Overview

Campaign Trail is an area control and resource management game where players compete to win the US presidential election. Players play cards from their hand to travel across the United States, fundraise, register voters, advertise, hold campaign rallies, and take political actions. The goal is to have the most registered voters in enough states to win a majority of electoral votes. The player with the most electoral votes at the end of the game is declared president.

Components

• Game board (map of the United States)
• Candidate pawns
• Voter tokens in player colors
• Campaign cards (deck per player)
• Money tokens
• State cards with electoral vote values
• Debate cards
• Solo mode deck (50 cards)
• Rules booklet

Setup

1. Place the game board in the center.
2. Each player selects a candidate and takes their components (voter tokens, candidate pawn, campaign cards).
3. Shuffle campaign card decks.
4. Place starting voters and money according to setup rules.
5. Each player draws a starting hand of campaign cards.

Turn Structure

On your turn, play one card from your hand. Each card offers a choice among 4 of the game’s 6 possible actions:

Actions

1. Fundraise: Add money to your war chest. Money is spent later on advertising campaigns and campaign rallies.

2. Register: Add voters from the general supply to your registered voter pool. These voters can then be committed to vote for you in various states.

3. Travel: Move your candidate pawn around the United States map to set yourself up for campaign rallies in key states.

4. Advertise: Spend money to place voters in states, extending your influence without needing your candidate present.

5. Campaign Rally: Hold a rally in the state where your candidate is located. Spend money to place registered voters into that state.

6. Political Action: Take a special political action as described on the card, which may provide unique advantages or disrupt opponents.

After playing a card and resolving its action, draw back up to your hand limit.

Actions

Voter Placement

Voters placed in states represent your candidate’s support there. At game end, the player with the most voters in a state wins that state’s electoral votes.

Debates

At certain points during the game, debates occur. Debate mechanics add an interactive element where players compete for additional influence.

Money Management

Money is earned through Fundraising and spent on Advertising and Campaign Rallies. Managing your cash flow is crucial for effective campaigning.

Scoring / Victory Conditions

At the end of the game:

1. For each state, the player with the most voters in that state wins the state’s electoral votes.
2. Total all electoral votes won.
3. The player with the most electoral votes wins and is declared president.

In case of a tie, consult the tiebreaker rules in the rulebook.

Special Rules & Edge Cases

• The game supports 1-6 players, including a dedicated solo mode with a 50-card solo deck.
• Each card provides a choice of 4 out of 6 actions, creating meaningful decisions each turn.
• Campaign Rallies require your candidate to be in the target state (use Travel to move there first).
• Advertising allows remote voter placement but costs money.
• The game is described as “remarkably unpolitical” – it focuses on campaign strategy mechanics rather than real-world policy positions.
• Advanced solo mode adds additional depth and solo debates.

Player Reference

Turn: Play 1 card → Choose 1 of 4 actions on the card → Draw

6 Actions:

Action	Effect	Cost
Fundraise	Gain money	Free
Register	Add voters to your pool	Free
Travel	Move candidate on map	Free
Advertise	Place voters remotely	Money
Campaign Rally	Place voters where candidate is	Money
Political Action	Special card effect	Varies

Victory: Most electoral votes at game end. Most voters in a state = win that state’s EVs.