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#CARD
THE CAMPAIGN MANUAL
A Definitive Study of the
Modern Political Campaign Process
Revised 3rd Edition, 1989
by S. J. Guzzetta
Political Campaign Consultant
Member, American Association of Political Consultants
President, S. J. Guzzetta & Associates
P. O. Box 17274
Alexandria, Virginia 22302
(703) 549-7586
CD-ROM Published by:
WAYZATA TECHNOLOGY INC
Post Office BOX 807
Grand Rapids, Minnesota 55744
(218) 326-0597, (800) 735-7321
FAX (218) 326-0598, TECH SUPPORT (800) 377-7321
Book Published by:
Political Publishing Company
P. O. Box 17274
Alexandria, Virginia 22302
(703)549-7586
Edited by: M. Fletcher Reynolds
Carol Allen
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CARD CATALOG NO.: 81-67615
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
(c) 1981, 1989. Political Publishing Company, Alexandria, Virginia
The text of this publication, or any part thereof, may not be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an
information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the author.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
TABLE OF CONTENTS CARD#
Welcome...............................................................1
TABLE OF CONTENTS.....................................................2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......................................................3
DEDICATION............................................................4
ABOUT THE AUTHOR......................................................5
PREFACE...............................................................6
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A Congressional Candidate's Campaign..................................7
CHAPTER II
PREPARATION
Getting The Act Together.............................................11
1. HIRING A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT..................11
2. SEED MONEY..............................................12
3. THE CANDIDATE'S BIOGRAPHY...............................12
4. THE FAMILY'S BIOGRAPHY..................................12
5. WHY ARE YOU RUNNING?....................................12
6. OPPOSITION RESEARCH.....................................13
7. REGISTERED VOTERS' LIST.................................13
8. ZIP CODE MAP OF DISTRICT................................13
9. ELECTORAL DISTRICT MAP..................................13
10. ANALYSIS OF DISTRICT....................................14
11. LIST OF OTHER ELECTED AND PARTY OFFICIALS...............14
12. PREVIOUS ELECTION RESULTS...............................14
13. COMMITTEES' MEMBERSHIP LISTS............................14
14. PROSPECTIVE MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS' LIST....................15
15. PROSPECTIVE MINOR CONTRIBUTORS' LIST....................15
16. CAMPAIGN PHOTOS.........................................15
17. FILING WITH THE FEDERAL (STATE) ELECTION COMMISSION.....15
18. POSITION PAPERS.........................................16
19. DISTRICT MEDIA OUTLETS..................................16
20. POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS....................................16
21. DISTRICT DIRECTORIES....................................17
22. POSSIBLE STAFF PERSONNEL................................17
23. CENTERS OF INFLUENCE LIST...............................17
24. LOCAL PARTY VOLUNTEERS AND CONTRIBUTORS.................17
25. THE CAMPAIGN COLORS.....................................18
26. PERSONAL CAMPAIGN ACTIVITY PREFERENCES..................18
27. THE FAMILY'S ROLE.......................................18
28. FAIRS, FESTIVALS, AND PARADES...........................18
29. RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS...........................18
30. HOW MUCH TIME CAN BE SPENT CAMPAIGNING?.................18
31. THE CANDIDATE'S CAMPAIGN WARDROBE.......................19
32. INTERNAL PREPARATION....................................19
33. THE CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS...............................19
34. BASIC CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTER'S EQUIPMENT..................20
35. NEWSPAPER CLIPPING SERVICE AND FILES....................21
CHAPTER III
DEVELOPING BASIC STRATEGY
Defining the Problem and Finding the Solution........................25
1. THE VARIABLES INVOLVED..................................25
2. TWO BASIC GROUPS OF VOTERS =TWO STRATEGIES..............25
3. A PROTOTYPE PLAN - THE PARAMETERS.......................26
4. BUILDING NAME ID........................................26
5. CREATING A FAVORABLE IMPRESSION.........................27
6. COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE ABOVE-AVERAGE VOTERS............28
7. WHAT SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED.............................29
8. ESTABLISHING VOTER OBJECTIVES AND HOW TO REACH THEM.....30
9. PAID MEDIA STRATEGY.....................................31
10. STRATEGY REVIEW.........................................33
CHAPTER IV
THE POLITICAL GAME PLAN, BUDGET, AND CASH FLOW
The Blueprint of Happiness...........................................35
1. THE PREFACE.............................................35
2. SUMMARIZE THE STRATEGY..................................36
3. DEVELOPING THE TIME LINE................................37
A. 1st Stage: Pre-Announcement......................37
B. 2nd Stage: Voter ID Stage........................37
C. 3rd Stage: Positive Advocacy Stage...............37
D. 4th Stage: Negative Advocacy Stage...............37
E. 5th Stage: GOTV Stage............................37
4. POLITICAL TIME LINE.....................................38
5. THE CAMPAIGN BUDGET.....................................42
6. CAMPAIGN CASH FLOW SCHEDULE/CALENDAR....................43
7. BUDGET ANALYSIS.........................................44
8. POLITICAL GAME PLAN SUMMARY.............................45
CHAPTER V
IMPLEMENTATION
Who, What, When, Where, Why, How.....................................46
1. THE CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATIONAL FLOW CHART..................46
2. THE CANDIDATE...........................................47
A. Some Do's and Don't's............................47
B. Some Types of Campaign Activity..................49
(1) Canvassing Precincts.....................49
(2) Plant gate campaigning...................49
(3) Coffee "klatches.".......................49
(4) Public Speaking before civic and business
groups...............................50
(5) Debates with the opponent................50
(6) Fairs, festivals, and parades............50
(7) Community centers of activity............51
3. THE CANDIDATE'S SPOUSE AND FAMILY.......................52
4. THE CAMPAIGN CHAIRPERSON(S).............................52
5. THE CAMPAIGN TREASURER..................................53
6. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON(S)....................54
7. THE RESEARCH CHAIRPERSON................................55
8. THE REGIONAL CHAIRPERSONS...............................56
A. Methods for Recruiting Volunteers................56
B. Developing the Volunteer Kits....................57
C. Minor Events and Other Activities................57
D. Candidate's Campaign Schedule in the Region......58
9. THE AREA CHAIRPERSONS...................................58
10. THE PRECINCT CAPTAIN....................................59
11. THE PHONE BANK SUPERVISORS AND PROGRAM..................60
A. Procedures, Objectives, and Implementation.......61
(1) Stage 2, Voter Identification............61
(2) Stage 3, Positive Advocacy...............62
(3) Stage 4, Negative Advocacy...............62
(4) Stage 5, GOTV............................63
(5) Election Day.............................63
12. THE PHONE BANK VOLUNTEER................................64
13. THE CAMPAIGN MANAGER AND DIRECT MAIL PROGRAM............65
A. Duties and Responsibilities......................66
B. Implementing the Direct Mail Program.............66
14. THE CAMPAIGN SECRETARY AND SCHEDULING...................68
A. How to Schedule..................................68
(1) Outside Requests for Appearance..........68
(2) Internal Requests for Appearance.........69
B. Director of Volunteers...........................71
15. THE FIELD OPERATIONS DIRECTOR AND VOTER TARGETING.......71
A. How to Develop Voter Objectives for Each Precinct.
....................................71
B. Prioritizing the Precincts.......................73
C. Prioritizing the Candidate's Regional Activity...73
16. THE FINANCE DIRECTOR....................................75
17. THE PRESS SECRETARY AND DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH............75
A. Press Release and Conference Schedule............75
B. Suggested Procedures.............................77
(1) Press Conferences........................77
(2) Types of Press Releases and How to Prepare.
...................................77
(a) Issue or position releases.......77
(b) Opposition releases..............78
(c) Organizational releases..........78
(d) Spontaneous (or reaction) releases
...................................78
(e) Radio actualities................78
18. THE DRIVER/AIDE.........................................79
19. THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT.......................80
20. THE POLITICAL FUNDRAISING CONSULTANT....................83
21. THE POLITICAL MEDIA CONSULTANT (AD AGENCY)..............83
22. THE DIRECT MAIL/COMPUTER COMPANY........................84
23. THE POLITICAL POLLING CONSULTANT (POLLING FIRM).........85
24. THE PRINT AND GRAPHICS COMPANIES........................86
A. Graphics.........................................86
B. Brochures........................................86
C. Tabloids.........................................86
25. THE COMPUTERIZATION OF THE CAMPAIGN.....................87
A. Individual Support File..........................87
B. Individual Prospect File.........................87
C. Organization Support File........................87
D. Organization Prospect File.......................87
E. Media File.......................................87
F. Voter Registration File..........................87
CHAPTER VI
THE FUNDRAISING GAME PLAN
How to Pay for It....................................................90
1. ORGANIZATION OF FINANCE COMMITTEE.......................90
2. FINANCE COMMITTEE OBJECTIVES............................90
3. TIME LINE AND FUNDRAISING SCHEDULE......................91
4. INITIAL PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGY......................91
5. THE DIRECT MAIL FUNDRAISING PROGRAM.....................94
A. Mass Mailings.....................................94
B. Fundraising Through Political Direct Mail Programs.
...............................................95
C. Selective Mailing Within District.................96
6. THE PAC SOLICITATION PROGRAM............................98
A. What Are PACs?...................................98
B. Why Are There PACs?..............................99
C. How Do They Work?................................99
D. Preparations for the Program....................100
E. The First Mailing...............................101
F. The Follow-Up...................................102
G. Procedures the PACs Follow......................102
H. The Second PAC Mailing..........................103
I. Other PAC Activities the Candidate Should Do....104
7. OUT-OF-DISTRICT FUNDRAISING PROGRAM....................104
A. Direct Mail and Telephone Follow-up.............104
B. Sponsorship Solicitation by Key Individuals.....104
8. MAJOR EVENTS...........................................105
A. Arranging for a Guest Speaker...................105
B. Secure the Location.............................106
C. Establishing the Cost Factors...................106
D. Operations and Promotion........................106
E. The Follow-up...................................107
F. Planning an Airport Rally.......................107
G. Other Possible Activities.......................108
9. MINOR EVENTS...........................................108
10. THE CANDIDATE'S CONTRIBUTION...........................108
11. SUMMARY................................................109
CHAPTER VII
WHAT THE OPPONENT WILL BE DOING
It Takes Two to Tango...............................................111
1. FIRST STAGE STRATEGY AND ACTIVITY......................111
2. SECOND STAGE CAMPAIGNING...............................112
3. THIRD STAGE - HIGH GEAR................................112
4. OPPOSITION STRATEGY AND TACTICS........................112
5. SUMMARY................................................113
CHAPTER VIII
SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW
Play it Again, Sal..................................................114
CHAPTER IX
VARIATIONS
For Congressional and Other Type Campaigns..........................120
1. CONGRESSIONAL SIZE CAMPAIGNS (500,000 PEOPLE)..........120
A. A Semi-Rural District...........................122
B. A Rural District................................122
C. An Urban or Suburban District in a Major
Metropolitan Area...........................123
D. A District Without a Local Media Market.........123
E. A District in a State with Open Registration....123
F. A Contested Primary.............................124
2. U.S. SENATE, GUBERNATORIAL, OR OTHER STATEWIDE RACES...125
A. Some Similarities and Differences...............125
(1) Status as a Previous Officeholder.......126
(2) The Size of the State by Population and/or
Geography...........................126
(3) The Availability of Volunteers..........126
B. The Organizational Structure....................127
C. The Candidate's Activities......................127
D. Variations in the Paid Media Program............127
E. Polling.........................................128
F. Fundraising.....................................128
G. The Use of Consultants..........................129
H. Summary.........................................130
3. LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGNS..................................130
4. LOCAL CAMPAIGNS........................................132
APPENDIX A
ACTUAL GAME PLANS AND PROCEDURAL MANUALS THAT WORK..................133
APPENDIX B
SAMPLE FORMS........................................................176
APPENDIX C
DIRECTORY OF POLITICAL RESOURCES AND POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE............185
#ENDCARD
#CARD
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The author gratefully acknowledges the guidance and assistance
provided him throughout his career by his mentor and friend, Dr. Joel
Fisher, Ph.D., J.D. of Los Angeles, California, a noted authority on
the American political process and the two-party system.
And to the many others, both in and out of the field of politics, who
contributed so much to his education and training, especially Joe
Cerrell, Cerrell Associates, Inc., Los Angeles, California and George
Young, George Young and Associates, Inc., Los Angeles, California.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
DEDICATION
to my friend and partner:
Carole Seminara Guzzetta
and our now 14 year old, Joanna, to
whom I owe a considerable amount
of money as a result of the
unexpected success of the
First Edition.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mr. Guzzetta is one of the "second generation" of Political
Campaign Consultants and considered by some to be in the top ten of
his field.
A graduate of California State University, Fullerton, he holds
a degree in political science (the American political process) and
minors in economics, communications, and human services. His graduate
fields were the American political process and international
relations. In addition to graduating with honors, he has the
distinction of being one of the few individuals in the country to have
completed all of his undergraduate work in 18 months.
After ten years as an insurance and business consultant,
during which time he was also an active volunteer on numerous
political campaigns in New York and California, he entered college
with the deliberate intention of becoming a Political Campaign
Consultant. Under the guidance of Dr. Joel Fisher, he developed a
curriculum of studies designed to provide him with the foundation for
this new career. (At the time, no college or university offered a
program for Political Campaign Consultants or managers. Today there
are approximately seven in the country).
Following his academic training, he apprenticed for a year
with Joe Cerrell, Cerrell Associates, Inc., Los Angeles, California,
working on campaigns in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles. This
experience provided invaluable on-the-job training in many areas of
campaign techniques, especially fundraising and public relations (free
media communications). After which, he continued his apprenticeship
with George Young, George Young and Associates, Inc., Los Angeles,
California, for two years, managing campaigns in California, Michigan
and Pennsylvania. With Mr. Young he developed in-depth knowledge of
media production and placement, direct mail, and the dynamics of
campaign management.
In 1975 he founded Campaign Management Associates, Inc. (CMA),
a political consulting and management firm in Los Angeles, California.
Determined to provide a "one-stop-shop" for candidates in order to
help reduce a campaign's overhead costs, he continually expanded the
range of services provided. For four years he continued to work on
various campaigns around the country in Washington state, Iowa,
Wisconsin, Florida, and California.
In 1979 Mr. Guzzetta "went National" and moved to the
Washington, D.C. area forming his present political consulting firm of
S. J. Guzzetta and Associates in Alexandria, Virginia. During this
period he has consulted on campaigns in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware,
Indiana, Texas, Louisiana, and Michigan. In his "off" years, he
lectures, conducts campaign seminars, and does research and analysis
in a constant effort to improve and refine the basic techniques and
procedures used in campaign management.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
PREFACE
When I first wrote The Campaign Manual in 1981 I attempted to
provide the reader with a basic guide to the fundamentals of the
political campaign process. In fact it was originally written to be
used as an internal manual for campaigns on which I was consulting.
Later I was encouraged to develop it into a book that could be used by
candidates who, in all probability, could not afford to hire a
Political Campaign Consultant but who still needed basic guidance in
the fundamentals of putting together a campaign organization. In
attempting to realize this objective, I wrote the book for a
challenger entering politics for the first time. I tried to show the
concepts, methods, and techniques that are, or should be, a part of
the foundation in most campaigns and that would be of value to most
candidates and individuals with an interest in the field of Politics.
I have been pleasantly surprised since then, not only by the
number of people who have found The Campaign Manual to be helpful but
also by the broad spectrum of users involved. Candidates at all
levels, challengers and incumbents alike, have used the book.
Directors of political action committees, associations, unions, and
staff members of the national, state, and local political parties are
among the 5,000+ users. Libraries, colleges, and universities
throughout the country were quick to order it. Many professors have
made it a standard in their political science classes in spite of the
fact that The Campaign Manual was never intended to be a textbook in
the scholastic sense (it still isn't - no bibliography). But most of
all I have been especially pleased by the number of my fellow
Political Campaign Consultants, both here and in Canada, who have used
The Campaign Manual.
Many of them have used the book as it was originally intended:
to help train local campaign staffs quickly in the basics of running a
campaign. Some have used it as a recruiting tool by lending it to
prospective clients with the understanding that, if after reading it
they were still determined to run for office, then they would talk
further about getting together. And some have paid the highest
compliment of all by taking the time to let me know they gained some
additional knowledge after having read it. My sincerest thanks to all
of you.
In this revised 3rd Edition I have attempted to update
relevant data which have obviously changed over the past six years,
especially in budget and cost areas. I have also responded to some
suggestions that I elaborate on the job descriptions of the various
players in the campaign process and that I spend a little more time
discussing the variables in a campaign situation. As I explained in
the 1st Edition, my intention was to provide a basic "how to" manual
which would be applicable in the broadest number of situations; but I
have gone into more detail in this edition. You will also find some
new material about the changes that have occurred as a result of
computer technology developed over the last six years. I hope you
will find this as exciting as I did when I first learned of it.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
INTRODUCTION:
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A Congressional Candidate's Campaign;
The modern American political campaign is a dynamic process
subject to an almost unlimited number of variables. It is therefore
virtually impossible to develop a manual which can be used for all
types of campaigns at all times. However, after seventeen years of
professional experience as a full-time Political Campaign Consultant
and Campaign Manager, I have found there are a substantial number of
activities that are relatively constant in the campaign process.
In my opinion, the number of manuals currently available for
those interested in the political process deal too much with the
general theory about the variables and fail to emphasize the
constants. The Campaign Manual attempts to correct this deficiency
and address another problem with most other manuals, namely their
attempt to provide guidance without reference to the type of campaign,
i.e. local races vs. Senatorial. This Manual is loosely based on a
Congressional campaign. Experience has shown that most other
campaigns use either more or less of the same type of activity insofar
as the constants are concerned.
The prototype plan which will be presented later is based on a
Congressional Candidate's campaign in an urban/suburban district.
Each candidate will have to make the necessary adjustments if his/her
election district (the geographical area in which running) is
different. (Some guidance is provided in Chapter IX). For example,
the use of volunteers for precinct canvassing is severely restricted
in a heavily rural district. However, since the objectives of that
activity must still be realized, substitute methods must be developed
by the Candidate and campaign committee.
As you read this Manual you will notice the relatively high
costs and enormous amount of work involved. The immediate reaction
usually is -- "Is all this really necessary to win?" The answer is an
emphatic YES! The dollars involved really translate into
communications designed to inform and motivate the voter. Unless a
Candidate is able to effectively communicate his or her message to the
electorate, the chances of winning are slim. It is true some
candidates occasionally win with budgets substantially less than what
is recommended here - but these are the exception, not the rule.
Occasionally there are outside factors which help low-budget
candidates win "in spite of themselves." An example of this would be
a "coat-tail" effect from a Candidate for President or statewide
office; the opponent being involved in a scandal; an incumbent who,
through force of habit, refuses to take a challenger seriously and
does little to ensure re-election; the death or major disability of an
opponent during the election cycle; an unusually low voter turn-out,
etc.
The question every Candidate must ask and answer is whether or
not he/she wants to risk the outcome of the election on one or more of
these outside factors. Approximately 97% of all incumbents win
re-election, and better than two-thirds of those who are beaten lose
as the result of a well-financed, professionally run campaign
conducted by the challenger. The few challengers who win as a result
of an outside factor usually number less than five in any given
election year.
Most serious candidates and Political Campaign Consultants
find odds like this unacceptable. In fact, many consultants have
reached a point where they will no longer take a client who does not
have a realistic attitude about the odds, is prepared to "do it
right," and has a reasonable chance to raise 50% of the necessary
dollars within their own district. It is simply too risky to venture
hundreds of thousands of dollars and volunteer hours against the odds
- hoping that lightning will strike.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
INTRODUCTION:
One of the reasons doing it right is especially important in a
challenger's situation is that an incumbent has a built-in advantage
with the "franking" privilege (free postage on most mail to
constituents), worth about $100,000 a year before even beginning to
spend a dime on their re-election effort. When you add the benefits
of being able to use their staff (who in many cases have campaign
experience) on the campaign, plus their ability to command the
attention of the "free" media (media coverage not paid for), we have
probably added another $100,000 to the total. Therefore, the
incumbent is starting off with about a $200,000 advantage. When you
add another $300,000+, which most incumbents can raise handily, you
begin to understand why consultants are so skeptical of the successful
outcome of low-budget campaigns.
However, a challenger usually has three built-in advantages
over the incumbent. One is time. If the challenger can campaign
full-time while the incumbent is required to stay in Washington,
he/she can offset part of the free media advantage. Two is
volunteers. Challengers are often able to develop more extensive
volunteer organizations than incumbents. Three is a clean slate.
Challengers can create their records; incumbents have to live with
theirs. And if that record is out of step with the majority, it can
be a decisive factor. Most incumbents, however, are very adept at
camouflaging their voting records, and it takes an intensive campaign
by the challenger to make it public.
If a challenger develops an intensive, well-organized, and
adequately financed campaign at all levels (candidate activities,
field operations, media), the odds can be improved to at least a 50/50
chance of success. I am convinced that, at any given time, at least
80 percent of all campaigns can be won by the challenger. More often
than not, challengers lose because they fail to put together the
proper campaign. It is analogous to a person starting up a new
business ill-prepared as a result of not knowing their market, how to
run the business, or being under-capitalized.
[NOTE: With regard to analogies, throughout this Manual you will find
constant references to a campaign in terms of chess. No disrespect is
intended by these references to a campaign as a game, but it is,
nonetheless, a very serious game, a contest between two adversaries.
The campaign is a game of physical endurance, skill, and
determination. There is a need to develop a winning strategy, which
includes beating an opponent.]
In the following chapters I will discuss the basic strategy
that must be employed if a strong assault is to be realized on all
fronts - creating intense pressure on the opponent at all levels and
in all areas during the various stages of the campaign. I will also
discuss the various functions, objectives, and responsibilities of
each member of the campaign team, along with specific suggestions on
how to accomplish same.
However, there is no way I would even pretend that this Manual
is a substitute for professional help and guidance. A campaign for
Congress, or a comparably sized voting district of 500,000+ people,
between actual cash and volunteer time spent, is equivalent to a small
company with a budget of about $1.2 million per year. To attempt to
run such a company without experienced help is foolish. In over 17
years in politics I have never seen a campaign run by volunteers win
over one which was managed by experienced, professional people -
except perhaps in instances when outside factors were dominant. Nor
have I ever seen a volunteer grass-roots campaign beat an opponent who
could afford to use media effectively. To use the chess analogy,
dependence entirely on a volunteer, grass-roots campaign is like
trying to beat the incumbent with just pawns on the board. Think of
the volunteers as the pawns and the major pieces (queen, bishop,
knight, and castle) as the various media elements in the campaign.
The Candidate is the king. The player moving the pieces is the
Political Campaign Consultant, adviser, or strategist.
Now it becomes more understandable why so many candidates with
barely any volunteers (pawns) but a full "backboard" can wipe out the
most aggressive grass-roots campaign thrown against them. Good
intentions and the "righteousness of your cause" simply are not
enough. Unless the opponent has at least an equal number of major
pieces in the backboard, the result of the game is usually a foregone
conclusion. On the other hand, if a challenger can match the
incumbent piece for piece in the backboard and put more pawns on the
board than the incumbent, the odds can improve considerably. Now the
game is relatively equal. Playing skill becomes the next dominant
factor and, as so often happens, a forced mistake made by the
incumbent can help determine the outcome. I often find it amusing
when those who purport to report on and analyze election results fail
to take into account such basic differentiations within a particular
campaign. Oftentimes for ulterior motives, they attempt to infer more
profound reasons for the outcome, e.g. the popularity of a particular
Party's program, or an incumbent President's programs, or a shift in
prevalent political philosophy of the electorate. This is not to say
these are not factors in the political process, rather that they are
oftentimes severely overrated. More on this later.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
INTRODUCTION:
Throughout this Manual I will be referring to Stages and
Levels. As mentioned previously, there are three basic levels of
activity within the normal campaign: the Candidate, field operations,
and media (free and paid). There are also five major stages (seven,
if there is a contested primary election). They are:
Pre-announcement, Identification, Positive Advocacy, Negative
Advocacy, and GOTV (Get Out The Vote). At any given time during the
campaign all three levels should be working in tandem during each of
these stages. This might seem obvious to most, but you would be
amazed how many campaigns are going in three different directions at
the same time. (More on this in Chapter IV - The Political Game
Plan.)
I also refer throughout this Manual to Regions and Areas. In
1975 I developed a basic district organizational structure which I
have since used in virtually all of my campaigns. It has been copied
by many other campaigns over the years and is in wide use today.
Called the 5 on 5 Organization Plan, it is a proven method for
efficiently administering the field operations program and
implementing precinct - and voter - objective strategy. It also
facilitates communications within the campaign structure.
The basis of the 5 on 5 Organization Plan consists of the
district being divided into five Regions based on a combination of
factors: number of voters, precincts, demographic similarities,
natural geographic lines, and zip code boundaries. Each Region is
then sub-divided into five Areas using the same criteria, after which
a chairperson is assigned who is responsible for the voter objectives
in each respective Region and Area. These 30 chairpersons, plus the
phone bank supervisors, make up the campaign's Field Operations
Committee. It is very important not to split zip codes when creating
these Regions and Areas, if at all possible. Once established these
designations remain constant throughout the campaign and are used for
many other activities such as direct mail (both political and
fundraising), phone bank operations, scheduling, events, etc.
In addition to the Field Operations Committee there are three
other basic committees every campaign must have: the Finance
Committee, which will be discussed in Chapter VI, the Advisory (or
Steering) Committee, and the Research Committee.
The Advisory Committee has the responsibility for overseeing
the campaign and providing the Candidate and Political Campaign
Consultant with information and progress reports on the various
activities within their specific area of responsibility in the
campaign. It is usually comprised of the Candidate, the Candidate's
Spouse, Campaign Chairperson(s), the Treasurer, the Regional
Chairpersons, Research Committee Chairperson, the Campaign Manager,
Campaign Secretary, and Political Campaign Consultant.
The Research Committee assists the Candidate in researching
the issues, the incumbent's voting record, the polling data, and
current activity in the political and economic world as it pertains to
a Congressperson (or the particular office for which the Candidate is
running).
Most other needs are met by ad hoc committees. To establish
more than these four committees usually proves to be too time
consuming and unwieldy. Some campaigns have so many committees,
forms, and procedures that they become bureaucracies unto themselves.
The campaign staff should consist of the Campaign Manager (or
Administrator), the Campaign Secretary, Finance Director, Press
Secretary, Field Operations Director, Phone Bank Director,
Driver/Aide, and three secretaries (preferably with Personal Computer
experience). Regrettably most campaigns have to make do with less
than this number as a result of budget considerations. The Campaign
Manager usually ends up being the Finance Director and Press Secretary
combined, the Field Operations Director is also the Phone Bank
Director, and there are only two secretaries instead of three. (Where
possible, key volunteers are used to assist in these other functions.)
The Campaign Secretary is also the scheduler, one secretary normally
doubles as the bookkeeper and Finance Committee Secretary, and the
other secretary becomes the computer operator.
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INTRODUCTION:
These six people are critical to the successful implementation
of the Political Game Plan. However, they are usually paid very
poorly (many of them do it out of regard for the candidate), and
mostly younger, single people are recruited for these positions. If a
person is married, you must be certain they understand their job and
time requirements and that they and their families can handle it. The
hours are outrageously long and demanding.
There are two other positions on the campaign staff that are
usually filled with volunteers; but here again, if budget permits,
they should be moved to full-time, paid positions, i.e. the Director
of Volunteers and the Director of Research. If volunteers cannot be
found, the Campaign Secretary assumes the Director of Volunteers
position and the Campaign Manager (or Press Secretary) adds on the
Director of Research position.
In this Manual I have gone with the average and presumed a
six-person staff. Actually with a Political Campaign Consultant who is
management-oriented and a good computer system, a core of active
headquarter volunteers can work very well. The key is to be
well-organized, well-trained, and well-disciplined. If the Candidate
takes the time and energy to prepare for his/her campaign, using the
guidelines in this Manual, he/she will build a tight organization that
will function smoothly throughout the campaign. This is especially
important during the latter stages when the pressure becomes intense
and the inevitable crises develop.
In my attempt to make this Manual as functional as possible, I
have minimized lengthy discussions of the many variables that can
exist in a campaign. What is presented here, therefore, are primarily
the essentials, i.e. the constants in virtually all campaigns. They
should be implemented as carefully as possible. Unless you build a
solid foundation, you cannot build a solid house. The best strategy
devised is virtually useless unless the structure to implement it is
as precise as possible. This is the unglamorous part of a campaign -
the part the media and public rarely see. Yet more often than not, it
is the key to a successful outcome. Also, the campaign will find that
the solutions for the variables are usually a result of sound
implementation of the constants and common sense.
One final word of caution: After the foundation is built and
a reasonable Political Game Plan is developed, the campaign should
follow it to the end! Unless a major event occurs which really
threatens the outcome, the Candidate should not give in to the "good"
advice he/she will be inundated with during the later stages of the
campaign, especially if surveys indicate the campaign is winning. If
the plan is sound when everyone is relatively cool, calm, and
collected, it will still be sound when the pressure develops. A good
Political Game Plan has a built-in tolerance for adjustment which
should be more than sufficient for a normal campaign. And a normal
campaign usually consists of snafus, countermoves by the opponent,
aggravating press coverage, volunteers failing to perform as promised,
interruptions in the cash flow, etc.
So do not panic; stick to the plan! In the long run the
percentages will be in the campaign's favor.
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PREPARATION:
CHAPTER II
PREPARATION
Getting The Act Together;
Whether a Candidate is running for the first or second time as
a challenger, or anytime as an incumbent, there are basic things which
must be done before beginning the campaign: developing strategy and
writing the Political Game Plan. The presumption here is that the
Candidate has already made up his/her mind and is firmly committed to
running. A number of political manuals and advisers will suggest
potential candidates make a feasibility study (a survey done by a
professional polling firm, usually costing between $8,000 and $10,000)
before making this commitment. This study helps to determine the
degree of an opponent's vulnerability and in what areas, his/her
favorability ratings (how strongly people like or dislike the
individual), both name ID ratings (how many people recognize the
Candidate's name and that of his/her opponent), and the major issues
in the district. The survey is usually done in September of the year
before the election.
I believe that a feasibility survey is money well spent and
strongly urge candidates (especially challengers) to commission one.
**1** However, the vast majority of candidates, eager to conserve
precious dollars, will not do it. Most will look at the previous
election results and/or sound out groups of people in the district
about the issues and the opponent (in the trade these are sometimes
referred to as "focus groups") in order to make their determination.
If a Candidate is among the majority of candidates in this
regard, then I suggest he/she at least try to obtain a copy of a
previous survey done in the district involving the opponent. Usually
the Party or a former Candidate has commissioned one and even a 1 or
2-year-old survey can be helpful in this decision making process of
whether to run or not. If unfamiliar with surveys, ask a Party
representative, a former Candidate, or a consultant to help with the
interpretation and analysis.
So the Candidate has now made up his/her mind and decided to
have a go at it. What follows is a list of the basic things that a
Candidate needs to do before making a formal announcement. Since
there are at least 200 hours of work involved in putting this
together, the sooner started, the better. At the very latest it
should be completed by the 1st of January in the election year.
1. HIRING A POLITICAL CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT
As soon as possible after making the decision to run, a
Candidate should contract the Political Campaign Consultant of his/her
choice to help the campaign. There are only about 200 full-time
Political Campaign Consultants in the country and many of them are
completely scheduled by October of the year before the election.
Also, most of them have their own style of operation and a Candidate
might find he/she has to redo many initial activities if they do not
fit in with the consultant's method of operation. If worried about
having to pay the Political Campaign Consultant's fees all at once,
don't! Most Political Campaign Consultants, if they decide to take a
campaign account, will usually work out budget payments for the
campaign. They fully appreciate the need for seed money **2** in the
early stages of the campaign.
In Chapter V, I will discuss at greater length how to go about
selecting a Political Campaign Consultant. At this point the reader
should be aware that there are many definitions of this position. As
a new feature of this 3rd Edition, there is in the last section of the
Appendix, a directory of individuals and companies who provide
services or goods to the campaign industry. You will note a breakdown
by specialization among the various listings. This is necessary
because there is no universal consensus or definition for a Political
Consultant **3** . Some standardization has evolved. I usually think
of a Political Campaign Consultant as a person who by virtue of
education, training, and experience is able to advise a Candidate on
what he/she should do in order to put together a well-organized
campaign and win an election. The person in this position functions
as a General would in combat. He/she is responsible for developing
the Political Game Plan, the over-all strategy, the Time Line, the
organizational structure, and providing guidance on issue development.
The consultant is also responsible for directing the various elements
within the campaign, i.e. the Candidate, the staff, the major
volunteer groups, the polling firm, and the media and fundraising
consultants (if he/she is not providing those particular services).
If you are an opera buff, think of that person as the Maestro
conducting and coordinating all the various elements of the
performance and you will begin to get the idea. They also perform
many other functions and roles which we will discuss later.
FootNotes:
**1** Do not be surprised if your Party will not commit to early
financial support unless you have done a feasibility survey. In many
cases it is required for challengers to show viability in order to be
placed on their Party's priority list. In some cases, the national
Party will commission and pay for such a study on their own.
**2**
The amount of money that should be on hand before beginning the
campaign process.
**3** Section 19, in this Chapter, THE POLITICAL
CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT, goes into more detail regarding this definition
and that of other consultants involved in the campaign process.
#ENDCARD
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PREPARATION:
2. SEED MONEY
The question always arises as to how much seed money is
necessary before beginning the campaign. This is dependent on the
type of campaign being run. If a Congressional candidate, **1** I
recommend a minimum of $50,000, or roughly 8% of the anticipated
Budget. Generally this percentage could be used in most other types of
campaigns. This money should be in the bank before starting anything
beyond filing the statements of candidacy and organization with the
Federal Election Commission (FEC), or its equivalent in the state
capitol. **2**
This money can come from a Candidate's own funds, if
available, or from an initial group of campaign contributors who are
actively supporting his/her candidacy. Without this required seed
money the viability of any campaign will almost always be in doubt.
Many Political Campaign Consultants will not even consider taking on a
new account unless a person has at least this much proven ability to
raise funds.
The old adage "it takes money to make money" is especially
true in politics. No matter how skilled the Political Campaign
Consultant and/or fundraiser, money is needed for the initial
brochures, stationery, envelopes, stamps, etc. used in the early
mailing and fundraising programs. A Candidate will also find that
unless he/she is able to raise this kind of seed money right up front,
neither the Parties nor the Political Action Committees will be likely
to take the campaign seriously and consider early support.
3. THE CANDIDATE'S BIOGRAPHY
The Candidate should prepare a complete and detailed biography
(actually two should be done, one in a resume format and the other
narrative style) and also a frank and honest statement of personal
strengths and weaknesses. **3** Be thorough. Start literally with
"day one" to the present. Include churches, organizations, military
service, grade point averages - everything. This is neither the time
to be humble nor brief. Later it can be condensed and the most
pertinent facts highlighted, but for now give the Political Campaign
Consultant or adviser a complete picture and let him/her decide what
needs to be emphasized.
One caveat here: A Candidate must be absolutely honest about
any negatives in his/her past. There is virtually nothing worse than
having some skeleton surface during the later stages of the campaign,
and you can bet your last dollar that it will surface. It is better
to have it out in the open, up front where it can be dealt with
(presuming it is not too horrendous) early in the campaign.
4. THE FAMILY'S BIOGRAPHY
Prepare a brief biography on spouse, children, and parents.
If the Candidate has a noteworthy sibling, relative, or ancestor make
mention of that separately. Also, since there are some who like to
presume guilt by association, make note of any serious negatives
involving close members of the family.
5. WHY ARE YOU RUNNING?
Next, the Candidate should prepare a statement of at least
1,000 words on why he/she is running for Congress (or some other
office). It is a rare reporter that does not ask a Candidate this
question and it is amazing how many candidates are unable to give a
succinct answer. Also this statement can become a part of the initial
press and PAC kits (a fundraising tool explained later). Parts of it
are also used in most candidates' basic speech and campaign
literature.
Talk about feelings as well as the intellectual reasons for
running. People tend to develop a "sense" of a person more by
impressions they receive rather than the rational arguments a
Candidate might present for or against a particular issue. They want
to feel they can relate to the Candidate and, probably more
importantly, the Candidate can relate to them. The average voter
really doesn't understand the complexities of the trade deficit or the
ramifications of import/export quotas, but they do understand being
out of work and the fear of not being able to take care of their
family.
FootNotes:
**1** See Budget in Chapter IV of this Manual.
**2** This filing should be done before a candidate starts actively
raising funds. Write to FEC, 999 E St., N.W., Washington, DC 20463
for the necessary forms. The FEC rules and regulations regarding
fundraising are discussed in later chapters.
**3** This self-appraisal is for the consultant only and is kept
strictly confidential.
#ENDCARD
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PREPARATION:
This is not to say a Candidate should not do his/her homework
and be aware of the various arguments for and against the important
issues over which he/she will have influence if elected. I will
discuss this in more detail later.
6. OPPOSITION RESEARCH
Do an appraisal of the opponent: his/her voting record or
position statements, constituent service if an incumbent, community
service record if a non-incumbent, sources of financial and political
support, personal weaknesses and strengths. An incumbent's list of
contributors and expenditures (the FEC report for Federal candidates)
can be obtained from either the FEC in Washington, DC or the Secretary
of State's office in the State Capitol. **1** There are usually six
reports filed by candidates during a campaign year and two or three in
the off year. If available, be sure to obtain all of them for at
least the two previous election cycles. The rest of the information
can be obtained by talking with community leaders, local Party
politicians, the local daily newspaper's political reporter, the
Party's national research division, checking the files in the daily
newspaper's morgue, etc.
Be as thorough and complete as possible. A Candidate should
know his/her opponent almost as well as himself/herself before
engaging in the campaign struggle. Try to find out what the
opponent's hot buttons are. Most of us have certain things which can
trigger an overly emotional response. When this happens, mistakes are
made and it can sometimes make a significant difference in the
outcome.
7. REGISTERED VOTERS' LIST
Obtain an up-to-date computer tape (or list if the district is
not on computer) of all registered voters in the district, by Party
and precinct. This is usually available from either the local Party
headquarters, the County Registrar of Voters, or the Secretary of
State's office. The prices charged will vary considerably, so be sure
to obtain as current a list as possible in order to avoid the
necessity of duplicating it later. Ask when the next scheduled update
is going to be and time its acquisition accordingly (provided it isn't
too late into the campaign year, e.g. no later than February). Most
locales update their lists within 30 to 60 days following a major
election, usually in November. If this is the case in this district,
wait until then before obtaining a tape or list. However, this list
is needed before February. Usually these lists do not have phone
numbers on them and the campaign must allow at least 30 days for them
to be tele-matched. **2**
In either case, be sure to find out the total number of
registered voters in the district broken down by Party and nonpartisan
registration. If this district is in one of the few states that do
not register voters by Party, the campaign has special problems which
I will cover in Chapter IX.
8. ZIP CODE MAP OF DISTRICT
At the local Post Office obtain a zip code map of the
district. If this is a rural district, write to all major Post
Offices requesting one for their area. The zip codes are about the
only geographical common denominator in every district throughout the
country and virtually all direct mailing firms are keyed to them. It
is, therefore, cost-effective and efficient to structure your internal
campaign boundaries (5 on 5 Organizational Plan) along these
established lines if at all possible.
