Senate Democratic Caucus Internship Program

We are not taking applications at this time. Please check back later for a timeline.

The Senate Democratic Caucus is looking for students who are interested in getting first-hand experience working in legislative offices. Internships with an Senate Democratic office provide valuable, hands-on involvement in the political process and a behind-the-scenes look at office operations. During their internships, students have the opportunity to work closely with staff and legislators, attend committee hearings and legislative proceedings, and build a personal network in Wisconsin politics.

We are looking for interns with strong writing skills, familiarity with state politics, and passion for assisting constituents. Interns are expected to work 8-10 hours per week between the hours of 9 am – 5 pm, Monday through Friday. Internships are unpaid but students can receive course credit for their work.

There are three internships sessions each year:

Spring Semester Internships (January to May): Applications open in November
Summer Internships (May to August): Applications open in March
Fall Semester Internships (August to December): We are not accepting applications at this time. 

Some of the responsibilities associated with a Democratic Senate internship are:

Constituent Letters – Interns learn how to write formal responses in the style of a legislative office, conduct research on the issues raised, and update constituents on political issues.

Constituency Casework – Consists of assisting constituents in resolving issues they have with state agencies. Examples of this could include helping constituents obtain BadgerCare health insurance, file for unemployment insurance, or receive hunting and fishing licenses.

Legislative Research – Tracking current legislative proposals that have been introduced, researching new policy topics for future legislation, and drafting legislative proposals for introduction in the Senate. Interns also have many opportunities to observe Senate committee meetings, state budget deliberations, legislative sessions, and other State Capitol events.

Press – Includes tracking local media sources for references to state and local politics of interest, drafting press releases and editorials, and preparing remarks and speeches.

Data Entry – Interns assist offices in tracking constituent contacts in legislative databases by entering incoming contacts, looking for trends in opinions, and updating electronic records.

The Senate Democratic Internship Program coordinator conducts interviews with applicants and then sends recommendations to offices.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the coordinator at SenDemInternships@legis.wisconsin.gov.