About

SMART, DATA-DRIVEN
WINNING CAMPAIGNS

Over 50 years ago, Mark Grebner founded a small voter data firm in East Lansing that relied on data meticulously keyed by hand on mainframe computers rented from MSU in the wee hours of the morning, providing candidates with voter lists produced on large dot matrix printers printed on 4 x 6 inch, perforated cardstock. Grebner quickly gained a reputation as the eccentric, go-to politico for voter lists in Michigan.

Decades later, Grebner's desire to maintain the most accurate voter file in Michigan endures. In fact, we've invested millions of dollars in building and maintaining the voter list that wins the most elections in Michigan.

"The Grebner List" as it is commonly known, has played a major role in electing candidates running for nearly every office across Michigan. Over five decades, our success stories are in the thousands, with clients past and present walking the halls of our state Capitol, serving as mayors and county commissioners, school board members, and even sitting behind the Resolute desk in the White House.

"the keepers of the best list possible in Michigan"
- The New York Times

But great voter lists isn't all we've become known for as Michigan's oldest, most established political consulting firm.

As a full-service firm, we are able to fulfill nearly any need of the serious candidate, campaign, or organization to run an effective, successful operation. Further, we are proud of the many partnerships we've built across Michigan that allow our clients the ability to tap in to a vast network of specialists and practitioners, only available to PPD clients.

We're in the business of finding the unique potential in every campaign, telling their story through well-thought out narrative, and bringing that discussion to the electorate by working with our clients to effectively introduce themselves to the right voters using a holistic approach that combines the best voter data possible and smart campaign strategies.

MEET THE PPD TEAM

STEVE ROSS

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Steve Ross' first foray into politics was as an idealistic student volunteer at MSU back in 2004, knocking doors and making calls for the Democratic ticket. Though the results of that election were disappointing, a fire was lit and he dove in with both feet the following cycle, where he had a chance encounter with a young-Senator from Illinois, Barack Obama. Following this chance meeting, he fully engaged in doing whatever he could to elect Obama president one day, should he ever run. Months later, much sooner than expected, this became reality.

Steve worked in a number of capacities for the Obama campaign, which eventually led to a short stint in the White House. While there, he decided DC and government bureaucracy wasn't for him and yearned for the excitement of the campaign life. He moved back to Lansing and joined Mark Grebner at his firm.

Over the past 20 years, he's developed a reputation in political circles as a bright strategist with the unique ability to build and drive narratives while seeing the big picture, and has a deep understanding of voter targeting and effectively and efficiently contacting voters.

MARK GREBNER

Beginning in 1972, Mark Grebner began volunteering in political campaigns on the MSU campus, where he was an undergraduate. By 1973, he realized the most valuable contribution he could make would be to convert the campaigns' paper records into computerized data, using what he had learned in his computer programming classes. At that time - 50 years ago - that meant keypunching the names, addresses, and numbers onto punched cards which could be mechanically sorted and then printed onto mailing labels.

A few years later, Grebner realized he could apply his statistical coursework to building models that predicted the voting behavior of each voter, using publicly available information such as their demographics and voting history.

By 1983, he began to apply political science and his knowledge of Michigan law to craft a deep understanding of the process by which voters reach their decisions, and the ways campaigns can intervene to affect those decisions in their own favor.

Since then, Grebner has developed a national reputation as an expert in modeling voter behavior, including the creation of powerful new get-out-the-vote techniques.

MARTY MCCORMICK

Marty McCormick, a seasoned political strategist, has been navigating the intricate world of Michigan politics for over four decades. His extensive experience spans a wide range of campaigns, from local county races to state legislative and judicial contests. Known for his keen insight, strategic planning, and deep understanding of Michigan's political landscape, McCormick has played a pivotal role in the success of numerous campaigns.

Marty’s approach combines traditional political acumen with modern data-driven strategies, making him a valuable asset in the ever-evolving world of political campaigning. His longevity in the field speaks to his ability to adapt to changing political climates and technological advancements.

Marty and his wife Kathy split their time between their Lake Michigan condo and the beautiful mountains of Colorado Springs, which allows him ample time to spend with his favorite people his six grandchildren.

Features

"THE GREBNER LIST"

Practical Political Data provides campaigns with accurate lists of voters in their community that are likely to vote in a given election. Some of our data points include name, address, phone number, donor history, likelihood of being a Democrat or Republican, likelihood of voting by absentee ballot or voting early, information like organization memberships, occupation, and issue support, history of activism, and much more. We offer a range of data packages to fit the needs and price point of any campaign including a modern, easy-to-use online voter management system and mobile canvassing app.

Projects

OUR WINNING FORMULA...
STORY + VOTER CONTACT + DATA

No two political campaigns are alike. That's why we take the time to get to know you and your team, your voters, and your community. Then, together, develop a winning plan and work with you to execute it every step of the way through Election Day.

We believe in running holistic campaigns that employ a healthy reliance on modern campaign tools, proven techniques that have withstood the test of time paired with captive storytelling across varying mediums, and access to the absolute best voter targeting data in Michigan to win our elections.