Things You'll Need:
- Federal Election Commission Campaign Guide Filing forms Campaign committee Campaign treasurer More than $5,000
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Step 1
Prepare your reasons for seeking office before announcing that you want to become a Member of Congress. In order to seriously challenge an incumbent, you have to stand for things that distinguish you from your opponent. These positions have to be stated succinctly and simply so that they can be easily understood by to the voters.
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Step 2
Test the opinions of local political activists about your prospects. Congressional candidates usually are already involved in local or state politics at some level, so you can network with members of your own party who will be able to advise you about the viability of your candidacy. Many candidates form exploratory campaign committees to test whether they can raise enough support, in both finances and winning votes.
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Step 3
Raise at least $5,000 from your supporters. This alerts everyone that you have a committed following. As soon as you have raised or spent this amount, register as a candidate with the Federal Elections Commission (FEC). Check with your state election board about any additional requirements for getting your name on the ballots of the primary and general elections.
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Step 4
Within 15 days of filing, recruit a group of experienced people to be your principal campaign committee. Their names must appear on the forms you will send to the FEC. The most important member is the treasurer, who will handle fund-raising and expenses and report them according to FEC regulations. While you also will need a campaign manager to keep everything running smoothly, without an official campaign treasurer, your campaign is out of compliance with the FEC.
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Step 5
Meet as many voters as possible to convince them that you are the most deserving candidate. Recruit dedicated volunteers to help canvas the entire district on your behalf, and hire a media director to help with advertising. You may have to face your opponents in a debate, if they agree to face you publicly.
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Step 6
If you are running against other members of your party, you must defeat them in a primary election to choose the nominee for the general election. After you win, begin your campaign against the opposing nominee. The general campaign is similar to the primary, except that the audience you must convince is more diverse and includes voters from your opponent's party.
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Step 7
Campaigning continues up to Election Day. In the event of a tie, each state has rules that decide the final result. After you win the election and the results have been certified by your state's Secretary of State, travel to Washington, D.C., to attend the swearing-in and orientation for freshman members of Congress.
