Fall 2026 Undergraduate Intern, National Political Advocacy Department-Cross Divisional Department

The ACLU seeks an Undergraduate Intern for the Cross-Divisional team of the National Political Advocacy Department of the ACLU’s National office in Washington D.C. This internship is fully remote.

The Team:

The National Political Advocacy Department (NPAD) builds power to achieve an accountable, representative democracy. We have ambitious goals across Reproductive Freedom, Democracy and Voting Rights, Systemic Equality, Immigration, Trans Justice, Criminal Justice and other core issues to protect and expand civil rights and civil liberties, and advance the freedom, equality, ability to prosper, and humanity of all People.

Our department conducts analysis, develops policy, crafts world class campaigns and situates the ACLU to have impact across legislative, administrative, and electoral levers. We are policy experts, lawyers, community organizers, lobbyists, campaign strategists, electoral specialists, program managers and more. We partner across the ACLU to drive national efforts, and support and amplify the priorities of our affiliates. We work to center principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in our approach.

The intern will be responsible for supporting the Senior Strategist of Special Projects, with ongoing cross-department programs that include, but are not limited to, large-scale activations, in person convenings, strategic collaboration coordination, and more.

• Joining meetings with external partners and ACLU affiliates in electoral priority states; scheduling meetings, maintaining agendas, note-taking, other administrative duties 
• Compiling and circulating press clips for upcoming electoral priority states 
• Tracking and organizing electoral data (we have many spreadsheets) 
• Drafting written materials for paid/earned media 
• Researching candidates or electoral opportunities 

• Proactive Learning: Being proactive in seeking out opportunities to learn and grow is key in a fast-paced environment. Interns should demonstrate curiosity, initiative, and a willingness to take on new challenges. This includes asking for feedback, seeking out resources, and continuously improving their skills.
• Time Management: Prioritizing tasks, managing deadlines, and staying organized are essential. Interns should be able to balance multiple responsibilities efficiently and effectively allocate their time and resources.
• Critical Thinking: Interns should possess strong critical thinking skills to analyze problems, evaluate information, and make effective decisions under pressure. This involves being able to identify patterns and propose innovative solutions.
• Adaptability: The ability to quickly adjust to new situations, tasks, and environments is crucial. This includes being flexible with changing priorities, processes, and methods.

• Be committed to advancing the mission of the ACLU
• Center and embed the principles of equity, inclusion and belonging in their work by demonstrating commitment to diversity with an approach that respects and values multiple perspectives
• Be committed to work collaboratively and respectfully toward resolving obstacles and conflict

• Location: Our internship program offers a limited number of remote or hybrid intern positions. This internship is full-time and hybrid from our Washington D.C. office.
• Time Commitment: Full-time (35 hours/week)
• Internship Duration: Full-time internships span 10 consecutive weeks. This internship has a start date of: September 8th or September 21th
• Stipend: A stipend is available for students who are lawfully authorized to work. Arrangements can be made with educational institutions for work/study or course credit.
  • Below are the stipend rates:
    • $20/hr for undergraduate students or equivalent experience
    • $24/hr for graduate and law students or equivalent experience
  • This internship must be tied to the intern’s formal education program by integrated coursework or the receipt of academic credit

For over 100 years, the ACLU has worked to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States. Whether it’s ending mass incarceration, achieving full equality for the LGBTQ+ community, establishing new privacy protections for our digital age, or preserving the right to vote or the right to have an abortion, the ACLU takes up the toughest civil liberties cases and issues to defend all people.

Accessibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion are core values of the ACLU and central to our work to advance liberty, equality, and justice for all. For us diversity, equity and inclusion are not just check-the-box activities, but a chance for us to make long-term meaningful change. We are a community committed to learning and growth, humility and grace, transparency and accountability. We believe in a collective responsibility to create a culture of belonging for all people within our organization – one that respects and embraces difference; treats everyone equitably; and empowers our colleagues to do the best work possible. We are as committed to anti-oppression and anti-racism internally as we are externally. Because whether we’re in the courts or in the office, we believe ‘We the People’ means all of us. 

With this commitment in mind, we strongly encourage applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, veteran status and record of arrest or conviction, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. 

The ACLU is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying online, please email benefits.hrdept@aclu.org. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request accommodations for the interview process.