Alyshia Dyer

The Challenge

Washtenaw County has been a firm Democratic stronghold for decades, so Alyshia’s challenge was defeating two blue opponents in the August primary. For a hyper-local election like a county sheriff’s race, Alyshia’s team knew they needed to increase name ID and differentiate her from the other Democrats in the race. They also knew the importance of GOTV in a primary where turnout is typically lower than in a general election.

The Approach

Building Name ID On Digital Platforms

Starting in April, we maintained a sustained digital presence for Democratic voters with a history of voting in primaries, aiming to maximize frequency within the audience. We also targeted the same universe as their mail program to build up an echo chamber of Alyshia’s content to boost the efficacy of both programs. Though we changed creatives out regularly, we kept ads running consistently from April through the August primary. 

Highlighting Alyshia’s Unique Qualifications + Policies

Middle Seat supplemented Alyshia’s campaign video with a variety of additional static, animated, audio and search ads. These mediums allowed us to explore Alyshia’s unique policy platforms, highlight her record and experience, and respond nimbly to changes in the race in real time.

 

Prioritizing External Validators To Lend Credibility

Since this race had low name ID across the board, we made use of external validators to lend credibility to Alyshia’s candidacy. Voters saw advertising about her policies and background while simultaneously learning about her endorsements from local leaders and national organizations.

The Impact

Alyshia Dyer was elected Washtenaw County Sheriff, becoming the first woman ever to hold that position and beating her establishment opponent by just under 400 votes.