This how to guide will help you win an election campaign.
File Campaign Papers
The first thing you need to start your campaign is file. Go to your secretary of state and ask them what election papers you need to file. Most likely, you’ll first have to form a political action committee (PAC) to start raising money. Then, you’ll also need to file to have your name on the ballot. Be sure to form your PAC before raising election funds, otherwise you might break campaign finance rules. You can officially file to be on the ballot whenever you think it’s most strategic to do so. Most likely, the earlier the better.
Some people think they can win an election as a write in candidate. They can’t. Get on the ballot.
Start Campaigning Early
There are three main campaign assets you have in an election: The candidate’s time, volunteers, and money. To maximize the candidate’s time, you’ll want to start campaigning as early as possible. In Michigan, we hold primaries in August. I suggest getting your campaign started in November to give yourself the best shot.
Develop Your Election Issues
Why are you running for office? What makes you better than your opponents? You’ll need good answers to these questions. You’ll also need to develop stances on the issues that voters will care about during the election. Study up as much as you can. You want to be knowledgeable on the issues.
Allocate Your Time Until Election Day
Plan ahead for the election campaign as much as you can. Split your day into three sections: morning, afternoon, and evening. Plan to fill each section up until Election Day. If you have a day job, fill that in. Count how many sections you have until Election Day, and make sure not to waste any of them!
The first thing you’ll need to do is raise campaign funds. I’m sure people have won elections before without raising funds, but I don’t suggest it. Money is vital in elections. Whatever dollar amount you imagine needing to run the election, your campaign will probably end up needing double.
Start by calling everyone you know and ask them for money. Have a goal in mind. Want $10,000? Then tell your friends that your goal is to get 200 donations of $50. Once somebody agrees to donate, ask him or her to send the check while still on the phone. You’d be surprised how many people never get around to sending the funds, and you don’t want to waste time later tracking down missed funds.
Once you hit your goal, write a press release to the newspaper informing them of your campaign’s success. Anytime your campaign does something positive, submit a press release.
If you have the time, you’ll probably want to spend the first few months of your election campaign raising funds.
Election Canvassing
Once you’ve secured enough money, you’ll want to go door to door and introduce yourself to your election constituency. You should be able to purchase walking lists that will tell you which households have voted before and which party’s primary they voted in. You might even be able to purchase analyses on who is most likely to be persuadable. To find these lists, ask your secretary of state, your state party office, or candidate’s in other elections.
When people answers the door, introduce yourself to them and tell them briefly why you’re running or why you’re the person they should vote for. Then ask them what issues matter most to them. It’s good to get a feel for what the voters want. Finally, ask them for their name, address, and phone number. Studies show your campaign needs to contact them 3 times before they’ll vote for you. So you (or a volunteer) will end up talking to them in person, calling them to remind them to vote, and mailing them.
If you want to take it a step further, you can ask them for a small donation. The amount doesn’t matter much to you, but research has shown that people who donate money are much more likely to go to the polls to vote for you.
Election Campaign Lawn Signs
You will purchase lots of lawn signs to promote yourself. Ask people in prominent locations to display your campaign lawn signs for you.
Election Campaign Endorsements
Sometime in the summer you’ll start receiving applications from interest groups. The idea is that you fill out their questionnaire, and then they might endorse you and/or give you more funds. Fill out the applications if it’s a group you want on your side. If you’re a Democrat, fill out the questionnaires for labor unions, pro-choice groups, etc. If you’re a Republican, then perhaps the NRA, Right to Life, and the Chamber of Commerce.
Newspapers will also contact you to decide whom they should endorse. Treat these people well, as newspaper endorsements can be very helpful.
In the summer time for an August election, you’ll want to send campaign mailings to as many people as possible. Again you’ll want lists for this. You’ll also send mailings to the people who gave you their addresses while canvassing.
Campaign Visibility
Try to be seen. Go to city council meetings, local political events, whatever you can think of.
Closer to the election, you and your volunteers should call people to remind them about the election day. Tell them the election date, the polling hours, and that they should vote for you. Also tell them where they’re registered to vote if you are able.
Election Day
On Election Day, get out to the polls as soon as they open. Talk to as many people walking in and ask them for their votes. If there are multiple election polling places, try to get volunteers to hand out your literature and ask people to vote for you. And make sure you vote for yourself too!
