Candidate Training - Campaign Management

Campaign Management Contact: [email_address]

A Guide for Campaign Managers

Do Your Homework (before you take the job)
About the candidate.
About the district.
About past elections.
About the law.
About the key decision-makers.
About the major issues.

Build Trust
It’s your job to get the candidate to trust you.
Make sure you trust the candidate.
Build trust with donors and supporters.
How?
Always fulfill commitments.
Always to act in the best interests of the campaign.
Always follow all laws and regulations.

Electoral Landscape
Characteristics of district
Local or national issues
Geography of the district
Demographics – who makes up the electorate?
What else is on the ballot?
Projected turnout
Votes to win

PLAN
Create a written campaign plan
A written road map for how to win
Provides early vetting of strategies
Saves time later
Maintains focus on winning
Professionals believe in your campaign

Five Rules of Campaign Planning Rule 2: Things always take longer and cost more than you expect. Rule 3: A good plan, coupled with a realistic budget, produces targeted results. Rule 5: Knowing and following the rules minimizes stupid risks and mistakes. Rule 4: Plans should be flexible and adapt to changing circumstances. Rule 1: Time, people, money are your most valuable resources; use them wisely.

For Every Action Item…
What needs to be done?
When will it happen?
How much will it cost? When?
Who is responsible for making sure it gets done?
Who is accountable if it doesn’t get done or is delayed?
Is this necessary to do to for us to win?

SYSTEMS
Who’s in charge? How does it work? How is it tracked?
Scheduling
Fundraising
Finance
Press
PACs and endorsements
Volunteer recruitment and management
Voter contact
GOTV

Create a Succinct and Compelling Message™ ™ Jennie Blackton 2009
Why is your candidate running?
What's the problem? Who's hurting?
What are your candidate’s experiences with this problem?
What creative solutions does the campaign offer?
What's standing in the way? Opponent? Apathy? Lack of information?
Therefore, what does the campaign want?

MESSAGE “ [A message is] a limited body of truthful information which is consistently conveyed by a candidate and an organization in order to provide the persuasive reasons for an audience to choose, and act on behalf of their choice of, our candidate.” — Paul Tully, former director, Democratic National Committee

The Message Box What our opponent is saying about her/himself What we’re saying about our opponent What our opponent is saying about us What we’re saying about us

Developing a Message Box Strengths Values Interests Weaknesses Vulnerabilities Stereotypes Weaknesses Vulnerabilities Stereotypes Strengths Values Interests

Message Box Illustration

Manage the Money
How much do we need? Your budget.
Who can we ask? Your fundraising list.
How much can they give? Your contribution limits.
When, where, and how will we ask? Your pitch.
How will we accept (and thank) contributions? Your process.

Fundraising
Parameters – Know relevant campaign finance laws.
Goals – How much do you need each day? Each week? Each month?
Targets – From whom? Have specific fundraising targets.
Tools – How will you raise?
Who – Who’s going to do what? Make specific assignments.
Timeline – When will you ask?
Acknowledgement – How and when will you thank donors?
Evaluation – How and when will you check your progress?

Spend the Money Wisely
Target all of your resources.
Don’t buy unnecessary things. Learn to say no!
Only buy things that help you win votes.
Be a responsible steward…..
No, it doesn’t grow on trees.

Creating and Following A Budget
Who’s in charge?
Let history be your guide
Be realistic
Reflect the goals of your plan
Maximize direct voter contact and communications
Detail expenses by month
Don’t sweat the small stuff
Outline projections for expenses and revenue by month

Overhead 10% Voter Contact 71% Consulting/Research 7% Fundraising/Compliance 12%

Build a Staff
Paid and unpaid.
Paid staff should be professionals.
Key volunteers can serve as unpaid staff.
Look for people who have transferrable skills.
You need energy and excitement – build it.
Delegate, delegate, delegate!

Staff and Volunteers
Candidate
Candidate’s partner
Brief job descriptions and “hiring” timeline:
Campaign manager / Other staff
Fundraiser / Finance chair
Campaign chair / Kitchen cabinet
Volunteers
Tip: Never work harder than the candidate.

Target the Right Voters
Decide which voters are needed to win
Talk to those voters early and often.
Use what you learn about those voters.
Repeat, Repeat, Repeat.

More on Targeting
Data requirements
Total expected vote
Vote goal – a.k.a. WIN NUMBER!
Base vote + swing vote
Precinct targeting
Best
Swing
Lean GOP
Forget about it

Create Excitement
Voters need to hear the “buzz”
Earn media coverage of your campaign.
Pay for media coverage – ads and mail.
Peak at the right time—a rising level of excitement leading to election day.

Get out the Vote
Get your supporters to the polls.
Provide direction, encouragement, and rides.
Make it meaningful—give your supporters a sense of their own power.
Thank your supporters. Thank them again.
Celebrate!

GOTV Plans
Who’s in charge? Create GOTV Teams.
Re-evaluate and finalize plan
How many volunteers will you need?
Clarify tactics and timeline: Early voting? Absentee? Vote by Mail? Same day registration? Poll watching?
Staging and visibility
Getting supporters to the polls
Phonebanks
Systems/Flushers

Contact: Progressive Majority www. progressivemajority .org

Candidate Training - Campaign Management

by Progressive Majority

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