9. ELECTORAL DISTRICT MAP
Next, obtain a map showing the electoral district boundaries
and precinct designations along with a state legislative map showing
Assembly or Senate district lines (if the electoral district extends
beyond their boundaries) that are in this district. **3** Ideally an
overlay would be made of these two maps on top of the zip code map
before beginning to define the Region and Area boundaries. If this is
not possible, using the zip code map as a base, draw in the electoral
district lines and then, with a dotted line, draw in the legislative
(or other electoral) district boundaries.
FootNotes:
**1** This is also the place to obtain the financial reports for
non-Federal officeholders and candidates.
**2** Tele-matching, the appending of listed telephone
numbers to each record, is done by most major computer service
companies. The average charge is around $20 per 1,000 names
matched. It is considerably more cost efficient to obtain the
telephone numbers in this manner rather than looking them
up manually. The tele-matching is done by merging the lists with the
telephone company's directory list, so the numbers are identical.
Usually when this is done the lists of registered voters are
"compacted" by household, i.e. only one number is shown per household
rather than a number for each registered voter. This method doesn't
adversely affect the results of the telephoning, but does hold down
the costs involved.
**3** These maps are usually available at the County Clerk's office.
#ENDCARD
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PREPARATION:
In Chapters III and V on Strategy and Implementation, I will
discuss in detail the steps to be followed after this has been done.
10. ANALYSIS OF DISTRICT
Prepare a written analysis of the district describing
geographic, demographic, and political boundaries and make-up.
Demographics include race, sex, number, density, economic levels,
Party registration, etc. This information is available from regular
and political almanacs and U.S. Census Tract data.
11. LIST OF OTHER ELECTED AND PARTY OFFICIALS
Prepare a list showing the name, address, phone number, and
office held of all elected officials within the electoral district,
from either Party. Indicate the Region and Area where they reside.
Make notes following each name regarding their political strength and
base of support within their own political areas and, for those from
the Candidate's Party, whether they might be willing to help with the
campaign.
Do the same for all county, city, and district Party
chairpersons. Be sure to include any auxiliary groups like women's
federations or youth groups, especially on college campuses.
This accumulated data could result in some sensitive political
and personal information and should, therefore, be treated
confidentially.
Later in this Chapter, I will discuss the computer and
software needs of the campaign. This list and others that need to be
developed should be entered directly into the campaign's computer
files as obtained.
12. PREVIOUS ELECTION RESULTS
As stated above, obtain from the Registrar of Voters' office,
or the Secretary of State, the previous results of the last two
election cycles in this district. If running at the Congressional
level or higher, exclude local and state legislative races.
Later, when beginning to develop the vote objectives for each
precinct, the campaign will need these figures to develop a low, a
high, and median vote for each precinct. This is sometimes referred
to as a PIPS analysis. **1**
This PIPS analysis is not only used to establish vote
objectives, i.e. the number of votes a Candidate must achieve in each
precinct in order to win, but it is also used to target Candidate
scheduling, direct mail, phone bank activity, and the GOTV program.
This will be explained in greater detail later.
Be sure to include at least one previous race from within this
electoral district. If the state does not compile this data in a
ready format, select specific races such as a Presidential election, a
gubernatorial race, a race for Secretary of State or State Treasurer,
and a Congressional race rather than reams of uncollated voting
results.
13. COMMITTEES' MEMBERSHIP LISTS
Prepare a list showing the name, address, telephone numbers
(office and home), occupation, and employer of all members of the
Advisory (Steering), Field Operations, and Finance Committees. This
is the first of many lists (other than the registered voters' list)
that the campaign will be developing. When completed, the total
number of names and addresses, plus relevant data, will exceed 15,000
records for the average campaign. To attempt to manage a data base of
this size manually is extremely difficult and inefficient. I strongly
recommend, therefore, that the Candidate obtain a computer system,
with software designed specifically for campaigns. This will be
discussed in greater detail later.
FootNotes:
**1** PIPS for Precinct Indexing Priority System.
#ENDCARD
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PREPARATION:
[NOTE: Perhaps a little out of place here, but it is recommended that
a good Finance Committee, in addition to the "heavy hitter" types
should have a leading representative from the major occupational or
professional groups you plan to solicit support from within the
district. Key groups are doctors, dentists, realtors, life insurance
agents, construction industry (builders), asphalt industry, sheet
metal industry, lawyers, manufacturers, major retail outlets (such as
Sears, Penney's, Ward's), independent petroleum industry, etc.]
14. PROSPECTIVE MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS' LIST
The Candidate should develop a list of at least 30 persons
whom he/she is reasonably certain will contribute $1,000 each to the
campaign both before and after the primary election (total of $2,000).
Do the same for as many as can be thought of who will contribute
between $500 and $1,000 in each of the same periods.
Be sure to include the names, addresses, telephone numbers,
occupations, and employers. After entering these names into the
computer, transfer all data to 3x5 cards, showing the potential
contribution for later use by the Finance Committee.
If unable to come up with these names from personal lists of
friends, relatives, and acquaintances, ask the members of the Finance
or Advisory Committee for assistance. If still unable to develop this
list, a Candidate should seriously reconsider his/her plans for
running, as without this financial backing the chances for a
successful outcome are virtually non-existent.
15. PROSPECTIVE MINOR CONTRIBUTORS' LIST
Next, develop a list of all potential contributors, including
friends, relatives, and any kind of acquaintance (old school friends,
people worked with or for, association members, etc.) who might
contribute any amount.
If known, show all pertinent information as before. Enter in
the computer but not on 3x5 cards. **1**
16. CAMPAIGN PHOTOS
The Candidate should have a series of 5x7 black-and-white
glossy photos taken in various poses (standing, sitting behind a desk,
head and shoulders, 3/4 turn, etc.) in dark suit, white shirt, and
conservative tie for a man, and a business suit ensemble for a woman.
Next have a series of family pictures taken in both formal and
informal poses, i.e. some all dressed up indoors, others in casual
clothes outdoors. I recommend having a local, professional
photographer take these photographs.
Also go through the family photo files and pull out any good,
clear pictures of with others (parents, family, children, senior
citizens, etc.)
17. FILING WITH THE FEDERAL (STATE) ELECTION COMMISSION
If not already done, the name of the Campaign Committee, its
officers (Chairperson and Treasurer), and the phone number and address
where the records will be kept should be filed with the proper
election commission if required by the state and with the Federal
Election Commission, Washington, DC if running for a Federal office.
The Candidate will also need to tell either election commission the
name and address of the bank where the campaign funds will be
deposited. I recommend calling the committee (Candidate's Name) for
(Office running for) Committee, e.g. Bob Riley for Congress Committee
or Susan Wilkinson for City Council Committee.
Next obtain a box at the Post Office closest to where the
campaign is going to establish its headquarters. Rent a large box, it
will be needed. While there, obtain a Bulk Mailing Permit for the
election year (it will cost about $45 for the application fee and $45
for the permit).
FootNotes:
**1** The utilization of these 3 x 5 cards will be explained in the
chapter on fund-raising.
#ENDCARD
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PREPARATION:
Though it may be too soon for a headquarters telephone, have
the telephone company reserve a number for the campaign in an exchange
area where the campaign will be setting up the headquarters. Be sure
to tell them the campaign will be needing at least four additional
numbers in rotation. They need to know this so they can hold the
additional lines.
18. POSITION PAPERS
Develop position papers - not an easy task - on the following
subjects if a Federal candidate: inflation, unemployment, defense, a
balanced budget, taxes, abortion, school subsidies, crime, drugs,
foreign trade, farm problems, business, welfare reform, gun control,
senior citizens, social security, catastrophic health insurance,
communications with constituents and any other subject of particular
concern to this campaign or the district. If running for a non-federal
office, pick those subjects that are dealt with by the particular
office for which running.
The Candidate should state the highlights of the problem as
he/she sees it, tell what the opponent has or has not done about it
(or proposes to do), and then develop, in general terms, what he/she
would like to see done about it and specifically how it would happen.
Try to use as much hard data and statistical information as can be
obtained, but in all cases be absolutely sure of the facts. The
national and state Parties will prove to be gold mines for research
data on many of these issues. Also contact the appropriate
ideological and association PAC's for their assistance. They are
usually very eager to share their research when requested. The local
main library should have a copy of the national directory of
associations where their addresses can be obtained.
Try to keep all position papers to 1,000 words or less. When
the Candidate is satisfied with the results and has the position
papers in final form, he/she might want to consider having them bound.
**1** I have had clients do this in some campaigns, and it makes a
very professional looking package. The binding does not have to be
expensive; in some cases we have used clear light-weight plastic
binders with a sliding spine like the ones used by students for term
papers or reports. Also many printers have the capability to do
simple spiral binding which is relatively inexpensive.
19. DISTRICT MEDIA OUTLETS
Prepare a list of all media outlets in the district and
adjacent to it if they impact the district (radio, TV and newspapers
**2** ). Show the name of the editor, manager, political reporters,
publisher, or station owner for each. Find out what their history has
been regarding type and amount of coverage for the opponent and past
candidates. Find out if they endorse and, if so, find out what the
local politicians think regarding the impact of that endorsement. Ask
the polling company to check this out further in the first poll. Most
of these media outlets are listed in the Yellow Pages of the telephone
book. The Candidate can obtain the necessary names simply by calling
them. Key this information into the computer. Most campaign software
programs, including Political Campaign Management Software, have a
special record section for this data.
20. POTENTIAL VOLUNTEERS
Develop a list of all people who might volunteer to work for
the campaign. Include their address, occupation, place of employment,
and phone number. This is in addition to the people already asked to
chair the various committees.
It will save time later if these names are entered directly
into the computer. If the campaign does not have a computer with a
campaign software program and does not plan on obtaining one, it will
save time later if these names are put on 3 x 5 volunteer cards and
separated by zip codes (there is a sample volunteer card in the
Appendix). The cards will be distributed later to the appropriate
members of the Field Operations Committee for recruitment and
assignment.
FootNotes:
**1** For around $129 the campaign might wish to consider purchasing
a Scotch Binding System. This device binds up to 25 sheets neatly and
professionally. It is simple to use and, in the long run, very cost
effective. For information contact: Scotch Binding System, Response
Center, P.O. Box 1286, Minneapolis, MN 55440. 1-(800) 328-5727.
**2** Do not overlook weekly, union, ethnic, and religious papers.
#ENDCARD
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PREPARATION:
21. DISTRICT DIRECTORIES
Obtain copies of all yellow-page directories covering the
district. If possible, obtain several copies of the criss-cross
directory. These are much easier to use when looking up phone numbers
at the phone bank. Since they are usually available only by
subscription, the campaign may have to borrow some from a local real
estate or insurance office. Looking up phone numbers, even with a
criss-cross directory, is a very tedious and time-consuming project.
If the electoral district has more than 10,000 homes with registered
voters, I strongly recommend that the campaign have the numbers
tele-matched to the registered voter tapes by a local computer service
bureau.
22. POSSIBLE STAFF PERSONNEL
Develop a list of people who might be available in-district,
preferably with campaign experience, to serve as the Campaign Manager,
Field Operations Director, Campaign Secretary, Bookkeeper/Secretary,
Press Secretary, and Driver/Aide.
Go slowly on this one. Even though these people will be
working for what amounts to less than minimum wage, they are
critically important to the campaign. They must be bright, talented,
reasonably well-educated, of good character, personable, and able to
manage others.
Discuss each person with the Political Campaign Consultant
before making any offers or commitments. Incidentally, Federal law,
as well as the law in most states, prohibits any Candidate for public
office from promising a government position to anyone in an attempt to
obtain their support. This can be construed to mean promising someone
a job on government staff, or in the government, after the election,
if they work on the campaign. To be safe, make no promises!
If having difficulty recruiting the right people from within
the district you might check with the state and national Parties or
with one of the many campaign institutes around the country. They
oftentimes will have the names of talented and well-trained people who
are seeking campaign positions throughout the state or country. In
the Political Resource Directory of this Manual you will find some of
them listed.
23. CENTERS OF INFLUENCE LIST
Prepare a list of all Centers of Influence within the
district, e.g. church pastors, rabbis, bishops, civic leaders,
presidents of civic clubs, homeowners' associations, PTA's, community
leaders at local country clubs, editors, media station managers, key
reporters, directors of service and senior citizen clubs, etc. Enter
this data into the computer or on 3 x 5 cards. On each card put their
Region and Area number as well as their address and phone number.
Much of this information is available at City Hall, the
Chamber of Commerce, or from the county Party.
24. LOCAL PARTY VOLUNTEERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
Contact the state, city, and county Party headquarters (either
the chairperson or executive director, if there is one) and see if
they will share with the campaign, lists of party volunteers and
financial contributors in the district and state. Many will be
cooperative, but if not, a fairly good list of potential contributors
can be obtained by going to the Secretary of State's office in the
State Capitol **1** and making copies of all state candidates'
contributors lists in the last 4 years.
Federal law prohibits anyone from soliciting contributions
from people whose names are taken from an FEC report, but many states
do not have similar laws regarding state candidates. Usually someone
who has contributed to a state Candidate (regardless of the office) is
a good prospect for contributing to this campaign.
FootNotes:
**1** In some areas this data is also available at a county level
office.
#ENDCARD
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PREPARATION:
Enter all of these names into the computer or on 3 x 5 cards.
Separate the names by in-district and out-of-district (OD). Political
Campaign Management Software, as well as several other campaign
software programs, has this coding capability built into the record
format.
25. THE CAMPAIGN COLORS
Part of the campaign logo **1** is the color or combination
of colors used in all graphics, i.e. the combination of print and
symbols used in brochures, TV commercials, stationary, etc. After a
period of time, the viewer identifies the logo with the Candidate and
the campaign without necessarily being conscious of the actual
message.
What are the Candidate's favorite colors? Red, white, and
blue are so overused, and there is no law that says the Candidate
should not be happy with his/her own campaign colors, as long as they
are relatively pleasing to the average eye. Check them out with the
consultant before the graphics are done.
26. PERSONAL CAMPAIGN ACTIVITY PREFERENCES
A Candidate should give some thought to his/her own type of
campaign activity, letting the Political Campaign Consultant know
before the Political Game Plan is developed if he/she has an aversion
to any particular kind of campaign activity, e.g. precinct walking,
plant gate activity, etc. If possible, the consultant will develop
the Political Game Plan avoiding what the Candidate is really opposed
to doing. Rarely is any particular style of campaigning that
essential to the outcome of the election.
27. THE FAMILY'S ROLE
How active a role will the Candidate's spouse, children, and
parents play in the campaign? Is there any type of normal campaign
activity that they cannot or will not do?
Discuss this with the consultant before the plan is developed.
28. FAIRS, FESTIVALS, AND PARADES
Prepare a Master Calendar showing when the local fairs,
parades, festivals, and major public events are being held. This
information is usually available at the Parks and Recreation
Department or City Clerk's Office.
If the campaign is using Political Campaign Management
Software in its computer, enter this data in the Time Line calendar.
Indicate in what Region and Area the activity is taking place.
29. RESTRICTIONS ON CONTRIBUTIONS
Is the Candidate placing any restrictions on the source or
amount of campaign contributions? Discuss this with the Political
Campaign Consultant and key members of the Advisory Committee.
Remember that this can become a campaign issue. In some districts,
for example, taking money from a major oil company could be developed
into a serious campaign issue by the opponent. In other districts it
might not mean anything. Regardless of what is decided - think it
through! The aggravation and loss of votes may not be worth the
dollars received. Also, the Candidate should be careful about what is
announced publicly. It is hard to change a position like this after
it has been announced.
30. HOW MUCH TIME CAN BE SPENT CAMPAIGNING?
Give some thought to the actual time available for
campaigning. On the Master Calendar (one is provided in Political
Campaign Management Software) showing the fairs, parades, etc., figure
out on a day-by-day basis how much time the Candidate will be able to
spend actively campaigning or raising funds. Remember this is one of
the few advantages a challenger has over an incumbent - time to
campaign.
FootNotes:
**1** The symbol or trademark identifying the campaign.
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PREPARATION:
Most candidates will try to arrange their schedules so they
are able to spend about 20 hours a week through May and full-time from
then until the election (presuming an uncontested primary). Make
whatever arrangements are necessary both at work and with the family
to accomplish this. Be careful about staying on the company payroll
if an employee of a corporation or a partnership (no problem, of
course, if the Candidate is a sole owner). It is illegal for a
corporation to contribute to a Federal Candidate (and in many states
to any other type of Candidate,) and the continuation of the
Candidate's pay while campaigning full-time may be construed as an
illegal corporate contribution. In the case of a partnership, each
individual is presently allowed to contribute up to $1,000 in a
campaign period (Primary and General). Any amount over that, directly
or in salary, could be construed as an illegal contribution, i.e. the
partner's portion of the candidate's salary could not exceed $1,000
per period.
One way for a Candidate to avoid this problem is to have an
arrangement with his/her employer or partner spelling out the services
he/she will provide in exchange for salary during the time being spent
as a Candidate, i.e. providing consulting services on an as needed
basis. **1**
These restrictions do not usually apply to incumbents.
31. THE CANDIDATE'S CAMPAIGN WARDROBE
Candidates should take a good hard look at themselves and
their wardrobe. If their wardrobe is not adequate or does not present
quite the image people expect of an elected official, find a quality,
local clothing store and ask the manager to assist in selecting the
appropriate wardrobe. Stay with the darker colors and more
conservative styles. For male candidates: long hair and beards may
sometimes be "in," but they are an automatic turn-off to many
potential voters.
32. INTERNAL PREPARATION
A Candidate should spend some time meditating in order to
begin to prepare mentally for what lies ahead. The next 12 months are
probably going to be the most demanding of his/her life - personally
and for the family. He/she is going to be spending 12 to 16 hours a
day, 6 days a week, and sometimes 7, campaigning.
The Candidate's life is going to become a fishbowl with total
strangers constantly looking in, probing, ridiculing, questioning. No
matter how nice a person he/she is, there are going to be many people
out there trying to tear down the Candidate, often simply because
he/she is daring to challenge their hero. Cynics are going to hold in
suspect virtually everything said. Doors will be slammed in his/her
face. Half the time a Candidate will be lucky even to recognize
his/her own quotes in the local papers.
The Candidate is going to have to eat so many "rubber chicken"
dinners that Pepto Bismol will be a constant companion. At times the
Candidate is going to feel like a beggar constantly asking for money.
Directly or indirectly he/she will be put down for his/her views or
lack of experience by the opponent.
If I have not scared a potential Candidate out of the race by
now and he/she is still determined to run this gauntlet we call the
campaign process, then take this advice. While it's still possible,
get off for a few days alone. Think about yourself, your beliefs, why
you are doing this. Just as an athlete conditions his or her mind,
body, and emotions for what is coming, prepare yourself. The opponent
is going to do everything possible to shake your resolve, to push your
"hot buttons" in hope that you will make a mistake. There probably
isn't a Political Campaign Consultant around who does not have a war
story or two about a Candidate who collapsed either physically or
emotionally in the latter stages of a campaign. It does happen.
Strengthen yourself while you have the time to do so.
33. THE CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTERS
FootNotes:
**1** If a Candidate is faced with this problem, they should discuss
this matter with their legal counsel before entering any arrangement.
#ENDCARD
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PREPARATION:
As the Candidate comes closer to the formal announcement date,
make arrangements for a central headquarters. The headquarters should
have at least four private offices plus a common area - total area
around 2,000 sq.ft. Do not forget to arrange for utilities.
Make installation arrangements (it takes about two weeks) with
the phone company for the previously reserved four lines in rotation
plus a hold button on five units (one in each office, plus
receptionist area). If seeking a Federal office, the Candidate will
probably want to use the computer to tele-communicate with the
research division of the national Party. In which case, make
arrangements to have another single "dedicated" line installed for the
computer's modem. **1**
In another location, preferably a storefront facility, the
campaign should make arrangements to set up the phone bank, if it is
going utilize one. This headquarters becomes, in effect, the
volunteers' headquarters. It should be at least 1,500 sq.ft. and have
at least one private office. The central area should be arranged to
accommodate the phone lines and a work area for processing mail.
Normally, a phone bank for a Congressional level campaign would have
at least 10 phone lines for calling voters and 2 lines for routine
calling in and out. All phones should be push-button types.
If MCI, Sprint, or a similar long-distance service company is
available in the district, arrange for it on the main phone number.
The savings in long distance calls to PAC's, Washington, the state
capitol, etc. could be substantial. I also recommend that the
campaign look into the possibility of purchasing or leasing the actual
phone units from one of the many phone stores around today. A
campaign can usually save a considerable amount by doing this instead
of leasing the units from the phone company.
When setting up the central and phone bank headquarters, be
sure to try to do so in an area where exchanges are available that can
reach all parts of the district without long distance charges and
where there are no pro rata charges for the number of calls made (unit
call rate).
Scrounge wherever possible for furniture. Churches, old
office buildings, or law firms are often good sources for temporary
donations. I know of one campaign where a local furniture salesperson
agreed to let a Candidate use several rooms of office furniture for
the duration of the campaign on the condition that he could bring
prospective customers in to show them what it looked like in an actual
office setting - in effect making the campaign headquarters a
showroom. It worked out fine for both the campaign and the sales
person. The same type of arrangement was made for a reproduction
machine.
If this type of arrangement is attempted, check it out with
the FEC (if a Federal Candidate) beforehand to be sure it is not a
violation. If a non-Federal Candidate check it out with the Secretary
of State's office or the appropriate election law official in your
state.
34. BASIC CAMPAIGN HEADQUARTER'S EQUIPMENT
Here is a basic checklist of office equipment the campaign
will need:
2 IBM Selectric Typewriters (or comparable brand)
1 IBM Memory Typewriter (or comparable brand)
1 Medium-sized Copier with Collator (Xerox, Canon, etc.)
1 Tape Cassette Recorder with a Phone Coupler
1 Pitney-Bowes Stamp Machine with Automatic Sealer
1 Refrigerator (used)
1 Automatic Coffeemaker
1 Computer system with campaign software
In the 1st Edition of The Campaign Manual, I recommended that
the campaign obtain a word-processing unit as an optional item. One
of the most significant changes which has occurred during the past 6
years with regard to the campaign process is the introduction of the
personal computer and related software.
FootNotes:
**1** The phone company will require a deposit of $200 to $300 per
line, depending on your area. This charge is standard procedure for
political candidates. If you are setting up a phone bank with 10
lines, plus 5 lines in the central headquarters, you can plan on
having to deposit between $3,000 and $4,500, plus installation
charges.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
PREPARATION:
Today, I recommend that any Candidate for political office,
regardless of the size of the electoral district or type of office,
obtain a personal computer with the appropriate software before doing
anything else. As you will have already noted in reading this
Chapter, much of the preparatory data should be entered directly into
the computer.
The cost of computers has dropped significantly. A basic
PC/AT with a 20MB hard disk, monitor, and printer can be obtained for
under $3,000. Software for campaigns is available from several
companies for $400 to $1,900.
Since most companies will not lease to a political campaign, a
Candidate will probably have to sublease these items from a commercial
firm friendly to his/her candidacy or sign for them personally.
[Note: In Chapter V, I will reference as an option for the Phone Bank
operations a relatively new device called TeleClerk. Though this can
be construed as a part of the office equipment, I am not discussing it
here since it would be cost-prohibitive for most campaigns below the
Congressional district (500,000+ people) level.]
35. NEWSPAPER CLIPPING SERVICE AND FILES
Research the daily newspaper's morgue and make copies of all
newspaper articles on the opponent during the last 4 years. Then,
either retain a local newspaper clipping service (about $45 a month)
or have a volunteer begin clipping all articles on the Candidate and
his/her opponent and maintain a file for future reference.
This constitutes most of the preparatory activity. Much of it
has to be done by December 15th of the year before the election. It
should be apparent now why the sooner a Candidate starts, the better.
I might point out that a Candidate can usually arrange for
his/her Political Campaign Consultant to accumulate much of this data,
but like anything else, it will probably cost the campaign in extra
fees. As it is, the analysis of all this material will require at
least 40 hours of the consultant's time. It must be accomplished
before a Political Game Plan can be developed and is usually one of
the reasons a consultant's base fee is as high as it often is.
[Note: There is a saying in the computer industry that "you only get
out what you put in," or put another way, "garbage in, garbage out."
This quaint expression is very appropriate in the campaign industry
also. A campaign plan is only as good as the research upon which it
is based. So be thorough, complete, and accurate - it will be time,
energy, and money well spent.]
Virtually everything suggested in this chapter is necessary
and useful to some facet of the campaign, as will be seen in later
chapters. As stated in the Preface, I have tried to avoid those
activities or items based on theory or the unlimited number of
variables in a campaign.
Most of these suggestions are constants in a good campaign and
in many cases will help determine the strategy, Political Game Plan,
implementation, and, therefore, the outcome.
Several years ago I developed a checklist for new candidates
which I would give them when we signed our contract. I am presenting
it here on the following pages.
Essentially it is a synopsis of this chapter.
SJG&A - CHECKLIST FOR NEW CANDIDATE/CLIENT
1. Prepare and send a complete, detailed biography and
self-evaluation of personal strengths/weaknesses.
2. Prepare and send biographies of wife, children, and
parents.
3. Prepare and send a statement of at least 1,000 words on
why you are running for this office.
#ENDCARD
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PREPARATION:
4. Prepare and send an appraisal of your opponent, his/her
voting record if an incumbent, constituent services, sources of
financial and political support, personal and political weaknesses and
strengths, etc.
5. If available from your Registrar of Voters, obtain and
send a computer tape (9 track, 1600 or 6250 BPI) of all registered
voters in District, by Party and Precinct. If not on computer, send
raw data.
6. Obtain and send a ZIP code map, or list, of District
(available at the Post Office).
7. Obtain and send a Congressional and Legislative Precinct
map of District.
8. Develop and send a list showing name, address, phone
number of elected officials within the District, identified by Party.
9. Send the names of your County and District Party
Chairpersons with statement regarding strength and potential support.
10. Obtain and send previous results of the last two election
cycles by Precinct - Presidential, U.S. Senate, U.S. Representative,
Governor and Secretary of State, plus the office for which you are
running.
11. Prepare a written analysis of the District, describing
geographic, demographic, and political boundaries and make-up.
Demographics include race, ethnic origin, economic levels, density,
etc.
12. Send name, address, telephone number, occupation, and
employer of all members of finance and advisory committees.
13. Send 3" x 5" black-and-white glossy photos of self - alone
and with family, formal and informal.
14. Send the name of your committee (recommend your name for
office Committee), its officers and P. O. Box number. Ask phone
company to reserve a number in the area where headquarters will be
located. Obtain bulk permit mailing number from Post Office for 1992.
Send number. Note: If you haven't already done so, file your
Committee with the Clerk of the House, Washington, DC and the
appropriate State office. They will also need to know the name of
your Committee's bank and its account number. Suggest opening two
accounts - one designated Primary Account and the other General
Account.
15. Over holiday period, develop position papers on following
subjects: inflation, unemployment, defense, taxes, abortion, school
subsidies, crime, drugs, foreign trade, farm problems, business,
welfare, arms reduction, balanced budget, and any other subject(s) of
particular interest to you or your District. Send by January 1st,
1992.
16. Develop a list of at least twenty (20) people whom you are
absolutely certain will contribute at least $1,000 to your campaign
before and after the Primary election. Do the same for those who will
give between $500 and $1,000. Send a copy of the list and then begin
soliciting them during November and December of 1991. Include phone
number, occupation, and place of employment.
17. Develop a list of all potential contributors including
friends, relatives, and any kind of acquaintance who might give any
amount. Be sure to give complete addresses and phone numbers, plus
occupation and place of employment if known. Enter this list and
above in computer and send copy by January 10, 1992.
18. Send a list of major media outlets in District: radio, TV
and newspapers (daily and weekly). Indicate what their past history
has been regarding types of coverage for incumbent and challenger. Do
they endorse and if so, what is your opinion of the impact the
endorsement has on the District?
#ENDCARD
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PREPARATION:
19. Develop and send a list of all people who will volunteer
to work for you on this campaign. Rate them from 1 to 10 (10 being
those who will "slave" for you; 1 being those who will put up a yard
sign), and be sure to include addresses, occupations, and phone
numbers.
20. Send a copy of all telephone books covering your District
(Yellow and White pages).
21. Call Congressional Quarterly or LEGI-SLATE in Washington,
DC and order a copy of their Opposition Research book on your opponent
and have it sent to S. J. Guzzetta & Associates. We will copy
pertinent pages and forward them to you along with comments.
22. Advise if you have anyone in mind, preferably with
campaign experience, to be your Campaign Manager, Field Coordinator,
and Campaign Secretary. If you do, ask them to send a biography on
themselves before January 15th. If not, let us know by January 1st so
we can begin a search at this end.
23. Contact State and County Party headquarters and see if
they will share lists of financial contributors with you. If not, go
to Secretary of State's office in State Capitol and make copies of all
major State candidates' contributors' lists in the last 4 years and
send them to us (unless specifically prohibited by State law).
24. Prepare a list in computer of all Centers of Influence
within your District: e.g. church pastors, rabbis, bishops, civic
leaders, presidents of civic clubs, editors, station managers, key
reporters (print and electronic), directors of service and senior
citizen clubs and homes, etc. by January 15th. Most of this
information is available at City Hall or the Chamber of Commerce.
25. What are your favorite colors? Let us know.
26. Are there any types of campaign activity you have an
aversion to, i.e. precinct walking, plant gate, public speaking,
debates, etc.? Let us know.
27. How active a role will your spouse, children, or parents
play in the campaign?
28. When are your local fairs, parades, or festivals? Let us
know by January 15th.
29. Are you placing any restrictions on the source or amount
of your campaign contributions? Let us know.
30. How much time will you be able to devote to campaigning?
Break it down by months starting with January.
31. Make arrangements for a central headquarters and a
"storefront" by January 15th to be opened February 15th. Central
should have at least 4 private offices plus a common area - about
2,000 sq.ft., and storefront at least 1 office and 1,500 sq.ft.
Provide for utilities.
32. Make arrangements with phone company for 4 lines in
rotation plus hold on 5 units (one in each office plus receptionist),
1 dedicated line for computer, and 10 single lines for phone bank in
storefront, plus 2 lines for incoming/outgoing calls. Installation on
February 15th.
33. Make arrangements for furniture for headquarters.
Scrounge wherever possible.
34. Arrange for 2 IBM Selectrics, 1 IBM Memorywriter, 1
medium-sized reproduction machine with 10 bin collator, 1 good tape
recorder with phone coupler, 1 used refrigerator, 1 coffee maker, and
1 Pitney-Bowes mailing machine with automatic sealer, all to be
delivered by February 15th.
#ENDCARD
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PREPARATION:
35. Research main newspaper morgue and make copies of all
newspaper articles on opponent during last 4 years. Begin clipping
all articles on you and your opponent and maintain in file.
[NOTE: All of the above must be accomplished by December 15th unless
otherwise indicated. The formal announcement will be the 1st or 2nd
week of March.]
#ENDCARD
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BASIC STRATEGY:
CHAPTER III
DEVELOPING BASIC STRATEGY;
Defining the Problem and Finding the Solution
There are many variables that help determine campaign
strategy, so many that it is virtually impossible to write a manual
that can spell out for you a specific strategy to be employed in all
campaigns. Every variable factor and combination of factors creates
its own nuances and subsequent responses.
1. THE VARIABLES INVOLVED
Variables may include, for example, the demographic and
geographic make-up of a district; the length of time an incumbent has
been in office; the number of times a challenger has run; the name ID
rating **1** of the incumbent and challenger; the favorability
ratings **2** for both; the availability, dedication, and skill of
volunteers; the political, sociological, and economic conditions
prevalent at the time; the political philosophies of the incumbent and
challenger; the availability and cost factors of media outlets in the
district; whether there is an incumbent or open seat situation; the
base of financial support available to the incumbent and challenger;
the physical appearances and endurance levels of the candidates; the
public speaking skills of both individuals; whether it is a
Presidential election year or an off year; whether it is a special
election or a regularly scheduled one; and so on and so on and so on,
ad infinitum.
The factors and combinations thereof are seemingly endless.
It is in this area, probably more so than any other, that a
professional Political Campaign Consultant is invaluable to the
Candidate and his/her campaign. For a novice or relatively
inexperienced individual to attempt to develop a sound strategy and
Political Game Plan based on all these variables is very risky.
Unlike a business which can make a mistake and subsequently
correct it without disastrous results, a political campaign has only
one chance at winning in an election year -a prudent person will do
everything possible to make it the best one.
Between cash outlays, time, energy, and effort, the average
Congressional campaign is valued at $1.2 million today - an awful lot
to risk on hunches and uneducated guesses. However there are some
relative constants.
2. TWO BASIC GROUPS OF VOTERS = TWO STRATEGIES
There are two basic strategies operative in most campaigns.
Extensive studies done by the University of Michigan following
every major election since the mid 1940's indicate there are two basic
groups of voters. They are sometimes referred to as the "intelligent"
and "non-intelligent" voters, or the "educated" and "un-educated"
voters. In deference to people's sensitivities, I refer to the two
groups as the "above-average" and "average" voters.
In these studies the average voter is usually described as the
one who votes for a Candidate on the basis of (1) name ID, (2) Party,
(3) the assumed religion, nationality, race, or sense of familiarity
with the name of the Candidate by virtue of previous experiences, i.e.
they knew someone in their past with that name, (4) indiscriminate
patterns (eenie, meenie, minie, moe system), and (5) an automatic vote
for or against all incumbents. The above-average voter is a person
who knows one or more things about the Candidate over and above the
preceding items. These same studies also indicate that approximately
86 percent of the voters fall into the average category and only 14
percent into the above-average.
FootNotes:
**1** The name ID rating indicates, by means of a poll, what
percentile of the people in a particular district recognize the name
of a person. A "soft" name ID rating indicates they are familiar with
the name but cannot associate it correctly with a specific office,
while a "hard" name ID rating indicates they not only know the name
but the correct office or position that person holds.
**2**
Favorability ratings are also determined by a poll. They indicate
what percentile of the people who know of the person have an opinion
as to the type of job they are doing and whether or not they are in
favor of that job performance.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
BASIC STRATEGY:
Think about this for a moment. Assuming these figures are
even somewhat accurate (and frankly I believe the above-average group
to be slightly smaller, especially as you go below the Congressional
level), 86 percent of the voters know virtually nothing of substance
about the person for whom they are voting. They will usually have a
positive, negative, or neutral feeling about the individual but will
know hardly anything about where the Candidate stands on the issues.
(Incidentally, this percentage for the average voter was around 94
percent in the 1940's, so it is improving.)
Interestingly enough, the above-average voters in a close
election will usually determine the final outcome. Therefore, two
strategies must be developed. One directed to all voters and the
other, overlaid on the first, directed to the above-average group.
3. A PROTOTYPE PLAN - THE PARAMETERS
The strategies ultimately developed are dependent on those
factors and combinations previously mentioned. In order to show the
procedures used in determining strategy and the Political Game Plan, I
have developed a Prototype Campaign Plan based loosely on a
Congressional Candidate, **1** with no seriously contested primary,
running for the first time, in an urban/suburban district, **2** with
a relatively self-contained media market, a statistically
insignificant name ID rating, **3** no previous experience in public
office, but with a relatively good base of potential volunteer and
financial support on which to build. As far as demographics go, it is
an average district, slightly skewed toward the industrial side.
I have assumed the Congressional Candidate is basically a
political moderate and a fiscal conservative, well-educated,
successful in his/her business or profession, a good family person,
with no skeletons in the closet, good personality and excellent
character, average looking, and not overly dynamic. I am assuming
that the favorability rating of the opponent is around 50 percent and
"soft," meaning he/she does not elicit a strong, emotional response
from the voters in the district, and that the opponent's "hard" name
ID rating is around 90 percent, i.e. 90 percent of the voters in the
district can name this person without prompting by the pollster.
4. BUILDING NAME ID
The last factor mentioned above becomes the first problem to
be addressed. Unless an opponent has such a strong "negative" rating
that the electorate will vote for almost anyone opposing him/her on
the ballot, you can be certain that, a Candidate who does not achieve
parity with the opponent in name ID by the election, will probably
lose. In other words, if the name ID of the opponent is 90 percent,
then the Candidate's name ID must be virtually equal to that by
Election Day.
Name ID can be built in a variety of ways - billboards, radio,
TV, newspaper ads, bus signs, lawn signs, window signs, bumper
stickers, press releases, conferences, personal campaigning,
brochures, direct mail, tabloids, etc. Virtually any vehicle that
places a name, and the office being campaigned for, continuously
before the public over a long period of time **4** will contribute
toward building name ID.
I usually recommend, in the 2nd and 3rd Stages of the
campaign, the combined use of billboards, window signs, bus signs,
bumper stickers, brochures, personal campaigning, direct mail, and
press releases and conferences. Adding more direct mail, tabloids,
lawn signs, newspaper ads, radio and TV commercials in the 4th and 5th
Stages. This gradual elevation, has proven to be very effective and
cost efficient for most candidates in this type of situation.
Since one of the primary objectives is to build name ID as
opposed to raising issues, billboards and signs should contain the
name of the Candidate, the office being sought, possibly a slogan (no
more than seven words), and a graphic symbol. Under normal driving
conditions a motorist has only 4 seconds to read a billboard, so
anything more will be wasted and counterproductive. Avoid the use of
photos in the first series (I would normally change the poster paper
and locations every 3 months **5** - this is referred to as
"rotation"). In the second series the Candidate should use a
self-photo instead of a symbol; but the photo must be of good quality,
black & white, and professionally done or the resolution will be very
poor. The third and final series should be similar to the first and
consistent with the logo used in all other stationary and signs being
distributed in the final 3 months. I strongly recommend that the
campaign show the artwork for the posters to the manager of the
billboard company it will be using before having it printed. They
usually are more than willing to help with this and can save you from
making a costly mistake. Some companies have their own art
departments and can do the art layout for the campaign.
FootNotes:
**1** A Congressional race is used because experience has shown that
most political campaigns for other offices, with the notable exception
of Presidential campaigns, are either expansions or contractions of
this type of race.
**2** This will be discussed in greater detail
later, but there are essentially four types of districts: (1) urban,
(2) urban/suburban, (3) suburban, and (4) rural, for most political
offices below statewide level.
**3** In any given poll, virtually any
name will elicit a positive response from some people, probably
because they do not want to appear ignorant to the pollster. This
factor is considered insignificant because it is virtually universal,
i.e. any name would receive around 15%.
**4** The length of time is very important.
Think about the thousands of brand names you know and
what a manufacturer has to do in order to get you to buy a new
product. A massive saturation program takes place through all media
outlets whether it's a new car, cereal, or whatever. Even when the
product is not necessarily an "offensive" one it needs to be stated
over and over in order to penetrate your consciousness. Regrettably,
politicians are in an even more difficult position than most new
products because generally they have such a high "negative" rating in
the minds of the public. This is the primary reason why campaigns
have to start so early: only repetition over a long period of time can
overcome this natural barrier in the minds of the voters.
**5** This schedule assumes a 9 month "showing" from Feb. 10 thru
Nov. 10.
