The Great Battlefield Voter Data and Tech with Liz Walters of TargetSmart
Mar 18, 2026
Liz Walters, CEO of TargetSmart and former Ohio Democratic leader, brings campaign-to-tech perspective. She discusses voter data systems, how campaigns use voter files and analytics, TargetSmart’s ad platform and product choices, and modernizing infrastructure for fast, ethical data. Short takes on Ohio politics, team building, and integrating tools for progressive organizers.
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Economics And State Rules Drove Ohio's Shift
- Two forces shifted Ohio: long-term economic decline in working-class communities and a wave of restrictive, anti-voter laws.
- Walters highlights purges and removal of same-day registration after 2012 as part of 'death by a thousand paper cuts.'
Ohio Beta Test Proved Targeted Digital Ads Work
- As Ohio party chair Walters piloted TargetSmart's new digital media buying DSP in 2023, using voter-file targeting on smart TV and other inventory.
- The tests reached Black and rural voters cost-effectively and saved spend by cutting off ads to early voters.
Ruthlessly Prioritize Time Money And People
- Prioritize time, money, and people ruthlessly and align every initiative to those constraints.
- Walters says this discipline matters equally in parties, campaigns, and tech firms to deliver client-focused results.