Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Developing A Campaign Plan
Developing A Campaign Plan
CAMPAIGN PLAN
Campaign Skills 101
Photo: NDI
CAMPAIGN PLAN OBJECTIVES
• Voter contact
• Budget
• Fundraising
• Election day
Image: www.pixabay.com
KEY TERMS
• Constituency
• Message
• Voter contact
• Field plan
• Paid media
• Earned media
• Door-to-door/canvassing
• Get Out the Vote (GOTV)
CONGRATULATIONS!
You decided to run!
Now what?
Photo: NDI
WHAT IS A CAMPAIGN PLAN?
• Roadmap that outlines what you are
going to achieve, when, how and with
what resources
• Management tool
• Measures progress
• Keeps you organized, proactive,
focused and on track
NO PLAN = PROBLEM
Photo: www.pixabay.com
Image: www.rgbstock.com
Photo: www.pixabay.com
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN
EFFECTIVE PLAN
• Written
• Flexible
• Understandable
• Includes the obvious
• Research-based
• Has clear goals and objectives
CAMPAIGN STEPS
Deliver
Goal Voter
Research Targeting Message and
Setting Contact
Protect
RESEARCH
Knowledge is power!
• Electoral context
• Self research
• Opposition research
• Issue research
RESEARCH: ELECTORAL
CONTEXT
• Election system/rules
• District characteristics
• Voter characteristics
• Past elections
• Main factors affecting
election
Image: www.rfairfaxdemocrats.org
OPPOSITION RESEARCH
• Identify viable opponents
• Research
– Personal and professional
background
– Previous statements/positions
– Resources and support base
– Weaknesses AND strengths
GOAL SETTING
• Goal is usually to win election
• How many votes do you need?
• Example: Majoritarian
– 100,000 eligible voters
– 60,000 likely to vote
– Need 30,001 votes
TARGETING VOTERS
• Can’t please everyone
• Don’t need 100% of voters
• Maximize time and resources
• Focus on “persuadables” not strong
supporters or opponents
TARGETING VOTERS
Choosing the right target means aiming
for the middle
Target Audience
50,000
60,000
RURAL
70%
5,000
300,000
30,000 55,000
URBAN
30%
MESSAGE
• Single idea/theme
• Your values
• What you repeat over and over
• What you want people to remember
• How you connect with and persuade
voters
Why am I asking for your support?
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN
EFFECTIVE MESSAGE
• Clear and concise
• Compelling
• Contrasting
• Connected
• Consistently delivered
• Credible
• Clear
MESSAGE EXAMPLE
“It’s time for a change: time to support
our schools, time to address government
corruption, time to bring jobs back to
our town. As a teacher and community
activist, I want to lead that change.”
EXERCISE: MESSAGE BOX
What we say about us What we say about
them
Photo: AP
EXERCISE: DETERMINING ISSUE
IMPORTANCE AND POSITION
• Issue selection
–How important is the issue?
–Who has the better position?
GETTING THE MESSAGE OUT
• Media
• Print
• Electronic
• Social
• Voter Contact
Social media 1 1 1 3 2
VOTER CONTACT PLAN EXAMPLE
Method # Voters When Where Cost # Volunteers
3,000 May Homes $500 50
Door to door
Weekend
6,000 April Homes $2,500 10
Direct mail
Photo: NDI
CAMPAIGN RESOURCES
• People
• Money
• Time
• Information
Photo: NDI
FUNDRAISING
Candidate
Personal
Time
Ideology
Ax-to-Grind
Power
Viability
FUNDRAISING
• Who can give, when, how often, and
how much?
• Other fundraising tools such as events
• In-kind contributions
• Say thank you
EXAMPLE:FUNDRAISING PLAN
REVENUE Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5
Candidate
contributions 1000 1000 500
Political Party
contributions 5000 1550
Donations 500 250 500 1000 2500
Fundraising events
income 2000 600 300
Photo: NDI
DATA AND LIST MANAGEMENT
• Lists of: • Sources of
– Supporters information:
– Potential donors – Official voter list
– Volunteers – Candidate
– Press contacts contacts
– Persuadable – Supporter’s
voter contacts
– Opinion leaders – Party lists
DATA AND LIST MANAGEMENT
• Full name • Polling station
• Gender • Party affiliation
• Age range/date • Voting intention
of birth • Voting history
• Phone number(s) • Donor history
• Mailing address • Volunteer history
• Email
CAMPAIGN PLAN REVIEW
Steps Resources
• Goal setting • People
• Voter targeting • Money
• Research • Time
• Message • Info
• Voter contact
• Budget
• Fundraising
• Election day
Photo: NDI