#ENDCARD
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BASIC STRATEGY:
Normally ten billboards strategically placed around the
district will produce a 50 percent GRP rating (Gross Rating Points)
in a district of this type, which means that about 50 percent of the
district's motorists on the roads in any given day will see at least
one of the billboards. **1**
If locations can be found, and local sign ordinances permit,
the campaign should supplement the billboards by having a local
silk-screen company produce miniature duplicates of the billboards on
sheets of 4 x 8 plywood. **2** Twenty or thirty of these scattered
throughout the district on corner lots are very effective. (Use metal
poles to hold them up. They will last longer and are harder to pull
down.)
Obviously, what a Candidate is trying to achieve is high
saturation on a continuous basis. Remember he/she is in competition
with hundreds of commercial products and other candidates being
advertised daily. It takes maximum saturation to penetrate the
consciousness of the average voter against this massive bombardment.
This is why I normally am not in favor of radio and TV during the
early stages of the campaign. It is usually very expensive and cannot
generate the amount of coverage for the dollar that billboards and 4 x
8 signs can.
Billboards and 4 x 8 signs also enable you to pinpoint to some
degree the groups you are trying to reach by carefully placing them in
targeted areas.
Though more limited in impact, the Candidate's personal
campaigning activities (speaking before groups, press conferences,
etc.) will also act as a supplement to the signs. Of somewhat greater
impact, especially with the above-average voters, will be the number
of times he/she can appear in the news programs on radio and TV and in
the newspapers. More about this later.
In the later stages, direct mail, the phone bank, TV, radio,
newspaper ads, etc., timed properly, should assure the Candidate of a
90 percent name ID rating by the week before the election.
There is not much a person can do about the sound of his/her
name, so do not worry about it and don't ever apologize for it. I
have seen candidates try to make self-deprecating remarks about their
particularly ethnic sounding name only to have it boomerang on them.
There also is not much a Candidate can do about his/her Party
label if running in a partisan race - it has to appear on the ballot
or voting machine. However, if it would be a liability in the
district because of overwhelming registration by the opposite Party,
it can be diffused slightly by not calling attention to it on the
graphic and electronic advertising. In this Prototype Plan, the voter
registration by Party is 2 to 1 against my Candidate, so I will not be
calling attention to his/her Party affiliation. Incidentally, the FEC
law (which supercedes state laws on this subject) does not require the
naming of the Candidate's Party on public advertising. Quite frankly,
with the high number of independent voters today (average 30 - 40
percent), either Party label can be a liability.
[Note: FEC law, and most states' laws, require a disclaimer on most
public advertising stating who authorized and paid for the
advertisement.]
When the campaign does its 1st Stage direct mail and the GOTV
program the Candidate will be making an appeal to his/her own Party
members for support and that should be sufficient.
5. CREATING A FAVORABLE IMPRESSION
In order to create a favorable or positive feeling about a
Candidate with the electorate, along with name ID, the Candidate is
dependent on direct mail, the volunteer program, free media coverage,
personal campaigning in the early and middle stages, and the TV and
radio commercials in the final month of the campaign.
FootNotes:
**1** After you have picked the billboard locations, or the billboard
company has done it for you, ask what the GRP rating is for that
showing. The companies periodically test the traffic flow for each
billboard site and will be able to tell you accurately what the total
showing selected will produce.
**2** An alternative would be to have
the signs made on coroplast, a new material which is very lightweight
and weather resistant. The company I use is a firm called Outdoor
Posters, Inc. They are located currently at: 2890 Vassar Bldg., #B,
Reno, NV 89502, (702)784-8100. They also produce poster paper for the
billboards. I have found them to be fast, efficient and very
reasonably priced.
#ENDCARD
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BASIC STRATEGY:
In the 2nd and 3rd Stages, the Candidate should try to avoid
any activity that might result in creating a negative feeling; in
other words, try to stay on the middle ground and, to the extent that
he/she can, do not let the opponent or the media label him/her as an
ultra-this or -that, or as a negative candidate.
If everything falls right, the Candidate in our Prototype
Campaign will have effectively neutralized the opponent's advantage of
high name ID and, all other factors being relatively equal, the
average voter group will split evenly on Election Day. At this point
the final outcome will be decided by the 14 percent of above-average
voters - the people who are going to vote for or against each
Candidate because of their respective positions on an issue or issues
of concern to them.
6. COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE ABOVE-AVERAGE VOTERS
This brings us to the second basic strategy consideration: how
to communicate best with the above-average voter where the Candidate
stands on the issues and the opponent's voting record. Within this
basic strategy development are two approaches: the "catch-all" and the
"targeted" methods (sometimes referred to as the "shotgun" and "rifle"
methods).
Since it is only possible to identify a part of this group, a
considerable amount of time, effort, and money must be spent directing
a detailed message about the relative positions and differences
between the candidates across a larger than necessary segment of the
voting public. The most cost effective vehicle for doing this is
direct mail. In a letter containing a flyer or brochure, or in a
tabloid, a Candidate has more time and space to cover several
pertinent points about the issues - details the above-average voters
want and need before making their decision. **1**
Since many of this group come from the middle to higher
socio-economic levels, the campaign should be able to save money by
using zip codes to target its mail effectively. Be careful though
about communities that are going through a redevelopment program; they
will usually have a significant mix of all the socio-economic groups.
This is where some of the preliminary research will pay off. (This
method is similar to the "Claritis System" developed by Matt Reese,
The Reese Companies, 1925 N. Lynn St., Rosslyn, VA 22209.)
A 30 or 60 second TV or radio commercial essentially projects
an impression; it takes print, a letter or newspaper, to project
substance.
Supplemental to the above are radio and TV talk-show programs,
public debates with the opponent, interviews with centers of
influence, plus the other activities mentioned previously.
How well the campaign accomplishes its objectives among this
group usually determines the outcome. This is why so many serious
campaign elections are determined by 5 percent or less of the final
vote and frankly, it is why so few incumbents are really that secure.
It is not so much that incumbents beat challengers, but more
often than not, the challengers beat themselves by failing to give the
appropriate attention in terms of money, energy, and effort to both
the basic groups of voters. Invariably, they will focus on one and
exclude, or minimally address, the other.
Since most incumbents do not have to spend as much of their
resources on the average voter group (previous campaigns, the franking
mail, and the media have reduced that problem), they are able to
maximize their effort with the above-average group. (Or should. I
know of one long-term incumbent who for some inexplicable reason
concentrated his resources on the average voter group, which was
totally unnecessary, virtually excluding the above-average group
during the campaign, and lost - badly.)
This list will help summarize the primary methods of
communication for each group covered up to this point:
FootNotes:
**1** Try to avoid emphasizing more than three issues during the
campaign.
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BASIC STRATEGY:
Average and Above-Average Groups
Direct Mail (Stages 2, 4, 5)
Precinct Operations (Stages 2, 5)
Tabloids (Pictorial)
Campaigning (Catch-All)
Billboards
4 x 8 Signs
Window and Lawn Signs
Bumper Stickers
Bus and/or Mobile Signs
Brochures
Radio and TV Commercials
Above-Average Voter Group
Direct Mail (Stages 3, 4)
Precinct Operations (Stages 3, 4)
Tabloids (Issues)
Campaigning (Targeted)
Position Papers
"Comparative" Flyers
Newspaper Ads
Debates
Radio and TV shows
Free Media Coverage
There is no argument over which comes first (the chicken or
the egg) for a Candidate with low name ID. Until the name ID begins
to build, most of the targeted messages to the above-average group
will fall on deaf ears. Usually it is the public image and
recognition that brings credibility as a viable Candidate, thus
causing the above-average voter group to give their attention to the
messages being directed to them.
In the 2nd Stage of the campaign, the Candidate should
concentrate on a targeted or selective method of campaigning rather
than a catch-all or general method. A Candidate would probably be
wasting much of his/her time walking precincts, working plant gates
and shopping centers, etc. before the general public begins to have an
awareness of who they are as a Candidate. **1** A Candidate's time
might be more efficiently spent concentrating on visits with centers
of influence, recruiting volunteers, solidifying his/her base of
support, and assisting the Finance Committee with raising funds from
individual major contributors. Maximum exploitation of free media
through press releases and conferences here should give a Candidate
more than adequate supplemental coverage and exposure during this
Stage. A shift to a heavier emphasis on catch-all methods would occur
in the 3rd and 4th Stages.
7. WHAT SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED
The next area of strategy development has to do with the
content of the message being sent, i.e. should it be a "negative"
campaign attacking the opponent, **2** or a "positive" campaign based
on the Candidate and his/her position on the issues, while virtually
ignoring the incumbent? This is usually described as taking the "low"
or the "high" road (if you are an incumbent or are in an "open" race,
you would automatically attempt to take the high road). Many
Political Campaign Consultants and strategists will advise that it is
always the role of the challenger to attack and the role of the
incumbent to ignore or down-play the challenger. They point out that,
generally, people are more inclined to vote against someone rather
than for them.
I agree with this to a certain extent, i.e. all other factors
being equal, usually people will not vote someone out of office with
whom they are satisfied. (The most notable exception that comes to
mind was when Robert F. Kennedy beat the incumbent Ken Keating for the
U.S. Senate in New York State - both were very popular.) So unless an
incumbent already has a high negative rating (usually as a result of
neglect of the district, moral impropriety, notoriously poor voting
record, etc.), the challenger must give the voters (in both groups) a
reason to vote against the incumbent, while projecting to the voters a
neutral or positive feeling about himself/herself.
The keys are in the timing and the degree of intensity. If a
Candidate begins attacking too early and too aggressively, the media
and the opponent will immediately tag the Candidate and the campaign
as being negative and the subsequent loss of credibility could be very
damaging. To avoid this possibility, I usually recommend a gradual
escalation of the public "attack" during the various stages of the
campaign. An axiom with this type of strategy is never to attack
without offering a positive proposal to rectify the problem. This is
especially important when dealing with the media, whether in person or
through press releases.
FootNotes:
**1** The exceptions might be if a candidate is walking precincts as
a method of volunteer recruitment, or working a plant gate as a staged
media event.
**2** Much has been made during the last few cycles
about negative campaigning, so much so that the definition has become
very vague. Throughout this Manual, I use the term negative to mean a
criticism of an opponent's position on a particular issue, statement,
or political activity.
#ENDCARD
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BASIC STRATEGY:
A Candidate should concentrate, especially during the 1st and
2nd Stages, on building a positive image of himself/herself and the
campaign. **1** Then, after the Candidate has solidified his/her
base and established credibility, he/she can begin to attack, in
calculated, gradual steps designed to keep the opponent off-balance
and constantly on the defensive (in chess terms: castling the king
before beginning the attack).
In effect, since a Candidate is offering himself/herself as a
leader to the people of a district, he/she must act like one. That is
not to say that a Candidate should not empathize with the electorate
and show indignation, outrage, and concern over the problems
afflicting them. But the Candidate should not fail to offer them hope
of a better life to come by following his/her leadership. Some
candidates seem to think they must act like prophets of doom in order
to win an election, but the only thing they usually win is a ticket to
the loser's circle on election day.
The alternative programs a Candidate should offer do not have
to be so specific and detailed that it would take a graduate degree to
understand them. It is sufficient for most people that a Candidate
has a dream and a plan for realizing it. A smart Candidate gives them
confidence about the future, not more fear and anxiety than they
already have. He/She should always leave them feeling good about
themselves - and the candidate.
8. HOW TO ESTABLISH AND REACH VOTER OBJECTIVES
The next constant area of strategy deals with the
establishment of objectives. Currently, each Congressional district
should have about 500,000 people living in it, with approximately
370,000 eligible voters (74%), of whom about 296,000 will be
registered to vote (80%). Of this number, usually no more than
228,000 (77%) will actually vote on Election Day. Therefore, a
Candidate for this office would need one half plus one to win -
114,001. **2**
Assuming these 114,001 voters are statistically normal, they
will be living 1.7 to a household. (114,001 divided by 1.7 equals
67,000.) A Candidate must, therefore, find approximately 67,000
households that will turn out and vote for him/her on Election Day.
Now a Candidate may, as many candidates do, leave it to chance
that all of the other campaign and media activities will impact these
67,000 households in a positive manner and that they will come out to
vote for him/her on Election Day. There is, however, a better and
surer way to make it happen and, as a bonus, measure the progress of
the campaign while it is going on rather than waiting for the big
surprise on Election Day.
It means a lot of hard work on the part of everyone involved,
the Candidate, the consultant, the staff, and volunteers (which is
probably why more don't do it), plus more money; but it is virtually
the best insurance I know of to guarantee a victory.
I will get into more of the specific details later, but it
involves a combined volunteer program of precinct canvassing, in
person and by phone. In the first Stage the objective is simply to
identify how the registered voters currently see themselves voting on
Election Day, i.e. definitely for the opponent, definitely for the
Candidate, or undecided.
In the following stages, the undecided are re-contacted in
person, by phone, and by mail in an attempt to persuade them to
support the candidate. In the final stage, the GOTV Stage, the ones
who are definitely for the Candidate are contacted first to remind
them to get out and vote for him/her, and then the remaining members
of his/her Party, undecideds, and independents are contacted for a
last-minute "pitch" to vote for him/her.
The advantages are obvious. The Candidate eliminates from
his/her direct mail program those who are definitely supporting the
opponent and those who are for him/her. The campaign is then able to
target its resources (the "rifle" method) on those voters with whom it
will do the most good. As re-surveying indicates they have decided
one way or the other, they are taken from the undecided column and
added to the previous total of the Candidate's supporting households
or to the opponent's. The Candidate is then able to measure progress
toward his/her goal of 67,000+ households. In the vernacular of the
business, "it makes no sense to preach to those already saved or
damned."
FootNotes:
**1** A positive image is built by stressing a candidate's
qualifications, record of community service, family background, local
roots, positions on the major issues, etc. A campaign's positive
image is built by appearing to be well-organized and efficient.
**2**
An analysis of the district's actual numbers will produce a more
accurate number needed for a Candidate to win. These figures are for
illustrative purposes only. The methodology used, however, can be
applied to most races below statewide level.
#ENDCARD
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BASIC STRATEGY:
I have been using this method, wherever possible, during my
career and have never failed to call the outcome of the election
accurately at least one week before - win or lose.
The disadvantages are just as obvious. There is a tremendous
amount of hard work involved and extra expense; however, this is
somewhat offset by the savings in the direct mail program. It
requires a small army of volunteers - anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000
depending on the amount of turnover the campaign experiences. **1**
Most campaigns will experience anywhere from 20 to 50 percent turnover
during the campaign, but I do know of one campaign where the
volunteers were so dedicated to the Candidate that the campaign lost
only 5 percent of them over the 9-month period.
Each Candidate has to decide for himself/herself whether or
not to use this method, but in the Prototype Campaign being developed
here, I have used it and have included it in Chapter V on
Implementation. The Appendix contains manuals and forms that further
detail how to implement this program.
9. PAID MEDIA STRATEGY
The final major area of strategy development has to do with
the content, amount, and timing of the paid media level in the
campaign. Media is a general term used to mean outdoor advertising,
direct mail, newspapers, radio, television, etc. In this case, since
the campaign is paying for it, the campaign controls it.
I have already discussed the use of outdoor advertising. In
the Prototype Political Game Plan the strategy calls for its being
used continuously from early February through the election.
Direct mail has two basic functions - that of fundraising and
for political purposes. During the 2nd Stage most of the direct mail
will be for fundraising with one political mailing targeted to
registered members of the Candidate's Party. Since it will also
include an appeal for help it is really a combination piece. The
Candidate will do this in order to solidify his/her base among what
should be his/her "natural" constituency.
During the 3rd Stage most direct mail will be directed toward
the independents and undecideds. The strategy here is to begin to
capitalize on the campaign activity that has been going on up to this
point, i.e. the Candidate's activities, the free and paid media
activity, and the combination of the precinct and phone bank workers'
efforts.
In the 4th Stage, an "attack" direct mail piece will be
targeted to the unidentified members of the opposite Party (on the
basis that every vote taken away from the opponent is, in effect,
worth two to the Candidate) and the remaining independents and
undecideds.
In the 5th Stage, those who are definitely committed to the
Candidate, plus the unidentified members of his/her Party, will be
mailed. The total volume of direct mail for both fundraising and
political purposes will be around 500,000 pieces.
Newspaper ads can take several approaches: endorsement ads,
issue-oriented ads, ads for name ID purposes only, attack ads, GOTV
ads, etc. I have a real problem justifying the use of newspaper ads
on a cost- and vote-effective basis in a Congressional race of the
type used in the Prototype. The ads are primarily aimed at the 14
percent above-average group and are competing with, or at least
duplicating, the direct mail.
Frankly, whenever the ads are used, it is as often as not a
means to encourage favorable coverage from the editor or owner of the
newspaper. Even then, I would recommend using them sparingly in the
last 15 days of the campaign. As to content, this will depend on the
circumstances at the time. The final poll will help decide the type
of targeting an ad should take - a decision usually best left to the
Political Media Consultant, adviser, strategist, or ad agency.
FootNotes:
**1** This number can be substantially reduced by using the device
called TeleClerk, which I previously referred to and will discuss in
greater detail later.
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BASIC STRATEGY:
There are several theories on when to begin and how to buy
radio and TV time. The one I favor and recommend, especially for
challengers, is referred to as the 10, 20, 30, 40 plan. After
determining your electronic media Budget (usually around 20 - 25
percent of the total when used with this strategy, depending on cost
factors in your district) place 10 percent of the dollar amount in the
fourth week before the election, 20 percent in the third, 30 percent
in the second, and 40 percent in the final week. This spread, in
combination with the other media and campaign activities, works most
effectively in continuing positive name ID and builds good, steady
momentum right up to Election Day. A real problem in campaigns is
that of peaking too soon; this spread acts as a natural deterrent to
this happening.
As to content, **1** an average campaign would develop a
60-second biography spot for use primarily during the first week of
the run; two 30-second MOS spots (man-on-the-street interviews) shown
primarily in the second week's run; two 30-second issue-oriented spots
(one positive, one attack for the third week; and one 30-second
appeal-for-votes spot by the Candidate in the fourth week, plus some
interspersing of the positive and attack spots. Radio spots are
usually taken from the sound track on the TV spots and follow the same
spread pattern. **2**
Regarding the exact location of the buys, here again a
Candidate should not attempt this on his/her own. The stations (radio
and TV) pay ad or media placement agencies a commission when they
place the spots **3** - it should not cost the campaign a dime. **4**
So, even if the Candidate does not have a Political Media
Consultant, or the consultant does not do ad work or media placement,
the Candidate should hire a local firm to do the work for him/her.
There is a considerable amount of research taken from the polls and
interfaced with a study of the official ratings for each show (even
the locally produced ones, such as the nightly news), referred to as
Arbitron ratings, which must be done in order to obtain maximum voter
impact effectiveness for each commercial.
Many candidates know that if the conditions above are met,
they are entitled to the lowest commercial rate a station is currently
charging any active client; in other words, candidates receive the
same discounted rate a major advertiser like GM would receive. But
what they usually do not know is that some stations have three
additional methods of buying time within that rate structure. Since
stations are profit making operations and ad or media-buying agencies
are paid a commission on the total number of dollars spent, there are
some that do not volunteer this additional information quickly, if at
all. Legally they are not required to do so.
The three additional methods, or rate structures, are usually
referred to as preemptible time, semi-fixed time, and fixed or
guaranteed time. The terms are self-explanatory. If a Candidate buys
time at the preemptible rate and another advertiser comes along who
wants that time slot and is willing to pay the next higher rate,
he/she will get "bumped." There is less risk with semi-fixed, and
virtually none with fixed time.
The question might be asked: If the specific locations of the
spots are so important, why would a Candidate want to risk losing
them? This is a good question and here are the answers. First,
preemptible time costs about 30 percent less than fixed time! Second,
I have always been able to reach an agreement with the station
salesperson or manager that, if anyone threatens to bump a spot, I
would be given a call and offered the opportunity to cover it with the
higher rate before it is bumped. I have rarely lost a spot and, even
after paying the fixed rate for the few spots that are invariably
challenged, my clients have saved thousands of dollars over the same
number of spots at the fixed rate. In fact, for the average
congressional campaign the difference is usually around $25,000.
Anytime a spot is bumped for any reason, the station has to
make good for it with another time of equal value. Normally they will
call and offer a choice and, thanks to strict audit procedures, plus
the basic honesty of the vast majority of stations, a Candidate can
depend on a fair adjustment being made every time.
FootNotes:
**1** This is a variable offered for illustrative purposes only.
**2** In order to qualify for the lowest rates available on both TV
and radio, the law states that either the candidate's voice must be
used somewhere in the spot or he/she must appear in the spot. For
those spots where neither of these conditions are met, the normal
procedure is to have the candidate state the disclaimer which is
tagged at the end of the spot, i.e., "Authorized and paid for the
(Your Name) for (Office) Committee."
**3** This arrangement is
similar to the commissions paid a travel agent by an airline company -
it is only available to the travel agent. You do not receive it in
the form of a discount by buying direct.
**4** A word of caution:
this statement is usually true if the total amount of the buy is large
enough for the agency to make a profit on the commission. Many
agencies will surcharge this commission if the total size of the buy
is not large enough.
#ENDCARD
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BASIC STRATEGY:
Again, as to the specific content of the commercials, this
should be reviewed with the campaign consultant, adviser, or ad
agency. Normally, the commercials are not produced until at least one
survey has been done so they can be developed for the necessary
demographic groups to be targeted. My only word of caution here is to
avoid the "whistles and bells." Most candidates would like to have
their commercials look as slick as the ones for commercial products
but what they don't realize is that these commercials can cost
hundreds of thousands of dollars to produce. Aerial shots, use of pop
music, graphics, etc. are very expensive. I can't deny that this
gimmickry does help penetrate the consciousness of the viewer; but for
any campaign with a Budget of less than one million dollars, it is
usually a poor trade-off, i.e. the extra money spent for this type of
production would be better spent on more air-time. As a general rule
of thumb, I rarely Budget more than 10 percent of the media budget for
the actual cost of production.
All other factors being equal, the strategy usually follows
the same thrust as in the earlier stages of the Political Game Plan.
The first three commercials should let them know who the Candidate is
(the bio spot) and that he/she is a qualified, "good" person (the MOS
spots); then the next three should show that the opponent is out of
step with the people of the district (the attack spot), that the
Candidate has solutions (the positive issue spot), and that he/she
wants to be their leader (the appeal spot).
10. STRATEGY REVIEW
;
Even though the development of strategy is dependent on a
number of variables and no two campaigns are ever exactly alike, there
are some constants to guide a Candidate's planning.
Remember there are two basic campaign strategies: one directed
toward all voters, the other to the 14 percent, above-average voter
group. To implement this dual strategy a Candidate has two methods at
his/her disposal: the catch-all and the targeted.
A Candidate's first objective should be to "castle the King."
Solidify his/her base, raise funds, organize and train the volunteers.
Only then can a Candidate begin to attack from a position of
strength. A Candidate should always offer a positive, alternative
program with a negative attack.
Limit the catch-all campaigning until the 3rd, 4th, and 5th
Stages. During the 1st and 2nd Stages, primary concentration should
be on centers of influence, raising funds, and free media. The range
of campaign activities should be expanded during the 3rd, 4th, and 5th
Stages, playing to the Candidate's natural strengths.
Once the attack has begun, it should be kept up on a
hit-and-run basis, keeping the opponent off-guard and on the
defensive. Find his/her hot buttons and push. Personal attacks
usually backfire, but the opponent is fair game on the issues, sources
of financial support, voting record, campaign tactics, etc. Be
absolutely certain of the facts regarding an opponents position - if
it can't be proved, DON'T USE IT.
Do not "beat" an issue too long, unless it appears to be
having a major impact, because it might give the opponent a chance to
recover and gain the offensive. The average voter group is concerned
about impressions, i.e. that the Candidate is strong, the opponent is
weak; he/she represents the people, the opponent is part of the
problem, etc.
If possible, a Candidate should try to find a respected third
party to do the attacking, preferably someone not directly connected
with the campaign. The attack will have more credibility. Whatever
is done, though, I repeat: be sure of the facts about the issue and/or
position taken by the opponent. The Candidate should never resort to
half-truths or misleading statements.
Develop voter objectives based on the actual statistics within
the district. Then develop a Political Game Plan to accomplish those
objectives, using a combination of precinct captains, phone bank
volunteers, and direct mail.
#ENDCARD
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BASIC STRATEGY:
Start outdoor media, except for yard signs, in the 2nd Stage
and continue throughout the campaign. Intensify with mobile outdoor
signs and yard signs in the 4th Stage.
Develop and target the electronic media with great care and
the help of professionals. Plan on using about 25 percent of the
Budget for this area. **1** Use the 10, 20, 30, 40 plan, or spread,
for maximum effectiveness. Do not over-buy. Too much over-saturation
is almost as bad as not enough. Decide which subgroups the campaign
has to reach based on an analysis of the cross-tabs in the survey, and
buy a sufficient number of spots to reach those groups; do not buy
spots going primarily to non-targeted groups (remember the Arbitron
ratings).
Go easy on newspaper ads. A direct mail program, scheduled
and targeted properly, is usually more effective for the campaign's
needs in this type of district.
Remember the campaign's appeal should be as broad-based as
possible by staying on the "middle ground" from beginning to end. A
Candidate should strongly resist any attempts by the opponent or the
media to hang a label on him/her that might automatically alienate a
large segment of the voters.
A Candidate should be careful about which PACs to accept money
from; some are so ideologically pure that the assumption will be made
that, if he/she takes money from them, he/she must be one of them, or
pure enough to have passed their "litmus tests." The best solution is
to develop the broadest possible base of financial support in terms of
numbers, occupations, ages, etc. to diffuse this issue.
Start gradually and control buildup of momentum in the
campaign. It is critical that a campaign reach its peak momentum at
precisely the right time - about 10 days before Election Day. Sooner
than that, it is too difficult to sustain. Also, if any sooner, much
of the campaign's energy will be directed on a segment of the
electorate that is not yet ready to receive and decide.
No matter how busy the Candidate or Campaign Manager is, they
should monitor the campaign's progress using the ID program carefully
and regularly. Post a "thermometer" in the campaign headquarters
during the 3rd and 4th Stages as a visual reminder to staff and
volunteers of where the campaign is and what is still needed to reach
its goals.
Once the campaign strategy and Political Game Plan has been
adopted, DO NOT CHANGE IT unless something major or drastic happens.
Feelings, hunches, sure-fire advice from friends, etc. do not count as
major or drastic occurrences.
In the following chapters, I will discuss more specific
strategy as it applies to the Candidate's activities, staff,
volunteers, media messages and relations, and the opponent. For now
think of strategy as containing "safety nets" staggered on top of one
another; if one method of communication does not reach a particular
voter, the second or third will, so that by Election Day those voters
who are above-average will have had an opportunity to find out
something about the Candidate and the opponent beyond superficial
characteristics. And the average voter group will know and feel at
least as much about the Candidate as the opponent.
If the campaign has successfully accomplished these
objectives, then the electorate will have been offered a real choice.
To the extent that a Candidate is able to control the process, his/her
chances of winning will become at least 50/50.
Luck in the form of negative outside factors, e.g. a
disastrous result at the top of the ticket, might play a part; but
this campaign's efforts will have gone a long way toward minimizing
the potential impact. There were some Republican campaigns that even
survived the disastrous results of the Watergate scandal.
FootNotes:
**1** The "media account" should be opened early, and if possible,
budget money aside every month during the campaign to make sure it is
there when needed. Stations rarely extend credit to political
candidates.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
GAME PLAN:
CHAPTER IV
THE POLITICAL GAME PLAN, BUDGET, AND CASH FLOW;
The Blueprint of Happiness
The development of the Political Game Plan and Budget is
conditioned, of course, on the overall strategy decided upon for the
campaign.
Its function is twofold. First, to set down in writing a plan
to implement the strategy -a road map, if you will, that is going to
show the Candidate how to reach his/her destination. It will tell the
Candidate where he/she should be at any given point in the campaign,
alternate routes to take if the principal route is inaccessible,
vehicles that will be needed along the way, and how much it will cost
to get there.
Second, the Political Game Plan and Budget is a tool to be
used in convincing potential volunteers and financial supporters that
the Candidate knows what needs to be done and has a sound, reasonable
method of reaching the objective.
It never ceases to amaze me how so many people expect others
to invest in their campaigns without preparing a detailed "prospectus"
on the campaign's chances of a successful outcome. Many of these same
people are astute business persons who would not dream of investing in
a business or attempting to secure a loan without a detailed analysis
of the operation, including budget, growth projection, market
analysis, implementation, etc.
The campaign is like a business. All the emotionalism and
"righteousness" of the Candidate and the dedication and enthusiasm of
his/her grass-roots volunteers will not convince the individuals and
organizations that contribute relatively large sums of money to a
campaign to do so unless the Candidate can convince them he/she has a
viable plan to win! This also holds true for the type of key
volunteers needed on the advisory and fundraising committees, the
local media, and the centers of influence in the district.
Without money and the support of these key individuals, a
Candidate cannot win. The Candidate must, therefore, develop a
well-written, realistic Political Game Plan before beginning the
campaign. **1**
The heart of the Political Game Plan is the Time Line, a
day-by-day calendar projecting the political activities of all three
levels in the campaign, broken down by Stages. Concurrent with the
Time Line is the Cash Flow schedule showing as precisely as possible
the costs involved for each activity and when the expenditure needs to
be made.
1. THE PREFACE
;
In the preface, the plan should set the stage for the reader
by providing a brief, but sufficiently detailed, description of the
district (including demographics and geographical characteristics);
the major interest groups that have an impact on the district, e.g.
manufacturing plants, businesses, unions, farmers, etc.; the opponent,
with highlights of voting record if an incumbent, plus an analysis of
his/her strengths and weaknesses; previous voting results in a few
other races as well as the one being sought, e.g. results of
Presidential, senatorial, gubernatorial, etc. within the district; the
latest polling data available; the latest ratings, if available, by
the major rating organizations like ACU, COPE, etc.; a biography of
the Candidate, including an analysis of his/her strengths, base of
support, and stand on the major issues. In other words, this preface
should demonstrate to the reader, on the basis of these externals at
least, that the campaign is winnable. The Candidate then proceeds to
demonstrate how he/she is going to win.
FootNotes:
**1** The development and production of the Political Game Plan and
Budget is one of the key functions of a Political Consultant. They
are experts in preparing these plans in a concise, straightforward
manner which will effectively communicate this message to potential
major contributors (PACs, Party and individuals).
#ENDCARD
#CARD
GAME PLAN:
Before I begin to develop the Time Line, a word of caution is
in order. Some Political Campaign Consultants recommend that the
Political Game Plan and Budget be kept secret and closely guarded
which, of course, mitigates its use as a fundraising and recruiting
tool. I would be inclined to agree with this recommendation if my
client were (1) an incumbent, (2) an individual able to fund the bulk
of the campaign personally and, therefore, less dependent on outside
help, or (3) if the Candidate had such a strong track record as a
result of a different elective office or other position held that
he/she could garner the needed support on the strength of this
candidacy alone. Those candidates who do not fall into one of these
three categories, or a similar situation, usually have to take the
risk implied by putting out their Political Game Plan and Budget
publicly.
Surprisingly the risk is not as great as it might seem. So
long as the actual contents of the media messages are not revealed
prematurely (the copy of the script in the letters, commercials, etc.)
there really is very little an opponent can do about the plan. **1**
Another note of interest on this question: I have found on
several occasions that by being so open with the Political Game Plan
and Budget the opponents thought it was a "smoke screen," a fictitious
plan designed to throw them off guard. It seems some people will only
believe "inside" information if gained surreptitiously!
Finally, many opponents, especially if they have a consultant,
know that a Candidate is going to have to implement the constants in
order to win, and inevitably will be able to figure out the basic
strategy within a very short period of time. In the case of
incumbents, most of them are not fools. Remember, many of them had to
beat an incumbent to be where they are now.
So, as far as I am concerned, I believe the advantages
outweigh the risks for most candidates, especially challengers. In
fact I recommend using the Political Game Plan and Budget vigorously.
I do not recommend calling a press conference to announce it (that is
too blatant), but I do make it a part of the press kit and distribute
it to the media (as well as to the major PACs in a PAC kit). The
Candidate should let them know this campaign is going to be different,
that he/she knows what needs to be done and is determined to win.
2. SUMMARIZE THE STRATEGY
;
After completing the preface, the next chapter should be a
summary of the general strategy. Avoid being too specific regarding
details of attack and media messages. Follow the outline established
in the preceding chapter.
3. DEVELOPING THE TIME LINE
;
Before developing the Time Line a "shell" must be developed
that will contain it. I have referred on several occasions in the
Manual to "Stages." During each of these Stages the general activity
of each level in the campaign should be the same. I will now develop
an overview of these Stages within specific time frames. **2**
A. 1st Stage (10/1/91 - 3/1/92) Pre-Announcement.
;
Primary objective: to lay groundwork for the campaign. Bulk
of research, organization, detail work is done. Recruit, select,
train key volunteers, staff, and committees. Regional and Area
Chairpersons begin to recruit and train Precinct Captains and Phone
Bank volunteers. Contract by November 1st with Political Campaign
Consultant and other professional support as needed. Make contact
with key Party persons (local, state, and national) to discuss
intentions and possible support. Make all arrangements for
headquarters, equipment, etc. Prepare for formal announcement and
first mailer. Let rumors leak to media regarding candidacy, but
neither confirm nor deny. Formal announcement of candidacy March 1
(press conference).
B. 2nd Stage (3/2/92 - 6/1/92)Voter ID Stage.
;
Primary objective: to identify and classify registered voters.
Continue recruiting and training activities (this is an on-going
process in most campaigns). Solidify the base of support. Attend all
Party functions and meetings, if possible. Candidate should meet
personally with as many Party precinct workers as possible in an
effort to recruit them to work on the campaign. **3** Contact key
groups of "natural support." Put heavy emphasis on fundraising.
Precinct Captains and Phone Bank volunteers should then begin
identifying where electorate currently stands on the Candidate and
opponent. **4** Feed results to computer data base monthly. Begin
to develop a more extensive Support File in the computer. Send direct
mail piece to all registered members of Candidate's Party, requesting
volunteer and financial support. Post billboards, 4 x 8 signs and
window signs. Open headquarters with formal announcement (press
conference). Begin systematic program of press releases. Be
sensitive to media events Candidate can tap into. Visit and obtain
endorsements from as many centers of influence as possible.
FootNotes:
**1** The Cash Flow schedule is never included in the public game
plan, and as an added precaution the candidate can delete the specific
dates of events without affecting its value. For a candidate to say
he/she is going to contact centers of influence on a given day does
not tell the opponent with whom they are going to meet. Also, say the
campaign is going to start its commercials on a given day does not
help because virtually all stations have a rule against running
opposing candidates' commercials "back-to-back," i.e. in the same time
slot. Some will argue that showing the Political Game Plan and Budget
will help the opponent mobilize his/her volunteer and financial
support. There is a risk of this happening, but I have found it can
also work in reverse, i.e. as a demoralizer on volunteers and a
discouragement to major contributions flowing quite so freely to the
opponent. It is amazing how many contributors (individuals and PACs,
alike) will either "hedge their bets" by contributing to both
candidates in a race, or at least reduce the size of their
contribution, if they believe a candidate has a chance of winning.
**2** For illustration purposes only, Primary Election Day is presumed
to be June 7, 1988, and General Election Day November 1, 1988.
**3**
A word of caution here. Some Party county chairpersons tend to become
very upset if candidates attempt to recruit "their" precinct workers
without first obtaining their permission. Rather than risk alienating
the Party county chairperson it is prudent to receive their permission
first.
**4** Methodology will be explained later.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
GAME PLAN:
Even though uncontested in Primary Election on June 7th, have
volunteers go through simulated GOTV program on Primary Election Day
to test program and increase the vote. **1**
C. 3rd Stage (6/8/92 - 9/6/92)Positive Advocacy Stage.
;
Primary objective: to build positive image. Schedule a break
in major campaign activity for a few days after Primary. Begin to
campaign full-time, if not already doing so. Increase public exposure
by walking selected precincts; campaigning when shifts change at local
plants; attending fairs, festivals, parades, and other public events.
Increase speaking engagements before groups; visit nursing homes and
senior citizen centers; begin regularly scheduled visits with
reporters for in-depth interviews; continue regular drop-in schedule
with radio stations to do on-air or taped interviews; likewise with
the weekly newspapers; walk local business districts, etc. Continue
putting out substantive press releases regarding position on the
issues.
Hold press conferences at least once a month on location, i.e.
if talking about the price of gas, hold the conference at a gas
station, etc. During July do a "benchmark" survey. In August begin
production on commercials. Volunteers begin call-back on undecideds,
encouraging their vote for Candidate. Send direct mail piece to all
undecided and independents, containing a computer letter, position
piece, or brochure, and BRE (business return envelope). The latter
might pick up enough contributions to pay for mailer and some
additional volunteers. Rotate and continue sign program with heavy
emphasis on bumper strips.
D. 4th Stage (9/6/92 - 10/18/92)Negative Advocacy Stage.
;
Primary objective: to weaken opponent's favorability rating by
an attack on his/her position on the issues. Re-canvass those not
contacted during 2nd Stage, especially in high priority Precincts,
during September. Re-contact undecided during October. Begin debates
with opponent and try to schedule as many talk-show appearances as
possible. Increase speaking engagements before groups such as Lions,
Kiwanis, Chamber of Commerce, civic or political science classes,
homeowners' associations, etc. Escalate attack on opponent's voting
record or position on issues, source of support, campaign tactics,
etc. Be sure to discuss alternative programs with equal emphasis.
Implement absentee ballot program. Distribute tabloids and
comparison sheets. Send direct mail piece to remaining undecideds,
independents, and unidentified members of the opposite Party: letter,
comparison sheet, and BRE (plus brochure to opposite Party members).
Rotate billboards for last time. Begin radio and TV commercials and
put up lawn signs in October. Change tone of press releases and
conferences to reflect "attack/alternative" approach with graduated
increase in number.
In mid-September complete final update of computer data of
registered voters and obtain new printouts deleting identified
opponent supporters. Continue updating manually. During third week of
September, mail fundraising appeal to registered members of
Candidate's Party, emphasizing need for funds to run commercials.
Early in September make first follow-up survey. By October 8 complete
second follow-up survey. **2** Coordinate field activities with
other campaigns and Party activity within district.
E. 5th Stage (10/19/91 - 11/1/92)GOTV Stage.
;
Primary objective: to motivate supporters to get out and vote.
Re-contact all centers of influence. Stress need for them to contact
their members or people influenced by them to vote for Candidate on
Election Day. This is especially important for senior citizen center
and home directors, church pastors, rabbis, and priests. Increase
public visibility. If Candidate believes positive benefit would
result, he/she should make joint appearances with other candidates of
the Party. Drop postcard mailers from volunteers to their friends and
relatives, urging them to vote for the candidate. Organize groups of
volunteers to make literature drops on October 29th and 30th in
precincts that have been virtually neglected during the campaign but
have a high priority. Phone Bank volunteers and Precinct Captains
should begin to call identified supporters and Party members reminding
them Election Day is fast approaching. Ask them to be sure to vote
and then to ask at least three of their friends and relatives to join
them.
