Campaign plan overview

So you have made the decision and commitment to run for office, you have completed a self-analysis and reviewed the political landscape. It’s now time to put together all the components required to have a successful campaign.

 

What should your campaign plan include?


Compliance filing and reporting

• Nomination papers
• Filing fees
• Deadlines
• Other regulatory requirements

Finance

• Tracking expenses and revenue, reporting
• Fundraising – no money no campaign
• Campaign budget

Research

• The district
• The voters
• Past elections
• Political landscape
• Opponents

Campaign strategic/message plan-voter contact plan/Identify the vote and GOTV

• Local issues
• Opponents position on issues
• Identifying the vote
• Door to door –where/when and with whom
• Call centre – volunteer’s vs paid or combination
• Social media
• Direct marketing – targeting by geographic/demographic and history vote data
• Signage
• Press – knowledge of the local media
• Public speaking – local community group events and debates
• Field operations – local community leaders and organizations
• GOTV – elections day is all about your plan and execution of “getting out the vote”

Campaign Staff

• Official agent
• Campaign manager
• Finance manager/treasurer
• Fundraising co-ordinator
• Communications and PR professional
• Advisors
• Field manager – field captains
• Technology/IT manager
• Volunteers – the heartbeat of your campaign

Campaign Management tools required.

• Office location
• Phones/phone bank
• IT info structure – computers/printer/copier
• Financial software
• Voters list database software solution
• Contact management

Compliance filing and reporting:

Each jurisdiction and each level of government has its own legal requirements for candidacy. Review early to make sure all filing dates are met.

Eligibility to run: Residency requirements, age requirements, conflicts – work/leave of absence, any criminal record

Nomination papers, filing fees and date required – in some cases the filling fees are refundable if you meet a certain percent of the vote. Each jurisdiction also has its own rules regarding refunding of fees if withdrawing.

Campaign Finance

You are ultimately responsible for keeping track of all financial activities, depending on the level of your office it may be beyond your time ability to do this. It is important to hire/consult with an auditor or an accountant early in the process to setup a book keeping and accounting system that will meet all your fundraising and expense reporting needs.

Almost all campaigns will require submitting a campaign financial statement at some point in the campaign or after the event. We will further discuss campaign financing and reporting in a further post.

 

Next post – A more in-depth look at campaign finance, reporting and fundraising.