How to Run for Mayor in a Small Georgia Town
Registering to run for mayor in a small Georgia town isn't hard. It simply requires researching your local ordinance code to see if you meet the eligibility requirements, and winning your party's nomination if applicable. Winning an election, however, is tougher. You will benefit from a strong knowledge of some of your town's most pressing local issues, which in Georgia are likely to include water management, gun rights, tourism and job development.
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Instructions
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Check the Code of Ordinances in your town to see what minimum qualifications you need to meet in order to run for mayor. Most places have an age requirement, which varies from town to town. Some towns may also have ethical requirements, such as a rule that stipulates you must not be on parole or have a pending bankruptcy. These rules vary as well. Your local city hall will have this information. Local political party headquarters will also likely be able to assist you.
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Network with leaders in the political party in which you want to run. You will need the support of party leaders to run for nomination to that party's seat. You may also run as an independent.
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Meet leaders of the local chamber of commerce, civic associations, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, 4-H Club, and the town's investors, neighborhood associations, teacher's unions, and business leagues. These are the most civic-minded and active citizens in your community, and you will need their support to run for office. Due to the influx of manufacturing companies moving to small Georgia towns, some of the most active civic groups are likely to be unions and business leagues.
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If your town is near Georgia's coast, meet with emergency crews and weather services, and include within your platform the ways in which you will prepare the citizens of your town for hurricanes. If your town is inland, discuss how you will manage the town's services in the the event of a springtime tornado. If the Chattahoochee River runs near your town, prepare a plan in case of flooding.
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Ask community members and party members if they're willing to volunteer for your campaign. Set up an email list and database of phone numbers for potential volunteers, and appoint the most enthusiastic volunteers to leadership positions in which they're in charge of managing the other volunteers. Arrange volunteers into the following tasks: door-to-door campaigning, telephone campaigning, managing your website, and soliciting donations for advertisements and overhead.
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Train your volunteers on how to answer questions about your qualifications, experience and platform. In Georgia, one of the most controversial issues is water management. Disputes exist between Georgia and neighboring states over the rights to key water sources. Gun ownership is usually a hot-button issue in rural Georgia. Land use and development, as well as job creation, are also popular topics due to the influx of people moving to Georgia in search of manufacturing jobs. Be sure your volunteers know all the details about your platform on these questions.
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If your town is a tourist attraction, because it's a coastal town, because it's a golf community, or because its near the Appalachian Mountain range, meet with the local tourism board and include, in your campaign, plans for how you will bolster tourism.
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References
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