FootNotes:
**1** Normally it is very difficult to obtain a high turn-out and
vote in an uncontested Primary situation. Every effort should be made
however, to maximize this vote as some potential contributors and
media people try to predict the General Election results from these
vote figures, based on previous Primary results and as a comparison of
numerical strength against opponent.
**2** This schedule of surveys presumes campaign cannot afford to do
"tracking" surveys on a weekly basis beginning the second week of
September to last week of October.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
GAME PLAN:
If time permits, contact known undecideds for one last effort
to persuade them to vote for Candidate. Review Election Day program
of poll watchers, drivers, ballot security, voter contacts, "host"
homes, etc. **1** Send final direct mail piece, listing location of
polling place, if possible, and other pertinent Election Day
information, to identified supporters, unidentified members of
Candidate's Party, and known undecideds. This mailing should be timed
to be received October 31st. Newspaper ads, if used, run during this
Stage.
On Election Day, after the Candidate goes through the
traditional ritual of voting with media present, he/she should make
rounds of major phone banks, visit briefly with volunteers, provide
encouragement, and then stay out of everyone's way for the rest of the
day. It has been said that the two most useless people on Election
Day are the Candidate and the consultant and it's true.
[Note: Though not shown as such, there is a 6th Stage of sorts, the
clean-up stage. Regardless of the outcome, it is very important to
collect all of the data material as soon as possible from the phone
bank, the host homes, and the Precinct Captains because it has a way
of disappearing quickly. Win or lose, the data base is invaluable for
the next election. After collected, send it to the data-processing
computer firm for updating. Also, thank-you letters need to be mailed
to all volunteers, endorsers, and contributors, sharing the
Candidate's feelings about the result and reminding them that the next
campaign began as soon as this one ended.]
In reviewing this "shell" keep in mind that it is not complete
but has been shown for illustrative purposes only. When a Candidate
develops his/hers, it should be more specific and detailed, showing
fundraising activity as well as political. Normally it is done by
conceptualizing the whole campaign, by Stages, week by week, and
filling in a calendar day by day.
4. POLITICAL TIME LINE **2**
;
10/01/91 Begin meeting with prospective members of Finance and
Advisory Committees and interviewing Political Campaign Consultants.
Obtain computer and software.
10/15/91 Appoint Finance and Advisory Committee members,
Campaign Chairperson(s) and Treasurer. Open campaign bank accounts.
Begin developing Support and Prospect Files.
11/01/91 Contract with Political Campaign Consultant and other
suppliers. File as Candidate with the appropriate agencies - if
Congressional, with the Clerk of the House and the FEC.
11/15/91 Washington, DC or state capitol. Visit with key
national or state Party staff people, elected Party officials, key PAC
directors, to discuss candidacy and develop support. 2-3 days.
12/01/91 Select location of headquarters. Open P.O. Box;
obtain assigned phone numbers. Finance Committee meeting. Order
campaign graphics - logo, brochure, etc.
12/15/91 Order brochures, press release masthead paper,
stationery, envelopes, bumper strips, billboard paper, etc. Obtain
lists or tapes of registered voters. Advisory Committee meeting.
12/20/91 Finance Committee meeting. Establish Regional and Area
boundaries.
01/03/92 Arrange for direct mail piece to all Party households.
Drop date 2/15/92. Order billboards and 4 x 8 signs, select initial
locations. Posting time 3/1/92.
01/15/92 Begin contacting centers of influence on regularly
scheduled basis.
02/01/92 Make deposit on headquarters, phones, equipment.
Formal opening 3/1/92. Arrange location of first press conference for
announcement of candidacy on 2/15/92. Assemble press kits. Begin
interviewing staff members.
FootNotes:
**1** Check with Party's county or state committee for details on
poll-watching and ballot security programs. Most of this activity is
coordinated with them.
**2** For illustrative purposes only.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
GAME PLAN:
02/07/92 Send press release announcing a press conference for
2/15/92. Check progress of Party direct mail. Finance Committee
meeting. Hire key staff.
02/08/92 Invite attenders, key community leaders, chairpersons,
treasurer, volunteers, to press conference 2/15/92. Develop
announcement speech. Advisory Committee meeting.
02/12/92 Verify media attenders for 2/15/92 press conference.
Mail kits to media outlets unable to attend. Order lawn (window)
signs.
02/15/92 Announcement of candidacy press conference.
Refreshments afterwards. Drop Party direct mail. Order signs for
headquarters.
02/16/92 Complete hiring of staff. Arrange installation of
phones and delivery of equipment. Begin assembly of Precinct kits and
Phone Bank manuals. Arrange for tele-matching of phone numbers on
voter registration lists.
02/18/92 Headquarters opens informally. Equip and make
operational. Set procedures.
02/25/92 Send press release announcing grand opening of
headquarters 3/1/92. Invite all volunteers to grand opening, plan for
light party.
02/26/92 Training sessions for Precinct Captain and Phone Bank
volunteers. Finance Committee meeting.
03/01/92 Formal grand opening of headquarters, 7:30 P.M. Party
for volunteers, staff, and media. Post billboards and 4 x 8 signs.
03/02/92 Prepare copy for first mailing to support file on
3/15/92. Begin posting window signs. Begin 2nd Stage. Precinct and
Phone Bank operations begin.
03/03/92 Assemble PAC kits and order material for first PAC
mailing. Advisory Committee meeting. Meet with Field Operations
Committee.
03/04/92 Finance Committee meeting.
03/10/92 Drop first PAC mailing. Order out-of-district (OD)
mail materials. Drop date 4/10/92.
03/15/92 Drop first Support File mailing. Send invitations to
prospective speakers for 5/14/92 fundraising dinner.
03/26/92 Meet with Precinct Captains and Phone Bank volunteers.
Define objectives and priority Precincts. Begin PAC mailing
follow-up to key PACs.
04/01/92 Advisory Committee meeting. Finance Committee
meeting. Firm guest speaker for 5/15/92 dinner. Order tickets.
Arrange for promotional mailing on 4/15/92.
04/10/92 Drop out-of-district mailing.
04/15/92 Drop dinner mailing.
04/20/92 Finance Committee meeting. Distribute prospect cards
for sale of dinner tickets.
04/28/92 Advisory Committee meeting.
04/29/92 Begin telephone follow-up to persons who received
dinner tickets in mail but did not respond.
05/02/92 Order new poster paper for billboards.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
GAME PLAN:
05/05/92 Finance Committee meeting (dinner). Send press
release on 5/15 dinner, announce time of press conference on 5/15/92.
05/15/92 5:00 p.m. Press Conference (guest of honor).
6:00 p.m. Private Social Hour.
7:00 p.m. Public Social Hour.
8:00 p.m. Dinner.
05/22/92 Field Operations Committee meeting. Discuss and
arrange for modified GOTV on Primary. Order direct mail piece for
undecideds. Drop on 7/7/92.
05/31/92 Begin modified GOTV Stage.
06/07/92 Primary Election Day - GOTV.
06/08/92 Hold press conference setting stage for General
Election period. Order direct mail for 2nd PAC and OD mailing. Drop
06/22/92. Rotate billboards. Order tabloids for general distribution
and Phone Bank follow-up. Send ID data to computer firm for update.
Begin 3rd Stage: Positive Advocacy.
06/09/92 Finance and Advisory Committee meetings.
06/11/92 Training seminar, all volunteers, 3rd Stage.
06/22/92 Drop 2nd PAC and OD mailing. Order direct mail for 2nd
Support File mailing. Drop date 7/18/92, tie in to mini-event, if
possible.
07/04/92 Ride in annual parade and attend major picnics.
07/07/92 Drop direct mail piece to undecideds.
07/10/92 Begin phone follow-up to 2nd PAC mailing. Secure
items for auction on 8/7/92.
07/13/92 Do benchmark survey.
07/18/92 Drop 2nd Support File mailing. Send notice of
picnic/auction to volunteers and contributors.
07/25/92 Finance Committee meeting. Review prospect cards.
08/03/92 Advisory Committee meeting. Review survey and do
major campaign analysis. Complete arrangements for speaker and dinner
on 9/10/92. Order new poster paper for billboards.
08/05/92 Make final arrangements for 2nd major dinner on
9/10/92. Order tickets and direct mail. Drop on 8/15/92.
08/07/92 Picnic and auction for volunteers, staff, and
contributors.
08/08/92 Begin production on commercials.
08/15/92 Drop 2nd major dinner mail. Order direct mail for 3rd
PAC and OD mailing. Drop date 9/6/92. Order direct mail for 3rd
Support File mailing (if not incorporated in dinner mailing) on
9/7/92. Order direct mail for 9/14/92 mailing to undecideds,
independents, and unidentified members of opposite Party. Advisory
and Finance Committee meetings.
09/01/92 Send out press release on 9/10/92 dinner. Finance
Committee meeting. Order yard signs.
09/06/92 Begin 4th Stage: Negative Advocacy. Drop 3rd PAC and
OD mailings. Rotate billboards. Review and analyze results of 3rd
Stage program. Advisory Committee meeting.
09/07/92 Drop Support File mailing. Contact media regarding
conference 9/10/92.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
GAME PLAN:
09/10/92 4:00 p.m. Press conference or rally.
6:00 p.m. Private Social Hour.
7:00 p.m. Public Social Hour.
8:00 p.m. Dinner.
09/12/92 1st Follow-up survey. Reserve hotel for victory party
11/1/92.
09/14/92 Drop political mailing to undecideds, independents,
and unidentifieds. Order final fundraising mailing for key PACs,
OD's, all previous contributors, and members of Party. Drop date
10/4/92. Begin PAC phone follow-up and 3rd mailing.
09/16/92 Send accumulated results of Phone Bank and Precinct
operations to computer firm for final update and preparation of GOTV
printouts.
09/17/92 Training seminar for 4th Stage. Field Operations
Committee meeting. Prepare mail program from elected and Party
officials to their supporters, plus postcard mailer from volunteers,
endorsers, contributors to their friends and relatives. Drop
10/23/92.
09/19/92 Finance and Advisory Committee meetings. Begin
absentee ballot program. Begin developing Election Day program.
09/30/92 Organize ad hoc GOTV committee.
10/04/92 Drop final fundraising mailing to key PACs, OD's,
previous contributors, and members of Party. Begin TV and radio
commercials. Order final direct mail to ID'd supporters, members of
Party, and remaining undecideds. Drop date 10/25/92. Finance
Committee meeting.
10/10/92 2nd Follow-up survey. Prepare GOTV kits. Put up lawn
signs. Secure host homes to supplement Phone Banks on 11/1/92.
10/14/92 Advisory Committee meeting. Last possible turnaround
day (to make changes). Begin final PAC telephone follow-up.
10/19/92 Begin 5th Stage: GOTV
10/21/92 GOTV training seminar. Everyone.
10/22/92 Precinct blitz. Political rally.
10/23/92 Drop mail from Party and elected officials and
supporters.
10/25/92 Drop final GOTV mailing (use special political mail
tags to insure delivery date). Begin newspaper ads (if being used).
10/29/92 Precinct blitz. Call all ID'd supporters.
10/30/92 Precinct blitz. Call all ID'd supporters, undecideds,
and members of Party.
10/31/92 Check final preparations for Election Day program.
Confirm host homes, poll watchers, and ballot security program. Final
press conference.
11/01/92 Election Day program.
Victory Party!
The campaign would enter other key or special events on its
Time Line as developed or as strategy dictates. Notice that the lead
time for most production work is around 30 days. Anything less will
strain a supplier's ability to deliver on time, resulting in added,
unnecessary costs and missed deadlines. The operative word is -
anticipation. Know exactly what the campaign's needs are and order
far enough in advance to keep the costs down.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
GAME PLAN:
Political Campaign Management Software has a built-in Time
Line designed to work very effectively for this purpose. However, if
a campaign does not have this software, or one comparable, I recommend
that the Campaign Manager obtain a 6-foot piece of butcher's paper and
reproduce the Time Line on it, then hang it in his/her office so it
acts as a constant visual reminder of what is coming. The pace of the
campaign becomes so hectic at times it is easy to forget or overlook
even key events.
Normally the Time Line should not be used as the Candidate's
Campaign Calendar. That is a separate program maintained by the
Campaign Secretary. However, if the campaign has a computer network
set-up similar to the one recommended later in this Manual, it could
be done very easily.
The next part of the Political Game Plan is the Budget and
Cash Flow schedule. Notice that it is prepared after the Political
Game Plan. A serious mistake made by so many candidates is to develop
their strategy and Political Game Plan based on a predetermined
Budget. Unlike some consultants, I do not subscribe to the theory
that a campaign should develop a high and a low Budget. I believe a
Political Game Plan should be developed that maximizes a Candidate's
opportunity to win, and then every effort should be made to raise the
necessary capital.
Inevitably I am asked during the course of a campaign what
effect will the elimination of a particular planned activity have on
the outcome of the campaign. My answer is always the same: if it
weren't important - it wouldn't be there in the first place.
5. THE CAMPAIGN BUDGET **1**
;1990 Congressional Campaign Budget - Estimated **2**
1. $ 15,000 Computer Network, Software & Supplies
2. 85,000 Staff salaries, incl. tax and insurance
3. 10,800 Headquarters rental, incl. utilities
4. 23,000 Phones, incl. deposits
5. 2,700 Office postage
6. 18,000 Office equipment and supplies
7. 20,000 TeleClerk **3**
8. 6,000 Misc. printing
9. 25,000 Polling, 1 Benchmark, 2 Follow-ups
10. 30,000 Political Campaign Consultant's fee
11. 12,000 Political Campaign Consultant's expenses
12. 12,000 Candidate's campaign expenses
13. 3,000 Graphics and typesetting
14. 16,000 Brochures, 200,000
15. 5,000 Campaign and PR stationery
16. 2,500 Billboard production
17. 22,500 Billboard rental
18. 3,400 Yard, Window, and 4 x 8 signs
19. 2,000 Bumper Strips, 10,000
20. 15,000 Computer Services, data entry and printouts
21. 4,800 Tabloids, 80,000
22. 84,000 Political and FR direct mail pieces, 420,000
23. 63,500 Direct Mail and Tabloid postage and permits
24. 90,000 Radio and TV commercial spots
25. 9,000 Production, 6 commercials
26. 2,400 Promotional Items
27. 15,000 Major Event expenses
28. 2,400 Misc. expenses
$600,000 Total Estimated Expenses (incl. fundraising)
FootNotes:
**1** For illustrative purposes only.
**2** This presumes an uncontested Primary. If contested, add
$50,000.
**3** TeleClerk is a unique telecommunications device used in the
Phone Bank. It will be discussed in greater detail later. Its use is
optional in the Game Plan.
#ENDCARD
#TAG CASHFLW1.PICT
#CARD
GAME PLAN:
Sources of Funds (Contributions) - Estimated **1**
1. $ 50,000 Candidate
2. 60,000 15 Major Contributors (Primary and General)
3. 80,000 Individual solicitations (Minor Contributors)
4. 80,000 Direct Mail
5. 200,000 PACs ($140,000) and OD (Out-of-District)
6. 75,000 2 Major Events (total 600 @ $125 + social)
7. 55,000 Party (national, state, local)
$600,000 Total Income ($350,000 in-district)
Fundraising Schedule (Cash Flow) - Estimated **2**
1. $ 50,000 11/1/91 $25,000 Candidate
$20,000 Major Contributors
$ 5,000 Individual Solicitations
2. 35,000 12/1/91 $25,000 Candidate
$10,000 Major Contributors
3. 15,000 1/15/92 Individual Solicitations
4. 70,000 2/15/92 $40,000 Direct Mail
$30,000 Individual Solicitations
5. 25,000 4/01/92 PACs
6. 15,000 4/30/92 OD (Out-of-District) contributions
7. 37,500 5/15/92 1st Major Event (dinner + social)
8. 15,000 5/19/92 Party
9. 60,000 6/15/92 $30,000 Major Contributors
$30,000 Individual Solicitations
10. 40,000 7/15/92 PACs and OD contributions
11. 35,000 8/15/92 $15,000 PACs
$20,000 Direct Mail
12. 37,500 9/10/92 2nd Major Event (dinner + social)
13. 70,000 9/15/92 $20,000 Party
$20,000 Direct Mail
$30,000 PACs & OD contributions
14. 95,000 10/7/92 $20,000 Party and $75,000 PACs & OD
contributions
$600,000 Total Income
6. CAMPAIGN CASH FLOW SCHEDULE/CALENDAR 1989/90. **3**
FootNotes:
**1** For illustrative purposes only.
**2** For illustrative purposes only.
**3** For illustrative purposes only.
#ENDCARD
#TAG
#CARD
GAME PLAN:
7. BUDGET ANALYSIS
;
One note of interest in analyzing these figures is that
approximately $120,000 (or 20 percent of the Budget) is expended for
fundraising purposes. This is a cost factor so often overlooked by
candidates, but, obviously, most of the balance could not be raised
without it. This percentage (20%) is very conservative but a
reasonable amount. **1**
Of the $480,000 spent for political purposes, a large percent
is spent for communications. This total amount ($480,000) averages
out to about $1.30 per adult person in the district spent over a
period of 12 months (or 13 cents per person, per month). **2**
A Candidate should keep this in mind if the opponent or the
media attempts to make an issue out of the size of the campaign
Budget. Would they deny the right of the electorate an opportunity to
learn about you and the issues?
A note of caution: The Cash Flow schedule and the dates shown
on the political and fundraising Time Lines should not appear in the
Political Game Plan developed for public dissemination. This
information is too sensitive for the opponent to see and does not
enhance the use of the Political Game Plan as a fundraising tool.
Some Political Campaign Consultants, advisers, or strategists
recommend developing a "high" and a "low" budget. I do not. If the
strategy is sound (and therefore necessary) and the Political Game
Plan is prudent and reasonable, then a Candidate is only deluding
himself/herself, as well as the volunteers, if they are led to believe
the campaign can accomplish its objectives with less communication.
Keep in mind a few candidates will win in any given year, almost in
spite of themselves and/or their campaigns. But those who do win by
design (primarily challengers at this level) will invariably spend
between $400,000 and $500,000 for the political portion of the
campaign. In fact during the last 6 years this has been one of the
few common denominators among winning Congressional challengers.
Incidentally, some of the cost factors used in this Budget are
lower than most candidates can expect to pay. Most Political Campaign
Consultants invariably save their clients more than their fees by
obtaining other campaign items and services at costs lower than they
could realize on their own. Many consultants, even those who are not
generalists, **3** have arrangements with other suppliers to provide
their goods or services to the consultant's clients at reduced prices.
This is possible because the Political Campaign Consultant is able to
negotiate a lower price, based on volume, than can the individual
Candidate.
FootNotes:
**1** I know of one Congressperson who spent 71.5 percent of the
amount raised during the campaign for fund-raising costs! The
Congressperson spent $1,400,000 and still ended up with only $400,000
for the political campaign.
**2** The average cost per adult
increases slightly for smaller, state legislative races, and decreases
for larger, or statewide races.
**3** I have used the term "Political
Consultant" very loosely throughout this Manual. Unfortunately there
are few precise definitions in this business; virtually anyone can
call themselves a Political Consultant. Later, I will attempt to
define this title as well as others used for various vendors to the
campaign. Suffice for now to say that, as used here, a Political
Campaign Consultant is a specialist in putting together and managing a
political campaign, with knowledge and experience in all of its
components.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
GAME PLAN:
For example, the current, average rate for polling is around
$28 per interview. Some consultants have associate arrangements with
reputable polling firms that will provide the same service for their
clients at $25 per interview. An associate printer might provide a
two-color, three-fold brochure on glossy stock for 8 cents each,
whereas most candidates would pay between 9.5 and 12 cents for exactly
the same brochure. In direct mail, many consultants have associates
who will provide a client with an individualized computer letter, #10
window envelope, #6 1/2 BRE, and a brochure or insert piece for a
total of 30 or 32 cents. This includes materials, printing, folding,
inserting, sorting, and preparing for a direct drop at the Post
Office. The Candidate buying directly could expect to pay between 36
and 40 cents per unit for the same piece of mail and service.
There are also differences in the fees charged for support
services when combined in one agency. For example, Political Campaign
Consultants' fees will average for a campaign of this size $25,000
plus expenses; average media creative fees are $18,000 for six
commercials plus crew and expenses; and political fundraisers' fees
average $10,000 plus a 5 percent commission on the amount raised plus
expenses. So, separately, the fees would usually average $60,000 plus
$25,000 in fundraising commissions. By using a generalist (or
Political Campaign Consultant **1** ), a campaign could save around
$50,000. Normally, however, a Political Campaign Consultant will only
give this preferred rate if he/she is also responsible for all the
media production and placement in the campaign.
Taking these differentials into consideration, the Budget used
in the Prototype Plan is very realistic for the campaign we are
developing in this Manual. Variations will occur, of course,
depending on the possible variations previously discussed. I will go
into some of them later.
8. POLITICAL GAME PLAN SUMMARY
;
In summary, the Political Game Plan should include the
following:
A. A Preface, in effect giving the reader
reasons why the race is winnable.
B. A Summary of the basic strategy the campaign
will use.
C. The Political Game Plan it will follow to
implement the strategy: an overview of the Stages, campaign
organization flow chart see Chapter V), and a detailed political Time
Line.
D. The Campaign Budget needed to implement the
Political Game Plan including the anticipated sources of income and
fundraising schedule.
E. The Cash Flow Schedule (for internal use
only).
When completed it should be neatly typed and bound in a
plastic cover. Excluding the Cash Flow schedule, 150 copies should be
prepared for future use.
FootNotes:
**1** This is the term I prefer to use to indicate a Political
Consultant who is a generalist, i.e. develops strategy, the game plan,
the fundraising plan, media plan, and supervises the campaign on a
regular basis, etc.
#ENDCARD
#TAG ORGFLOW.PICT
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
CHAPTER V
IMPLEMENTATION
Who, What, When, Where, Why, How;
In this chapter, I will be discussing the implementation of
the campaign Political Game Plan by going over some of the basic
responsibilities of each individual in the campaign organization. Who
does what, when, where, why, and how. Certain key activities like the
Phone Bank operation, voter targeting, etc. are discussed in the
sections covering the persons primarily responsible for doing that
activity.
Throughout the Manual, I will attempt to emphasize the
constants, i.e. those activities and responsibilities that should be
basic to any well-run campaign. The variables will depend on the
individuals involved, their personalities, skills, experience,
available time, dedication, the actual strategy and Political Game
Plan, etc.
Though the Prototype Plan calls for the Campaign Manager to
perform the duties of Finance Director, I will outline each position
as though a separate person were being hired to do them. Keep in mind
that all of these functions are necessary to some degree in all
campaigns and must be performed by someone, whether paid staff or
volunteer.
1. THE CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATIONAL FLOW CHART
;
Before beginning the actual descriptions, I need to develop an
organizational flow chart for the campaign - a project that should be
done by the Candidate based on his/her own situation during the 1st
Stage. All members of the committees and staff should be given a copy
and it should be made a part of the Political Game Plan. The campaign
organizational flow-chart helps to illustrate and define clearly the
lines of authority, responsibility, and communication within the
campaign. Once established it should be strictly adhered to in order
to avoid confusion during the campaign.
THE CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATIONAL FLOW-CHART **1**
FootNotes:
**1** For illustrative purposes only.
#ENDCARD
#TAG
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
2. THE CANDIDATE
;
The Candidate is the ultimate decision maker within the
campaign. He/She has the final say on all strategy, implementation,
procedures, budget, contracts, graphics, copywriting, commercials,
issue statements, etc. Nothing should ever be put out before the
public in the Candidate's or campaign's name without the Candidate's
consent and approval. Candidates, out of necessity, will usually
delegate much of this responsibility to the Political Campaign
Consultant and senior members of the staff; however, the parameters of
this delegated authority should be clearly defined and enforced.
Since the Candidate has a responsibility to the thousands of
people investing in the campaign, both in terms of money and effort,
certain behavioral patterns should be established and followed that
will help insure the safety and fitness (physically, emotionally, and
intellectually) of the Candidate during the campaign.
A. Some Do's and Don't's.
;
The Candidate should always travel by commercial airlines, or,
if not available, twin-engine, twin-piloted airplane. Care should
always be taken to travel safely between campaign visits, regardless
of how far behind schedule the Candidate is. During the campaign all
recreational activity that involves a high degree of risk should be
avoided.
The demands on the Candidate are tremendous. He/She will
constantly be subjected to requests for attendance at numerous
functions, often within the same time frame. Well-intentioned friends
and volunteers are forever coming up with a meeting or activity that
"has to be done" if the campaign is to be won. As the fever takes
hold, candidates begin to put more and more pressure on themselves to
see just one more person, shake one more hand.
Unless a reasonable schedule of activity and timetable is
established and adhered to, a Candidate runs a high risk of a physical
or emotional collapse, or a damaging slip of the tongue at the wrong
time and place, jeopardizing the outcome of the campaign.
A Candidate must plan for a certain amount of rest and
relaxation (R&R), especially during the first three Stages if he/she
is going to make it to the end alert, and with enough energy to make
it through the home stretch. Like a marathon runner the Candidate
must pace the race or run the risk of collapsing before reaching the
finish line.
I cannot stress this enough. I have seen it happen too many
times not to take the danger seriously. First-time candidates
especially have no real idea of how utterly exhausting the campaign
process is and they invariably overestimate their strength and
endurance.
During the first three Stages, the Candidate must schedule 1
full day off per week, regardless of what is going on in the campaign.
It is physically impossible to be at all events all of the time so
he/she must accept the fact that some are going to be missed. Try to
prioritize the impact of the event **1** and go with the highest
priority, then try to have a surrogate cover the other events.
While a Candidate is still working full time, he/she should
limit campaign activity to 4 hours a day during the week and 10 hours
on Saturday. When the Candidate begins campaigning full time, he/she
should never put in more than a 14-hour day (even 12 hours is a lot).
R&R time means just that, rest and relaxation - no phones,
meetings, writing, research, visits, etc. The Candidate should try to
keep his/her mind off the campaign.
At least twice during the campaign, the Candidate should take
a 3-day holiday away from the district - especially just prior to the
4th Stage. The 4th and 5th Stages are the exception. The Candidate
will find there will not be a chance to take many days off, and the
pressure will really begin to build. So when possible the Candidate
should take a break occasionally and regenerate his/her energy level.
The improved quality of the campaigning will more than make up for the
loss of quantity.
FootNotes:
**1** This is covered in the section on "scheduling."
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
A Candidate should make sure his/her wardrobe is in good shape
before the start of campaigning. Stay with the basic outfits and
avoid anything too flashy or ostentatious. In case of emergencies,
keep a complete change of clothes (sealed in a plastic bag) plus an
overnight kit in the trunk of the campaign car, that preferably is an
American-made vehicle.
A few additional considerations the Candidate should keep in
mind while campaigning:
1. Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages - the Candidate
could begin to slur or become overly tired;
2. Avoid holding a cold glass in the right hand - no
one likes a wet handshake;
3. The Candidate should try never to be photographed
with a glass in his/her hand. Even water looks like an alcoholic
drink in a photo (the Driver/Aide should be trained to be on the alert
for a possible photo and automatically take the glass from the
Candidate's hand before it happens **1** );
4. Do not wear a ring on the right hand - after a day
of shaking hands, it might cut;
5. When shaking hands, thrust forward, firmly - locking
in between the thumb and the first finger, not only to avoid a limp
handshake, but to save the fingers from being swollen by the end of
the day.
6. When "working" a crowd, the Candidate should let the
Aide move him/her along (the standard signal is a light touch on the
inside of the Candidate's left elbow. It is the signal he/she is
spending too much time with that person and others are waiting to
speak with him/her. The Aide should be trained that when the signal
is ignored for a second time, it means the Candidate feels the present
conversation is too important to interrupt, at that point the Aide
turns to the people waiting and assures them the Candidate will be
with them shortly, so they will not feel slighted;
7. If offered, the Candidate should let the Aide take
notes, cards, or contributions given by an individual with whom he/she
is speaking;
8. When the Candidate is a guest speaker at a scheduled
event (other than one the campaign has set up), he/she should keep the
prepared speech to 15 minutes, covering no more than two or three
major points, and then open it up for questions and answers (Q&A);
9. Also, when speaking, the Candidate should avoid
detailed or complicated explanations. Most people only want to know
where the Candidate stands generally on the issue(s);
10. If comfortable doing it, the Candidate should mix
in a humorous anecdote or two, but should not overdo it;
11. Avoid personal attacks on the opponent and, if
present, show the respect and courtesy the Office held, or position
sought, deserves;
12. Be extremely courteous, gracious, and pleasant at
all times;
13. Watch overeating. For some reason it seems
everyone wants to feed the Candidate and it is not at all unusual to
add 10 to 20 pounds during the campaign;
14. If the Candidate is a male, he should keep an
electric razor in the car that will work off the cigarette lighter for
quick shaves late in the day;
15. The Candidate should make sure the Aide always has
a loaded 35mm camera on hand (loaded with black and white film) and
knows how to use it, to take the Candidate's picture with dignitaries
and other people present. Not only might they be useful for press
releases and the tabloid, but sending a copy to the people in the
picture is good PR;
16. The Candidate should always avoid arguing in public
with anyone who disagrees with him/her. Offer to discuss the issue
later or suggest that the campaign will be pleased to send them a copy
of the specific position paper on the issue of concern to them;
17. The Candidate should be sure the Aide always has an
adequate supply of campaign material with him/her. The campaign car
(or van) should be like a mobile office for the campaign;
18. If the Candidate's spouse or children are present,
he/she should not forget to introduce them (likewise the staff,
committee members, or other candidates and elected officials);
19. The Candidate should expect snafus (they always
happen no matter how well things are planned) and he/she should never
criticize the Aide or staff in public;
20. A final word of advice: the Candidate should be
patient and keep a sense of humor at all times. Rarely is any one
thing that critical or insurmountable.
FootNotes:
**1** After working together for awhile, this becomes routine, i.e.
the Candidate becomes sensitized to releasing the glass when he/she
feels it being lifted and, knowing that a picture is about to be
taken, automatically and subtly goes into a slight pose.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
B. Some Types of Campaign Activity.
;
There are several basic types of public campaign activity most
candidates engage in.
1. Canvassing Precincts (especially high priority ones).
;
This is one of the most difficult types of campaign activity
for most candidates, but it can be very effective for gaining support
and recruiting volunteers. For candidates below the Congressional
level with relatively small districts, it is usually essential.
Before beginning the canvass activity, the Candidate should have the
following materials: a supply of campaign brochures; 3 x 5 cards with
the message "Sorry, I missed you" and signed by the Candidate that can
be left in the door with a brochure when no one is home; a copy of the
voter registration list for that Precinct; and a supply of any
promotional items the campaign may be using. **1**
The technique is as follows: When the person opens the door,
the Candidate should introduce himself/herself, mention the office for
which they are running, tell the person he/she would appreciate their
support and hand them a brochure. Unless the person wants to talk
further, the whole visit should not last more than 30 seconds. If
they do want to talk, try not to let it last more than 2 minutes.
If they indicate support, mark the voter registration sheet
accordingly. If they indicate opposition, also mark the sheet. If
they are supporters, ask them if they would like to volunteer to help
on the campaign or at least to put up a yard sign. If they say yes to
either, mark the sheet and tell them the volunteer coordinator will be
in touch with them soon. Be sure to give this data to the appropriate
staff person on a regular basis for follow-up.
2. Plant gate campaigning.
;
The preparation for this type of campaigning is basically the
same as precinct canvassing except for carrying the voter registration
lists and that, in most cases, the campaign will have to obtain prior
permission of the plant supervisor for the Candidate to be there.
This type of campaign activity usually involves being at a
main plant gate when the shifts change. This provides the Candidate
with an opportunity to introduce himself/herself, pass out literature,
and shake hands with the workers as they enter or leave. It helps to
have a few volunteers with the Candidate, holding signs (lawn signs on
poles) to draw attention to the Candidate and maximize impact. The
media should be alerted when this type of activity is planned since
they will occasionally "cover it" for background footage on the
campaign.
3. Coffee "klatches."
;
Preparation is essentially the same as above with the addition
of position papers, bumper strips, and BREs.
FootNotes:
**1** I have found over the years that one of the most effective
promotional items a Candidate can use are potholders. These can be
obtained with the campaign logo printed on them for about 15 cents
each. People like them and use them. They stay in the kitchen as a
constant reminder of the Candidate throughout the campaign. They are
also useful for hand-outs at the Fairs.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
Basically these are informal meetings held in the home of a
supporter with some of their neighbors and friends. Usually a
Candidate can do three of these a night by staying at each one only 30
to 45 minutes. Standard procedure is a basic 5 to 10 minute talk,
followed by Q&A, and then an appeal for volunteer and financial
support. This is an excellent way for a Candidate to help the Area
Chairperson recruit volunteers during the 2nd and 3rd Stages. I
normally suggest that the host or hostess invite two to three times as
many people as they expect. The no-shows for these events are very
high.
The host or hostess should be responsible for making sure
everyone who attends receives some campaign literature and a BRE.
They can leave a contribution or mail it in as well as volunteer for
some activity. It is a good idea to encourage one or more of the
attenders to host a coffee klatch in their home for their own friends
and relatives.
4. Public Speaking before civic and business groups.
;
The Campaign Scheduler should try to promote as many of these
as possible by sending letters early in the campaign to all known
groups, advising them the Candidate would like the opportunity to meet
with them at a scheduled meeting. The invitations will usually be
slow in the early stages but will pick up after Labor Day. If
appropriate, the Aide should bring brochures, position papers, bumper
strips, and BREs to the event. (Check with the Program Chairperson.)
Some groups have prohibitions against candidates making a
political speech at their meetings, but they will allow a speech to be
given on a topic of interest, such as the economy. If this is the
case, no campaigning per se is allowed. If this is not the situation,
then follow the procedure for a coffee klatch, i.e. a 15 minute basic
speech followed by Q&A and an appeal for votes and assistance.
5. Debates with the opponent (never with a substitute).
;
Usually a Candidate will issue an invitation to the opponent
to debate the issues during the "victory speech" right after the
Primary Election. Press hard if the opponent does not acknowledge,
respond, or agree. Usually these would be scheduled wherever and
whenever possible, but be sure the rules are fair, agreed to in
advance, and followed. The Campaign Manager should meet with the
opponent's Manager to work out the details. Remember one rule of thumb
- whoever starts, finishes. Formats can vary considerably but usually
involve opening statements (5 minutes), rebuttals (3 minutes), and
closing statements (3 minutes). Sometimes Q&A from the audience or a
panel precedes closing statements, and occasionally several rebuttal
exchanges of a shorter duration (1 or 2 minutes) are agreed upon.
Usually debates are news events and therefore generate free
media coverage, that is especially beneficial to a challenger. This
is why some incumbents avoid them or try to minimize the number,
especially in the early stages of the campaign.
When preparing for a debate, it is usually a good idea for the
Candidate to go through mock debates with a sharp staff person or
volunteer. Try to anticipate every question that might be asked and
how to frame the response within the allotted time frame. If the
debate is being televised, be sure to look straight into the camera
when answering; never look at the opponent, the moderator, or the
panel. If no television camera is present, look at the audience when
answering.
Dress conservatively; use light powder make-up if being
televised to avoid reflection from the TV lights; speak distinctly;
avoid excessive hand gestures; be personable, not belligerent; and be
sure to thank the opponent, host organization, panel members, and
moderator for providing this opportunity to debate.
6. Fairs, festivals, and parades.
;
Virtually every district in the country has these types of
activities to one degree or another. A Candidate should make every
effort to be personally active in as many as possible and have
volunteers cover those he/she cannot attend. These activities are
basically "meet and greet" types giving the public a chance to see the
Candidate in person.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
At the fairs, the campaign should try to have a booth **1**
with volunteers helping to pass out literature and drawing attention
to the Candidate. All kinds of gimmicks have been used in an effort
to gain attention and draw people to the booth, from passing out
balloons to the children to giving free pony rides. One of the least
expensive, and most effective, is to have a 25 or 50 gallon metal
container filled with ice water and offer free drinks to the public.
Normally these events are held during the hot summer, and it is
amazing how many people will appreciate and remember this simple
gesture. Another popular and inexpensive idea is to have a portable
audio-visual display running continuously, or a video cassette on a
TV, showing scenes of the Candidate campaigning (or doing a bio spot)
with the Candidate's voice-over talking briefly about why they are
running and their stand on the issues.
Almost every fair has a local radio station broadcasting live
from a portable set-up, usually a trailer. The Candidate should try
to have a live interview with the DJ at least once a day.
At festivals, the Candidate would normally just circulate
through the crowd (if allowed) introducing himself/herself, shaking
hands, while volunteers pass out literature. Some festival committees
will allow candidates to set up booths, in that case the routine
should be the same as for the fairs.
More and more parade committees are discouraging candidates
from riding in the traditional convertible with the signs on the side.
If a Candidate can get in a parade, do so and have volunteers walking
the sides of the parade route, just ahead of the car, passing out
brochures.
If unable to get in the parade, have the volunteers walk along
the sides passing out literature.
7. Community centers of activity.
;
Some candidates find it helpful to work the crowds at the
parks and beaches on Sundays and holidays during the summer months.
If this type of activity is traditional in the Candidate's district
and he/she does not mind doing it, that's fine, as long as it does not
take away from his/her R&R time. Normally, I would discourage it on
the basis that this is semi-private family time for most individuals
and the risk of turning people off by invading it may be greater than
the political gain that might be realized.
A safer form of this activity is to campaign periodically at
the local shopping centers and farmers' markets using the same
procedure as at the festivals.
A Candidate should make every effort to campaign at all the
Senior Citizen clubs and homes in the district. As a group, senior
citizens have one of the highest voter turn-out rates, and they often
make a critical difference in the outcome.
However, always be sure the campaign obtains permission from
the directors of these facilities before the Candidate arrives.
Follow the guidelines for a coffee klatch: a short talk, Q&A,
and distribute literature.
If a Candidate is so inclined, churches can be an excellent
place to campaign. Many churches will give a Candidate an opportunity
to participate in some manner during their Sunday services - perhaps
reading prayers, giving a sermonette, or singing. When making the
center of influence visits with the pastors, see if this is possible
and can be arranged.
These types of activities plus the visits with centers of
influence, the fundraising activity, and the seemingly endless number
of meetings, both with individuals and committees, together with the
inevitable detail work required in the headquarters (signing letters,
research and study, reviewing campaign material, progress reports,
budgets, etc. etc. etc.) are the constants in the campaign role of the
Candidate.
FootNotes:
**1** Try to have a large sign identifying the booth prominently
displayed. I usually recommend that the campaign have at least two
banners that look as much as possible like the billboards, made
specifically for this purpose, as well as for use at rallies and other
types of events. The banners should be made of heavy material, with
eyelets at each corner and center top and bottom for easy hanging.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
Needless to say, unless a Candidate is well organized and
disciplined to keep to a schedule, the opportunity to maximize his/her
personal impact on the campaign will be proportionately limited.
In the section on the Press Secretary's role, I will discuss
the type of activity recommended to promote free media coverage as it
relates to the Candidate's role.
3. THE CANDIDATE'S SPOUSE AND FAMILY
;
The role the Candidate's spouse plays in the campaign is
entirely dependent on that individual. There is no constant.
