How to Campaign for Mayor

If you are planning to start a campaign for mayor of your city, you should be knowledgeable and concerned about the community and its future. You may or may not have previous experience working for the community, but your passion and devotion to the city must be expressed in all your correspondence to donors and voters, in all your speeches and in your actions.

Instructions

Campaign for Mayor

1. Announce your run for mayoral candidacy. This can be done by issuing a press release in the local newspaper or announcing it in a speech at a public event where there are television news crews, reporters and a large amount of voters.

2. Hire an experienced and educated campaign manager. This person should come with referrals from a candidate who has won his political campaigns. A manager with mayoral campaign experience is ideal.

3. Gather campaign funds from family, friends and local businesses. Contact special-interest groups whose ideas are in alignment with your own. Request sponsorship from big businesses as well.

4. Get out and visit with the public. Schedule speeches and other public appearances on a daily basis. You want to get your name out there as much as possible, and you want your voters to know what you stand for.

5. Advertise yourself. This can be done by giving away pins, shirts and mugs, or getting on television. You should also purchase lawn signs and put them on every busy street corner.

6. Emphasize change. There are voters out there that are seeking a change in their local government. If you are going to change things, then you need to let the voters know.

7. Send everyone a thank-you letter. All those who donate funds to you or sponsor your campaign for mayor should be recognized by, at the very least, a thank-you note. This should be done whether you win the election or lose it.

Tips & Warnings

• Design a lawn sign that will stand out and can be seen from the road as motorists pass by.

• Only release information to the public about the current mayoral administration if it is factual. Check your sources thoroughly before releasing any information.

• Stay away from dirty politics. Do not vote on special interest issues a particular way just because you received a large donation from a group.

• Don't verbally bash your opponent. It takes away from your positive campaign.