Running for elected office? You need a plan!



Anything important requires a plan!


Before a pilot flies a plane, he files a flight plan.

Before a professor or teacher begins their class, they develop a plan.

Every building, from the tallest skyscrapers to the smallest backyard shed, requires a plan.

Athletes on a court or a field have a plan for their games, and they practice those plans repeatedly before a match.

But many people who want to run for elected political office jump into a campaign without a plan.

Why would someone run for office without a plan?

A well-organized campaign plan serves as your roadmap to victory.

A campaign plan maps out how to use your time.

A campaign plan will create a path for raising money, and then how to responsibly spend it.

A campaign plan focuses you on paying attention to the most important information available in your political race and how to create a message, what the right message is, and who you need to reach.

The PoliticalCampaign Desk Reference by Michael McNamara has been used by candidates at all levels, and in university classrooms and chamber of commerce leadership programs since 2008.  In this book, the author describes the first steps in developing a campaign plan and points out some key differences in things that candidates should think about such as strategy versus tactics, questions that candidates must ask themselves before making the decision to run.

Things that you must consider when considering a run for office, and questions that a campaign plan will answer:

  • Why am I running for office?
  • What are the qualifications and duties of the office I am seeking?
  • When should I begin the process?
  • What do I need to do in order to win?
  • What activities will have the biggest impact?
  • What resources on a campaign can I control (Time, Information, Money and People)?
  • How will I allocate these resources?
  • How can I track my progress?
  • What should my campaign plan include?
  • Who are my likely supporters, and how will I reach them?
  • What is my core message? What makes me the best choice?
  • How will I raise the money needed for campaign activities?
  • How will I engage with voters (door-to-door, phone calls, events, social media)?
  • How will I handle press, debates, and digital outreach?
  • What’s my plan for getting supporters to the polls?

Every successful campaign, no matter how small, has a solid plan. Even if you’re running on a shoestring budget, having a roadmap will help you maximize every opportunity. If you’re serious about winning, start by building a plan that works for your campaign.

In this post, we will explore the first couple of questions candidates must ask.  First, "Why am I running for office?"

There are many reasons candidates run for office.  Some of them are selfish reasons:

  • Some want the retirement and benefits of an office
  • Some want the perceived lifestyle or popularity that elected office may offer
  • Some want power and control
  • Some want financial benefits such as insider information that has allegedly made many people in Washington fabulously wealthy
  • Some want to prevent another person from gaining an office

And then there are more altruistic reasons:

  • Some candidates want to be good stewards of the public trust and finances
  • Some candidates want to effect change in certain areas where they believe it is needed
  • Some candidates feel that serving in elected office is a good way to give back to their community, county, state or nation
  • Some want to be a voice for those who may be underserved or underrepresented

If your motives are among the former, then I recommend you do not run for office.  If they are among the latter, then you need to prepare yourself to deal with the other officeholders whose motives are selfish.

Whatever your reason for running for office, you need to be true to yourself and know what your motivating factors are.  That does not mean you need to tell everyone else what you motivation is, but you do need to develop an answer to the question, "Whay are you running for office?" as this will be the one asked first and most often in your campaign.  

As you develop a message, you will have a better idea of what your answer to this question is.  Message is discussed in a future post.

The other question we will address here is "when should I begin the process?

It is never too early to begin the process of running for office.  Some people begin the planning phase of a campaign years before they run for office.  They integrate into the community where they want to serve, join a board or commission to oversee an aspect of the community such as public works, civil service, zoning, parks and recreation or other civic group.  They get to know the job, know all the people in the community and demonstrate that they are net contributors to the community.

While this is happening, the future candidate is making connections with people who may become financial donors or volunteers.  The future candidate is learning what the issues are, and how to solve them.  The future candidate is developing their campaign plan that manages the four resources of a campaign (time, information, money, and people).

Sometimes plans change, but it is easier to modify an existing plan than it is to operate with no plan at all.  So if you haven't already started your plan, now is a good time.

Additional reading:

These resources will help you develop your campaign plan and keep you focused:

The Political Campaign Desk Reference

Workbook: The companion to the Political Campaign Desk Reference

Audible version of The Political Campaign Desk Reference

Campaignguy.com – a web site dedicated to the successful development of campaign plans and providing resources for your political campaign.

 

© Copyright 2025 Campaignguy (a trademark of Mason Grant, LLC)

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