Some spouses prefer, even insist on, staying in the background
or, at best, occasionally providing some assistance at headquarters
and attending key events with the candidate. Others are able and
willing to take a much more active role, thus providing an extra
dimension to the Candidate's campaigning that is not possible from any
other source, i.e. the Candidate's spouse is generally the only
acceptable substitute for the Candidate with the general public. An
active spouse, therefore, can almost double the impact of the
Candidate's activities on the campaign.
If the spouse does take an active role, he/she can do
virtually the same activities as the Candidate and in some cases do
them even more effectively.
Needless to say, the spouse has to be thoroughly briefed on
the issues and the Political Game Plan. They must remember at all
times that they are speaking for the Candidate and not for themselves.
The same rules regarding behavior, safety, dress, etc. that apply to
the Candidate also apply to the spouse. The spouse should always
travel with a volunteer aide when campaigning.
If the spouse is playing an active role, he/she should be a
member of all committees and encouraged to attend and participate.
The spouse should be especially cognizant of his/her role as a morale
builder with the staff and volunteers. Many people who hesitate to
communicate with the Candidate when there is a problem will usually
respond to the spouse, if they feel encouraged to do so.
The role of any children in the family depends on their ages
and willingness or ability to become involved. If they are older,
they should be encouraged to work with the volunteers in the Phone
Bank. It is good for volunteer morale to see the Candidate's children
working side by side with them, doing the more tedious jobs on the
campaign.
If they are post-teens, they could be used as the Driver/Aide
or to do messenger work (the traditional "go-fer" job) or, if adults,
they can be utilized as surrogate speakers, etc.
The children should always remember they are part of the
Candidate's image and conduct themselves accordingly.
4. THE CAMPAIGN CHAIRPERSON(S)
;
Ideally there should be two Chairpersons - a man and a woman.
One usually oversees the activities of the Field Operations Committee,
while the other oversees the administrative and financial parts of the
campaign.
Both individuals should be close associates of the Candidate,
who must trust them implicitly. As can be seen from the Candidate's
activities, a Candidate rarely has time to oversee the campaign
closely and should not have to take the time to do so. The Campaign
Chairpersons have this primary function. (To that extent they should
be capable, qualified individuals.)
It is also their responsibility to make sure the Candidate's
and staff's morale stays high. At the first sign of a problem in this
regard, they should step in and take corrective action.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
Most of the time just giving them someone to talk to, or let
off steam with, is all that is needed. They should be especially
sensitive to the Candidate and the Campaign Manager. These two get
"dumped on" the most and are, therefore, subject to the most internal
pressure, since neither one can afford to show anger or emotional
upset.
From time to time a little staff party is helpful; some
outward sign of appreciation at just the right time can make a
significant difference in attitude and productivity. Also, they
should make sure the staff takes regular R&R, so they are in the best
condition for the final stages.
They are also called on from time to time to speak to the
media on behalf of the campaign and to fill in for the Candidate as
surrogate speakers. Most organizational press releases are issued in
their names. In a sense, they are the visible head of the volunteer
campaign and represent all volunteers with the Candidate and the
public. They chair the Advisory Committee meetings and are members of
all others. As such they should alternate chairing the Advisory
Committee meetings and establishing the agenda for them. If present
at formal functions, they usually make any necessary introductions.
5. THE CAMPAIGN TREASURER
;
The Treasurer is responsible for the campaign accounting and
reporting procedures in accordance with the Federal Election
Commission's, or regulatory state agency's, rules and regulations. It
is a very serious and difficult responsibility.
Ideally, the Treasurer is an accountant or tax attorney
familiar with campaign accounting procedures. The Treasurer is
responsible for the deposit of all campaign receipts and for all
expenditures.
When the Candidate files the campaign committee form with the
Clerk of the House and the FEC in Washington, DC, or the appropriate
state agency if a non-Federal Candidate, it must show the name and
address of the Treasurer and the bank where all deposits will be made.
Once filed, the Treasurer is legally responsible for the reporting of
all transactions, including the filing of the required periodic
reports until a formal change of Treasurer is made. Technically, no
transaction may take place while there is a vacancy in the Treasurer's
position.
The FEC, and most state agencies, are not concerned about
which accounting method is used, so long as it is detailed and
accurate. Normally the use of the contributor's card (a sample is in
the Appendix) is sufficient for recording receipts. The campaign
checkbook stubs together with the cancelled checks are adequate proof
of disbursements. Long-term contracts and loans can be recorded in a
simple ledger book. **1**
Most computer software available for campaigns includes a
section to record the data necessary for the completion of these
requirements in a format that is acceptable. Political Campaign
Management Software goes a step further and includes a "checkbook"
section for recording even greater detail, making it, in effect, a
modified accounting system for campaigns.
Many campaign Treasurers will keep a running record by using
the FEC, or state, reports daily. Contributions under $200.01 from
individuals may be lumped together, i.e. they need not be itemized
until an individual's contributions exceed $200 in a campaign period.
All contributions from PACs must be itemized regardless of amount.
Individual expenditures under $100 need not be itemized on the FEC
report; however all expenditures, other than petty cash, must be made
by check. **2**
[NOTE: A Federal campaign may not accept an anonymous contribution in
excess of $50. Also, any contribution over $100 must be by check,
credit card, or on payroll deduction records.]
FootNotes:
**1** The full amounts and details are shown in the FEC, or
appropriate state, report at the time a contract or agreement is
signed. Details of all transactions are also posted to the
appropriate reports at regularly scheduled intervals.
**2**
Non-Federal candidates should check their specific state regulations
regarding these item requirements.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
It is up to the Treasurer to certify that all receipts and
expenditures are legal and, to this extent, a Treasurer should become
familiar with the FEC, or appropriate state agency, law as it pertains
to candidates. A copy of these laws are automatically sent to the
Treasurer of Federal campaigns, along with a basic supply of forms,
when the committee is filed.
Since few Treasurers can work full-time on the campaign, it is
not unusual for them to delegate many of these responsibilities to the
staff, especially the secretary/bookkeeper and the Finance Director,
if there is one - if not, to the Campaign Manager. Normally the
records are kept in the headquarters, with receipts recorded and
deposited by the bookkeeper and disbursement checks prepared by the
Campaign Manager, or the bookkeeper, for the Treasurer's signature.
The Treasurer then verifies all transactions at the time of filing the
FEC, or state, reports. The Treasurer, along with the Campaign
Manager, is also responsible for keeping the Candidate informed if the
campaign is staying within the Budget and the Cash Flow. The
Treasurer is automatically a member of the Advisory and Finance
Committees.
The Treasurer, the Campaign Manager, and the Candidate are
usually the only three individuals with check-signing authorization.
Normally any one of them can sign checks up to a pre-determined amount
(usually $500), with two of the three signatories being required for
larger disbursements. It is inadvisable to require two signatories
for checks below $500 as this can present numerous problems during the
final stages of the campaign.
[Note: As previously stated, the Treasurer should establish two
checking accounts at the bank, one account designated for the Primary
period and the other account for the General period. Funds may be
deposited in advance into the General account, if desired, and into
the Primary account after the Primary election, if there is a debt
carried over from that period and someone who has not given their
maximum contribution wishes to designate a contribution for that
specific purpose.]
If the campaign has a Political Campaign Consultant, he/she
will usually be able to provide any needed assistance to the Treasurer
in setting up the basic procedures.
Incidentally, an accounting firm, even if a corporation, **1**
may donate its services to the campaign for the purposes of
performing this function, but someone must still sign (be responsible)
as Treasurer.
6. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSON(S)
;
Most of the duties for these persons are described in Chapter
VI on Fundraising. As with the Advisory Committee, it is advisable to
have a man and a woman as co-chairpersons, if possible. One
chairperson would be from the upper-level income group and primarily
responsible for overseeing that part of the plan (major contributors'
program and the major events), while the other should be from the
middle-level income group and oversee the individual solicitation and
fundraising direct mail program. Both are responsible for overseeing
the total fundraising effort for the campaign.
Needless to say, much of the success of the campaign is
dependent on the efforts of these two individuals and the rest of the
Finance Committee. If they fail to do their jobs, not only in terms of
dollars raised, but also when needed, the campaign will slow down
accordingly. Therefore, they must be totally committed to the
Candidate and the successful outcome of the campaign. Great care must
be used in selecting the right people for this job, i.e. those who
have the ability and willingness to do it.
Unfortunately, as most candidates learn, it is often difficult
to find anyone willing to take on this responsibility.
I have seen some candidates attempt to go through the campaign
without anyone assigned this responsibility and, in almost every case,
the campaign failed.
FootNotes:
**1** This is the only exception to the FEC law regarding the
prohibition of corporate contributions to federal candidates I am
aware of.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
A solid Finance Committee, with good leadership, must be a top
priority in the 1st Stage of the campaign!
Frankly, unless they are willing and able to finance their own
campaign, I normally recommend that candidates not even attempt their
campaign unless they could put such a committee together first.
A good fundraising consultant and Political Game Plan can help
considerably, but only a Finance Committee can implement the major
portion of it. The Finance Chairpersons must not only be able and
willing to do so, they must also have the drive and ability to
motivate the rest of the committee to realize their objectives.
As the heads of this committee, they should alternate chairing
the meetings. Both are automatically members of the Advisory
Committee.
7. THE RESEARCH CHAIRPERSON
;
Normally this person is a volunteer recruited from the
Political Science Department of a local college, or a volunteer
journalist.
He/she helps the Candidate know and understand the basic
issues and the consequences of the positions taken, provides the
supporting data, analyzes the record or position statements of the
opponent and provides accurate comparisons, and monitors the
development of the issue-oriented segment of the campaign.
The Research Chairperson also helps to prepare the Candidate
for debates and provides assistance in the writing of basic speeches
and press releases.
Ideally, the Research Chairperson would also know how to read
and interpret polling data, thus providing the Candidate and Campaign
Manager with valuable assistance in this critical area of strategy
development.
There are many resources available to the Research Chairperson
to assist in the performance of these responsibilities. The "morgue"
**1** at the local daily newspaper is an excellent source for
information on the opponent's previous campaigns if he/she has run
before (including style, results, promises made, etc.). If running
against a Federal incumbent, the Congressional Quarterly or LEGI-SLATE
will provide a complete record of the incumbent's votes, finances, and
major speeches during the previous six years. Both national Parties,
and many state Parties, have extensive research departments that will
provide much of this information, without charge, plus the Party's
position on most major issues, their reasons for these positions, and
supporting data to justify them.
There are several PACs that will provide basic research as an
in-kind contribution, especially on issues of primary concern to them.
A current almanac is also an excellent source of data that is often
overlooked. **2**
Also, previous candidates for the office being sought have
probably kept the research files developed during their campaigns and
might be willing to share, if asked.
Virtually every department in the government, at all levels,
has reams of research data on issues within their purview, and often a
letter requesting assistance on a particular subject will produce an
outpouring of data. If a Federal Candidate, write to the
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, N.
Capitol and G Sts., N.W., Washington, DC 20402, for a copy of their
directory showing availability and price for all the Federal
government's publications.
The Research Chairperson is responsible not only for the
accumulation of all this data, but also cataloging it in a manner that
makes it available for quick and easy reference when needed and, in
many cases, recasting it into succinct position papers or in synopsis
form.
FootNotes:
**1** This is the term used to refer to a daily newspaper's files of
all previous issues of their newspaper. Most newspapers today
maintain copies of every issue printed on microfiche, or microfilm, by
date and major subject area. These files are usually available for
review and copying by the general public.
**2** I would especially
recommend for Federal or major state-wide candidates that they obtain
a copy of The Almanac of American Politics by Michael Barone and Grant
Ujifusa, published by the National Journal,Inc., 1730 M St., N.W.,
Washington, DC 20036.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
The Research Chairperson is automatically a member of the
Advisory Committee.
8. THE REGIONAL CHAIRPERSONS
;
In the geographical and organizational structuring of the
campaign, I divided the district into five Regions and then
sub-divided each Region into five Areas. **1** Each Region should be
chaired by two persons - again, preferably a man and a woman.
Since their primary responsibilities are supervision and
motivation, they should be people who are relatively aggressive in
nature (self-starters), with some experience in management or
leadership roles.
They are responsible for implementing their share of the two
basic activities in the field operations program of the campaign, i.e.
the Phone Bank and Precinct Operations. They must recruit, train, and
supervise the five Area Chairpersons and two Regional Phone Bank
Supervisors. Therefore, they must be thoroughly familiar with the
Political Game Plan and help develop the Field Operations Manual **2**
for the Precinct Captains and Phone Bank volunteers. During each
Stage, they should conduct training seminars for all volunteers on the
procedures and objectives in that period.
Once the Regional and Area voter objectives are established
(re: identified households) they must initiate a routine of receiving
bimonthly progress reports from the Area Chairperson and Phone Bank
Supervisors in order to monitor their progress carefully. Special
emphasis is paid to whether the Region is on schedule.
If an Area is behind, they must determine why early enough to
take the necessary corrective action, i.e. either replacing the
individual who is failing to do their assignment, shifting personnel
resources to help out temporarily, or readjusting objectives.
In order to accomplish this, they should maintain a card file
(or computer printout if the campaign is on computer) showing the
name, address, phone number, and occupation of each volunteer in their
Region plus that individual's personal objective, the number of
registered voters by Party, date assigned and a place to record
progress reports. (This information can also be maintained in a
"control book," if preferred.)
They should develop and maintain a procedural system for the
constant recruitment of new volunteers (as well as retention of the
old ones) for both functions. During the 4th Stage, they must also
recruit and train volunteers who will serve as host homes in the 5th
Stage.
A. Methods for Recruiting Volunteers.
;
There are several methods usually used in recruiting
volunteers: (1) the information contained on the inside flap of the
BRE envelope, which the staff should forward to the appropriate
Regional Chairperson as soon as they have finished processing them;
(2) the recruitment activity built into the Phone Bank and Precinct
programs during the 2nd and 3rd Stage; (3) coffee klatches; (4)
personal appeals to friends, relatives, and members of organizations
to which they might belong; (5) appeals to Party precinct workers and
members of their affiliated organizations; (6) local pastors and
church-affiliated organizations; (7) the offers of assistance the
Candidate receives while campaigning; (8) local senior citizens clubs;
(9) local colleges and universities (especially the Political Science
Departments); (10) seniors and juniors in high school civics classes;
(11) members of organizations or groups that are actively supporting
the campaign; (12) asking existing volunteers to help recruit at least
one other person.
Recruiting, like fundraising, is a constant, ongoing problem
in every campaign, but it can be solved with a well-organized,
aggressive effort.
FootNotes:
**1** Roman numerals are used to designate the Regions and Arabic
numbers for the Areas.
**2** A sample copy of this Manual is in the
Appendix.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
B. Developing the Volunteer Kits.
;
When developing the Precinct Captain and Phone Bank
volunteers' kits, **1** be sure to keep them consistent and
relatively easy to understand and to follow. The kits should be
complete enough that, if a training seminar is not possible, the
volunteers will be able to understand what needs to be done and how to
do it on their own. Avoid complicated and highly structured "canned"
messages; provide the outline and let the volunteer use their own
phraseology to fill it in. **2**
Think of the objectives as an attempt to identify and inform
the electorate during the 2nd through 4th Stages, so they can be
motivated in the 5th Stage to get out and vote for the Candidate. All
of the Field Operations Committee's activities are designed to
accomplish these broad objectives. In effect, the other levels of the
campaign - the Candidate's activities and the media program - are
designed to cultivate the ground, plant the seeds, and nurture them.
The Regional Chairpersons and their committee members are the
harvesters, separating the chaff (those who are opposed to the
Candidate) from the wheat (those who are supportive) in the ID and
Advocacy Stages, and then bringing in the harvest during the
Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) Stage.
Without the Field Operations Committee's efforts, the chances
of a successful harvest are greatly reduced, if not entirely
eliminated. Remember, one of the few advantages most challengers have
over an incumbent who has been in office for several terms is the
ability to put together this kind of volunteer organization. It is a
critical advantage and must not fail!
C. Minor Events and Other Activities.
;
Once during the campaign, the Regional Chairperson should plan
with their counterpart on the Finance Committee a minor event in the
Region (see Fundraising, Chapter VI). And they should keep a separate
list of all people who have volunteered to put up yard signs in the
Region during the final month of the campaign, and they must organize
the volunteers needed to implement the program at the appropriate
time. **3**
Previously, I discussed the use of 4 x 8 signs to supplement
the billboard program. Normally an ad hoc committee would be
established to prepare the signs, and the Regional Chairperson would
organize a separate group of volunteers to find suitable locations and
to erect signs during the 2nd Stage.
Another part of the program is the dissemination of bumper
strips early in the 2nd Stage and the precinct literature drops
scheduled during the 4th Stage.
To the extent that the Regional Chairpersons can, they should
help supplement the Finance Committee's fundraising activities at the
precinct level. Mini-projects, like selling campaign buttons, car
washes, garage sales, passing the hat at coffee klatches, etc. are
helpful, both financially and politically.
Every contributor, no matter how small the amount given,
impacts seven people (on the average) to vote for the candidate.
The Regional Chairperson should be sensitive to morale,
especially the morale of the Area Chairperson and Phone Bank
Supervisors. They probably have the hardest volunteer jobs in the
campaign. The Regional Chairpersons should always make sure the
efforts of the Area Chairpersons are recognized and appreciated, both
by themselves and by the Candidate. From time to time, they should
have a luncheon or social gathering for them with the Candidate
present. They should also keep the Area Chairpersons informed about
what is going on in the rest of the campaign. It is especially
aggravating when they find out something in the newspaper of which
they should have been aware.
FootNotes:
**1** Part of being well-organized, in addition to having a system in
place that quickly processes volunteers into the campaign, is the
campaign's ability to train the volunteer for the type of activity
that needs to be done.
**2** See Appendix for sample kits.
**3** In
Political Campaign Management Software, as well as most other software
programs of this type, there is a section in the volunteer record file
to keep track of the specific activity a person volunteers for, so it
is relatively easy to obtain an up-to-date printout of this
information when needed.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
As the heads of the Regional Committee, the Regional
Chairpersons should alternate chairing the scheduled meetings and
seminars. In dividing responsibilities, one Chairperson is usually
responsible for the Phone Bank, events, and bumper strip programs, and
the other for Precinct, sign, and literature drop programs. Both
should be thoroughly familiar with all programs since they are
responsible for overseeing all activity within their Region.
D. Candidate's Campaign Schedule in the Region.
;
During the campaign, the Candidate will be scheduled on a
prioritized basis, allotting a specified number of days to each
Region. After the scheduler has worked out with the Regional
Chairpersons their assigned days, they should be sure to maximize the
Candidate's activities and impact that day by careful planning of the
program. **1**
The Candidate is one of the best "tools" the Regional
Chairpersons have to help them reach their objectives. For example,
if they are having a problem with recruiting, they might want to
arrange several coffee klatches for that evening in an effort to
motivate prospective volunteers to get on board. If there is a high
priority precinct still not covered by a Precinct Captain, or for some
reason it is not generating the results expected, the Candidate could
be scheduled to spend a few hours walking the precinct (with the
Regional or Area Chairperson) in a concerted effort to recruit a
Precinct Captain and/or improve the response there. If public
awareness of the Candidate is low in a certain area, **2** the
Regional Chairperson might want to schedule a mini-rally at a local
community shopping center, etc.
In effect, the Regional Chairperson and the committees are
conducting a total, grass-roots campaign within each Region. They
assist in developing a strategy, the objectives, the Political Game
Plan, and its implementation - in effect, a campaign within a
campaign. As stated before, it is a critical part of the campaign and
will play a major role in the determination of its outcome.
The Regional Chairpersons are automatically members of the
Field Operations Committee and the Advisory Committee.
9. THE AREA CHAIRPERSONS
;
The Area Chairpersons are responsible for implementing the
precinct operations in their respective Areas (usually 15 to 20
precincts) according to the Political Game Plan.
They share with the Regional Chairpersons the responsibility
of recruiting, training, and supervising the Precinct Captains for the
precincts assigned to them. They also help develop the objectives,
monitor progress, submit monthly detailed reports to their Regional
Chairperson, and assist with the events and sign programs.
Like the Regional Chairperson, they should maintain a card
file, or control book, listing the same data for each of their
Precinct Captains, plus the names of backup volunteers in case they
need to replace one. **3**
They should get to know their Precinct Captains, having
regularly scheduled meetings and keeping them informed about the
campaign's overall progress. If problems or local issues develop that
the Candidate should be aware of, they should promptly share this
information with their Regional Chairperson.
They should help plan the Candidate's schedule when
campaigning in their Area and accompany him/her, if possible.
They are also responsible for maintaining and distributing the
supplies and materials needed by the Precinct Captains. They should
try to visit at least one Precinct Captain each day to discuss
progress, to help solve problems, and to keep their morale up. The
Precinct Captains are in the front line of offense within the
campaign. As such, they carry a heavy burden and responsibility. The
Area Chairperson functions not only in a supervisory capacity but in a
supportive role as well.
FootNotes:
**1** See section on Campaign Secretary/Scheduler, this chapter.
**2** This can be determined by analyzing Phone Bank results.
**3**
Sometimes these volunteers are made Co-Captains in their particular
precinct.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
It helps to engender a team spirit and to encourage this I
suggest an element of competition be developed. Designate each Area
committee with an unofficial, colorful (or descriptive) name, and then
compare internally the progress of all the Areas (percentage of the
objectives accomplished within specific time periods). **1** If the
Area Chairpersons really want to get into the swing of this method,
prizes (such as having the other four Area Chairperson pick up the tab
for a pizza party honoring the Area committee leading at the end of
the 2nd and 3rd Stages) can be awarded and the results of the
competition posted in a campaign newsletter. Forming bowling or
softball teams to compete with each other can also be helpful in
creating a team spirit. A picnic or special night at a local
professional baseball game are just two more suggestions that might be
considered.
They should try to come up with other ideas that inject an
element of fun and socializing into the campaign activities. Studies
have shown, and my own experience has confirmed, many volunteers
become involved in a campaign for just this reason, an opportunity to
meet people and socialize. A sense of civic responsibility is usually
second, and concern about issues and/or Candidate, third. As long as
it is not overdone, there really is no rule that says working on a
campaign should not be fun and self-rewarding.
Area Chairpersons are automatically members of the Field
Operations Committee.
10. THE PRECINCT CAPTAIN
;
Often described as the real "work-horse" of the campaign, the
Precinct Captain is the individual on whom the whole field operation's
structure is built. On the front line, they are the ones who
personally represent the Candidate and the campaign on a daily basis.
Before beginning, the Precinct Captain should be given a kit
containing a biography of the Candidate, the public Political Game
Plan, a synopsis of the Candidate's position on the issues, the
comparative piece between the Candidate and the opponent, the Precinct
Captain's manual, a map of the precinct, a "walk-sheet," and a supply
of brochures and bumper strips.
A really dedicated Precinct Captain canvasses every home or
apartment in the precinct, surveying each resident as to whether or
not they are registered to vote, with that Party they are affiliated,
and whether or not they plan on supporting the Candidate in the
upcoming election, and, if so, the Precinct Captain does everything
possible to help them get to the polls on Election Day.
The Captains know their precincts: who lives there, what their
concerns are, and how they vote. After they have identified the
voters in their precincts, they return to call on the undecideds,
regardless of Party preference, armed with position papers, the
opponent's voting record, or positions on the issues, etc. They
attempt to convince an undecided to vote for their Candidate (usually
spending about a half hour with the person) and record the results on
the precinct walk-sheet. Every 2 weeks the Precinct Captains should
meet with the Area Chairperson and update the results of their
efforts.
Since the average precinct usually has 200 families in it, the
initial ID survey or canvass of the precinct will probably show around
40 for an incumbent, and 25 for a challenger, leaving around 135
undecided to be called on over the 3 months during the 3rd Stage.
With each visit lasting about 30 minutes, this amounts to about 22.5
hours of work each month, plus the time needed for call-backs and
meeting with the Area Chairperson (average time: 7 hours per week
total).
The objective for the Precinct Captain, I might note, would
probably be around 65 positive-identified households for the Candidate
presuming a 60 percent voter turn-out, that includes a safety margin
of 10 percent. With 25 households already predisposed to vote for
him/her, the Precinct Captain needs to convert about 30 percent of the
remaining undecideds (135), or 41 households, to reach his/her
precinct's objective. **2**
One tool that can be used by the Precinct Captain to be more
certain of a "committed" vote is to ask the person who says he/she is
for the Candidate to sign an endorsement sheet. **3** The act of
signing, like the act of giving a contribution, usually produces a
multiplier factor, i.e. where a contributor will usually encourage
seven others to join them in voting for the Candidate, an endorser
will usually impact three others to join.
FootNotes:
**1** A regional newsletter is especially helpful in this regard.
**2** This is a very simplistic method of determining a precinct's
objective. Later this chapter will discuss targeting and how to take
other factors into consideration such as Party registration, previous
votes, etc. in order to determine a more realistic objective.
**3** A sample is in the Appendix.
#ENDCARD
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IMPLEMENTATION:
After the Precinct Captain has a completed endorsement sheet,
a copy should be made and forwarded to the Field Director or Campaign
Manager. There the names will be added to the support file for future
contact with newsletters and fundraising appeals. The names,
addresses, and phone numbers should therefore be legible. I normally
recommend having the people print the information and then initial it.
Precinct Captains are also expected to help with the sign
program in their precincts and with minor events in the Region.
Though they are operating independently of the Phone Bank, the
Precinct Captains should, at the end of each Stage, compare their
precinct walk-sheets with the duplicates being used at the Phone Bank
to coordinate and update the results of both efforts.
If the Phone Bank precinct sheet (usually these sheets are
simply referred to as computer printouts) does not have a phone number
for the registered voter, the Precinct Captain, if he/she has obtained
it, should write it in, especially for the Candidate's supporters,
Party members, independents, and undecideds. The Precinct Captain
should obtain these phone numbers during their canvass of the
precinct, if it does not appear on the walk-sheet.
When the Candidate is campaigning in the precinct, the
Precinct Captain should make every effort to accompany him/her while
walking the precinct. They should also assist the Area Chairperson in
recruiting volunteers and host homes needed for other campaign
activities.
The Precinct Captain is a member of his/her Area Committee and
should try to attend all meetings and seminars called by the Area
Chairperson.
11. THE PHONE BANK SUPERVISORS AND PROGRAM
;
The Phone Bank, usually consists of ten calling units plus two
regular units for a campaign of this size. **1** It is located at
the volunteer headquarters and has three basic functions in the
campaign: (1) to provide a back-up (or "safety net") program for the
precinct operations; (2) to provide phone follow-up assistance for
some of the Finance Committee's programs; and (3) to provide the
primary communication with the voters in the GOTV Stage.
There should be 12 Phone Bank Supervisors, two assigned to
each Region and under the supervision of that Region's Chairpersons
and two assigned to the campaign headquarters under the supervision of
the Finance Director (or Campaign Manager). Presuming a 6-day
operation **2** of the Phone Bank, two Supervisors would normally
share the responsibility for each Region's day of operation at the
Bank (plus 1 day for the Finance Committee). Since the Phone Bank
normally operates from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. **3** , the day is
usually divided into two 5 1/2 hour shifts with one supervisor per
shift.
The scheduling for all this is done by the Field Operations
Director, who is the staff person responsible for providing logistical
support to the Field Operations Committee.
Each Phone Bank Supervisor, in addition to supervising the
shift's activities and completing the appropriate tally sheets at the
end, should assist the Regional Chairperson in the recruitment and
training of the Phone Bank volunteers. They should arrive 15 minutes
before the shift begins to make sure the supplies are adequate
(pencils, envelopes, etc.) and the assigned printouts are ready to be
called.
Normally each Region would have the responsibility for the
Phone Bank on the same regularly scheduled day each week, e.g. Region
I on Monday, Finance on Tuesday, Region II on Wednesday, etc. Though
this arrangement is not required, it keeps things simpler and, in this
case, more effective. If mutually desired, a change of days between
Regions could take place at the end of each Stage.
FootNotes:
**1** The formula for determining the number of units needed for
larger or smaller sized campaigns follows shortly in this chapter.
**2** It is inadvisable to call on Sundays, since many voters would
find this offensive.
**3** Calling before 10:00 a.m. would find many
parents who are at home, busy getting the children off to school.
Calling after 9:00 p.m. would find many people getting children ready
for bed, or settled in with their favorite TV shows and in no mood to
be disturbed.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
In other words, each Region has the responsibility for
recruiting 20 volunteers (average), who will be needed to keep the
phones working at maximum capacity during both shifts each day. **1**
Occasionally, there will be a certain number of permanent
Phone Bank volunteers who will be willing to work several shifts each
week. This helps recruiting efforts considerably, but the final
responsibility always rests with the Region assigned to any particular
day.
A. Procedures, Objectives, and Implementation.
;
During each Stage, the Phone Bank serves essentially the same
function as the precinct operation, surveying the registered voters in
the district in an effort to determine how each voter is planning to
vote in the upcoming election.
[Note: If the district does not have phone numbers available on the
voter tapes, and the campaign is unable to have the numbers
tele-matched by a computer service bureau, then volunteers need to be
used to look up and post the numbers before the calls begin. Usually
this activity is staggered so it stays about 2 weeks ahead of the
telephoning. Criss-cross directories are ideal for this activity as
they list the names both alphabetically and by street address.]
1. Stage 2, Voter Identification.
;
The call during the 2nd Stage is an easy one. **2** The
volunteer simply identifies himself/herself and advises the person
being called that, "We are taking a survey and would appreciate a
moment of your time. Regarding the upcoming election for (Office
being sought), if the election were held today, would you be voting
for (name of incumbent/opponent), (name of challenger/candidate) **3**
, or are you still undecided?" If they say they are for the
Candidate, then ask them if they would be willing to volunteer some
time on the campaign. If they say no, thank them for supporting the
Candidate and encourage them to ask their friends and relatives to
vote for the Candidate. If yes, advise them that someone will be in
contact with them soon and thank them for their assistance and say
goodbye. After the call is completed, the volunteer would circle the
"V" on the printout sheet, transfer the personal information to a
volunteer card, and give it to the Supervisor.
Notice that the volunteer does not indicate initially who the
survey is for, knowing this might prejudice the response. Where a
Political Campaign Consultant is involved in the campaign, they will
usually authorize the campaign to say the survey is being taken on
their behalf, i.e. "Hello, (his/her name), this is (volunteer's name);
I am taking a survey today for Campaign Opinion Research of
Washington, D.C.," etc.
No other activity is required other than to record the answer
by circling the appropriate symbol (usually "F" if for the Candidate,
"A" if against the Candidate, and "U" for undecided) on the printout
sheet and the tally sheet that is kept next to the phone. If the
person being called is definitely for the opponent, a single line in
pencil is drawn through the individual's name. This will be the only
time the opponent's supporters are personally contacted by the
Candidate's campaign.
At the end of each shift, the Phone Bank Supervisor collects
the volunteer cards and tally sheets, summarizes them, makes sure they
are dated, initials them, and turns them in to the Campaign Secretary.
The printout sheets are always marked in pencil only and no
other markings, except as indicated, should be made. A number of
people will be using the sheets over several months, plus the computer
company that must reenter the data onto the computer tapes. If they
are not clean, the campaign will be charged extra.
An average Congressional district will have about 141,000
households of registered voters with listed telephone numbers. The
average telephoner can complete about 60 calls per hour in the 2nd
Stage, allowing for 50 percent "no answers" or disconnected numbers, x
10 units = 300 completed calls per hour. If the Phone Bank is fully
operational, multiply 300 x 8 full hours per day of telephoning.
Allowing 1 hour per shift downtime, it would take the Phone Bank about
12 weeks at this rate to complete the ID Stage of the program (2,400 x
5 = 12,000 calls per week x 12 weeks = 144,000). Starting in late
February, this would complete the program by the end of the 2nd Stage,
the last week of May. **4**
FootNotes:
**1** The possible sources of volunteers were discussed in the
Regional Chairperson's section of this chapter.
**2** A sample Phone Bank Manual, with suggested conversations and
procedures for each Stage, is located in the Appendix.
**3** Alternate the names when calling, i.e., the candidate's and the
opponent's.
**4** This formula can be used to calculate the number of units needed
for larger or smaller districts. Divide 1,440 into the number of
households and the result is the number of units needed over a 12 week
period.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
On the average, it can be expected that about 25,000
households will not be contacted as a result of disconnected numbers
and no answers. **1** Of the balance (116,000), the breakout would
probably be around 29,000 for the opponent, if an incumbent, 17,000
for the candidate/challenger, with the remainder undecided or refusing
to answer (70,000). **2**
At the end of the 2nd Stage, the sheets should be compared
with the Precinct Captain's results and revised accordingly.
2. Stage 3, Positive Advocacy.
;
During the 3rd Stage, the undecided are re-called first, then
the independents if time permits. This time the telephoners identify
themselves as volunteers for the (Candidate's name) for (office)
Committee and make a brief attempt to convince the voter to vote for
the Candidate. If a positive response is given, the telephoner tells
them how great it is, asks them if they would like to volunteer
(records the personal information on a volunteer card next to the
phone, if they say yes), thanks them, and makes the appropriate
designation on the printout sheet, erasing the previous one. The
appropriate mark is then made on the tally sheet.
If still undecided, the telephoner advises that the Candidate
will be sending some information that might help them to make up their
mind. Closing with a hope that it is a favorable decision, the
telephoner re-circles the "U" designation on the printout sheet to
avoid re-calling the person during this Stage, then addresses a #10
envelope (if a special mailer is being sent) or a tabloid (a supply of
that should be next to the telephone) to the voter, and marks the
result on the tally sheet.
If the voter indicates they have decided to vote for the
opponent, thank them for their time, say goodbye, mark the sheet with
the opponent's designation, "A," draw a line through the name, and
erase the previous "U" designation.
This interview from beginning to end will normally take 4
minutes. With time allowed for uncompleted calls, the average
telephoner can go through 12 calls per hour x 10 units = 120 per hour
x 8 hours (allowing 1 hour downtime per shift) = 960 completed calls
per day x 5 days = 4,800 calls per week. With approximately 14 weeks
in the 3rd Stage, the total number of completed calls possible will be
around 67,200 - close to the 70,000 started with. Short of increasing
the number of units in the Phone Bank, the differential can be reduced
by: (1) eliminating those who refused to answer by circling the
opponent's designation; (2) ignoring the undecideds who are members of
the opponent's Party, marking no different designation on the sheets
for the time being; (3) concentrating the telephone calls in the
higher priority precincts first; **3** or (4) adding the data
collected from the Precinct Captains to the Phone Bank results. The
result of all these adjustments should reduce the original total
(70,000) to the number of calls actually made.
Of the 67,200 completed calls, around 50 percent will probably
still be undecided (or refuse to answer) and the balance should fall
60/40 percent to the candidate/challenger (as a result of the personal
contact), making an additional total of 20,000 positive households
identified, that added to the previous total obtained in the 2nd Stage
should bring the grand total by the end of the 3rd Stage to 37,000
households.
3. Stage 4, Negative Advocacy.
;
The telephoner's routine in the 4th Stage is similar to the
3rd Stage, except that the message in the letter mailed to the
remaining undecideds will change to one that is negatively oriented.
The first callbacks should be made to the 50 percent who were still
undecided in the 3rd Stage and to whom literature was mailed (33,600).
This time the telephoner should continue to identify themselves as a
volunteer for the (Candidate's name) for (office) Committee.
The time required to complete the calls should be about the
same as in the 3rd Stage. As before, circle the "U" a third time if
they are still undecided and address an envelope which will be stuffed
with the comparative flyer **4** and letter from the Candidate. Make
the appropriate change on the printout sheets if they have decided for
the Candidate or the opponent. This time the percentage of those who
are still undecided should be substantially reduced - probably no more
than 20 percent. The balance (26,880) will probably split 60 percent
for the Candidate and 40 percent for the opponent (16,000 to 10,000
approximately), making the Candidate's grand total 53,000
positive-identified households. The balance needed should come from
the precinct operation.
FootNotes:
**1** If the telephoner is able to determine that the person is
deceased or moved form the district, the name can be eliminated from
future printouts by circling the opponent's code, "A," on the printout
sheet.
**2** Those who refuse to answer are treated as undecideds
during the 3rd Stage and eliminated by marking the printout sheet with
the opponent's designation, "A," during the 4th Stage, if they still
refuse to answer.
**3** The Campaign Manager should have the list of precincts in
priority order.
**4** A comparative piece showing the
positions of the candidate and the opponent, side-by-side, on several
relevant issues.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
[Note: During this Stage, the telephoner would ask all persons
answering affirmatively for the Candidate if they will need an
absentee ballot for the election. If yes, follow the procedure
required by the Secretary of State or County Registrar of Voter's
Office. **1** ]
Total time: 7 weeks, right at the end of the 4th Stage. It is
reasonable to assume that the Precinct Captains will have added an
additional 14,000 household to this total (the respective sheets
should again be cross-checked and updated) for the final total of
67,000 positive-identified households. Given a ratio of 1.7 adult
voting members per household, the Candidate should have 114,000+ votes
on Election Day if they all come out to vote.
4. Stage 5, GOTV.
;
In the first 9 days of the 5th Stage, a brief phone call
should be made to all positive-identified households to remind them
that Election Day is fast approaching and to find out whether they
will need assistance to get to the polls. If yes, the telephoner
should jot their name, address, and telephone number on the special
transportation pads next to the phone and turn it in to the
Supervisor, who will forward it to the Campaign Secretary. The person
being called should then be urged to bring a friend along to the
polls.
In this Stage the completion rate should be 40 calls per hour
x 10 hours (no downtime) x 10 units = 4,000 calls per day x 9 days =
36,000 completed calls. Obviously, using only 10 units makes it
virtually impossible to complete the required 67,000 calls.
In anticipation of this problem, additional units and
volunteers need to be secured prior to the beginning of this Stage.
As the project director for the GOTV program, the Campaign Manager
will be working on these special arrangements, as well as for the
Election Day program.
Possible sources might be volunteered offices with several
units **2** , e.g. real estate, insurance, law, etc. for calling after
normal closing hours, host homes - people who have agreed to let a
volunteer telephoner come into their home and use the telephone for
making calls all day. **3** Also, the Precinct Captains can be
requested to make a number of calls from their homes.
If additional time becomes available during this 9-day period,
callbacks should be made to members of the Candidate's Party who were
still undecided.
5. Election Day.
;
The final program takes place on Election Day. It is critical
that all positive-identified households are called and recalled until
verification is given that the person actually voted (in some cases a
total of three calls to the same household might be required).
Calling usually begins around 9:30 a.m. and continues until
around 7:00 p.m (9.5 hours). With an average call taking 2 minutes, a
telephoner can make 30 calls per hour x 9.5 hours = 285 calls. This
means, given 67,000 calls to be made, plus callbacks, the campaign
will probably need at least 235 units plus 470 telephoners.
The Phone Bank Supervisors, under the direct supervision of
the Campaign Manager during these final 10 days, will probably be
directed to centralized, volunteered banks set up for this effort to
supervise those operations. Some will assist by "breaking out" those
precincts that are being sent to host homes, usually the lower
priority precincts, and then helping with the distribution within
their Regions.
As awesome as all this might sound, it really is possible with
a well-organized, directed plan and a lot of cooperation.
