This document serves as a comprehensive guide for campaign managers, emphasizing the importance of preparation, trust-building, strategic planning, and effective messaging in electoral campaigns. It outlines key components such as understanding the electoral landscape, budgeting, fundraising, and voter outreach, along with practical rules and planning tips. Additionally, it underscores the significance of targeting voters and executing a successful Get Out The Vote (GOTV) strategy.

1. Campaign Management Contact: [email_address]

2. A Guide for Campaign Managers

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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?

9. 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

10. 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?

11. 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

12. 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

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

14. Message Box Illustration

15. 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.

16. 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?

17. 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.

18. 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

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

20. 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!

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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

24. 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.

25. 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!

26. 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

27. Contact: Progressive Majority www. progressivemajority .org