Prof. Dr. Mario Voigt

Professor for digital transformation and politics
Quadriga Hochschule Berlin

Mario Voigt has worked for the Political Representation of Siemens in Brussels, the Political Planning Department of the CDU in Berlin and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Washington and was head of corporate communications and investor relations for the technology group Analytik Jena AG. As a strategy consultant for the lead agency McCann-Erickson, Voigt took part in Angela Merkel’s Bundestag election campaign in 2005. Since then he has been involved in public affairs campaigns from the local to the international level in the areas of mobilization and digital campaigning. Voigt advises companies and political parties in concrete digitisation projects on topics such as e-health or citizen participation.

In the 2017 Bundestag election campaign he worked as a strategy consultant for mobilisation for the CDU. At the beginning of March 2019 Voigt was appointed Digital Campaign Manager in the Europe-wide campaign team of Manfred Weber (CSU) and the European People’s Party. He was responsible for the Europe-wide digital election campaign of the EPP and the top candidate in all 27 EU states.

His research focuses on the innovation cycles of digital campaigning and the combination of grassroots campaigns with digital applications and big data. Voigt has published four books on political campaigns and communications and has spoken on digital campaigning, mobilization and public affairs in over 40 countries.

Since 2009, Voigt has been a member of the Thüringen state parliament and since 2020 he has been responsible for the CDU parliamentary group. He is also spokesman for business, science and the digital society.

Prof. Dr. Mario Voigt

Professorship

Prof Dr Mario Voigt teaches and researches as Professor for Digital Transformation and Politics at Quadriga University Berlin. After studying political science, modern history and public law at the Universities of Jena, Bonn and Charlottesville (USA), Voigt earned his doctorate in American election campaigning and campaigning at the University of Chemnitz after several months of election observation in the USA. As a lecturer he taught communication, public affairs and campaigning at the University of Jena.

Research

Prof. Dr. Mario Voigt’s research focused on the challenges of digital transformation:

  • Principal, national and international trends in digital campaigning and digital public affairs
  • The social and political impact of digitisation
  • The efficacy of policy instruments for digitisation and industry 4.0
  • The role of big data and social media in public affairs and political campaigns

Publications

Selected Monographs and Edited Volumes:

  • Voigt, Mario; (2018) Digital Trump-Card? Digital Transformation in Voter Communication. In: Gärtner, Christian, and C. Heinrich, Case Studies on Digital Transformation, Berlin, pp. 149-172.
  • Voigt, Mario, J. Böttger, and R. Güldenzopf; (2017) Election Analysis 2017: Bundestag Election Campaign 2017, Berlin.
  • Voigt, Mario and R. Seidenglanz; (2017) Digital Campaigning in the Bundestag Election 2017, Berlin.
  • Voigt, Mario and C. Thorun; (2017) Digital.Communal. Germany. Smart Nation through Smart Regions, Berlin.
  • Voigt, Mario and C. Clemens; (2017) When Politics Knocks on the Door, in: Voigt, Mario, J. Böttger, R. Güldenzopf, Election Analysis 2017, Berlin, pp. 93-101.
  • Voigt, Mario; (2017) Is There a Blueprint for Victory? Campaign Strategy and Tactics in Elections, in: Fabijanic, Darija, C. Spahr, M. Zlateva, Reconnecting with Citizens – From Values to Big Data, Berlin, pp. 157-173.
  • Voigt, Mario, J. Böttger, and R. Güldenzopf; (2017) Election Analysis 2017: Bundestag Election Campaign 2017, Berlin.
  • Voigt, Mario and R. Seidenglanz; (2017) Digital Campaigning in the Bundestag Election 2017, Berlin.
  • Voigt, Mario and C. Thorun; (2017) Digital.Communal. Germany. Smart Nation through Smart Regions, Berlin.
  • Voigt, Mario and C. Clemens; (2017) When Politics Knocks on the Door, in: Voigt, Mario, J. Böttger, R. Güldenzopf, Election Analysis 2017, Berlin, pp. 93-101.
  • Voigt, Mario; (2017) Is There a Blueprint for Victory? Campaign Strategy and Tactics in Elections, in: Fabijanic, Darija, C. Spahr, M. Zlateva, Reconnecting with Citizens – From Values to Big Data, Berlin, pp. 157-173.
  • Römmele, Andrea, R. Güldenzopf, and M. Voigt (forthcoming) The Election Campaign in the USA, Berlin. (Special edition of the Journal of Political Consulting)
  • Güldenzopf, Ralf, and M. Voigt (forthcoming) Mobilization in the American Election Campaign. Study on Marketing Instruments and Digitalization in Political Communication, Berlin.
  • Voigt, Mario; (2010) The American Presidential Campaign: George W. Bush vs. John F. Kerry, Berlin.
  • Melchert, Florian, F. Magerl, and M. Voigt; (2006) In the Middle of the Campaign. Grassroots and Mobilization in the Bundestag Election Campaign 2005, Berlin.
  • Busch-Janser, Florian, S. Gerding, and M. Voigt; (2005) Political Consulting as a Profession, Berlin and Munich.