Incidentally, the Precinct Captains are normally responsible for poll
watching duties **4** on Election Day, so they will be unavailable as
telephoners. However, a good campaign, especially one that appears to
have a chance of winning, always has a surge of volunteers working on
Election Day. Telephoners, alternates, poll watchers, drivers, etc.
will usually number around 1,000.
FootNotes:
**1** A sample procedure is in the Phone Bank Manual in the
Appendix.
**2** If a Federal candidate, in order to avoid violating
the law prohibiting corporate contributions, the campaign will have to
pay a reasonable amount for rental and telephone usage. However, this
is normally interpreted as a relatively small amount of actual costs
involved, since it is after normal business hours.
**3** By doing it
this way, the host is able to go about normal duties and the
telephoner is freed from constant interruptions.
**4** Poll watching
involves being at the polls on Election Day checking the voters as
they come in to vote and verifying that they are registered voters in
that precinct. This is done by comparing their names as they sign in
with the voter registration lists. Local regulations vary with regard
to allowing this activity, so it should be thoroughly checked out in
advance with the Registrar of Voters Office. In some campaigns a
system is set up whereby the names of positive-identified voters who
have voted is relayed back to the telephoner responsible for calling
that person (so they won't continue calling them), but I have rarely
seen this program work well, even when sophisticated computer systems
are used.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
It is up to the Phone Bank Supervisors, the Regional and Area
Chairpersons, the Staff, and the Campaign Manager, working together as
a management team, to make it all happen.
The Phone Bank Supervisors are automatically members of their
Regional Committee and the Field Operations Committee, except for the
two assigned to the Finance Committee only.
12. THE PHONE BANK VOLUNTEER
;
Like the Precinct Captains, Phone Bank Volunteers are part of
the front lines. Though not seen in person, as a result of his/her
personal contact with the electorate by phone, he/she is a
representative of the Candidate and the campaign. As such, they
should give a positive impression at all times by speaking clearly,
talking courteously, and avoiding saying anything derogatory about the
opponent.
Each Phone Bank Volunteer should be provided with a basic kit
containing a biography of the Candidate, a synopsis of his/her
position on the issues, the comparative piece between the opponent and
the Candidate (when prepared), the printed material being mailed to
the public as it is mailed, so they are aware of what is being
received and read, a brief outline of the Political Game Plan, and the
Phone Bank Manual (sample in the Appendix).
Before the telephoner begins telephoning, the material should
be read and, if there are any questions, they should be discussed with
the Phone Bank Supervisor.
If a person being called asks about the Candidate's position
on an issue, the most that should be relayed is what appears on the
synopsis sheet. If more information is needed, a note should be made
on the pad next to the telephone as to the nature of the question, the
name, address, and phone number of the person, and this should be
given to the Supervisor (who will forward it to the Campaign Manager).
The telephoner should advise the person that the Candidate will
respond to the question as soon as possible.
Telephoners should be responsible, dependable people, who will
honor their commitment to be there when they say they will and who
will follow the Supervisor's instructions precisely during each Stage.
They should be made aware of the role they are performing in the
campaign and how it interrelates with the other activities going on at
the same time.
Unlike the Precinct Captain, who is out working alone most of
the time, morale for the Phone Bank Volunteer is usually not as
serious a problem. The team spirit, working together in the volunteer
headquarters, is relatively easy to achieve; however, it is intensive
work and very difficult, to say the least. Every effort should be
made by the staff and Phone Bank Supervisors to make sure there is
always plenty of coffee and cookies, etc. for refreshments during
breaks. Because of this intense, internal pressure, I usually
recommend a 10 minute break every hour as part of the downtime.
Though the atmosphere should be friendly, care must be taken that it
does not become too noisy and/or distracting.
Because this is such a critical element of the campaign, and
because it is a difficult position to recruit for on a regular basis,
a number of campaigns have resorted to hiring paid telephoners as a
supplement, or in some cases as a substitute, to the Phone Bank
Volunteer.
This method can be effective but it does have several inherent
problems: (1) what Phone Bank Volunteers the campaign does have
usually become quite resentful of the paid telephoners and inevitably
leave the campaign; (2) it is very expensive, averaging in excess of
$3,000 per week or close to $120,000 for the whole campaign; and (3)
the quality of the calls made varies considerably, in spite of the
claims made by the tele-communications firms that provide this
service.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
However, there is a relatively new device available today that
a campaign might wish to consider as an alternative. The device is
called TeleClerk and is made by Dialogic Communications Corporation,
1106 Harpeth Industrial Court, P. O. Box 8, Franklin, TN 37064
(615)790-2882.
Basically TeleClerk is a telecommunications computer system
into that the campaign can download the voter registration lists, with
telephone numbers, and have the system call and record the results of
the ID survey during the 2nd Stage. Unlike other systems of this type
TeleClerk is unique in that it is completely digitized, therefore
there is no deterioration of voice quality, regardless of how many
calls are made. Also, responses can be made by the person being
called on either a rotary or push-button phone. It then can go one
step beyond recording the results by automatically generating a letter
to the respondent with the message dictated by the response. In other
words, if the respondent is "Undecided," TeleClerk would generate a
specific letter designed for that type of response, if "For" the
Candidate, it would generate a different letter designed for that type
of response, etc.
The system handles two lines simultaneously **1** and can be
programmed to turn itself on and start calling at a certain time in
the morning and shut itself off at a preset time in the evening. It
can hold up to 35,000 names at a time, and will speed call these names
over and over until a connection is made, or until the campaign tells
it to quit and loads another batch of names.
TeleClerk can be programmed to ask any number of questions and
to take responses by either pushing a number on the person's telephone
unit, e.g. 1 for Yes, 3 for No, or 5 for Undecided, or it can record a
complete response to an "open-ended" question that asks for an answer
that cannot be reduced to a Yes, No, or Undecided, e.g. "What are the
most important issues facing you today?"
The system is "logical" in that it can shift messages
instantly based on a person's response. Since it is digitized, the
computers "voice" is actually the voice of whoever dictates the
questions into the microphone; it could be the Candidate, a well-known
voice of a local or national personality, or a pleasant sounding
person.
When I first saw the system, I was concerned about whether or
not people would respond to a machine. Since then, I have used it in
one campaign and found the results to be very good, in fact better
than would normally be achieved in a regular Phone Bank operation.
And since the system speed dials and never needs downtime the number
of completed calls was considerably higher within the same timeframes.
Teleclerk can also do double duty by doing follow-up phone
calls for fundraising events and serving as a very sophisticated
telephone answering machine for call-backs. Another utilization is its
ability to serve as a 24-hour "hot-line" for people who want to know
where the Candidate stands on the issues. By calling a set number,
the computer would ask what issue the caller is concerned about; they
would respond by pushing a specific number on their telephone and
would be immediately routed to the appropriate response given in the
voice of the Candidate. The company has an 800 number that can be
called to hear a test of TeleClerk's capabilities (1-800-321-7586).
The system is expensive, around $20,000 **2** by the time it is fully
programmed for a campaign's needs and operational, but over the course
of the campaign, I believe it is well worth the investment. **3**
13. THE CAMPAIGN MANAGER AND DIRECT MAIL PROGRAM
;
The role of the Campaign Manager varies considerably from one
campaign to another. Ideally, the individual is a highly-qualified,
intelligent person, a first-rate administrator, politically-astute,
able to manage and to motivate effectively the hundreds of players in
the campaign, loyal to and trusted by the Candidate, and able to
function as his/her alter ego. This person is the one most responsible
for the day-to-day implementation of the Political Game Plan.
FootNotes:
**1** It is expandable to 10 lines, with an additional charge for
each line over two.
**2** A 2-port, 67 MGB system with installation
costs about $16,150. This includes: 1. TeleClerk Module Chassis, 2.
Televideo 905 CRT, 3. Inacomm 2400 bps modem, 4. Frequency
Analyzer/preamp, 5. Monitor Speaker, 6. Electrovoice microphone, 7. AC
power strip, 8. Cabling. Software must be added to these prices and a
printer or other peripherals are not included.
**3** Neither I, nor
Political Publishing Company, own any interest whatsoever in
TeleClerk, or Dialogic Communications Corporation. Nor in any other
firm or product referenced or recommended in The Campaign Manual,
other than Political Campaign Management Software.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
In the Prototype Plan, the Campaign Manager functions as the
chief administrative officer of the campaign, and the Political
Campaign Consultant is the chief executive officer. If a campaign does
not have a Political Campaign Consultant, then all of the Political
Campaign Consultant's functions and activities are done by the
Campaign Manager, in addition to what is outlined in this and other
sections of this Manual.
A. Duties and Responsibilities.
;
The Campaign Manager as the chief administrative officer of
the campaign must be thoroughly familiar with every aspect of it. The
Campaign Manager is responsible for coordinating all of the separate
activities, monitoring the Time Lines and Cash Flow schedules, and
making sure all materials and supplies are at the proper place when
needed.
Working with the Field Operations Director, the Campaign
Manager helps to establish the voter objectives for the campaign and
each entity within field operations.
In effect, the Campaign Manager functions as the eyes and ears
of the Political Campaign Consultant, keeping in contact with the
consultant on a daily basis and reporting the results of each day's
activities.
The Campaign Manager should meet with the Candidate, ideally
every day (realistically, at least every 3 days) at which time the
Campaign Manager should bring the Candidate up to date on what is
happening in all levels of the campaign. This also provides the
Candidate with an opportunity to share campaigning results and discuss
ways to improve future activity.
In many campaigns, the Campaign Manager spends a considerable
amount of time in communicating with the PACs, the Party at all
levels, and other organizations and individuals outside the district
with an interest in the campaign - in effect functioning as its
spokesperson.
Also, remember, if there is no Finance Director and/or Press
Secretary, the Campaign Manager performs these functions, in addition
to supervising the rest of the staff. In the event the campaign does
not have a consultant, the Campaign Manager would also be responsible
for implementing the direct mail program.
B. Implementing the Direct Mail Program.
;
In implementing the direct mail program, the Campaign Manager
must work closely with the computer company doing the mail program and
develop a thorough understanding of how their system and time-frames
work, i.e. the amount of lead time they need, who is responsible for
providing the inserts (brochures, flyers, BREs, etc.), and processing
for mailing (stuffing, sealing, stamping, sorting by zip code,
bagging, and delivering to the Post Office). **1**
Normally, a computer company that specializes in direct mail
will handle the whole process for the campaign, including the printing
of inserts **2** and mail processing. The cost per unit piece,
including the mail processing, can vary from 30 cents to 40 cents -
the average being around 35 cents. As mentioned before, there is
virtually no difference in quality, only in profit and overhead.
Incidentally some companies will allow you to use unlimited variables
**3** in the body of the letter, while others will charge additional
for any over a set number, usually 12.
When writing the letter itself, be sure to key the message to
the Stage the campaign is in at the time and, of course, to the group
receiving it. In most cases, individualized paragraphs can be written
in the body of the letter, usually between the first and last
paragraphs, targeted to: males, females, Party affiliation,
Independents, and presumed economic levels based on zip codes or
precincts. In some states, the date of birth is available and
provides another group. **4**
FootNotes:
**1** Even though mailing by bulk rate, normally a much slower
delivery method, there is a special political tag available at the
Post Office, which, when attached to the mail bag during the period
thirty days prior to an election, will "guarantee" the day of delivery
as though it were First Class mail. Be sure the computer or mail
processing firm is aware of this and uses it.
**2** The campaign has
to provide the "camera ready" artwork.
**3** Variables in a computer
letter are paragraphs containing different copy. They are used to
personalize the letter depending on the demographics of the
recipient.
**4** There is a computer service firm with which I have
worked that has developed a unique targeting system that enables them
to merge variable paragraphs automatically with the appropriate groups
as determined by the polling results - highly sophisticated and very
accurate. Contact: Mr. Chester Diez, Jr., Southwest Computer Bureau,
104-B E. Cornerview Rd., Gonzales, LA 70737. (504) 647-1767. This
is also a full-service computer company which does excellent work at
below average prices.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
Develop a code with the computer firm for each grouping and
then write a series of paragraphs with a personalized message for each
possible group and/or combination of groups. For example:
Code 21 - Females, Dem., Zip Codes 12345-12350 or Pct. #___
Code 22 - Females, Ind., Zip Codes 12345-12350 or Pct. #___
Code 23 - Females, Rep., Zip Codes 12345-12350 or Pct. #___
Code 24 - Females, Dem., Zip Codes 12351-12361 or Pct. #___
Code 25 - Females, Ind., Zip Codes 12351-12361 or Pct. #___
Code 26 - Females, Rep., Zip Codes 12351-12361 or Pct. #___
and so on.
When a particular paragraph is appropriate for two or more
codes, e.g. codes 22 and 25, etc. indicate that on the order form with
the computer company. This data is then fed into the computer and,
when programmed to do so, the appropriate "personalized" letter is
done automatically.
As to the specific message of each paragraph, initially the
Campaign Manager will have to guess the major concern of each
grouping. After the first poll is done, he/she can be more accurate
by checking the cross-tabs, finding out what the major concerns are
for each group, and then writing a specific paragraph addressing that
issue. Many people with the same general characteristics will share
the same concerns and desires. These common concerns become even more
pronounced when you can factor in age and marital status.
The more personalized the letter is, the greater its impact!
As Time-consuming and difficult as this targeting is, it really pays
off in helping to communicate the Candidate's message effectively. A
pre-printed form letter is easier and cheaper to do but the results
are not nearly as effective.
All letters except for the 5th Stage mailer should include an
appeal for funds and volunteers either in the last paragraph or as a
postscript.
The final mailer in the 5th Stage is usually a simulated
mailgram or telegram written to convey a sense of urgency. With the
election only a few days away, the letter must try to motivate them to
get out and vote. If possible, about a month before this final
mailer, a list of the polling places should be sent to the computer
company with instructions to feed this information into the computer
by precinct. Then the final mailer, as a voter service, can indicate
where each individual's polling place is located and the times for
voting.
A few other tips on direct mail: On the front of the envelopes
used for the 3rd and 4th Stage direct mail, have the words "Important
Voter Information Enclosed" imprinted in block letters, bottom right
quadrant (presuming the campaign is using window envelopes). If it is
not too much extra expense, have this message printed in red. Also,
have the continuous feed paper used for the letters imprinted with the
same logo and colors as the stationary.
Though there are two schools of thought on this, I recommend
showing only the P. O. Box number, city, state and zip code for the
return address on the mailing envelope, preferably on the back flap,
printed in color. Also on the mailing envelope, have the
computer/mail processing company use either a precanceled, bulk rate
stamp, or a meter stamp with your bulk rate permit number - if at all
possible. Do not use a printed postal indicia.
I must stress again, lead time is extremely important with
direct mail computer companies. Most derive their primary business
from established commercial accounts. Their political business is
usually sandwiched in between their other work and receives a low
priority. Ask them to be frank about their timeframes and then see to
it that the copy and artwork is sent to them on schedule.
In addition to the computer-generated direct mail, form
letters will have to be developed to send to the individuals who are
still undecided in the 4th Stage **1** and to those persons who will
be voting by absentee ballot. Many campaigns simply address a tabloid
to the undecided in both the 3rd and 4th Stages, plus a
computer-generated letter in the 3rd Stage. Fundraising direct mail
is discussed in Chapter VI, as well as the mail program for the
Prospect File.
The Campaign Manager is a member of all committees.
FootNotes:
**1** As determined by the Phone Bank.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
14. THE CAMPAIGN SECRETARY AND SCHEDULING
;
The Campaign Secretary is the second most important
administrative person in the campaign, performing the duties of the
Campaign Manager when not available. The Campaign Secretary is also
the office manager; the scheduler for the Candidate (and spouse, if
actively campaigning), Campaign Manager, and surrogate speakers; the
director of volunteers; and personal secretary for the Candidate and
Campaign Manager.
Most of the responsibilities are normal and routine for a
highly-qualified executive secretary. However, as the "Number Two"
administrative person, the Campaign Secretary must be thoroughly
familiar with the Political Game Plan and aware of what is going on in
the campaign at all times.
A. How to Schedule.
;
The other unique responsibility, in addition to being Number
Two, is that of scheduling. Since few campaigns below the million
dollar budget category can afford to hire an "advance person," i.e.
someone who precedes the Candidate in order to make certain the
activity is set up properly for maximum impact, the scheduler must be
able to make as many of these determinations as possible when
scheduling the event.
In the Appendix **1** is a form called Request for
Appearance. It is imperative that it be used for all campaign
activities or fundraising events the Candidate is requested to attend.
Once completed and approved, the event and time are posted in
the appropriate day on a large wall calendar. Absolutely no one
except the Campaign Secretary, not even the Candidate or the Campaign
Manager, should be allowed to make changes on this calendar. I cannot
stress enough the importance of strict adherence to this procedure.
As the campaign progresses, the pressure for the Candidate's time and
presence intensifies, resulting in many possible conflicts. This is
the only system I know of that will help prevent chaos, confusion,
missed events, disappointed or insulted hosts or hostesses, poor PR,
and lost votes.
The calendar is the official schedule and only one person
should be responsible and accountable for it. This is not to say the
Candidate or the Campaign Manager may not authorize a change, but only
the scheduler can record it. If a change is made, the scheduler must
notify all individuals involved and attempt to reschedule the event or
provide a surrogate.
From the scheduler's perspective, there are two types of
events that require the completion of a Request for Appearance form:
(1) requests (invitations) for the Candidate's attendance or
participation in some kind of activity by persons, groups, or
organizations not directly connected with the campaign and (2) those
activities and/or events generated internally by the campaign. **2**
1. Outside Requests for Appearance.
;
Requests emanating from outside the campaign are either
spontaneous, i.e. the requests are made without a promotional effort
by anyone connected with the campaign, or solicited. In the early
stages of the campaign, invitations will be slow in coming and it is
up to the scheduler to develop a program that will actively solicit
them. To do this a complete list of all business, homeowner, trade,
and union organizations; civic, service, and social clubs; membership
societies, etc. should be assembled and then mailed a form letter
advising their events or social chairpersons that the Candidate is
anxious to meet with their group and would appreciate an opportunity
to do so at their next regularly scheduled meeting, or as soon as
possible. Letters directed to chairpersons or associations targeted
for potential financial support, e.g. real estate, insurance, etc.
should be personalized. Similar mailings should also be made to high
schools (junior and senior civic classes), colleges, and/or
universities, especial Political Science Departments.
FootNotes:
**1** This form is also contained in Political Campaign Management
Software and, when completed, is posted automatically to the campaign
calendar.
**2** All references to the candidate in this section
should be extended to the spouse, the Campaign Manager, and
surrogates. Administrative functions or activities, e.g. campaign
committee meetings, seminars, office and telephone time, etc. and
personal activity of the candidate do not require a Request for
Appearance form but should be noted on the master (official) and daily
calendars and the time should be blocked out. This should be done as
far in advance as possible.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
Working with the Candidate, the Campaign Manager, and the
Campaign Chairperson(s), a complete list of Centers of Influence in
the district should be assembled. **1** Letters requesting personal
visits with these individuals should be sent out on a regularly
scheduled basis.
The chairpersons of outside community events that the
Candidate should participate in, like fairs, parades, etc. should be
contacted early in the 2nd Stage, so any requirements they may have to
participate and select choice site locations may be complied with and
arranged.
About a week after the letters to these people have gone out,
the scheduler should telephone the individual to see if a visit is
possible and firm up the details A Request for Appearance form should
then be completed, **2** providing as much information as possible;
nothing should be taken for granted. Every line on this form is there
for a reason: namely, to help make the event as successful as possible
for the Candidate. The scheduler should be extra careful to spell out
what is expected of the Candidate., Will he/she be speaking? If so,
how long? Do they have a particular subject they would like the
Candidate to address? If so, what? Will there be time for a Q&A
session? If so, how much? Is it a media event, i.e. will the media
be there or may they be invited to attend? May literature be passed
out? Is this just a "meet and greet" opportunity for the Candidate
with no speech allowed? Will the Candidate be expected to have a meal
with the group? May the Candidate's Aide join them? Will other
candidates or dignitaries be there? If so, whom? And so on.
It is up to the scheduler to provide as much advance
information as possible so the Candidate can prepare properly for the
appearance and avoid possible misunderstandings and/or
embarrassments.
Careful attention must also be given to the timing, not only
of the event but between events. The scheduler needs to know the
district and be able to estimate accurately the travel time required
for the Candidate to get from one place to another - safely! They
should always be sensitive to the time of day (rush hour traffic
conditions, etc.) and possible seasonal weather conditions when
estimating travel time. Also be sure to allow some personal "break"
time.
When the Request for Appearance form is completed, it is
usually forwarded to the Campaign Manager for final approval and then
returned to the scheduler. At this point, four copies are made, one
each for the Candidate, the Driver/Aide, the Campaign Manager, and the
Regional Chairperson covering that part of the district. It is then
entered on the master calendar, a confirmation letter is sent to the
appropriate person, and the original Request for Appearance form is
filed or entered in the computer.
A log book should be maintained by the scheduler showing all
letters sent soliciting invitations, to whom sent, the date, when the
follow-up call was made, and the results. This is helpful when timing
second or third mailings and also avoids potential criticisms that the
Candidate is avoiding certain groups or individuals.
2. Internal Requests for Appearance.
;
Essentially the same procedure is followed for events or
activities generated internally by the campaign.
Prior to the beginning of the 3rd Stage (or earlier, if the
Candidate begins campaigning full-time) the scheduler should determine
the number of days the Campaign Manager will want the Candidate to
spend in each Region during each Stage. **3** Once the number of
allotted days has been determined, the scheduler should call a meeting
with the Regional Chairpersons and work out with them the specific
days they want.
Once allotted, the Regional Chairpersons have the
responsibility to fill out that day's activities. If there is an
event or activity already on calendar for that day, they would fill in
the time around it. Normally, they are expected to complete, in draft
form, a Request for Appearance form for each event or activity they
plan to do with the candidate. They then submit these to the Campaign
Secretary (scheduler) for final completion, the Campaign Manager's
approval, distribution, and posting.
FootNotes:
**1** This may have been started in the 1st Stage.
**2** If the
campaign is using Political Campaign Management Software, the
scheduler must develop a "Title" for each event since the program is
designed to retrieve information both by the date and/or the event
itself. The title should be kept brief and be descriptive, e.g. Mrs.
Smith's Cocktail Party, Kiwanis Luncheon, etc. For campaigns which
are not using a computer and this software, this item is optional.
**3** This will be based on previously determined prioritization.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
The type of events and activities the Regional Chairpersons
should schedule will depend on their particular needs at the time, but
the scheduler should offer suggestions and guidance as to the types of
events or activity that are most productive, i.e. fundraising activity
is usually the highest-priority event and there should be some
activity in each day's schedule that will generate funds, regardless
of how small; next in priority are events where the media will be in
attendance or can be encouraged to attend; followed by events or
activities that will expose the Candidate to the largest number of
people possible within a given timeframe. Selective precinct or
business district walking and coffee klatches are low priorities and
used as fill-ins. The Regional chairpersons should also be cautioned
about travel time considerations, etc.
It will be difficult, but the scheduler should insist on
having the Regional Chairperson turn in the date's Request for
Appearance forms and the date itself completely scheduled 1 full week
in advance, at the very least. Ideally, the whole schedule would be
known and completed 2 weeks in advance - continuously.
When assigning dates 3 months in advance, the scheduler will
find that invariably one Region will discover it needs a date already
assigned to some other Region (a special event they were unaware of
comes up or an important meeting can only be arranged on a certain
date, etc.). The procedure to be followed when this happens is for
the Regional Chairperson who needs the different date to call the
Regional Chairperson who has it and arrange a swap, if possible. Once
agreed to, it is then the originating Regional Chairperson's
responsibility to notify the scheduler of the change.
When a date's schedule is completed, the scheduler should
complete a Daily Calendar **1** and, using it as the cover sheet,
staple it to the Request for Appearance forms for that date. Three
complete sets should be prepared in this manner - for the Candidate,
the Drive/Aide, and the Regional Chairperson.
Hard as it may be to believe, one serious problem in most
campaigns is maintaining communications between the Candidate and the
headquarters staff. With the Candidate literally on-the-run, a system
usually needs to be established for transferring needed messages and
material back and forth. One system that works fairly well is for the
Campaign Secretary to have two pouches (the leatherette type with a
zipper on top) of different colors to avoid confusion for sending and
returning materials. He/she should also arrange for the Driver/Aide
to exchange them at the end or beginning of each day. In this way the
Campaign Secretary can return the previous day's Request for
Appearance forms with notations regarding the outcome, or results, at
the bottom, plus any directives or messages from the Candidate to the
staff.
The returned Request for Appearance forms with notations
should be given to the Campaign Manager for review and any action
necessary. The Campaign Secretary should then send out the
appropriate thank-you letters to the key people involved and enter
comments into the computer.
Incidentally, a really good Campaign Secretary will develop a
sensitivity for the type of events where the Candidate should be,
regularly scan the local newspapers for information about upcoming
activities, **2** call them to the attention of the appropriate
Regional Chairperson, and help them to work it into that date's
schedule, if possible.
When conflicts come up, and they always do, remember to use
the previously mentioned prioritization methods in deciding which
event the Candidate should attend personally and to which event a
surrogate should be sent:
1. Fundraising opportunities.
2. Media events.
3. The size of the audience at a given time and type of
activity. Debates, speaking engagements before organized
groups, fairs, visits to senior citizen homes, center of
influence visits, etc.
4. Canvassing small business districts.
5. Coffee klatches.
6. Walking precincts.
7. Plant gates, shopping centers, etc.
FootNotes:
**1** A sample of this form is in the Appendix, and is also included
in Political Campaign Management Software.
**2** Most newspapers have a "calendar of events" section or list
upcoming activities in the local or society sections.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
B. Director of Volunteers.
;
Another unique responsibility of the Campaign Secretary is
serving as the Director of Volunteers. **1** In this role the
Campaign Secretary is responsible for maintaining the volunteer files,
either on 3 x 5 cards or in the computer, allocating prospective
volunteers to the appropriate Chairpersons, sending out thank-you
letters, maintaining a small pool of reserve volunteers for
emergencies or special projects, and writing a campaign newsletter,
**2** usually sent out every month (or every other month) to all
volunteers, contributors, and endorsers.
Sometimes this position, Director of Volunteers, can be
delegated to a key volunteer who has the time to do it, can do it
well, and is dependable.
15. THE FIELD OPERATIONS DIRECTOR AND VOTER TARGETING
;
The Field Operations Director provides logistical support for
the Field Operations Committee and is the staff person responsible for
the successful accomplishment of its activities and objectives. This
person attends all Field Operations Committee meetings and helps
conduct the training seminars. He/she is also responsible for
coordinating the activities of the Precinct and Phone Bank operations.
Working with the Campaign Manager, the Field Operations
Director is responsible for developing the prioritization of the
precincts, Areas, and Regions, and the voter objectives for each.
This individual then monitors the progress of the Precinct and Phone
Bank operations toward the realization of these objectives on a weekly
basis and keeps the Campaign Manager informed by means of biweekly
summary progress reports. If a problem develops and continues for 2
weeks, i.e. no significant progress in a certain precinct, the Field
Operations Director should immediately call it to the attention of the
Area and Regional Chairpersons involved and help them take the
necessary corrective action. The Campaign Manager should be kept
aware of these situations and the action planned.
A. How to Develop Voter Objectives for Each Precinct.
;
The methodology used in developing the voter objectives is
relatively simple, but a considerable amount of tedious detail work is
required to establish them. However, due to the natural limitations
of time and resources that all campaigns experience, it must be done
and done accurately. The system is based on the theory that most
precincts will follow previously established patters of voting, and
that a careful analysis will help develop realistic objectives or
goals in future elections, providing the campaign is conducted
effectively.
Incidentally, a number of campaign software programs available
on the market today contain a feature that will develop these results
for the campaign. When Mr. Flucke and I were developing Political
Campaign Management Software we decided that the cost/benefit ratio
did not justify its inclusion in our program. The Field Operations
Director (or whomever is doing the analysis) would still have to key
in all the relevant data before the computer could do the data
calculations necessary to arrive at the voter objectives for each
precinct. Since this part of the process involves relatively simple
addition and division, we felt that the extra cost involved just
wasn't worth it. **3** By the time the person entering the data
would set up the fields and key in the data, they could obtain the
results with a simple calculator and enter them manually next to each
precinct number.
The real key to accuracy is in the selection of previous races
used as the points of reference. The procedure is to determine first
the "base" vote that exists for the candidate; **4**
the "high" (potential) vote available, i.e. the highest number of
votes received by a popular, winning member of the Candidate's Party
in a different race covering the district, but not restricted to it;
and a "median" vote, obtained by a person of the Candidate's Party who
attempted a serious campaign - regardless of the outcome. This data
should be obtained for the last two election cycles.
FootNotes:
**1** This position is sometimes referred to as the Volunteer
Coordinator.
**2** If the campaign has a Press Secretary this project
is usually done by that person.
**3** This procedure alone would have added another $300 to the cost
of the program.
**4** Sometimes referred to as the "knee-jerk" vote, i.e. the voter
will vote for virtually anyone on the Party's ticket. The percentile
of this vote increases considerably for the lower races on the ticket.
Whereas some of the people will know something about the more
publicized races on the ticket (the "educated" voters), they tend to
resort to predispositions for the other races they are being asked to
vote on so they have a stronger tendency to "split" their ticket, if
they vote for a candidate in those other races at all. This is why
there is normally a drop-off rate between the top of the ticket,
graduating downward to the bottom of the ticket. This is an important
consideration when doing an analysis for a particular race, e.g the
percentage of people voting for a President might be 70 percent of
those eligible to vote, but for those voting for Secretary of State
might drop to 45 percent in the same election. Obviously, if a
candidate is running for Secretary of State, they would not want to
use the 70 percent factor in their calculations.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
All of the vote totals needed are usually available at the
County's Registrar of Voters' office or the Secretary of State's
office. **1**
The Field Operations Director should check with the national
or state Party; sometimes they have these figures already and
sometimes even in a computer. If so, the job becomes relatively easy.
The Party might charge for the computer time to run the data and
provide a printout, but the savings in time and energy (plus the
assured accuracy) will be more than worth it. Since both Parties have
done a considerable amount of research on precinct boundary lines for
reapportionment purposes, they might even be able to help with the
interpolation of the previous vote patterns in each precinct, i.e. do
the PIPS analysis for the campaign.
In any case, the "base" race for each cycle is usually the
most recent race for State Controller or Treasurer. The candidates
for these offices rarely conduct an active campaign and the vote they
receive, therefore, is usually a strongly committed Party vote. If
this is not the case in the Candidate's state, either select another
campaign that fits this description, or if the county's boundaries
exceed the district's boundaries, then a similarly lower-level race
will do.
For the "high" race, look at a Senatorial, Gubernatorial, or
other statewide Candidate's race (a member of the Candidate's Party
who won). Personally, I do not like to use a Presidential race, since
too many other factors can skew the results and the results might not
be as meaningful for this analysis.
If there is a choice, try to pick a race that was won
essentially on its own merits, i.e. a hard-fought, well-run campaign,
as opposed to a fluke (abnormal situation) win. The "median" race is
usually the previous Congressional campaign, unless the results, for
one reason or another, were not significant. If the latter is the
case, select a campaign (again, one from the Candidate's Party and one
that covered the district) which, using good judgment, was reasonably
well-run but the Candidate lost.
Do this for each of the last two cycles. Remember, a
political cycle is normally every two years, though in some states
that have odd-numbered year elections, the cycle can be yearly.
Once this data is compiled, total all six figures per precinct
and divide by six. The result + 10 percent, that I recommend adding
as a safety margin, becomes a reasonable voter objective for the
Candidate in that precinct.
For example: Precinct #10 cast 200 votes in the last cycle 2
years ago. Of these votes, the Gubernatorial Candidate of the
Candidate's Party received 120 votes (60 percent), the Candidate for
State Treasurer of the Candidate's Party received 60 votes (30
percent), and the Congressional Candidate of the Candidate's Party
received 80 votes (40 percent). Precinct #10 cast 240 votes in the
cycle before the last one. Of those votes, the U.S. Senatorial
Candidate of the Candidate's Party received 120 votes (50 percent),
the winning Candidate for County Clerk in a non-partisan race received
111 votes (45 percent), and the Congressional Candidate of the
Candidate's Party received 144 votes (60 percent). 120 + 60 + 80 +
120 + 111 + 144 = 635 divided by 6 = 105.8 + 10.6 (10%) = 116 votes or
68 households (116 divided by 1.7) needed for the Candidate, that
becomes Precinct #10's vote objective in this election.
The voters who make up the differential between the "base" and
the "high" are usually referred to as ticket-splitters, i.e. those
voters who are not knee jerk voters in either Party, regardless of how
they register, and sometimes cast their ballot on the basis of factors
other than Party affiliation. **2**
In the simplified example above, there are approximately 50 to
60 ticket-splitters in Precinct #10. If the Candidate realizes
his/her objective in this precinct, he/she will probably win it.
However, this should not necessarily be the objective of this
analysis. The point being that to set objectives on the basis of a
win in every single precinct is unrealistic and, therefore, by
definition, an unsound strategy. The campaign should strive for it,
but not base its strategy and Political Game Plan on it. **3**
FootNotes:
**1** If precinct boundaries have recently changed as a result of
reapportionment, the campaign will have a real problem obtaining
accurate figures, in which case it may have to approximate the
previous totals as best it can.
**2** Some alternate methods of prioritization rely almost solely on
the number of ticket-splitters in each precinct - grouping them from
the highest to the lowest numbers.
**3** A word of caution: If the total of all the precinct vote
objectives does not add up to enough votes to win, increase the
individual precinct totals by the percentage necessary. For example,
if the total adds up to 45% of the projected amount needed based on
projected voter turn-out, increase all precinct objectives by
approximately 11%.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
B. Prioritizing the Precincts.
;
The next calculation that the Field Operations Director and
the Campaign Manager need to make is to establish the prioritization
of the precincts and Regions. With limited time and resources, the
campaign needs a system that will proportion these, when a choice has
to be made, in the most effective manner possible, i.e. where it will
produce the greatest number of votes.
I normally recommend that the precincts first be divided into
six levels based on the ratio of vote objectives for the Candidate
(determined by the formula given in the preceding section) to the
average total vote previously cast in the district for that race or
one similar. **1** The resulting percentage determines the level of
the precinct. The levels have been arbitrarily established and could
be changed to fit the campaign's particular needs.
Level 1. 60%+
Level 2. 55-59%
Level 3. 50-54%
Level 4. 45-49%
Level 5. 40-44%
Level 6. -39%
In the previous example, Precinct #10 would be a Level 3
precinct: 116 (projected vote objective) divided by 220 (average votes
previously cast) = 52.7 percent.
During the 2nd Stage, the strategy in the Prototype Plan calls
for the Candidate to solidify his/her base, so Levels 1, 2, and 3
should be the highest priority, in that order, followed by 4, 5, and
6. However, during the 3rd Stage, the Prototype strategy is to
concentrate on the undecideds (or ticket-splitters), most of whom are
in Levels 4, 5, and 3. These Levels, therefore, become the highest
priorities in the 3rd Stage, followed by Levels 2, 1, and 6. This
prioritization continues for the most part in the 4th Stage, except
for a direct mail piece that will be targeted on Level 6 precincts.
Depending on the judgment of the Area Chairperson, some selective
campaigning by the Candidate could be done in Level 6 precincts that
might, with a little extra effort, be moved into Level 5's. Usually
these would be precincts that have been well-canvassed by a Precinct
Captain.
In the 5th Stage (GOTV Stage), ideally all committed voters
for the Candidate will have been identified and called, regardless of
what Level precinct they are in. But, if for some reason the programs
have failed or not enough phone units and/or volunteers have been
secured, then, as a last resort, the campaign would revert to calling
the precincts in order of priority (1 through 6), after calling
whatever positive-identified households it does have for the
Candidate. **2**
C. Prioritizing the Candidate's Regional Activity.
;
By extending the calculations used to determine the precinct's
priority levels to the Areas and Regions, the prioritization levels
for each can be developed. Then depending on the Stage of the
campaign and the number of days available, the Candidate's campaign
time should be proportioned accordingly, e.g. in the 3rd Stage, it has
been determined that the Candidate will have about 70 days to
apportion to the Regions: 95 days (total in Stage 3) minus 17 days
(time-off, R&R days, plus short holiday) minus 8 days (meetings and
other campaign activities) = 70 days.
For the sake of discussion, I will assume Region I is in Level
2; Region II, Level 3; Region III, Level 4; Region IV, Level 4; and
Region V, Level 6.
In the 3rd Stage, the prioritization schedule based on the
Proto-Type Plan's strategy, would be Levels 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 6. On this
basis the breakout of days might be as follows:
Region III (Level 4) = 20 days
Region IV (Level 4) = 20 days
Region II (Level 3) = 15 days
Region I (Level 2) = 10 days
Region V (Level 6) = 5 days
FootNotes:
**1** Divide precinct vote objective by precinct total vote turnout.
**2** This whole system of establishing vote objectives and
prioritizing precincts acts as a backup to the Field Operations
program. In those campaigns where volunteers are not available, this
system can be used to maximize a candidate's communication
efforts,i.e. by targeting the message where it has the chance to be
most effective, primarily through the use of direct mail.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
Where the Candidate campaigns in the Regions on those days
should be decided on the individualized precinct prioritization
levels.
I must stress again, all of these figures are examples only,
designed to illustrate the procedures and not necessarily as a point
of comparison for any other district.
Each campaign must make these calculations for their
individual situation and weigh all calculations with any other
relevant factors. One factor that must be considered I have already
referred to: the expected turn-out for the race. Estimating this is
essentially a subjective judgment call, but obviously an important
one. Check with other persons to see if an educated consensus can be
reached. Usually the County Registrar of Voters will have an educated
guess as to the turn-out, as will the political editor of the daily
newspaper. The county Party chairperson, especially if a seasoned
veteran, will also have an opinion.
If all else fails, then the decision should be based on the
last comparable election year, i.e. if the year of this campaign is a
Presidential election year, use the actual turn-out percentage in the
district 4 years ago. Add 5 percent if the campaign wants to build in
a reasonable safety margin, e.g. if the turn-out was 55 percent of the
registered voters, add a 5 percent safety margin and figure on a 58
percent turn-out for this campaign. Then, if the results of the
reference races used in the PIPS analysis were based on a 60 percent
turn-out, the campaign would decrease its final figures (objectives,
etc.) by 2 percent, and so on.
Care must be taken to differentiate between raw numbers and
percentages, factoring this into consideration when doing the
evaluations, e.g. a Level 1 precinct might be expected to produce 60
percent of the voter turn-out for the Candidate, but if the numerical
turn-out is considerably lower than in a Level 4 precinct, the actual
number of votes for the Candidate could be virtually the same from
both precincts, or even greater in the Level 4 precinct. **1**
A final note of caution: some consultants and political
publications refer to this method as "targeting." I find this can be
too easily confused with the term targeting as it is used in reference
to the strategic placement of media or direct mail. The term I prefer
to use, and that I feel more accurately describes this activity, is
"prioritizing."
