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Working with the Obama campaign has been great. However, like all establishments, the Obama campaign has many ways in which it can improve its efficiency. The following is a brief summary about the organizational strengths and weaknesses of the Obama 2012 campaign, specifically the OFA Northern California Headquarters in Oakland.

First off, I’ll start with the positives. The Obama campaign maintains the same community-based atmosphere it became famous for in 2008. The office is a clean, warm environment, filled with volunteers from all ages. Inclusion is a major theme throughout the program, which boosts volunteer morale and overall productivity. Furthermore, the office has recently renovated their technology, allowing for better technical training and more reliable equipment. Together, the combination of a strong volunteer and technological base provides a firm ground for grassroots organizing.

Now for the negatives. The campaign office is a large operation, and while they try to avoid it, individual volunteers can be overlooked if they are unable to contact their designated superior. In addition, the campaign draws a firm line between paid staff and volunteers, creating a “glass ceiling” for volunteers like myself who have unusual skill sets and want to use them for the campaign in other ways aside from basic data entry and phonebanking. For most, these are not issues but they have been a growing nuisance for me since I started working for the campaign.

Overall, the campaign is still a powerful political operation that doubles as a community hub, remaining true to it’s roots from 2008. It is my hope that as the campaign matures, so will it’s opportunities for volunteers and donors alike, allowing regular people to feel truly connected to a national goal.