KEY TERMS Constituency Message Voter contact Field plan Paid - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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?

• Goal is usually to win election • Example: – 100,000 eligible voters – 60,000 likely to vote – Need 30,001 votes

• 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

RESEARCH Knowledge is power! • Electoral context • Self research • Opposition research • Issue research

RESEARCH

OPPOSITION RESEARCH • Identify viable opponents • Research – Personal and professional background – Previous statements/positions – Resources and support base – Weaknesses AND strengths

DETERMINING ISSUE IMPORTANCE AND POSITION • Issue selection – How important is the issue? – Who has the better position?

Your Message • Have a single or just a few ideas/themes • Portray your values • What you repeat over and over • What you want people to remember • How you connect with and persuade voters ^They need to know WHY you are asking for their support.

CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE MESSAGE • Clear and concise • Compelling • Contrasting • Connected • Consistently delivered • Credible

Key Words change, future, trust, effective, leader, traditional, skills, committed, cares, jobs, people-first, hard-working, independent, progressive, fighter, new, devout, forward, peacemaker, honest, one-of-us, rights, respect, transparent, represent

EXERCISE: MESSAGE BOX What we say about us What we say about them The reasons people The reasons people should vote for you should vote against your opponent What they say about What they say about themselves us The reasons people The reasons people should vote for your should vote against opponent you

EXERCISE: MESSAGE BOX What we say about us What we say about them “You can count on Fatima to fight for “Mohammed won’t be you.” on your side when it matters.” What they say about What they say about themselves us “Mohammed brings “Fatima fights with people together to everybody and doesn’t get things done.” get the job done.”

Voter Contact • Getting your message out! • Strategic and organized • Many delivery methods • Choose most convenient methods to target voters • Use resources wisely and efficiently

DATA & LISTS • Lists of: • Sources of information: – Supporters – Official voter list – Potential donors – Candidate – Volunteers contacts – Press contacts – Supporter’s – Persuadable contacts voter – Party lists – Opinion leaders

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 Voter Spectrum Soft Soft Firmly True Undecide Opponen Supporte Opposed Believer d t r

Choosing the right target means aiming for the middle Target Audience Voter Spectrum Soft Soft Firmly True Undecide Opponen Supporte Opposed Believer d t r

The Messenger Matters! • Use real, relatable people • Use credible people • Trustworthiness and sincerity are key

Indirect Voter Contact Literature distribution TV, radio and newspaper ads Letters to newspaper TV, radio debates Big events Posters and billboards Mail and e-mail Social media

Direct Voter Contact Door-to-door Small personal events Town meetings and other events Candidate “meet and greets” Distribution at gathering places Phone banks

Indirect vs. Direct Voter Contact • Direct requires more time and people • Indirect requires more money

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 12,000 June $5,000 3 TV ads Evening 10,000 June $4,000 2 Sunday Newspaper ads paper 1,000 May Host’s Covered 35 Small Events Evenings home by host 32,000 $12,000 100 TOTAL

Who Will DO All of This? • Manager • Field organizer/s • Communications officer • Volunteer coordinator • Fundraiser • Press officer • Scheduler • Body Man • Volunteers

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT AND MANAGEMENT • Family and friends • Local schools/universities • Local civic/religious organizations

Example Volunteer Assignments • Phone banks • Door to door • Internet research • Mailings or leaflet drops • Event organizing • Data entry • Press clips • Thank you letters and other correspondence • Parades & Sign Waves

Example Volunteer Assignments

So that Fundraiser You Mentioned…..

So that Fundraiser You Mentioned…..

Taking Care of Donors (People who have given to your campaign) are your most likely source of additional support as long as you make them feel appreciated and connected. Here are a few tips: • Thank donors personally and promptly. Hand written notes and thank-you calls can make a strong impression. • Find ways to recognize their support publicly at events or on campaign materials. • Keep them connected with campaign updates and invitations to campaign events. Email is a low-cost way to stay in touch. • Ask for their ideas, input, and participation as well as their financial support.

TIMELINE • Start from election day and work back • Refer to campaign plan • What needs to happen? • By when? • By whom? • With what resources? • Include key dates and deadlines

EXAMPLE:TIMELINE DATE ACTIVITY RESPONSIBLE RESOURCES After Finalize all tasks, pay Campaign Manager, Office Money workers Manager, Finance Director -Venue, food, small Election -Appreciation party -Campaign Team gifts Day Election GOTV – door-to-door -Campaign Manager/Field GOTV leaflet Director Script for volunteers Day -Database Manager Lists of target voters -Volunteer Coordinator Maps of areas 200 Volunteers Observation at polls and -Campaign Manager and Field Check list vote count Director 50 Volunteers -Volunteer Coordinator Candidate Press Events -Campaign Manager and Press Press packets Officer Election day speech -Candidate Election Voter Contact Field Director and Volunteer Persuasion leaflet Coordinator 150 Volunteers Day minus 1 Candidate Visits to Candidate and Campaign Small thank you gifts community leaders Manager for leaders Candidate Press Events Candidate and Press Officer Press packets Speech

GOTV The "get out the vote" (GOTV) effort is often viewed as a separate phase of the campaign. In fact, it should be viewed as the final phase toward which everything else in the campaign builds.

GOTV Election week- -hopefully you’ll work with the party for a lot of this: -canvassing -volunteers at polling stations - easiest to get them to place signs at polling place -lawyer on-hand --try to work with the party for this -group of phone bankers at gotv hq throughout the day on voting day -Acceptance Speech (or otherwise) & press release ready to go