Custom WordPress for Jo Comerford Campaign | Cider House

A digital movement powered by grassroots action | Jo Comerford

In 2018, Jo Comerford made history with a successful write-in campaign for the Massachusetts State Senate. With no name on the ballot, she mobilized thousands of voters to spell her name by hand—and win. We built the campaign website that helped make it possible.

Everything working together, with urgency and strategy

At a glance - Snapshot details

  • Client: Jo Comerford’s Campaign
  • Industry: Political Campaigns / Government
  • Business type: State Senate campaign
  • Primary office: Northampton, Massachusetts
  • Service area: Hampshire, Franklin, and Worcester District
  • Platform: WordPress
  • Services: Web design, campaign content strategy, donation integration, volunteer management, responsive design

The website behind a historic write-in victory

In May 2018, Jo Comerford launched a last-minute campaign for State Senate after the incumbent resigned. With no time to get on the ballot, she ran as a write-in—relying on a strong digital platform to educate voters, recruit volunteers, and raise funds.

Challenge

Running a write-in campaign isn’t just difficult—it’s rare to succeed. Voters had to physically write “Jo Comerford” on their ballot, correctly and legibly. That meant education was critical. The campaign had to reach thousands of voters quickly, teach them how to vote, and activate hundreds of volunteers—all without the advantages of a printed name or traditional infrastructure.

Solution

We built a responsive, high-impact website to function as the campaign’s digital command center.

  • Custom Campaign Hub: Designed a clean, persuasive website to house Jo’s platform, biography, press, and calls to action
  • Voter Education Tools: Developed instructional graphics and guides on the write-in process to reduce ballot errors
  • Volunteer Management: Created recruitment and scheduling tools to support canvassing, phone banks, and outreach
  • Donation Integration: Connected secure donation platforms for quick online fundraising
  • Mobile Optimization: Ensured all content, forms, and guides worked seamlessly on mobile to support canvassers and on-the-go voters

Results

This digital strategy was instrumental in Jo Comerford’s historic win.

  • 14,196 Write-In Votes: Jo won the Democratic primary with more than double the write-in votes of her competitors
  • Effective Voter Education: Thousands of voters submitted accurate write-ins thanks to the site’s visual guides
  • Over 650 Volunteers: The platform helped organize hundreds of grassroots supporters across the district
  • Sustained Momentum: The campaign raised critical funds and stayed connected throughout the entire race

Jo Comerford later credited the site’s clarity and usability as key factors in the campaign’s success.

This project is also highlighted on our Western Massachusetts web design page, where we feature sites that drive civic impact and community action.

Map

This wasn’t just a website—it was a digital tool for civic engagement. We’re proud to have supported a campaign that rewrote the playbook and brought people together across an entire district.

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More work from the Cider House kitchen

From web design to full-on brand transformations, these are just a few more ways we’ve helped clients stand out and move forward.

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