Description
Book SynopsisGet ready to run forand winthat local election! In the land of opportunity, just about anyone who qualifies as an elector can seek public office. Some do it on a whim, some are urged to run, and some want to use their time and talents to make a difference in their local community. If you want to know how to prepare for a run, which steps to take beforehand, and how the process goes from announcement to campaigning to election day to the swearing-in ceremonythis book has you covered. Find out what it's like to run for local office as a first-time candidateExplore the introspection required and the study necessary to make such a run effectiveDeal with marketing, fundraising, interacting with the public, and dealing with opponentsEncourage and help others to make a run for local office Though only one person ultimately wins a seat, nobody does it without a wide network of support. Running For Local Office For Dummies is your ticket to navigating every step on the road to winning that e
Table of ContentsIntroduction 1
About This Book 1
Foolish Assumptions 2
Icons Used in This Book 3
Beyond the Book 3
Where to Go from Here 3
Part 1: Hail, Future Caesar 5
Chapter 1: Who Runs for Public Office 7
To Be a Politician 7
Avoiding public office altogether 8
Understanding who wins elections 9
Having thick skin 9
Resisting conformity 10
The Ideal Candidate 11
The Political Type 13
Understanding why people run for office 13
Becoming one of them 14
Accept the Results 15
Chapter 2: Local Office Choices 17
Political Hierarchy 17
Local Office Options 19
Exploring political divisions 19
Selecting a seat 20
Knowing your taxing districts 21
Choose an Office 22
Letting the office find you 22
Making a good fit 22
Partisan Effects 23
Running along party lines 23
Avoiding partisan politics 24
Chapter 3: Other Ways to Get Involved 25
Boost Your Public Résumé 25
Building your reputation 26
Becoming a community leader 26
The Activist and the Gadfly 27
Underestimating the gadfly 27
Becoming an activist 28
Joining a party 29
Stay Behind the Curtain 30
Knowing the power players 30
Becoming an influential person 30
Part 2: Before You Run 33
Chapter 4: Know Yourself 35
Some Vital Questions 35
Asking family and friends 36
Knowing your public exposure 36
Discovering your abilities 37
Reaching your goal 38
Explore Your Past 39
Remembering what you’ve done 39
Dealing with potential issues 41
Sell Yourself 42
Believing you can do it 42
Acting the part 43
Dressing the part 44
To Become a Public Person 45
Being available 45
Making new friends and contacts 46
Cutting short a boring conversation 47
Chapter 5: Research the Position 49
The Obligations of Holding Office 49
Knowing the basic requirements 50
Exploring other responsibilities 51
Fit the Job into Your Schedule 52
Study the Issues 52
The Players 53
Recognizing the cast and crew 54
Making the rounds 55
Identifying other people to know 55
Chapter 6: Consider Your Competition 57
Meet Your Opposition 57
Finding possible opponents 58
Building a list of potential candidates 58
Doing a SWOT analysis 59
The Street Fight 60
Having too many opponents 60
Categorizing your opposition 61
Dropping out 62
The Formidable Foe (an Incumbent) 62
Studying the incumbent’s record 63
Reviewing the organization’s unpopular decisions 63
Experiencing the perfect political storm 63
The Agony of Running Unopposed 64
Slates 64
Understanding a slate 65
Being slated against your will 65
Chapter 7: Know the Voters 67
Behold: Voter Data! 67
Running the local election 68
Gathering election data 68
Preparing your lists 70
Purging the lists 72
Obtaining ongoing voter data 73
The Fickle Electorate 73
Accepting the truth about voters 74
Dealing with unholy partisanship 75
Becoming the preferred type of elected official 75
Chapter 8: Ready to Run 77
When to Start? 77
Knowing the election type and style 78
Creating a campaign calendar 79
Starting early 80
The Announcement 81
Creating a press release 82
Staging an announcement event 83
Get Your Answers Ready 84
Memorizing important answers 84
Avoiding awkward answers 85
Election Registration 86
Understanding the qualifications for office 86
Filing the forms 87
Commit Your Time 88
Part 3: The Campaign 89
Chapter 9: Gather Your Assets 91
People to Help You 91
Finding required people 92
Using a campaign manager 93
Obtaining other important people 93
Recruiting volunteers 94
Your Message 95
Honing a message 95
Updating your bio 96
Avoiding meaningless mush 96
Making promises 97
Endorsements 97
Contact Lists 98
Chapter 10: Your Campaign Brand 101
Marvelous Marketing Mavens 102
