2. Ganahl: The Rules of Engagement

December 6, 2023

(George Caleb Bingham)

Before you begin your campaign’s Gantt chart, you will need to sit down and think long and hard about what you’re up to — what you stand for, what you intend to accomplish and how you are going to accomplish it. Yes, your ideas will maker. Dennis Ganahl has run dozens of campaigns from neighborhood micro-campaigns to statewide legislative races and referendums. Below are the intellectual hoops that you will have to jump through to win your election, a collection of general approaches to the various aspects of a campaign. You can of course choose the approach you prefer but you had better make a choice — and the earlier the better. If you don’t stand for something, you will stand for nothing, and voters will see that.

By Dennis Ganahl, Ph.D. (dennis.ganahl@me.com)

1. Define Your Platform: Clearly articulate your stance on key issues that matter to your constituency. Develop policies and positions that address local concerns.

2. Know Your Constituents: Understand the needs, preferences, and
concerns of the people in your area. Engage in conversations, attend community events, and conduct surveys to gather valuable insights.

3. Build a Strong Team: Surround yourself with dedicated and capable individuals who can help with campaign strategy, outreach, communications, and logistics.

4. Campaign Strategy: Develop a comprehensive strategy that includes fundraising, outreach, advertising, and grassroots efforts. This might involve door-knocking, organizing town halls, creating a website, and using social media.

5. Fundraising: Secure the necessary funds for your campaign. This can come from personal savings, donations, and potentially public funding, depending on local laws.

6. Compliance and Paperwork: Ensure that you comply with all legal requirements for running in your locality. This may involve registering with election authorities, filing financial reports, and adhering to campaign spending limits.

7. Communicate Effectively: Craft a clear and compelling message that resonates with your audience. Be authentic and transparent in your communication.

8. Leverage Technology: Use digital tools, such as social media, email campaigns, and online advertising, to reach a wider audience and engage with voters.

9. Participate in Debates and Forums: Showcase your knowledge and positions in public forums to demonstrate your credibility and ability to address important issues.

10. Door-to-Door Canvassing: Connect with voters directly by going door-to-door to discuss your platform and listen to their concerns.

11. Engage with Local Media: Establish relationships with local journalists and media outlets. Offer yourself for interviews and provide press releases about campaign milestones.

12. Volunteer and Community Engagement: Encourage supporters to volunteer their time and actively engage with the community. This can help build a strong network of advocates.

13. Stay Resilient: Be prepared for challenges and setbacks. Maintain a positive attitude, adapt your strategy when needed, and continue engaging with voters.

14. Get Out the Vote: Ensure that your supporters actually go to the polls on Election Day. Implement effective GOTV strategies, such as providing transportation, sending reminders, and organizing events.

15. Compliance with Election Regulations: Adhere to all election laws and regulations, including campaign finance laws, to avoid any legal issues.

Remember, winning a local election requires dedication, hard work, and effective communication with your constituents. It’s also important to be genuine and authentic in your interactions.

How to Build A Strong Campaign Team

You have to care about your neighborhood in order to build a team that can win political contests. It takes time and patience. In the end, count on doing most of the work yourself. These experiences lead to self-actualization that isn’t possible otherwise.

When you build your neighborhood organization, there are many advantages over out- of-town professional campaign workers. A neighborhood organization can be more efficient than paid workers or shipped-in college student canvassers who move in to your campaign territory. Unless a political party or other political organization has targeted your race or precincts as a priority for some reason, you won’t get resources or help from others. Building a team to engage in a long-term plan maximizes your neighborhood’s potential for more than a last-minute candidate campaign.

The 50/50 Rule

Fact: You must be the most dedicated person in your endeavor, otherwise you will fail. Count on doing half the work by yourself, and your volunteers doing the other half. Volunteers aren’t as committed, and since they aren’t paid, they aren’t required to work. They are less likely to follow through on their commitment because of other things in their life come up and take precedence. Expect to lose at least half of your volunteers for every event you plan.

Recruit twice as many volunteers as you need to ensure an adequate number of volunteers will show up. Phoning them the night before helps your turnout, but expect half. Also, don’t burn out your volunteers doing stuff that takes you little to no time to do. Use them for heavy lifting projects.

Over the course of the campaign, you may find a few excellent volunteers committed and willing to go above and beyond the normal expectations. These people may become candidates in the future. Take time to teach them if they show interest.

How to Find Productive Volunteers

The most direct source of volunteers is to contact people already active in groups with a history of political action. Create a list of people involved with organizations you know or have heard about. Reach out to them and ask to speak a few minutes at their meeting. Here are some possible opportunities for recruiting. You must be willing to tell your story many, many times. Don’t drone on and on, stay upbeat, and motivate people. Close by asking for volunteers to help you make a difference.