After the prioritizing process is completed, all concerned
volunteers should be advised of the individual or group vote
objectives in total and broken down weekly and by Stages, e.g. 40 % -
Stage 2, 35% - Stage 3, 25% - Stage 4. The Candidate, Political
Campaign Consultant, Campaign Manager, Campaign Secretary, and
Campaign Chairperson(s) should be given a master copy, broken down
within Regions, by Stages, then summarized for the whole campaign.
The rate of accomplishment is dependent on the actual amount
of time involved, number of volunteers, etc. But in the Prototype
Campaign it would be reasonable to expect 40 percent of the total to
be achieved by the end of the 2nd Stage; 75 percent by the end of the
3rd Stage; and 100 percent by the end of the 4th Stage.
As previously stated, the Field Operations Director is then
responsible for monitoring the progress of the Field Operation's team
(Precinct Captains and Phone Bank volunteers) toward these objectives.
In this way the campaign will know within a high degree of certainty
where the campaign really is at any given time and the probable
outcome, before the ballots are ever counted.
During the 5th Stage, the Field Operations Director works
closely with the Campaign Manager in the management of the GOTV and
Election Day programs. As this Stage approaches, the Field Operations
Director should be making a concerted effort to obtain host homes for
Election Day and training the volunteers who will be telephoning in
cooperation with the Area and Regional Chairpersons. The Field
Operations Director should also establish the poll-watching
procedures, depending on what the local laws will permit and in
cooperation with the local Party programs, and make the necessary
assignments of Precinct Captains in coordination with Area
Chairpersons. He/she is also responsible for making sure polling
place yard signs are in place early in the morning on Election Day.
The Field Operations Director is an ex-officio member of the
Field Operations Committee.
FootNotes:
**1** Though I have been using standard size precincts in this
Prototype campaign, all precincts are not the same size numerically.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
16. THE FINANCE DIRECTOR
;
In the Prototype campaign the duties of this position are
performed by the Campaign Manager; however, I am showing them
separately in the event the campaign is able to hire an individual for
this position.
The Finance Director is the staff person responsible for:
1. Providing the logistical support necessary for the
Finance Committee;
2. Providing necessary guidance and training in procedures
and methods;
3. Helping the Finance Committee Chairperson(s) establish
individual committee members' objectives;
4. Monitoring progress toward the accomplishment of these
objectives;
5. Providing the necessary motivation;
6. Preparing the Agenda and reports for the Finance
Committee meetings;
7. Assisting the Treasurer with the establishment of the
accounting and reporting procedures;
8. Assisting with the preparation of the FEC or state
reports;
9. Supervising the administrative details involved with the
major and minor fundraising events;
10. Developing and implementing the fundraising direct mail,
PAC, and out-of- district programs;
11. Assisting the Candidate, Campaign Manager, and Finance
Committee Chairperson(s) with the phone follow-up
program to key PACs and out-of- district contributors;
12. Establishing the procedures and supervising the Phone
Bank follow-up program;
13. Developing the Cash Flow schedule;
14. Implementation of Cash Flow schedule;
15. Preparing the kits for use of the Finance Committee
members; and
16. Developing the potential contributor lists and program
for the support file.
The procedures used to implement these responsibilities are
found in Chapter VI on Fundraising. If the campaign retains a
Political Fundraising Consultant, that person would usually do much of
the above as part of their contract with the campaign. If not, the
person filling this role should have extensive fundraising experience
in political campaigns or, at the least, in community fundraising
campaigns, such as United Way, Red Cross, etc.
The Finance Director is an ex-officio member of the Finance
Committee.
17. THE PRESS SECRETARY AND DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH
;
As with the Finance Director, in the Prototype campaign this
role is also filled by the Campaign Manager or someone with prior
media experience, preferably on a campaign.
The Press Secretary's **1** primary responsibility is to
assist the Candidate in obtaining the maximum amount of free media
coverage possible during the campaign. The two primary methods used
to accomplish this are press releases and press conferences. A
well-planned schedule based on these two methods would be as follows:
A. Press Release and Conference Schedule.
;
1st Stage:
Leaks to the press regarding candidacy.
No formal releases or conferences.
FootNotes:
**1** In the first edition of The Campaign Manual, I bowed to the
sensitivities of the electronic age and used the term "Media-Press
Secretary" to designate this position. However, the title never caught
on and seems to have caused some confusion, so I am reverting to the
commonly accepted title in this edition, "Press Secretary."
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
2nd Stage:
(1) One press conference each month - total of 4.
February: Formal **1** - announcement.
March: Informal - issue-oriented.
April: Informal - issue-oriented.
May: Formal - guest speaker conference.
(2) Issue-oriented press releases. Every 2 weeks. Total 9 in
2nd Stage.
(3) Opposition press releases. None, unless major happening
occurs.
(4) Organizational releases. Every 2 weeks, full release;
every alternate week, photo release. Total 18.
(5) Spontaneous release. Probable average: 1 a month. Total
4.
3rd Stage:
(1) Continue press conference each month - total 3.
June: Formal - victory conference after Primary.
July: Informal - issue-oriented, attack.
August: Informal - issue-oriented.
(2) Issue-oriented press releases. Every 2 weeks. Total 7.
(3) Opposition press releases. None, unless major happening
occurs.
(4) Organizational releases. Every 2 weeks, full release;
every alternate week, photo release. Total 13.
(5) Spontaneous release. Probable average: 2 a month. Total
6.
4th Stage:
(1) Press conference each month - total 2.
September: Formal - guest speaker conference.
October: Formal - combine attack plus poll results, if
favorable. Express confidence.
(2) Issue-oriented press releases. Every 2 weeks, repeat 4
major ones with slightly new twist. Total 4.
(3) Opposition press releases. Every week. Total 9.
(4) Organizational releases:
September: 3 + 1 photo.
October: 4 + 2 photos. Total 10.
(5) Spontaneous releases. Probable average: 1 each month.
Total 2.
5th Stage:
(1) Press conference.
Formal - Day before election. Headquarters. Forecast
victory.
(2) Issue-oriented press releases. None.
(3) Opposition press releases. Total 1.
(4) Organizational releases. 1 photo, 2 progress. Total 3.
(5) Spontaneous releases. None.
Summary:
Stage 1: 0 conferences 0 press
releases
Stage 2: 4 conferences 31 press
releases
Stage 3: 3 conferences 26 press
releases
Stage 4: 2 conferences 25 press
releases
Stage 5: 1 conference 4 press
releases
Totals: 10 conferences 86 press
releases
In addition to these, the Press Secretary would "cut" a radio
actuality for all conferences and releases, except the organizational
ones. Total actualities: 51.
FootNotes:
**1** The distinction between Formal and Informal press conferences
will be explained shortly.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
The Press Secretary should also assist the Candidate in
promoting drop-ins at local radio stations and newspapers for spot
interviews, arrange coverage for all debates, promote talk-show
appearances, and arrange for local political reporters to spend a day
with the Candidate on the "campaign trail."
B. Suggested Procedures.
;
1. Press Conferences.
;
Press conferences, like debates, can be an excellent means of
generating free media coverage, if done properly. Usually, they are
held in two types of settings: (1) Formal press conferences, that are
held at the local Press Club, a conference room at a downtown hotel,
or the campaign headquarters; and (2) Informal, held "on location,"
i.e. an outdoors location used as a backdrop for the conference. The
best time of day is usually around 10:00 a.m., but check with the
local media outlets to see what is right for most of them.
The formal type is normally held when the Candidate formally
announces his/her candidacy; a day or two after the Primary Election;
for visiting guest speakers or dignitaries; and, if it is necessary,
to make a serious announcement regarding the opponent or the campaign.
The informal type should be used when the conference is
issue-oriented, i.e. if the Candidate is making a major announcement
about inflation, stage the conference in front, or in, a supermarket;
social security at a senior citizen's home, or club; etc. Always try
to pick a location where the media will not have to travel too far to
get to it.
As a rule of thumb, the campaign should try to arrange one
press conference a month. If more are attempted, the local media will
normally tire of them and stop attending. After the announcement of
the press conference has been sent out, a follow-up telephone call
should be made to key stations and newspapers to encourage attendance.
2. Types of Press Releases and How to Prepare.
;
Normally, press releases are divided into four basic types:
(a) issue or position releases; (b) opposition releases; (c)
organizational releases; and (d) spontaneous (or reaction) releases.
(a) Issue or position releases are essentially regurgitations
of the Candidate's position on the issue (the 15 or 20 that were
developed in the 1st Stage). In order to make them newsworthy, since
most media outlets will not publish propaganda pieces, certain rules
need to be followed, i.e. the Candidate's position must be verbalized
before a group of people, other than the staff or campaign volunteers,
to be considered news. In other words, the Candidate must integrate
the position the campaign wants released into a speech before a group
(usually a civic association luncheon meeting) and then "dateline" the
release accordingly. For example:
DES MOINES, IA. (4/15/90): (Candidate's Name), (__________) Party
Candidate for Congress in Iowa's 7th Congressional District, speaking
before the Des Moines Grange Society at their monthly luncheon meeting
today, said........
When writing a release always state at the top whether the
release should be held until a certain day before being published or
is "For Immediate Release"; then show the Press Secretary's name as
"Contact Person" along with that person's office and home telephone
numbers. The opening paragraph should always contain the five "keys":
Who, What, Where, When, and Why. The following paragraphs should say
succinctly what the Candidate said in his/her remarks. Summarize the
highlights, or gist, of the speech. Do not attempt to provide them
with the whole speech; if they want it, they will ask for it. Type
the release double-spaced and try to keep it to one page (8 1/2 x 14
in.) and when finished, close with: -30- or ####, thereby letting the
reader know it is the end of the release.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
Normally, releases of this type would be spaced at the rate of
one every 2 weeks, beginning a week after the announcement of
candidacy.
(b) Opposition releases are more attack-oriented. In an issue
release, the prime emphasis is on the Candidate's solution to a
particular problem, with a criticism of the opponent being incidental,
or inferred. In an opposition release, this is reversed. Again, it
should be datelined.
The attack might be directed toward a particular position
taken or vote recently made by the opponent. It can also be more
general in nature: accusing the opponent of a pattern, e.g. being a
big spender, anti-defense, unrepresentative of the district, etc. with
a few specific examples to back the assertion being made. Close with
a specific or implied statement of what the Candidate would do
differently from the opponent. The intent here, of course, is to
reduce the opponent's favorability rating and to define clearly the
differences between the candidates. Normally, this type of release
would not start on a regular basis until the beginning of the 4th
Stage. Once begun, they should be done at the rate of one a week,
until the 5th Stage. If something dramatic happens in the earlier
Stages, a spontaneous release that is attack-oriented: could be done;
but it should not be overdone. One might be done each month during
the 3rd Stage as part of a hit-and-run strategy designed to keep the
opponent off guard.
(c) Organizational releases are usually picked up by the
weekly newspapers and occasionally by the dailies and/or electronic
media. They are subdivided into several categories that include:
campaign and fundraising progress reports; announcements of campaign
and committee chairperson appointments; campaign events, activities,
and follow-up; photo releases of the Candidate with different
community members plus a short caption identifying the people in the
photo **1** and what they are doing (about once every 2 weeks);
polling results (if the strategy calls for releasing data); notable
endorsements; etc. The press releases are usually made by the
campaign Chairperson(s) and datelined from the campaign headquarters.
The campaign should be able to generate at least one of these releases
per week.
The question always seems to come up about publishing the
advance schedule of the Candidate. My experience has shown that the
disadvantages outweigh the advantages. The problem is that it
provides the opponent with an opportunity to upstage the Candidate or,
in some cases, to arrange for hecklers to disrupt the event.
(d) Spontaneous (or reaction) releases cannot be planned as to
number and timing. Not only are they issued regarding the opponent's
voting, or campaign, behavior at any given time, but also in response
to some occurrence of major importance taking place either in the
district, nationally, or internationally.
As a political leader in the community (as a result of being
the Party's candidate), the Candidate not only has a right but a
responsibility to give the public his/her reaction to these events.
(e) Radio actualities. In addition to printed press
releases, the Press Secretary should always tape an actuality for
dissemination to the radio stations. An actuality is a cassette tape
recording by the Candidate, lasting about 45-60 seconds, that
summarizes the message in the press release and is then transmitted to
the station by phone, using a simple jack device available at any
Radio Shack-type store.
Usually these are transmitted the day after the press release
has been mailed. This system can also be used by the Candidate while
out campaigning, calling in from an outside phone by use of a special
microphone attachment to the recorder. This is especially useful for
spontaneous releases, or reaction to fast-breaking news stories.
Many radio stations do not have news reporters and depend on
this method to cover the political news stories, so they will usually
be cooperative and receptive to the use of actualities.
FootNotes:
**1** TV stations cannot use black and white photos. Occasionally
send them color slides instead. Likewise for the initial press kit.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
Also, the Press Secretary should set up, as a regular part of
the Candidate's campaign activity, drop-ins at local radio stations.
Depending on the number of stations in the district, this can probably
be done at least once a week and repeated regularly throughout the
campaign. Most stations will cut an on-the-spot interview lasting 5
to 15 minutes, that they will then use as "fill-in" material during
the rest of the day, either in whole or in segments.
The Press Secretary is expected to speak on behalf of the
Candidate when news stories break fast and the Candidate is
unavailable for immediate comment. **1** The Press Secretary,
therefore, must be thoroughly aware of the Candidate's position on the
issues and the total campaign operation.
Also the Press Secretary should assist the Campaign Manager,
Campaign Secretary, and the Field Operations Director in the writing
of copy for direct mail, newsletters, and tabloids. Some candidates
prefer to write their own speeches while others rely to some extent on
the Press Secretary for assistance in this area.
The Press Secretary is also responsible for being aware of all
outside media events going on in the district that the Candidate can
and should attend for increased media exposure. These should be
brought to the attention of the Campaign Secretary for scheduling.
Getting the media to cover a Candidate, especially in the
early stages of the campaign, is a very difficult undertaking. I
recommend that the Press Secretary make personal contact with all the
reporters in the district, print and broadcast, as soon as possible
after the campaign has started. It really helps, especially when the
campaign wants their attendance at a press conference, to have this
personal relationship established.
In Political Campaign Management Software, as well as most
other campaign computer software programs, there is a separate Media
file for entering all the media outlets in the district. This
feature, in addition to being able to hold all the pertinent data, is
able to generate mailing labels for the press releases. I recommend
that a Press Secretary always has at least two sets of these labels
pre-printed **2** and affixed to campaign envelopes for quick-drop
purposes on fast-breaking news stories, or spontaneous releases.
As the Director of Research, the Press Secretary is
responsible for assisting the Research Chairperson and helping to keep
the Candidate informed and updated on current issues. See the
Research Chairperson section of this chapter for a more detailed
explanation of this role and its responsibilities.
Also as a part of this function, the Press Secretary is
responsible for maintaining the "clipping" file for the campaign. In
most major cities around the country there are companies, that for a
modest fee, will peruse all the newspapers within the district on a
daily basis and clip out any articles pertaining to the Candidate or
the opponent. If the campaign doesn't contract for this service, it
becomes the responsibility of the Press Secretary to do this activity
daily.
[Note: If a Press Secretary is hired, the Candidate and the Campaign
Manager should know there is a distinct difference in the training and
skills of a print reporter (journalist) vs. an electronic media
reporter. If the latter type is hired, they should be sure he/she has
the requisite writing skills, as well as the electronic media skills
being sought and vice versa.]
18. THE DRIVER/AIDE
;
This person is probably one of the hardest working in the
campaign. The Driver/Aide's campaign day usually starts an hour
before the Candidate's and finishes an hour or two later.
Many of the duties have already been described in other
sections of this chapter. Since he/she is constantly with the
Candidate, personal appearance is a major consideration. The
Driver/Aide should develop a sensitivity to the personal needs of the
Candidate, always trying to make the Candidate look and function as
well as possible when campaigning. A good Driver/Aide knows when to
talk and when to listen. He/she is courteous and polite at all times
but firm when necessary.
FootNotes:
**1** This should be avoided as much as possible, but it inevitably
happens.
**2** These labels should be addressed by title instead of
the person's name, e.g., Political Editor, or Assignment Editor, to
insure their being opened promptly.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
The Driver/Aide is part advance person - checking the routes
on a map for the next day's itinerary, estimating travel time,
selecting alternate routes in case of traffic tie-ups or detours, and
having an alternate activity planned that the Candidate can do if a
scheduled event cancels at the last minute. At the end of each day,
the Driver/Aide should write a brief objective report on the bottom of
the Request for Appearance form for each event and turn it in to the
Campaign Secretary when picking up the pouch for the Candidate's next
day.
Once or twice a day, the Driver/Aide should check in with the
Campaign Secretary for important messages for the Candidate and to let
the Campaign Secretary know if they are on schedule, etc.
The Driver/Aide should always carry enough money for paying
routine expenses during the day and for emergencies, turning in
receipts daily to the Campaign Secretary for reimbursement. Also, the
Driver/Aide should make sure the campaign vehicle **1** is always
clean, full of gas, and well supplied with campaign materials. In
effect, the campaign vehicle becomes a portable office after a while.
When a serious problem develops, the Driver/Aide should, if at
all possible, immediately notify the Campaign Manager before taking
action. In most major areas of the country, cellular phone systems
are in place that make it possible to have a portable car phone rather
inexpensively. Radio Shack has one model that is portable and very
reasonably priced. I recommend the campaign seriously consider
obtaining one as it improves communications with the campaign
headquarters and enables the Candidate to make many of the required
phone calls while traveling between campaign stops.
Very early in the campaign, the Driver/Aide should develop a
"control book" for use by the Candidate when campaigning. The book (a
3-ring binder) should be divided into the five Regions and should
contain the following information:
1. A map of the Region, showing Areas and precincts.
2. The names, addresses, and phone numbers of the
Regional and Area Chairpersons, plus all Precinct Captains and
precinct number designations.
3. The name, address, and phone number of all elected
and Party officials living or working within that Region.
4. The name, address, phone number, and contact person
for all media outlets within that Region.
5. Any other pertinent data the Candidate should be
aware of in that Region, like the location of all senior citizen homes
or clubs, major industries, points of interest, etc.
The above lists can be printed out from the computer
periodically, three-hole punched, and inserted in the binder.
Political Campaign Management Software, and most other campaign
software programs, have the ability to retrieve this information in
this precise format.
Occasionally, the question comes up if the Driver/Aide could
be a member of the opposite sex from the candidate. Unless the
Driver/Aide is the daughter or son of the Candidate, the answer is an
emphatic NO. Regardless of the character, reputation, integrity, etc.
of the Candidate and the Driver/Aide, there are simply too many
members of the public who would impugn the character of both. It
simply is not worth the risk of even presumed scandal and lost votes.
19. THE POLITICAL CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT
;
As has already been pointed out, the Political Consultant is
responsible for developing the basic strategy and issues; the
Political Game Plan, Budget, and Cash Flow schedule; analyzing the
opposition research; developing all necessary manuals; writing copy
for the direct mail program and targeting it for maximum
effectiveness; establishing voter objectives and prioritization;
coordinating, supervising, and monitoring progress of all levels and
major activities of the campaign; and supervising the activities of
all other professionals involved in the campaign to ensure complete
integration with the Game Plan.
FootNotes:
**1** The campaign vehicle is normally a 4-door sedan, American made.
However, in larger districts the campaign should consider obtaining a
van for the duration of the campaign. This has the advantage of
providing the candidate with a place to stretch out between campaign
stops and rest a bit. It also enables the Driver/Aide to carry a
greater number of supplies for re-stocking outlying Regions.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
Another important function of a Political Consultant is
adjusting for the variables in the campaign. This person, as a result
of education, training, and experience, is usually best able to assist
the Candidate and campaign committee in developing the soundest
strategy to realize these objectives in the most cost- and
vote-effective methods possible.
It is very unwise for an individual to attempt to run a
million dollar plus campaign **1** without the help of a
professional. There are so many variables, each with their own cost
factors, that the opportunities for mistakes are simply too numerous
to mention. Inevitably a good Political Consultant will save the
average campaign considerably more than the fees charged.
Unfortunately, the term "Political Consultant" is too generic
to mean much today. Anyone who provides advice of a political nature
to a person or organization for a fee is technically a political
consultant. No certification process exists that can bring
substantive meaning to this title. The only qualifying factor seems
to be whether or not someone else is willing to pay for the advice.
Based on this current reality, I suggest that what is needed
in the industry is a more precise definition of this title and propose
the following:
1. Political Consultant. Any individual who provides
advice of a political nature to another in exchange for compensation.
2. Political Media Consultant. Any individual who
provides advice of a political nature as it relates to effective use
of the media to another in exchange for compensation.
3. Political Fundraising Consultant. Any individual
who provides advice of a political nature as it relates to raising
funds for another in exchange for compensation.
4. Political Polling Consultant. Any individual who
provides advice of a political nature as it relates to surveying the
attitudes and preferences of the general public to another in exchange
for compensation.
5. Political Campaign Consultant. Any individual who
provides advice of a political nature as it relates to the process of
organizing and conducting a political campaign to another in exchange
for compensation.
As self-evident as these definitions may seem, it is
surprising sometimes to see the confusion that exists among even the
members of this industry. Over the years I have seen a number of
Political Media Consultants profess an expertise as Fundraising or
Campaign Consultants; Polling Consultants who believe they are
professional Media and Campaign Consultants; and Campaign Consultants
who think they are Media and Polling Consultants. About the only ones
who don't seem to have an identity crisis are Fundraising Consultants.
In actuality, each of these fields are highly specialized and
there are very few individuals who ever strive for, much less achieve,
a real proficiency in more than one of them. The problem is that it
is virtually impossible to learn any of these areas from a book, even
one as definitive as this one. Only by building on an education with
actual experience, over a period of years, does anyone become truly
professional - not only in this field, but most others.
Nor can one learn by osmosis. By simply being around an
expert in one area and watching them work, can a person really learn
how to perform that same work well? That leads to a second problem -
how to find a "good" consultant, regardless of the type needed in a
particular situation.
Regrettably, every election year a whole slew of consultants
seem to come out of the woodwork and the average candidate is at a
loss to determine if one is better than the other. Even fees seem to
vary considerably, often appearing to be based on what the traffic
will bear. A few considerations might be in order at this time.
FootNotes:
**1** In the Prototype campaign, the budget is $600,000, but the
estimated value of the volunteers is another $600,000, bringing the
total value of this campaign to 1.2 million dollars.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
IMPLEMENTATION:
It used to be that the American Association of Political
Consultants restricted full membership to individuals who were
practicing Political Consultants on a full-time, year-round basis in
any one of the specialized fields. This is no longer the case,
therefore full membership status cannot be used as an indication of
experience. However, membership still serves as a test of sorts.
**1** Another reference source is the national Party headquarters.
Both Parties, along with their affiliated committees, maintain
vendor's lists. Also, in recent years directories have begun to
appear where consultants can advertise their services. **2** However,
all of these resources tell only where these services can be obtained,
or from whom. None, to the best of my knowledge, attempts to evaluate
their skills.
Even those that list win/loss records can be deceiving. First
of all, no consultant wins or loses an election - only candidates do
that. Secondly, the old saying that goes, "Victory has many fathers,
defeat is an orphan," is especially apropos in politics. Many in this
business claim credit for wins, and blame everyone else but themselves
for the losses, given that they even acknowledge them. Finally, no
two campaigns are ever exactly alike - so how a consultant does on
one, is not necessarily an indication of how he/she will do on
another. This is especially so if the comparison is between incumbents
and challengers or between different levels of campaigns, i.e.
Presidential and Congress, or U.S. Senate and State Senator, etc.
So how does a Candidate or campaign pick a consultant? First,
decide what kind of consultant is needed most. Then focus attention
on those types. Write to several asking them for a copy of their
company literature and a personal biographical profile. If the
campaign is going to be a combination campaign similar to the
Prototype campaign presented here, i.e. involving all three major
levels of campaigning, the campaign would probably be best served by a
Political Campaign Consultant. Be sure the consultant has personal
experience in these areas. It is amazing how many "consultants" there
are who have only managed one or two campaigns, if any, before dubbing
themselves consultants. I know of several whose only real experience
is in the field of journalism or research. In order to be able to
relate to the dynamics of this type of campaign, an individual should
have been a Campaign Manager in at least three major races, under the
supervision of a consultant.
Watch out for references to fancy-sounding titles on previous
campaigns or Party activity. Most campaigns hand out titles like
confetti. The only way I know of that an individual can develop
in-depth experience is by actually managing several campaigns; there
is no substitute. Since an individual can only manage one or two
campaigns in a Congressional cycle, it stands to reason it would take
at least 4 to 6 years for that person to have managed at least three
full campaigns. Contrary to popular opinion, it really does not make
much difference whether or not they were winning campaigns. What is
important are the experiences gained.
The Candidate should check to see if the campaigns managed had
demographics similar to the district he/she is running in. There is a
significant difference between an urban district campaign and one in a
rural district; between North, South, East, West, and mid-West; a
"silk-stocking" district and a heavily "union" district. In my
opinion, a truly "national" Political Campaign Consultant is one who
has worked on campaigns throughout the country in all major types of
districts.
A few Political Campaign Consultants are multi-experienced,
i.e. they are able to provide a high degree of expertise in the other
areas of media and fundraising. Usually their fees to provide all of
these services to a campaign are considerably less than the total fees
accrued by having three separate individuals perform them. But be
sure they have actually done all of them. Otherwise, contract
separately for these services; they are too important to the
successful outcome of the campaign.
Find out how much time the Political Campaign Consultant plans
on spending in the district and what type of activity they will do.
Some Political Campaign Consultants, for example, refuse to meet with
anyone other than the Candidate and Campaign Manager, if and when they
come to the district. Others believe just the opposite: that it is
very important to meet with the Advisory Committee, the Finance
Committee, the staff, and the Candidate on each of their visits. Be
sure to have a contract spelling out the fees to be charged, the
number of days to be spent in the district, and the services to be
performed. I do not know specifically what all other consultants
charge, but I can share one firm's rate structure for the 1989-90
campaign period as a point of reference.
FootNotes:
**1** The current address of the AAPC is located in the Appendix.
This organization publishes a directory of its members, which is
available upon request.
**2** One is located in the last section of this book.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
The firm is a multi-agency and if a Candidate in a campaign
similar to the one in the Prototype plan hires them to provide the
aforementioned three services, they would charge as follows:
1. Political Campaign Consulting. This includes the
development of strategy and the Political Game Plan, Budget, and Cash
Flow schedule; Phone Bank and Field Operations manuals; Candidate and
opponent research analysis; daily monitoring and supervision of the
campaign by phone; 5 days per month in the district; establishment of
vote objectives, precinct analysis, and prioritization; copywriting
and targeting of direct mail, etc. $25,000 plus related out-of-pocket
expenses.
2. Media Creation and Placement. This includes the research
and creative work used in developing six radio and TV commercials;
graphics; editing; copywriting of brochures and tabloids; analysis of
cross-tabs and Arbitron ratings; personalized service with media
outlets and follow-up, etc. Included in the above fee, except for
actual production costs, out-of-pocket expenses, plus commissions
payable by the media outlets, not the campaign.
3. Fundraising. Includes development of the Fundraising Game
Plan; supervision of its implementation; assistance with PAC and
out-of-district solicitation, events, fundraising direct mail program,
copywriting, targeting; FEC assistance; development of support file
program, etc. $5,000 plus 2% of the gross amount raised, excluding
the Candidate's and Party's contributions, and related out-of-pocket
expenses.
Total base fees: $30,000 + 2% Fundraising commission, plus
media placement commissions payable by the media outlets, plus related
out-of-pocket expenses and production costs. Note: If the above
services were contracted for separately they would be considerably
higher.
One last caveat about Political Campaign Consultants. Even
the best consultant around could not do justice to more than four or
five campaigns at one time. Be sure to find out how many campaigns
the consultant plans on handling during the campaign year and, if
there are any doubts, ask for the commitment to be part of the
contract. It is not unheard of for a Candidate to negotiate with one
Political Campaign Consultant only to find his/her campaign turned
over to a junior member of the firm. Also, some Political Campaign
Consultants fulfill their obligations by flying into town once a
month, dispensing advice, and then are difficult to reach for
follow-up during the rest of the month. Conversely others literally
manage the campaign by remote control, staying in daily communication
with the Candidate or Campaign Manager.
The Political Campaign Consultant is the strategist and, in
effect, the chief executive officer of the whole campaign. The
Candidate should choose carefully and make sure he/she is compatible,
not only in personality but in basic strategy and approach. Remember,
too, that no matter how qualified the Political Campaign Consultant,
there is no guarantee of success - not anymore than Tom Landry can
guarantee the Cowboys a win every time. The best a Political Campaign
Consultant can do is to improve the odds for a victory. It is up to
the Candidate and the members of the campaign to execute the plan the
way it has been designed.
Unfortunately, there are many variable factors that can
influence the outcome of an election that are completely beyond the
control of anyone connected with the campaign. But outside variables
are less hazardous when internal variables are effectively controlled.
20. THE POLITICAL FUNDRAISING CONSULTANT
;
Most of the duties of the Political Fundraising Consultant
have been referred to or will be covered in Chapter VI on Fundraising.
21. THE POLITICAL MEDIA CONSULTANT (AD AGENCY)
;
A Political Media Consultant (or Advertising Agency) is
responsible for the creation, production, and placement of most paid
media in the campaign, specifically the billboards, bus signs,
newspaper ads, radio and TV commercials, and sometimes graphics (logo,
brochures, supplemental flyers, tabloids, etc.). They do initial
research (from many sources, including polls), use their creative
talents to develop the ideas that will best facilitate the
communication of the message desired during each Stage of the
campaign, and then, after additional research of local media market
conditions and polling results, determine the targeting necessary to
reach the greatest number of potential voters for the Candidate.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
As stated, when contracted for separately, the fees can vary
widely. One prominent firm averages $75,000 for the creation fee,
$25,000 for research, $50,000 for production, plus placement
commissions and all out-of-pocket expenses.
On the average, most seem to charge around $20,000 for
research and creative fees, $10,000 for production costs, plus
placement commissions and related out-of-pocket expenses.
In most cases, the Political Campaign Consultant has
supervision over the activities of the Political Media Consultant (or
Advertising Agency), as well as over the other professionals providing
service to the campaign, and has final approval of the finished
products. This is necessary in order to make certain the media
messages are not going in a different direction from the other levels
of activity within the campaign.
22. THE DIRECT MAIL/COMPUTER COMPANY
;
The campaign's computer activity and the direct mail company
activity referred to in this Manual are normally handled by one firm.
The political direct mail functions have already been covered
in the Campaign Manager's section of this chapter, plus possible cost
factors.
As mentioned, be sure the company can handle the campaign's
type of requirements and will do so in a timely fashion; because
political business is sporadic, all too often, it is put on the bottom
of most firms' priority schedules.
If the campaign can, it should try to include some kind of
performance bond in its contract with the direct mail/computer
company. The timing of direct mail is critical to the campaign and
there should be some penalty if the direct mail company misses a
deadline. Also, be sure to have a contract, or price schedule,
spelling out precisely what the costs will be for various services
being provided.
As a point of reference, other basic computer services usually
break down as follows (average standard rates):
1. Data entry. Transferring the names manually to magnetic
tape, hard or floppy discs. Usually the price is based on the number
of lines per entry, e.g. (average costs),
3 lines: name, street, city/state/zip code = 18 cents
4 lines: as above, plus phone number = 21 cents
5 lines: as above, plus company name = 25 cents
6 lines: as above, plus 3 codes = 28 cents
PAC entries usually contain 5 lines, so to enter 500 would
cost $115 plus a set-up charge of $50. Other Prospect File names
contain 4 lines, plus a code line, so to enter 10,000 records would
cost $2,100 plus a set-up charge of $50.
2. Updates. Changing an entry from one category to another
averages 15 cents per change.
3. Transposing voter registration information. Changing
voter registration data from tapes to a printout form that can be used
by the Precinct Captains and Phone Bank volunteers will usually
average $4,000 for the cost of programming and the actual printouts.
4. Voter registration updates. These will usually average 12
cents per line item, i.e. deletions, changing "undecideds" to
"committeds," etc. 50,000 changes would average about $6,000 plus
$2,000 for two sets of printouts.
5. Telematching. Adding phone numbers to voter registration
lists will average about $20 per 1,000 names matched. To hold costs
down, the names should be compacted by household, i.e. if more than
one registered voter is shown for a household, the computer suppresses
the additional names before running the telematch program.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
Again, these are average costs that a Candidate could expect
to obtain on his/her own. Most Political Campaign Consultants should
have sources for these services averaging 10+ percent lower.
23. THE POLITICAL POLLING CONSULTANT (POLLING FIRM)
;
Variations in prices and the timing for this activity have
already been discussed.
Polls usually serve two basic purposes: (1) to take a
"picture" at a particular moment in time during the campaign to see
where it is, i.e. what the people in the district are thinking about
the candidates, the issues, plus what media outlets and programs they
are watching, etc. and (2) to provide a major tool in determining
where and how the Candidate must target his/her media and campaign
message, etc. for maximum effectiveness.
Reading a poll and determining the first part is relatively
easy, but it is only information. Unless someone in the campaign
knows how to interpret the cross-tabs and use them properly, the
campaign has wasted the most valuable part of the poll.
I was once retained to do a post-election analysis on a race
that was lost by less than 1 percent. After going through my normal
routine, I asked to see the polls. The first and second polls showed
that the campaign was on target and, given the rate of progression,
should have won by a relatively comfortable margin of 5 percent. As I
began to read the third poll, I immediately noticed that a dramatic
shift toward the opponent had begun in a critical area of the
district. It was unmistakable and perfectly clear, jumping off the
page. I asked the client what corrective action had been taken to
reverse the shift (precinct blitz, direct mail, door-to-door
campaigning, etc.). When the client said "none" I was shocked.
This poll was taken 6 weeks before the election and had
signaled a clear indication that a problem had developed in one of the
Candidate's base areas of support and nothing was done about it! The
client, seeing my obvious shock and disbelief, went on to explain that
no one on the campaign staff, including the Campaign Manager, knew how
to read "all those numbers," so the Campaign Manager, after checking
the ballot question, tossed the poll in the bottom drawer of the desk
and there it lay - with its red flag waving, while the campaign went
down to defeat by less than 500 votes.
Reading the cross-tabs is tedious, dull work but it is not
difficult, no more so than cross-referencing material in a library
when doing a term paper. Boring - yes! Necessary - absolutely!
Most Political Polling Consultants will provide a written
and/or verbal analysis of the polls, but the larger polling companies,
especially, are so swamped with work in September and October when
those final polls are taken all over the country that they usually
have a difficult time doing the kind of detailed analysis that should
be done. It is up to the Campaign Manager to do this, especially the
comparisons with the two previous polls, that is one of the reasons
why a campaign does at least three - to plot trends and their
direction.
The Political Media Consultant (or ad agency) will do the
analysis necessary to place the last media buys for maximum
effectiveness, but unless the campaign has a Political Campaign
Consultant who is responsible for doing the complete analysis, only
the Campaign Manager is in a position to do the final analysis.
Regarding the differences in Political Polling Consultants, I
have worked with some of the best known in the country and some not so
well known. Frankly, I have found the results and quality of work to
be essentially the same. **1** Both use practically the same data
accumulation methods and computation techniques. As a general rule,
pollsters are like CPA's - their integrity and professional reputation
are virtually everything to them. I have never met one yet who would
play games with the results of a poll to favor a client.
FootNotes:
**1** During the course of my travels around the country, I came
across one such Political Polling Consultant in Phoenix, AZ. His name
is Jim Merritt and I found him to be one of the most brilliant persons
I have ever met in this field. He was a pioneer in the concept of
political campaign computer simulation and modeling. His firm:
Datasphere, 5727 N. 7th St., Suite 110, Phoenix, AZ 85014 (602)
234-0756, specializes in public opinion research, computer consulting
and manipulation of voter information file data.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
Though there might not be as much prestige involved with using
a smaller firm, the campaign may find, since their overhead is usually
lower and number of accounts fewer, that it might be able to save
several thousand dollars for the same results and receive even more
personalized service. Just be sure, though, that they have experience
in political polls; there is a difference!
The question often comes up whether the campaign should
attempt to do its own polling. Developing the questionnaire, drawing
the sample, and doing the interviews is not too difficult. But up
until recently the development of the cross-tabs has been a major
undertaking that could only be accomplished on a mainframe computer
using a very sophisticated and expensive software program. Even if
the campaign had a local college professor proficient in this area to
help, getting time on a mainframe computer to do the calculations was
difficult at best.
I have just recently learned of a company which has developed
a software program that will manipulate the data, develop the
cross-tabs, and run on a PC/XT or AT with only a 10MB hard disk, i.e.
a personal computer similar to the one I have recommended for the
Prototype campaign. I have reviewed their demonstration disks, and
though I have not yet had an opportunity to use it personally on a
campaign, it appears that it will indeed do what its authors claim.
The company is: Strawberry Software, 42 Pleasant Street, Watertown, MA
02172 (617) 923-8800. The person whom I have spoken with regarding
its application is Bill Salamenta and the program is called A-CROSS.
For those campaigns with the ability and inclination to do
their own internal polling, I would strongly recommend it. Though the
results would not be that helpful as a fundraising tool, the knowledge
gained by regular polling would be an invaluable tool for developing
on-going strategy.
Summary: Be sure the Campaign Manager, or someone on the
campaign staff if the campaign does not have a Political Campaign
Consultant, knows how to read the cross-tabs in a poll and then
actually reads and analyzes them. If there is no one available with
this experience, ask the Political Polling Consultant for a detailed
analysis.
24. THE PRINT AND GRAPHICS COMPANIES
;
I have already covered a number of services supplied by these
types of companies and their pricing methods; however, there are still
a few items of which the campaign should be aware.
A. Graphics.
;
The development of the campaign logo and the camera ready
artwork used for the brochures, billboards, lawn signs, newspaper ads,
stationary, tabloids, etc. is usually done by a graphic artist and
typesetter, either working in a printing company, free-lance, or at an
ad agency. These individuals create the designs, determine the style
of type to be used, the size, finish, and weight of paper, the colors;
they design the layouts and do the necessary pasteups. They do not
write the copy nor, as a rule, do the photographic work. The
Candidate must supply both of these items.
Charges vary considerably. I normally budget $4,000 in a
campaign for this item, but frankly, if a Candidate wants more
elaborate work, the cost can rise quickly. My suggestion: keep it
simple. Use colors to get attention, but do not go overboard with
expensive paper, odd sizes, and unusual folds. These are what really
push the cost of brochures up, and when you need to print 500,000 of
them, even an extra penny equals $5,000.
B. Brochures.
;
A good brochure should be colorful (at least two different
colors); should tell a story in pictures (the Candidate is a nice,
decent person); should feature the Candidate's name and office for
that running (leave the Party off, unless there is a contested
Primary); should say in one or two sentences what the Candidate's
position is on three or four major issues; and should have a brief,
narrative biography of the candidate. It should not be cluttered up
with a lot of copy and the size should be kept fairly standard with no
more than two folds. **1**
C. Tabloids.
;
When doing the tabloids, decide what the primary function is,
e.g. if it is being targeted to the above-average voters, it would be
issue-oriented, but still broken up with several pictures, newspaper
style. If going to the average voters, it should be like the brochure
- clean, with a lot of white space, telling a story more with pictures
and captions rather than lengthy articles. Both should contain a
narrative biography of the Candidate. I believe in using both, when
the campaign strategy calls for it. I have also developed a modified
version that has something in it for both groups. This is a variable
area and the campaign will have to make a judgment call based on its
situation. There really is no constant for most campaigns.