You are the Product 102
Generating name recognition 102
Creating written material 103
Taking campaign photos 104
Magic Marketing Material 105
Building a brand 105
Creating the traditional handouts 106
Considering other printed material 108
Chapter 11: Money Stuff 111
Campaign Finances 112
Creating a spreadsheet 112
Receiving cash and checks 113
Taking in-kind donations 114
Getting online payments 114
Setting your funding goal 115
Money to Spend 116
Discovering how much things cost 116
Wasting money 118
The Secret to Raising Money 119
Doing background work 119
Asking for money 120
Working through a rejection 121
Strategies for Fundraising 122
Putting on a meet-and-greet 122
Visiting organizations 123
Funding yourself 124
Finance Reports 124
Knowing the law 125
Dealing with campaign finance problems 126
Chapter 12: Communications 127
Connect with Your Audience 127
Using social media 128
Sending direct mail 129
Making some yard signs 133
Writing letters to the editor 136
Going door-to-door 137
Attending forums and debates 138
Writing press releases 140
To Go Negative 142
Understanding “going negative?” 142
Accepting that some people don’t like you 143
Unleashing your wrath 144
Preparing your defense 145
Chapter 13: The Campaign 147
Your Campaign’s Number-One Employee 148
Taking on a full-time job 148
Clearing your calendar 148
Making those calls 149
Putting your volunteers to work 149
Not One, but Two Elections 150
Running in the primary and general elections 151
Addressing the absentees 151
Working the general election 152
Stuff Happens 154
Enduring a major screw-up 154
Dealing with a family emergency 155
Down to the Wire 155
Chapter 14: Election Day 157
Get Out the Vote 158
Rules About Election Day 158
Plan Your Victory Party 160
The Aftermath 161
Accepting a loss 161
Dealing with a win 162
Agonizing over close elections 162
Why Not Try Again? 163
Part 4: In Office 165
Chapter 15: Know the Law 167
Orientation 167
Rules 168
Knowing the code 169
Visiting your paid expert 170
Conflicts of Interest 171
Determining a conflict of interest 172
Dealing with a conflict 172
The Quasi-Judicial Role 174
Becoming judge and jury 174
Avoiding ex parte communications 175
Your Role 176
Serving the public 176
Accepting limitations on your infinite power 177
Making policy versus administrative roles 178
Cooperation 179
Chapter 16: Public Service 181
The Staff 181
Knowing who’s who 182
Assigning department liaisons 183
Interacting with staff 183
Avoiding surprises 184
Members of the Public 185
Serving your constituents 185
Following through 186
Public Communications 187
The Press 187
Developing a positive relationship with the media 188
Tossing a reporter a bone 188
Being caught off guard 189
Your Behavior in Public 190
Chapter 17: At a Public Meeting 191
Transparency 191
Keeping the public’s business public 192
Creating a paper trail 193
Excluding items from the public 194
Disclosing conflicts and recusing yourself 195
The Public Meeting 195
Setting the agenda 196
Conducting yourself during a meeting 198
Attending workshops 199
Concerned Citizens Want to Be Heard 200
Holding public comment 201
Dealing with upset people 201
Your Public Record 203
Chapter 18: Decisions: Who to Tick Off? 205
The Same Ol’ Same Ol’ 205
Homework for Every Decision 206
That “Difficult Decision” 207
The Vote 208
Chapter 19: Your Reelection 211
The Glory of Incumbency 211
Taking advantage of your advantage 212
Understanding why voters keep incumbents 212
Reapplying for the same job 213
Your Reelection Strategy 213
Touting your public record 214
Being an active candidate 214
Term Limits 215
Groom a Replacement 216
Part 5: The Part of Tens 219
Chapter 20: Ten Common Campaign Mistakes 221
Not Raising Money 222
Spending Money Early 222
Misspending Money 223
Not Showing Up 223
Not Tracking Finances 223
Mistreating Staff and Supporters 224
Arguing with Idiots Online 224
Not Using Volunteers 225
Getting Facts Wrong 226
Going Negative 226
Chapter 21: Ten Ups and Downs 229
Up and Down: Polls 229
Up: Money Comes In 230
Down: Press Coverage 230
Up: Unexpected Support 231
Down: Your Opponent is Doing Well 232
Up: You See an Effect 232
Down: Stress 233
Up: Positive Feedback 233
Down: No-Shows 234
Up: You Did It 234
Chapter 22: Ten Frustrations of an Elected Official 235
Staff Offers Yes–No “Decisions” 236
Electeds Kowtow to Staff 236
Electeds Keep Congratulating Staff 237
The Whole “Sir” Thing 238
Out of the Loop 238
Someone Punts 239
When Peers are Obviously Unprepared 240
People Who Suck the Air Out of the Room 240
Subcommittee Overload 241
Experts to Ignore 243
Index 245
