Political ad tech just got a 2026 upgrade.

OpenX Technologies, Inc. has introduced prioritized access to curated, political-approved inventory built for the 2026 US midterm elections—alongside what it calls a first-to-market partnership with Givsly to power values-based voter targeting.

The pitch: faster activation, brand-safe CTV at scale, and audience construction based on shared values—not just traditional voter files.

In a political cycle expected to bring surging CPMs, inventory shortages, and unpredictable voter behavior, OpenX is positioning itself as a control layer for campaigns that can’t afford to miss prime inventory windows.

Political CTV, Without the Chaos

Election seasons are notoriously volatile for digital media buyers. Political dollars flood into connected TV (CTV), mobile, and web inventory, driving up prices and constraining supply. Publishers often tighten controls on automated political demand, and DSP competition intensifies.

OpenX’s answer centers on curated, prioritized supply. Campaigns get guaranteed access to pre-vetted publishers, including Newsweek, Plex, The E.W. Scripps Company, and Xumo.

According to OpenX, the model reduces path duplication and helps stabilize CPMs during demand spikes. It also claims auction-efficient pricing structured to consistently win supply—even when political demand peaks.

Campaigns can activate across screens in under 24 hours, with ZIP-code-level targeting and localized measurement reporting by county, DMA, and ZIP code.

In practical terms, that’s designed to eliminate the scramble many campaigns face when trying to secure premium CTV inventory at the last minute.

A Shift Toward Values-Based Targeting

The more novel component is OpenX’s partnership with Givsly.

Rather than relying solely on traditional political datasets—often built around party affiliation or historical voter behavior—the integration taps first-party, privacy-conscious signals from Givsly’s network of more than 500 nonprofits.

These aggregated signals, including volunteering and donation activity, allow campaigns to construct voter audiences based on shared values such as environmental protection or women’s empowerment.

The logic is straightforward: voter traits are becoming less predictable, especially outside traditional red-versus-blue divides. Values alignment may provide a more durable signal for message resonance.

Givsly CEO Chad Hickey argues that campaigns need to activate on voter values, not just voter files. OpenX provides the scaled CTV and omnichannel supply; Givsly adds the intent layer.

The combination aims to help campaigns identify contested ZIP codes where values alignment is strongest—a potential edge in tight races.

Built-In Compliance and Governance

Political advertising comes with heightened scrutiny. To address that, OpenX’s offering includes creative compliance tools such as automated ad scanning, political transparency controls, and governance guardrails.

That emphasis matters to premium publishers.

Newsweek’s Chief Revenue Officer Danielle Varvaro noted that the partnership provides the transparency and control required to uphold editorial standards during election cycles. Similarly, Xumo’s programmatic leadership emphasized maintaining brand-safe CTV environments while managing political demand at scale.

In short: premium publishers want political dollars—but on their terms.

Turnkey Packages for DSP Buyers

OpenX is also introducing election-specific inventory bundles pre-optimized for political windows. These turnkey packages are designed to plug directly into major demand-side platforms such as Basis Technologies, IQM, and StackAdapt.

For political buyers under time pressure, pre-packaged inventory with compliance baked in could streamline execution during critical campaign moments.

Competitive Context: CTV as Political Battleground

CTV has rapidly become a must-buy channel in political media strategies. As linear TV audiences fragment, campaigns are shifting budgets toward streaming platforms that offer both scale and data-driven targeting.

But CTV inventory during election surges is finite. Premium publishers increasingly limit open-market access, preferring curated or direct relationships to maintain control over messaging and brand alignment.

OpenX’s claim to be the only platform offering all-direct publisher supply across formats—including CTV—positions it against other SSPs and exchanges competing for political budgets.

The values-based targeting angle also reflects broader industry shifts. As privacy regulations and platform changes constrain third-party data, first-party and contextual signals are becoming more central to campaign strategy.

If traditional voter files grow less predictive, values-driven signals may gain traction—especially in swing districts where micro-messaging can tip outcomes.

What It Means for 2026

With the 2026 midterms approaching, political campaigns are already planning media strategies in a landscape defined by:

• High competition for CTV supply

• Volatile CPMs

• Tight compliance requirements

• Evolving voter segmentation models

OpenX’s combined approach—curated inventory plus values-based targeting—aims to reduce execution risk while improving audience precision.

Whether it becomes a defining feature of the 2026 cycle will depend on performance and adoption. But one thing is clear: political CTV is no longer just about reach. It’s about access, alignment, and speed.

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