How To Keep Your Volunteers Motivated and Working: Build a Positive and Passionate Culture

It’s a challenge to build and maintain a volunteer team that is happy and active. Learning how to motivate and direct people requires leadership and people skills. Buy a copy of “How to win friends and influence people” by Dale Carnegie. It’ll pay for itself many times if you read it and employ Carnegie’s time-tested techniques. The first step is to build relationships with your volunteers. It takes time and effort to learn about them and their families. If someone feels like they aren’t appreciated and respected they won’t work for you and worse, they will talk badly about you to others. Constantly, tell volunteers how important they are and how much you appreciate their help. They are invaluable.

Show your appreciation –Volunteers need to feel appreciated and recognized. Give out certificates of appreciation or other small gifts like coffee gift cards. Listen – Since they are interacting with the general public, volunteers are a great source of insider intelligence. Take time to listen to their suggestions, then take action.

Take time to have fun – If it’s not something people will have fun doing, they won’t do it. If they see it as drudgery, they won’t come back. Electing someone to public office is serious business. Being a volunteer needs to be fun and people must feel the passion. Listen to your volunteers.

Include everyone who offers their time – Find something to do for everyone who volunteers. Campaigns can turn into an “us versus them” situation. Don’t let cliques get started like “Insiders versus the other volunteers,” “People who have been around longer and people who just came on board,” “Volunteers who have been working together for years versus new recruits.”

Don’t burn them out – Volunteers may be given too much responsibility too early, or you may be relying on the same volunteers for every project.

Can’t lose/ Can’t win – Volunteers don’t want to waste their time if the campaign seems like a sure thing or a lost cause.

No Growth – Volunteer work can’t always be tedious: there are enough interesting assignments to go around.

External Opposition – When a person volunteers, their entire family, is impacted. Appreciate what people and their families are doing for you.

Avoid Internal Conflict – No one wants to work in a place that is full of tension. How to Canvass

Door-to-Door canvassing is a highly targeted and extremely effective technique. Voters can really identify with a campaign if their neighbors or other individuals are on their doorsteps describing the candidate or issue directly to them.

Canvassing Kit

1. Talking Points: Relaying a targeted and unified message is the most important part about contacting voters. Keep on the talking points. Don’t stray away from them.

2. Walk Lists and Maps: In your packet include a walk list. This list includes the address of the targeted voters you will meet. The route you take to get to each household will be plotted on a map.

3. Literature/Brochure: Give literature to distribute to each targeted voter.

4. Question Slips: If a volunteer is unable to answer a question, have them fill out a Question Slip and let the voter know that someone from the campaign’s headquarters will follow-up.

5. Tally Sheet: As you are canvassing a community, keep track of the voters with whom you speak by utilizing a tally sheet and tracking code.

6. Volunteer Badge: Use a volunteer badge to identify the person as a volunteer for the campaign.

7. Early Vote/Absentee Ballot Eligibility List/Voter Registration: You should inform each targeted voter of the eligibility requirements for voting early. It is also a good idea to have Voter Registration forms on hand if you get the opportunity to register a new voter.

8. Ride to the Poll Form: If a voter decided he/she would like to vote early and requests a ride to the County Voter Registration Office to do so, have him/her fill out the attached Ride to the Polls Form.

9. Legal Rights of a Canvasser Memo: In case a volunteer runs into any problems with the authorities while canvassing they should know their rights and contact you.

10. Encourage Volunteers to Bring Water and a Snack

How to Train Canvassers

Canvassers always need to be trained before they go out canvassing for the first time. This should include some role playing to allow the volunteer to become familiar with the script and the marking system the campaign has created. Volunteers should be instructed on appearance and behavior. Dress nicely, no foul language, no standing in flowers, etc. Warn canvassers about possible dangers like dogs.

Recommendation and Rules for Canvassers

1. Wear comfortable shoes.
2. Look presentable when you go door-to-door.
3. Keep your partner within sight.
4. Never go into anyone’s home. Just thank them and move along.
5. If someone has a question and you do not immediately know the answer, make a note and get back to them with the answer.
6. Remember to record as much voter information as possible.
7. Never put literature in mailboxes or mail slots even though it may seem like a good idea. It is actually against the law to do so.

How to Write a Script for Canvassing

1. Identify Yourself

“__________________ (voter), my name is _________________, and I’m a volunteer for ______________________ (candidate), who’s running for the state house. May I speak with you for just a moment?”

2. Talk about the Candidate

“We’re helping ________________ (candidate), because, __________________ (candidate), is an honest candidate with a good record of helping the consumer. We think
________________ (candidate), is one of the few candidates we can trust these days.”

3. Ask the Question

“We’re conducting a person-to-person campaign because ______ (candidate)____ wants to make sure the people know where ______ (candidate)____ stands on the issues. Is there a particular issue you’re concerned about or any other question you’d like to ask?”

4. Offer Brochure

“Have you made up your mind about the election, ___(voter)____?” [If yes, determine preference and conclude conversation appropriately. If no, continue.]
“I’d like to leave this brochure with you, ___(voter)____, to tell you more about ______ (candidate)____ . Please consider voting for ______ (candidate)____ on Election Day. ______ (candidate)____ will be a great state representative. Thanks for your time.



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