Selected Articles and Essays:

  • Voigt, Mario; (2016) In Which Germany Do We Want to Live? In: Civis mit Sonde 3 (2016), pp. 88-93.
  • Voigt, Mario; (2011) The People’s Party of the Center. Search for the Forces and Values of the Proven. In: Die Politische Meinung 56 (2011) 496, pp. 21–25.
  • Voigt, Mario; (2009) Fasten Your Seatbelts: Mobilization and Microtargeting in American Presidential Campaigns. In: Schalt, Fabian, M. Kreitz, F. Magerl, K. Schirrmacher, and F. Melchert (eds.), New Beginning Instead of Decline, Berlin, pp. 433-448.
  • Voigt, Mario, and A. Hahn; (2008) Mobilization and Modern Campaign Techniques. In: Karsten Grabow, P. Köllner (eds.), Parties and Their Voters, Sankt Augustin, pp. 207-229.
  • Güldenzopf, Ralf, and M. Voigt; (2008) Election of Records. In: Politik & Kommunikation, October.
  • Voigt, Mario; (2007) The Internet in the American and French Presidential Campaigns and the German Bundestag Election Campaign, In: KAS Studies, October.
  • Voigt, Mario, and K. Plehwe; (2007) Digital Campaigning: French Wanted to Be Involved in the Election Campaign, In: Election Evaluation Politics-Digital, July.
  • Güldenzopf, Ralf, and M. Voigt; (2006) German Elections – Campaigning American Style, In: Campaigns & Elections, January.
  • Güldenzopf, Ralf, and M. Voigt; (2005) Campaigning American Style. Election Campaign Innovations in the American Presidential Campaign, In: Oppelland, Torsten, and W. Kremp; The USA in the Election Year 2004, Trier, pp. 31-46.
  • Güldenzopf, Ralf, and M. Voigt; (2005) Just Win, Baby! In: Busch-Janser, Gerding, and Voigt 2005, pp. 81-91.
  • Güldenzopf, Ralf, and M. Voigt; (2005) In Dialogue with the Voter, In: Plehwe, Kerstin (ed.), With Dialog Marketing to Election Success: Contributions by Well-Known Experts, Berlin, pp. 181-204.
  • Voigt, Mario; (2004) The Big Trend: Rally the Faithful, In: Politik & Kommunikation, November.
  • Güldenzopf, Ralf, and M. Voigt; (2004) Of Core Voters, Values, and Campaigns: The US Presidential Election, In: Die Politische Meinung 49 (2004) 421, pp. 51-57.
  • Voigt, Mario; (2004) World Wide Election Campaign – Internet Campaigning American Style 2004, In: KAS Studies, July.
  • Voigt, Mario; (2004) Rally the Faithful: Does Better Mobilization of Core Voters Decide the US Presidential Election? Targeting, Grassroots, and the Internet as the Central Megatrends, In: KAS Studies, July.

Teaching

Teaching

  • MBA Public Affairs & Leadership
  • Compact Course Policy Management & Public Affairs