D17 | Website – For Governor |
| D18 | Website – State Legislature |
| D19 | Website – For Down-Ballot Statewide |
| D20 | Website – Mayor |
| D21 | Website – Local/Municipal/Regional |
| D22 | Bilingual/Multilingual/Foreign Language |
| D23 | Best Use of Social Media |
| D24 | Best Use of Video |
| D25 | Best Use of a Meme |
| D26 | Best Viral Campaign |
| D27 | Best Use of Email Marketing (Non-Fundraising) |
| D28 | Best Use of Humor |
| D29 | Best Use of Negative or Contrast |
| D30 | Best Use of Digital Audio |
| D31 | Best Use of Social Media – Digital Acquisition Campaign |
| D32 | Web Video |
| D33 | Digital Creative – Stand Alone |
| D34 | Digital Creative – Full Set |
| D35 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – Presidential |
| D36 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – Presidential Primary |
| D37 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – U.S. Senate |
| D38 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – U.S. House of Representatives |
| D39 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – For Governor |
| D40 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – State Legislature |
| D41 | Independent Expenditure – For Down-Ballot Statewide |
| D42 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – Mayor |
| D43 | Independent Expenditure Campaign – Local/Municipal/Regional |
Ballot Initiative Division
Public Affairs/Issue Advocacy Division
Miscellaneous
PHONES
Candidate Division
| E01 | Automated Calls |
| E02 | Live Calls |
| E03 | Telephone Town Hall Call/Forum Call |
Ballot Initiative Division
Public Affairs/Issue Advocacy Division
Miscellaneous Division
RADIO AND DIGITAL AUDIO
Candidate Division
| F01 | For President |
| F02 | For Presidential Primary |
| F03 | For U.S. Senate |
| F04 | For U.S. House of Representatives |
| F05 | For Governor |
| F06 | For State Legislature |
| F07 | For Mayor |
| F08 | For Local/Municipal/Regional |
| F09 | For PAC/Super PAC |
| F10 | Bilingual/Multilingual/Foreign Language |
| F11 | Best Use of Humor |
| F12 | Best Use of Negative or Contrast |
| F13 | Independent Expenditure Campaign |
Miscellaneous Division
FUNDRAISING
| G01 | Best Use of Direct Mail |
| G02 | Best Use of Email |
| G03 | Best Use of Social Media |
| G04 | Best Use of Website/Landing Page |
| G05 | Best Use of a Mobile App for Digital Fundraising |
| G06 | Best Use of Phones/SMS |
| G07 | For Independent Committees, PACs or Super PACs |
| G08 | For Non-Profit Organization/Trade Association |
| G09 | Fundraising Event |
NEWSPAPER
| H01 | Full Page |
| H02 | Less Than Full Page |
| H03 | Insert |
COLLATERAL
| I01 | Billboard |
| I02 | Door Hanger |
| I03 | Logo & Branding |
| I04 | Most Original/Innovative Collateral Material – Democrat |
| I05 | Most Original/Innovative Collateral Material – Republican |
| I06 | Non-Mail Brochure |
| I07 | Yard/Outdoor Sign |
| I08 | [New] Best Merchandise |
FIELD
| J01 | Field Program – Statewide |
| J02 | Paid Field Program |
| J03 | Field Program – Local |
| J04 | Field Program – Ballot Initiative |
| J05 | GOTV – Statewide |
| J06 | GOTV – Local |
| J07 | GOTV – Ballot Initiative |
| J08 | Ballot Access – Petition Collection |
| J09 | Grassroots Program – Public Affairs/Issue Advocacy |
| J10 | Absentee/Early Voting Program |
| J11 | Voter Registration Program |
| J12 | Voter ID Program |
| J13 | Walk/Handout Piece |
| J14 | Best Use of Analytics |
STUDENT
| K01 | Best Campaign Plan |
SHOULDA, WOULDA, COULDA
| L01 | Best Use of Direct Mail |
| L02 | Best Use of Television |
| L03 | Best Use of Digital |
| L04 | Best Use of Phones |
| L05 | Best Fundraising Effort |
| L06 | Best Use of Radio |
| L07 | Best Use of Newspaper |
| L08 | Best Use of Collateral |
TECHNOLOGY, DATA AND ANALYTICS
| M01 | Best Ad Technology Innovation |
| M02 | Best Innovation for Voter Targeting |
| M03 | Best Fundraising Technology |
| M04 | Best Use of Mobile Technology |
| M05 | Best Use of Data Analytics/Machine Learning (Non-Fundraising) |
| M06 | Best Use of Data Analytics/Machine Learning (Online Fundraising) |
| M07 | Best Use of New Digital Technology |
| M08 | Best Use of Polling Research – Federal |
| M09 | Best Use of Polling Research – State |
| M10 | Best Use of Polling Research – Local |
| M11 | Best Use of Polling Research – Ballot Initiative |
INTERNATIONAL
For more information on the Americas and U.S. Territories Division, please click here!
| O01 | Digital / Social Media Campaign |
| O02 | Campaign Video (TV Spot or Web Video) |
| O03 | Best Outdoor Advertising Campaign |
| O04 | Phone / SMS / WhatsApp Campaign |