Articles & Books From Political Careers

Article / Updated 09-19-2019
The negative campaign seems to be an American tradition, but what does negative campaigning really mean? You hear the terms attack ads and mudslinging. Often, they apply to anything critical.Most negative campaign material is based in fact. It’s only that the target doesn’t like the facts pointed out that makes things seem “negative.
Article / Updated 09-19-2019
Political campaigns benefit from branding. Smart candidates coordinate their campaign materials with a unified theme. Successful branding can help make your name and message “pop” among the voters. The best political branding in recent memory is the O logo from Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. It was marketing genius, since imitated but never equaled.
Article / Updated 09-19-2019
Yard signs are a good way to spread your campaign brand, have supporters show their enthusiasm, and make your opponents nervous. Yard signs are an essential part of your campaign marketing, but by themselves they don’t win elections. Invest in yard signs as part of your campaign strategy. Don’t bother counting your opponent’s yard signs, because elections are won by votes and not the number of yard signs littering lawns and highways.
Article / Updated 09-13-2019
For a small number of politicians, asking for money is no big deal. They’re very good at it. For the majority, asking for money is embarrassing and awkward. It seems dirty, especially in a culture that appreciates entrepreneurs and self-made millionaires. Yet the secret to political fundraising is to ask, and ask you must.
Article / Updated 09-13-2019
Candidate forums and debates when you're campaigning for local office aren’t the drama you see in the movies. In fact, holding such forums isn’t as common as you might think. Most of these events are rather dreary, attended by people who’ve already made up their minds and lacking in any gotcha moments or campaign-ending events.
Article / Updated 09-13-2019
Your political campaign is a short-term, one-goal business. To make it successful, you must be smart about its finances. Part of being an elected official is to watch government spending and control a budget (even if this is not part of your platform). Start by setting an example with your own campaign. You may have a treasurer who manages the campaign money for you, though most local-office candidates manage their own funds.
Article / Updated 09-13-2019
Beyond asking individuals for money, you must supplement your political campaign with other sources of income. The most obvious source is the traditional meet-and-greet fundraiser. Less obvious avenues for obtaining donations also are available, all of which are legal. ©By Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com Put on a meet-and-greet fundraiser A meet-and-greet event has two purposes.
Article / Updated 09-16-2019
It’s surprising how many people don’t know that holding elected office is like taking on a part-time job. Approach campaigning for a public office as you would a typical job search. You start with the job description and job requirements. Remember, holding a public office is a consistent commitment that can last several years.
Article / Updated 09-13-2019
Without a doubt, a social media presence during a political campaign helps increase your exposure to the voters. The big question is social media’s relevance in a small race for local office: Will it affect the outcome?The good news is that social media is well-known and incurs only time as an expense. It costs nothing to set up accounts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and similar sites.
Article / Updated 09-13-2019
When you're campaigning for local office, access to voter data and the creation of voter lists are essential to your success. Everyone's personal voting record is held in confidence; whom they voted for is private, and they mark the ballot anonymously. The fact that someone voted, however, is a public record. Further, information about voter registration is available to anyone who asks.