FootNotes:
**1** The weight of paper and the number of colors have a big impact
on cost. So use a lighter weight and only one color for the brochures
to be used in the political direct mail program.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
In printing a tabloid, the campaign will have to find a
printer with a web press (most commercial printers do not have them).
Usually the campaign will have to shop around for printers who do
weekly or smaller daily newspapers or specialty newspapers for the
unions, churches, etc. Cost can vary considerably, so once the
quantity, size, and number of pages has been determined, call around
to the available printers for price quotes. Most printers usually use
newsprint, so there is not too much difference in quality; but to be
safe, they should be asked to send a sample copy of their publication
with the bid. The test is usually to compare the picture quality.
Average price for a four-page tabloid is 5 cents, if ordering 100,000
or more.
25. THE COMPUTERIZATION OF THE CAMPAIGN
;
Throughout this Manual I have stressed the advantages of
having a computer to assist the campaign. I am convinced that it has
become an indispensable tool for any campaign, regardless of its size.
Just to re-cap, here are the basic lists that need to be maintained
by virtually every campaign:
A. Individual Support File.
;
Records on every person who contributes, volunteers, or
endorses the candidate. The file would contain the name, address,
phone number, occupation, place of employment, source (how that person
became a supporter), if a volunteer, type of activity willing to do,
if a contributor, the amount contributed and when, precinct, Area and
Region designations, etc. This file could grow to thousands of
records and needs to be maintained in alphabetical and zip code order.
B. Individual Prospect File.
;
Records on every prospective contributor, volunteer, or
endorser. The file would contain the person's name, address, phone
number, occupation, and source. This file could grow to thousands of
records. Sources of names: professional membership directories,
previous campaign contributors' lists, church membership lists, alumni
membership lists, etc. File needs to be maintained in alphabetical
and zip code order.
C. Organization Support File.
;
Records on every organizational source of support, usually
contributions. This list includes the Party, PACs, and associations.
Needs to be treated separately because most campaign reports require a
separate accounting for organizations. File could grow to over 100
records.
D. Organization Prospect File.
;
Records on every prospective organizational source of support.
Those PACs and associations from which the campaign hopes to obtain
contributions, research support, or endorsements. Source: lists from
State and National Party. File will probably be over 1,000 records
and needs to be maintained in alphabetical and zip code order.
E. Media File.
;
Records on all media outlets impacting on the district,
including the name of the contact person for each outlet. Depending
on the district, could be over 100 records. Needs to be maintained
separately to prevent accidental solicitation. File needs to be
maintained in alphabetical order and by subcategory of specific type
of outlet.
F. Voter Registration File.
;
Usually maintained by a computer service bureau for large
districts, but can be maintained in-house for smaller districts. In
either case, the campaign will probably want to transfer data of those
voters who have been identified as positive supporters of the
Candidate for possible solicitation and the GOTV program. This file
could grow to thousands of records and would be maintained by
precinct, in zip code, street number, and alphabetical order.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
In addition to these files, the campaign needs to maintain
records of all Requests for Appearances of the Candidate during the
campaign, the schedule of events, i.e. the Campaign Calendar, the Time
Line, the Political Game Plan, Budget, and Cash Flow, plus innumerable
letters and reports.
To attempt to do all of this manually, even for the smallest
electoral districts, is a very inefficient use of time and resources.
Today, it is possible to purchase an excellent starter computer system
for a relatively small campaign that can be added to if a Candidate
decides to seek higher office without having to re-enter all the
accumulated data.
For example: Tandy Corporation (a division of Radio Shack)
makes a 20 megabyte (MB) hard disk computer that is capable of holding
about 20,000 records, called the Tandy 4000HD. This system with a
high resolution monitor (the screen), a daisy-wheel printer (called
the DWP230), an inexpensive built-in modem (the device used to
communicate with another computer over the telephone lines), and the
necessary cables to hook it all together costs less than $5,000. **1**
This system is fast, **2** dependable, and can be networked
(connected with other computers) if, and when, the Candidate seeks
higher office. By obtaining a relatively inexpensive connecting
device, called a Printer Selector Interface, a second printer can be
attached to this system. I recommend in addition to the daisy-wheel
printer, obtaining a dot-matrix printer (the print quality is not as
good as a daisy-wheel printer), that can be used for report writing.
A dot-matrix printer (like Tandy's DMP440) costs less to operate and
is faster than the DWP230.
For a campaign the size of the one developed in the Prototype
Plan, the campaign would add two Tandy 1000 TXs with hard disk, one
for the Campaign Secretary and one for the Campaign Manager. The cost
for these two units, with monitors and cable, would be an additional
$3,000. For an additional $1,000, this campaign would increase the
size of the hard disk to 40 megabytes, enabling it to store about
30,000 records plus the additional forms, calendars and schedules
needed. So the total hardware cost for this campaign would be under
$9,000. **3**
Incidentally, though I have used Tandy here for illustration
purposes, there are other systems comparable in price and quality
available. The most notable ones are Leading Edge and Compaq. I tend
to prefer Tandy because of their extensive service network and the
ready availability of supplies.
The next consideration in the computerization of the campaign
is the software necessary to make the computer do what the campaign
wants it to do. There are a number of companies that have developed
computer software for campaigns.
All of these companies distribute a fine product, but they
have one drawback in common - they are too expensive and in some cases
limited in their ability to do word-processing, which necessitates
buying a word-processing program and then trying to integrate the two
when the campaign wants to do letter-writing. In all fairness, I
should point out that what makes them so expensive ($900 - $1,900) is
that they all contain two features that I consider unnecessary in most
campaigns: the ability to do a PIPS analysis, and the ability to do
internal polling. A number of them also require considerable capital
for overhead, advertising, and distributors.
As previously discussed, the PIPS analysis requires so much
keypunching that by the time this is done, there has been no effective
savings for the campaign over doing the final calculations manually.
The polling feature is nice, but I estimate less than five percent of
all campaigns would ever have someone with the ability to do it
properly, and a program like A-CROSS would still be necessary to
prepare the cross-tabs.
So I felt the need to develop a modestly priced, yet powerful,
computer software program that would do all the basic functions
required by most campaigns, and that would be self-contained, i.e.
have the ability to maintain records, produce labels for those
records, and generate letters without having to purchase another
program. The program is called Political Campaign Management Software
and is distributed by Political Publishing Company, P. O. Box 4406,
Alexandria, VA 22303 (703) 960-4555. It currently sells for $400.
It is very powerful. The number of records it can handle is limited
only by the disk space in the campaign's personal computer.
It has been designed to support the needs outlined here in The
Campaign Manual, and to be operative for any size campaign. It is
extremely user-friendly, having been field-tested by a
non-professional. Sensitive data can be protected by an access code,
so only those with a need to know can get into the files and retrieve
data.
FootNotes:
**1** These systems are available at any Radio Shack Computer Center
or regular Radio Shack store. However, there is a wholesale
distributor called Great Western Electronics, 228 Main St., Montrose,
CO 81401. (800)44-SHACK, that sells every Tandy product available at
a Radio Shack store for up to 20% less. Every product sold comes with
full factory warranty and is serviced locally. They also handle
software and supplies at greatly reduced prices.
**2** It uses a
high-performance 80386 microprocessor and is compatible with software
designed for the IBM PC/AT and the PC/XT. Its 16-bit architecture
operates at 16 megahertz. The 4000HD is also available with a 40
megabyte hard disk.
**3** This system operates at normal room temperatures and uses
standard electrical current.
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IMPLEMENTATION:
Regardless of which software program, or configuration of
hardware, the campaign decides to use, the important thing is to
computerize the campaign.
The supplies required for the computer operation will be
extensive. The campaign will need to maintain a large stock of
ribbons, print wheels, and computer paper. I recommend that a
campaign similar to one in the Prototype plan order at least 15,000
window envelopes with the campaign return address and a stock of
continuous-feed paper with the campaign logo, i.e. campaign
stationary. This is available from a number of sources around the
country; but if there are none in the area, the paper and envelopes,
with imprint, are available from a firm called The Streamliners,
located at 5 Pleasant View Drive, P. O. Box 480, Mechanicsburg, PA
17055. Phone: (800) 544-5779.
Their prices are reasonable and service anywhere in the
country is prompt. The campaign would need to send them the necessary
artwork for the #10 envelope and stationary.
I recommend using 20lb. stationary, with clean-perf edges
(when the paper is trimmed, it looks like regular stationary). 15,000
pieces of continuous-feed letterhead, and 15,000 #10 Window envelopes,
imprinted, will cost around $1,800.
Pressure sensitive labels are can be purchased in a 2-up
format in quantities of 2,000 for around $15. If the campaign decides
to use regular #10 envelopes, instead of window envelopes, it should
stock up on at least 8 packs.
A word of caution. Most people don't realize how long it
takes computer printers to print. Unless a campaign has a really high
speed printer, costing at least $2,000, most daisy-wheel printers will
take one to one and a half minutes to print a single-page letter. If
the campaign plans on printing 1,000 at a time, it will take at least
15 hours. Most campaigns have learned to start long print runs like
this starting around 3:00 p.m. so they can change ribbons until 10:00
p.m. and then leave it running through the evening. The alternative
is to break up the runs by well-planned computer time scheduling. I
might also point out that advertising notwithstanding, computer
printers are noisy. I recommend purchasing a "hood" to deaden the
sound.
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FUNDRAISING:
CHAPTER VI
THE FUNDRAISING GAME PLAN
How to Pay for It;
Just as there are two strategies operative within the
Political Game Plan, there are really two campaigns going on
simultaneously: the political campaign and the fundraising campaign.
As has been pointed out several times in this Manual: money =
communications (information and motivation) = votes. Take money out
of the equation and the Candidate loses. Those who still charge that
money buys votes are usually very naive about the political process
and 50 years behind the times, or are trying to create a smokescreen
issue.
This is not to say the Candidate with an unlimited amount of
funds will automatically win. How effectively the money is spent is
equally important. In fact, it is very possible to overspend in a
campaign. It is critical, though, that a Candidate have enough money
to implement the strategy required by the particular circumstances of
each campaign.
It is, therefore, of paramount importance for the Candidate to
develop a Fundraising Game Plan with as much care and concern as used
in the development of the Political Game Plan. Here also, a Political
Fundraising Consultant or adviser is invaluable to the Candidate. The
methodology used, though not a precise science, is definitive enough
to require a high degree of knowledge and experience. A Political
Fundraising Consultant does not actually solicit contributions for the
Candidate. They develop the Fundraising Game Plan, supervise its
implementation, instruct the staff and Finance Committee on proven
methods to be used for events, individual solicitation, and PACs.
They will also write the copy for fundraising direct mail and use
extensive research to target it for maximum return. Most Political
Fundraising Consultants are experts on the FEC and state campaign
finance regulations and will provide valuable guidance on proper
compliance.
However, no matter how skillful the Political Fundraising
Consultant is, the objectives will not be reached unless the Candidate
has an active Finance Committee, able and willing to implement the
Fundraising Game Plan.
In Chapter II, I referred to the make-up of a potentially
first-rate Finance Committee. Within that structure were two basic
types of individuals: (1) the individuals in the upper range of the
economic scale who could personally write a check for $1,000 or $2,000
and (2) individuals in the middle range, who, though personally unable
to contribute that much, are willing and able to solicit contributions
actively in the $100+ range. In this campaign, both types are of
equal importance when it comes to implementing the plan.
1. ORGANIZATION OF FINANCE COMMITTEE
;
The Finance Committee should have at least 15 persons from the
first type (upper income) and 15 from the second type (middle income),
plus any others who wish to serve on this committee, subdivided into
five groups. The Candidate, Political Fundraising Consultant,
Campaign Manager, Treasurer, and secretary/bookkeeper are also members
of this committee. There should be two co-chairpersons, preferably a
man and a woman,and an honorary chairperson - usually a former major
officeholder or highly respected person in the community.
As the Candidate begins recruiting these individuals, keep in
mind the groups they should represent, as mentioned earlier. They
must be dedicated to the Candidate and the campaign and willing to
make the personal sacrifices of time, money, and effort that will be
required in the year ahead. They should be willing to make an
immediate personal contribution and commit themselves to raising their
individual objectives.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
FUNDRAISING:
2. FINANCE COMMITTEE OBJECTIVES
;
Based on the sources of income projection, the Finance
Committee's individual objectives might be as follows:
A. Individual solicitations $2,000; dinner and private social
hour ticket sales $4,000. $8,000 x 15 members = $120,000.
B. Middle-Level Types. $6,000 each. Sources: Personal
contribution $500; individual solicitations $2,000; dinner and private
social hour ticket sales $2,500. $6,000 x 15 members = $90,000.
Over a 10 to 12-month period these objectives are not
unreasonable if the Candidate has recruited an active, viable group.
It is very important that all members commit themselves to these
objectives. At the Finance Committee meetings a progress report
should be distributed showing each member's objective and the amount
raised to date plus a summary of campaign income and expenditures to
date.
Naturally, the objectives from each source are projections
only. If an upper-level type wished to meet the objective by asking
his/her spouse to contribute $2,000 ($1,000 in the Primary period and
$1,000 in the General period - currently the maximum a person is
legally allowed to give a Federal Candidate) in addition to their
personal contribution, no one would object. Also, I do not believe
anyone would object if the individual's personal objective were far
exceeded.
But, we all need goals. And experience has proven this is
especially true in political campaigns, which have so few "natural"
devices to measure progress.
3. TIME LINE AND FUNDRAISING SCHEDULE
;
When the money is raised is almost as important as how much is
raised. The fundraising portion of the campaign is keyed to the
demands of the political Time Line. Note the tight coordination.
Naturally, the further ahead of this schedule the campaign can get,
the better. **1**
It should also be noted that all money raised before April is
projected to come from in-district. This is not an accident. Most of
the PACs and potential out-of-district (OD) contributors will want
proof that enough people in-district believe in the viability of the
campaign before they will make their contributions. Regardless of how
much they might want the opponent to lose or believe in the efficacy
of the Political Game Plan, they know a Congressional Candidate's
campaign **2** is difficult to win without adequate financing and it
is virtually impossible to raise all of the funds needed from
out-of-district. They also need proof that the Candidate's supporters
are solidly behind him/her, i.e. that they have put their money where
there mouth is.
The national Parties will also rely heavily on this factor
before making their decisions to maximize the Party's contribution to
a campaign.
4. INITIAL PROCEDURES AND METHODOLOGY
;
The first step is the establishment of objectives and the cash
flow requirements to implement the Political Game Plan on schedule.
When the Candidate first meets with the Finance Committee, he/she
should remind them that political campaigns are notoriously poor
credit risks. As a result, very few, if any, suppliers will extend
credit to a campaign. Most expenditures must be made at the time the
order is placed. It is critical, therefore, for them to understand
the urgency of raising early money in the campaign.
Prior to the first meeting, the Candidate should transfer the
names of potential major contributors, that were developed earlier, to
3 x 5 cards, or obtain a printout from the computer, if on line.
During the first meeting, after going over the Political Game Plan and
Budget, stressing the urgency involved, read aloud the names on the 3
x 5 cards one by one and ask who will take that person and make the
personal solicitation. Keep working the names until all the cards
have been distributed. As this process goes along, be sure to record
the name of the Finance Committee member who has that person to
contact.
FootNotes:
**1** This portion of the Time Line, the Cash Flow schedule, should
become part of the Fundraising Game Plan.
**2** Or any other type of
campaign.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
FUNDRAISING:
Next, give them a deadline to make the contact - say, 4 weeks
- at that point there will be another meeting to review progress and
results. **1**
The members should not be expected to make these contacts
without a fundraising tool in hand, i.e. the Political Game Plan and
Budget (minus the Cash Flow Schedule). Be sure to have enough copies
for everyone at the first meeting, along with the 3 x 5 cards and the
Fundraising Game Plan.
Incidentally, some Political Fundraising Consultants will
attend this first meeting, review the plans and budget, handle the
distribution of cards, and provide the motivation to get them started.
During the follow-up Finance Committee meetings, keep the
pressure up. Review both the political and fundraising progress,
continually stressing the urgency to raise these funds - now!
As distasteful as the exertion of this pressure may be, it is
necessary. Raising money in the later stages is relatively easy,
especially when the momentum of the campaign picks up. But early
money is essential if the objectives are to be met. The Finance
Committee must be made to understand there is no substitute for time,
especially in the area of building name ID, unless the campaign is
able to spend three to four times the amounts currently budgeted for
communications. Even then, it is more difficult to build a favorable
impression among the electorate, regardless of how much is spent in
the last couple months of the campaign.
Part of this favorable impression is created by a sense of
familiarity with the Candidate, i.e. he/she has been part of the
community and they know him/her. This is one of the reasons why the
more successful campaigns are the ones that start a year before the
election. Later entries rarely seem to be able to make up for the
lost time and are constantly playing catch-up.
In addition to their responsibilities to raise their personal
objectives, the Finance Committee is also responsible for overseeing
the total Fundraising Game Plan, i.e. even though the staff (under the
supervision of the Political Fundraising Consultant) has the
responsibility for the day-to-day implementation of other parts of the
Plan. It is the committee's responsibility to make sure it is being
done on schedule. To this end, they should receive regular and
complete summary reports of progress.
They should also assist in personal follow-ups when letters
have been sent to particular groups of potential contributors in the
prospect file. In fact, in most cases, they should sign the letters
sent to their particular group. In other words a mailing to attorneys
should be signed by the attorney(s) on the committee, to doctors by
the doctor(s), etc. I normally recommend the establishment of
unofficial ad hoc committees for each of the major professional
groups, i.e. Doctors for (Candidate's Name) (Office) Subcommittee.
As long as the contributions are made out to the official
campaign committee and deposited in its bank account, this method is
perfectly legal. To be absolutely safe, the appeal should be made on
the official campaign stationary. I should point out that separate
committees can be formed to solicit funds on behalf of a Candidate,
but they must file separately with the FEC and the Clerk of the House
for Congressional candidates and with the Secretary of State in most
states for state candidates. This then necessitates the continuous
filing of periodic FEC and state reports that is frankly more hassle
than it is worth.
[NOTE: All fundraising and political letters and political
advertising **2** on behalf of Federal, and many non-Federal,
candidates must contain the following disclaimer:
"Authorized and Paid for by (Candidate's Name) for (Office) Committee,
(Name), Treasurer."
This disclaimer should automatically be imprinted on the bottom of all
stationary and printed material when first printed.]
FootNotes:
**1** The Candidate should not be surprised if half the members are
"lost" before this next meeting. He/She should be prepared to replace
them as soon as possible.
**2** Except buttons, bumper strips, and
other small items.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
FUNDRAISING:
While on the subject of independent committees, I should point
out that there has been a significant rise during the last few years
in what are referred to as "independent expenditures." The courts
have ruled that an organization like a PAC, while limited to a $5,000
direct contribution to a Candidate, cannot be limited as to how much
it wants to spend "educating" the voters in a particular district, so
long as the expenditures are made independently of a Candidate's
campaign. Independent means just that, there can be absolutely no
communication whatsoever between the Candidate's campaign and the
organization making the independent expenditure.
What the political ramifications of this new entry into the
political process are, it is hard to say. The results so far have
been mixed. However, it is a force to contend with and I plan to
watch its development carefully. From the Candidate's political point
of view, it is imperative to point out to the media, if it becomes a
campaign issue, that it is an independent expenditure and by law the
campaign cannot control it. If it is an extremely negative type of
advertising being used, the Candidate should consider denouncing it,
regardless of whether or not it is against the opponent.
[NOTE: The National Assn. of Realtors distributes a very informative
pamphlet on their independent expenditures program. A copy may be
obtained by writing the National Assn. of Realtors, Dept. of Political
Communications, Political & Legislative Liaison Div., 777 14th St.,
N.W., Washington, DC 20005. Request Item No. 181-312.]
With regard to the telephone follow-up of the aforementioned
fundraising letters, it is amazing the difference in the volume and
amount of return when these letters are followed up by a personal
visit or telephone call. When a letter has gone out to attorneys for
example, the attorney(s) on the Finance Committee should enlist the
aid of a few other attorneys and, approximately 10 days after the
letters were sent, begin calling on the recipients of that letter,
either in person or by phone. **1**
As an alternative, if this is not possible, have the
volunteers at the Phone Bank (calling on behalf of the signatories)
make the follow-up phone calls. Remember that, during the 2nd, 3rd,
and 4th Stages, one day a week is designated at the Phone Bank for
fund solicitation purposes, whether to follow up on direct mail
letters or to help sell tickets for the special events.
In summary, the Finance Committee should be made up of at
least 30 people (15 upper-income level, 15 middle-income level) broken
down into five teams, plus two chairpersons and an honorary
chairperson. At the first meeting they should be given: (1) copies of
the Political and Fundraising Game Plans, including the Budget; (2)
their assigned prospects on 3 x 5 cards or computer printout sheets;
(3) their personal and collective objectives and responsibilities; (4)
a copy of the FEC (or state) rules and regulations affecting their
activities as solicitors for a Federal (or state) candidate; and (5) a
strong, motivational talk stressing the urgency of early money and its
impact on the Political Game Plan.
At subsequent meetings, they should receive complete progress
reports on all facets of the Political and Fundraising Game Plans.
Once the prospective contributor direct mail fund-raising
program begins going to the professional and occupational groups,
committee members should make personal or phone follow-up 10 days
after the letters are sent. The volunteers at the Phone Bank should
do this follow-up, if the committee members are unable to do so.
Meetings of the Finance Committee should be held at least once
a month during most of the campaign, twice a month during the 4th
Stage.
The chairpersons of the Finance Committee are automatically
members of the Advisory Committee.
Although it will probably not be available for the first
meeting, the campaign should make sure all members receive adequate
supplies of the campaign literature and position papers as soon as
possible.
FootNotes:
**1** This is an area where TeleClerk can be used if necessary.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
FUNDRAISING:
5. THE DIRECT MAIL FUNDRAISING PROGRAM
;
Basically there are three major types or areas in this
program: (1) mass mailings developed from names supplied by a
professional mailing service; (2) fundraising through the political
direct mail program; and (3) selective mailings within district. PAC
and out-of-district mail solicitation is treated separately and will
be discussed in the next section.
A. Mass Mailings.
;
There are firms located in most major cities that develop and
maintain lists of people from around the country or within a state,
that usually include the name, address, telephone number, sex, age,
occupation, and income level. These lists are rented to individuals
or organizations for fundraising purposes. These data are accumulated
from a number of sources, e.g. criss-cross directories, magazine
subscribers, city directories, credit card holders, public information
records, campaign contributor lists in states where it is not illegal
to use them, or when a Candidate sells or gives them their list, etc.
In fact, most of us are probably on at least a half-dozen lists
circulating around the country at any given moment in time.
The rental price for names ranges from 4 cents to 10 cents
each, depending on the quality, i.e. how current the data is, what
information is contained, and how clean they are - the fewer the
duplications, the cleaner the list. Also how well the list has
produced (how high is the percentage of return per 1,000 pieces of
mail sent) greatly affects the rental price being charged.
A contract is signed with the mailing list company that
prohibits their duplication; you may use the list once only, whether
you are using labels, a magnetic tape, or 3 x 5 cards for
hand-addressing and phone follow-up. Only the respondents to your
mailing become your "property" and may be solicited again without
paying the mailing list company an additional rental charge. To
insure compliance, they "salt" the list with "ringers" or dummy names,
and if a second mailing is received by these salted names, a breach of
contract is immediately evident.
As mentioned, the names are available on either labels
(Cheshire, that are applied by machine, or pressure-sensitive, that
are applied by hand), computer tape if the campaign is going to do a
more personalized mailing, or on 3 x 5 cards. The rental price is
slightly higher for pressure-sensitive labels, tape, and 3 x 5 cards.
By carefully targeting this type of mail based on the
demographics available and combining this with a well-written appeal,
a good Political Fundraising Consultant can obtain about a 3.5 percent
return on the first mailing, i.e. out of every 1,000 letters mailed,
35 contributions will be received. With luck, the amount of return
should be enough to offset the cost of the first mailing and provide
enough to "seed" the cost of subsequent mailings.
Contrary to some claims made, the real profit in this type of
program is not realized until the second, third, and fourth mailings
to the original contributors from the first mailing.
For example, the average initial cost per unit for 100,000
pieces of mail will be approximately 4.5 cents rental price per name +
26.6 cents per computer letter (including a #10 window envelope, a #6
1/2 BRE, and a brochure or flyer, plus mail processing) + 10.9 cents
bulk-rate postage = .42 cents x 100,000 = $42,000 (not counting the
fees and commissions of the fundraising consultant).
The return should be about 3.5 percent, or 3,500 contributions
for an average amount of $12 per contribution, totaling $42,000. **1**
The profit on this first mailing should be around zero. Apparently
not worth the effort. However, about 2 months after this first
mailing, a second letter should be sent to the 3,500 who responded the
first time. **2** The cost is approximately 40 cents per letter, for
a total of $1,400.
FootNotes:
**1** The return, both in terms of percentage and amount will vary,
depending on (1) targeting, (2) strength or appeal of the signatory -
a well-known name as signatory to the letter helps considerably, (3)
timing, (4) text, and (5) package design.
**2** This is in addition
to the Thank You letter which is sent to each contributor upon receipt
of the contribution. This letter will contain another appeal for
funds, and it too will generate a nice profit.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
FUNDRAISING:
The number of returns on this second mailing should improve to
about 20 percent, or 700, and the amount per return should increase to
$18 per contribution for a total of $12,600, a "net profit" of
$11,200. The third and fourth mailings, separated by intervals of 45
to 60 days, to this same group should also average an $11,000 profit
each. Therefore, on the basis of an initial investment of $42,000,
the campaign should realize total contributions of approximately
$33,000 net (minus the fundraiser's fees and/or commissions).
Incidentally, a professional fundraiser would have taken the
original return of $42,000, used $2,800 for the second and third
mailings, and used the balance to start the cycle again with a new
group mailing. The professional fundraiser would continue this
process until a list of around 25,000 contributors was developed
before repaying the seed money.
Obviously, there are several problems with this type of direct
mail fundraising. First, it does require an experienced person to
orchestrate it for maximum effectiveness, adding additional cost to
the unit price. Secondly, a campaign must have the seed money to make
it happen. Unless the campaign has a very powerful list to begin with
or a real "heavy" to sign the letter, the campaign must mail large
numbers to make it work (100,000+). Third, it is a long-term,
fundraising project, requiring at least 6 months to reach full
potential. Fourth, no matter how well planned and executed, it could
still bomb or take considerably longer than planned to show a profit,
making it very difficult to plan for cash flow requirements.
Frankly, this program is best used by (1) an incumbent, (2) an
officeholder running for higher office, or (3) a challenger running
for the second time during the off-year before the start of the next
campaign cycle (presuming he/she has enough money left over from the
first campaign to start it).
B. Fundraising Through Political Direct Mail Programs.
;
Except for the final GOTV mailing, I recommend never sending
out a political letter without enclosing an appeal for funds and
volunteers.
The cost of a #6 1/2 BRE is about 2.2 cents. Even if included
in the first 300,000 pieces of political direct mail that the campaign
will be sending out to Party members, independents, undecideds, and
even members of the opposite Party, the added cost will be only
$6,600.
The campaign does not have to pay for the names, since it has
already acquired them for political purposes and the rest of the cost
is budgeted for in the Political Game Plan. If the letter is well
written (here again, the consultant will know how to do this), it
should produce between $30,000 and $40,000 of the direct mail portion
in the Sources of Income projection.
Not only are the dollars important to help offset the cost of
this part of the plan, but as stated previously, there is a rule of
thumb in politics that says that each contributor, no matter how small
the amount, will impact, on the average, seven other people to vote
for the Candidate to whom they have contributed. Even the person who
sends in $1 feels they have an "investment" in the Candidate and the
outcome of the campaign; therefore, they become concerned about
protecting that investment and will encourage friends and relatives to
vote for the Candidate as a means of doing so.
This is another one of the reasons why I favor the use of
political direct mail in a Political Game Plan. Not only does it
enable the Candidate to target his/her message in a specific way that
other forms of media cannot do, but it helps to develop an army of
people in the district who have a vested interest in the Candidate's
success. They will be motivated to come out on Election Day and vote
for the Candidate and will help make sure others join them! As an
added bonus they will return at least one-third of the cost of
communicating with them.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
FUNDRAISING:
No other form of media communications guarantees this kind of
response - certainly, at least, not to the same degree. However,
before I am misunderstood, I should point out that a large percentage
of this response will be due to the other communication efforts being
expended which in effect pave the way for the direct mail appeal,
causing a favorable response. So the other activities are not only
helpful, they are necessary if the direct mail program is to be
successful.
The point is that other media activities do not have the
capability of capitalizing on themselves in the way political direct
mail fundraising does. To do either one without the other is not only
wasteful, it could prove to be a serious tactical mistake as well.
The advantages, therefore, are obvious. The disadvantages are
negligible. The added cost is more than offset by the political and
financial return. Even if the campaign is not using a mail processing
firm to stuff, seal, stamp, and process the letters, the extra time it
takes a volunteer to stuff a BRE is hardly noticeable. There is a
slight risk of irritating some people by constantly appealing for
funds, but this is negligible also.
C. Selective Mailing Within District.
;
Throughout this Manual I have been referring to the Support
File and the Prospect File and have briefly explained their function.
This is where they are explained in detail and how they are used in
the campaign.
The Prototype Game Plan I am using assumes the Candidate is
using computer technology as a major part of the campaign strategy.
This assumption is the result of a strong bias I have, developed over
the years, regarding the usage of volunteers.
Prior to becoming a Political Campaign Consultant 17 years
ago, I spent 10 years working as a volunteer in just about every
position there is on political campaigns from local elections to U.S.
Senate races. When first beginning, nothing seemed more frustrating
than sitting in some headquarters addressing, stuffing, and licking
envelopes when I wanted to be talking to people, telling them why they
should vote for my candidate. That particular job, at least, seemed
to be such a waste or under-utilization of my capabilities.
When I went into politics professionally, I soon realized very
few pros and even fewer candidates, at that time, knew how to use the
computer technology that, even then, the business community took for
granted. As a business person during those 10 years, I knew from
first-hand experience the cost-effectiveness of computers and
mail-processing equipment and was determined to apply this knowledge
and experience to the campaign process.
Since then, I have always encouraged my clients to make
maximum utilization of these techniques, or systems, in their
campaigns - in effect, rarely having a volunteer do what a machine can
do better, faster, and cheaper. No one can communicate with another
person better than a person. Using machines frees people to
communicate.
Since volunteers have such a limited life expectancy on a
campaign, **1** it is a more efficient use of their time to be
walking precincts, telephoning, being surrogate speakers, fundraising,
etc. There will always be some volunteers who only want to stuff
envelopes and there will always be a certain amount of individualized
mailings to utilize those people in this manner. But to burn out
literally hundreds of volunteers with this type of activity, when
machines are available, is counterproductive at best.
Since the smart Candidate in this Manual is taking my advice,
the campaign is on computer. Therefore the campaign has the
capability of mechanically processing most of its direct mail. The
Support and Prospect Files carry this capability one step further,
into the fundraising campaign.
FootNotes:
**1** The average amount of time a campaign can expect to receive
from a volunteer is 20 hours over the duration of the campaign.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
FUNDRAISING:
As mentioned previously, the Support File consists of the
following data processed or key punched into the computer: the name,
address, phone number, occupation, and place of employment of (1) all
volunteers, along with the type of activity they are willing to do;
(2) all contributors, along with the dates and amounts of
contributions made; and (3) all endorsers. In Political Campaign
Management Software there are source and classification codes (entered
at the time the data is first keyed) that enable the campaign to print
out these records by their specific designation, as well as codes to
indicate precinct, and Region. The Prospect File contains as much of
the same data as is available but indicates the person on file is only
a prospective candidate for one of the three designations in the
Support File. **1**
The data for the Support File is obtained from the BREs, the
Endorsement Sheets, or the volunteer cards. The data for the Prospect
File is developed from (1) directories of professional, occupational,
or trade associations; (2) membership lists of organizations; (3) the
yellow pages; (4) lists developed by other candidates, the local
and/or state Party committees; (5) the lists accumulated by the
Candidate and Finance Committee members; and (6) miscellaneous sources
such as college alumni lists, church lists, etc.
A sample form in the Appendix shows how these lists are
further broken down and coded by profession, occupation, or primary
activity for transmittal to the computer.
Once this data is entered into the computer, the campaign can
begin the systematic direct mail program previously referred to
throughout this Manual. Specific letters targeted to members of a
common grouping, signed by one of their own, and then followed up with
a personal visit or phone call, produce an unusually high rate of
return for the campaign.
When a prospect makes a contribution, their designation is
automatically changed in the computer to the Support File. **2** It
is not unusual for a person to make a contribution, endorse the
Candidate, and volunteer to work on the campaign. In this case,
Political Campaign Management Software allows the data entry person to
place the appropriate codes all on the same file, eliminating the need
to maintain separate files for each activity. Since each code is
selectable, i.e. can be identified and sorted by the computer,
printouts can be drawn from each area of activity. For example, when
a list is needed of volunteers, the computer will print out a distinct
listing of just those people who have volunteered to do a specific
activity without including those who have only contributed or endorsed
the Candidate.
Not only can the Support and Prospect Files be used for
fundraising purposes, they can also provide the basis for distribution
of a campaign newsletter or other type of correspondence, such as
thank-you letters, when needed, to the contributors and volunteers.
The computer can either personalize the newsletter or print the names
on pressure sensitive labels for hand-processing in the campaign
headquarters.
The Support and Prospect Files are also used as the basis for
promoting ticket sales to the major events. Normally the Contributors
and Prospective Contributors are given a code designating whether
their previous or potential contribution is over $100 or under. In
this manner the campaign can restrict the mailing to those previous
and prospective contributors who are the best prospects for a $100+
per person event.
Most major cities have mail processing firms that will "burst"
the computer sheets, "sign" them, stuff them in envelopes, add the
flyers and BREs, sort by zip if a bulk mailing, and drop off at the
Post Office for about 5 to 7 cents per unit, or if the campaign does
have a surplus of volunteers who will only stuff envelopes, they can
do it. I have also found that most areas have community sheltered
workshops that employ the handicapped to do this type of work, usually
at very reasonable prices.
[Note: If the campaign computer does not have a hard disk as a means
of file organization, it might want to consider having separate floppy
disks for each major category and subcategory, e.g. contributors would
be a major category and attorneys would be a subcategory, etc.
Political Campaign Management Software has been designed to work on a
2 disk drive system, but I strongly recommend having at least a 20
megabyte hard disk for maximum efficiency and ease of operation.]
FootNotes:
**1** Remember that organizations (PACs, Party, associations, etc.)
have their own Support and Prospect Files. This section is dealing
only with individual Support and Prospect Files.
**2** Political Campaign Management Software has a feature that when
entering records does not allow for the entry of the same
person twice. If a Prospect record exists the program will
bring it up to the screen when the name is entered.
The data entry person would then enter the appropriate
information, such as a contribution amount and date, and the program
then automatically transfers it to the Support File.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
FUNDRAISING:
Regardless of that method the campaign uses, computer or
manual, the proper development and utilization of a Support and
Prospect File direct mail program should generate around $30,000 for
the campaign directly, plus a portion of the income for the major
events. When the program is started, it should be spread out in
regular intervals. Base the program on volume as opposed to groups,
the reason being that the groups will rarely be equal in size. For
example, assume the total number of names in the Prospect File is
10,000 and the campaign plans on doing three mailings to them during
the campaign. About the most follow-up calls the Finance Committee or
the Phone Bank volunteers could make in a day would be around 1,000.
If mailing more than that each time, it will overload that part of the
program with a corresponding loss in returns.
It would be more advisable to start mailing 1,000 pieces in
1-week intervals, starting the first cycle around the third week of
February and completing it by the end of April. In this way, it will
not be conflicting with the solicitation program for the first major
event in May.
Start the second cycle around the middle of June, so it too
will not conflict with the activity for the second major event in the
middle of September.
Normally, the campaign would send a third mailing to the whole
Prospect File about the first week of October. Do not, however, plan
on a phone follow-up using the Phone Bank volunteers. By this Stage
the Phone Bank is too actively involved in the political program to do
a follow-up.
In summary, the Support and Prospect File direct mail program
is an integral part of the Fundraising Game Plan, with some benefits
to the political side. The average return for all mailings should be
around $30,000, minus a cost factor of around $10,000 (already
factored in the budget), for a net of $20,000, plus the political
advantage of keeping the campaign's message before a large segment of
the community.
6. THE PAC SOLICITATION PROGRAM
;
The anticipated income from Political Action Committees is
about 30 percent of the whole campaign budget, obviously a very
sizable and integral part of the plan.
But before going into the procedures and methods to use in
raising funds from this source, I believe an analysis of the source
itself is in order since PAC contributions can be a political issue in
themselves. PACs are the subject of much media attention, mostly
negative, in every campaign cycle - so much so that many candidates
are either hesitant to accept any contribution from them or limit the
amount they will take. Before making a decision, a Candidate should
review these facts.
A. What Are PACs?
;
PACs, simply put, are groups of people who pool their
resources (money) in order to contribute it to candidates who share
their particular political, social, religious, philosophical, or
economic viewpoint. These groups are broadly subdivided into four
categories, usually on the basis on some commonality. They are: (1)
associations (lawyers, doctors, insurance agents, building industry,
real estate agents, etc.); (2) unions (AFL-CIO's COPE, Teamsters, UAW,
etc.); (3) ideological (conservatives, moderates, liberals, women's
rights, pro-abortion, anti-abortion, etc.); and (4) corporations
(Sears, U.S. Steel, Amoco, etc.).
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The laws regulating PACs (administered by the Federal Election
Commission for Federal candidates and usually the Secretary of State
for state and local candidates) are strictly defined and enforced as
to who may give to that PAC, the method of solicitation, the amount
that may be contributed both to the PAC and from the PAC to the
Candidate, the accounting and reporting procedures used by both the
PAC and the Candidate, etc.
Literally all activity is conducted openly and above aboard.
The reports are on public file and a simple telephone call or letter
to the FEC in Washington, DC, or the Secretary of State's office, will
produce a complete copy of any report for a minimal reproduction
charge. Federal candidates also file a copy of their reports with the
Secretary of State in each State Capitol and usually with the County
Clerk's office in the major county within the district.
All PAC reports are on file with the FEC, 999 E St., N.W.,
Washington, DC 20463. They even have a WATS line, (800) 424-9530, so
any person can call for information easily. The name, address, and
occupation of every contributor over $200 is listed, and every PAC
contribution is itemized, regardless of size.
As to the amount that may be contributed to a Candidate, a PAC
is limited to a maximum of $5,000 in the Primary Election and $5,000
in the General period for Federal candidates, with a total maximum
contribution of $10,000. Few PACs have the resources to make maximum
contributions to very many candidates. Most PAC contributions are in
the range of $300 to $1,500. Since the states vary so much with
regard to PAC contributions to state and local candidates, each state
would have to be checked separately.
B. Why Are There PACs?
;
Why have so many PACs been formed in recent years? Why are
the PACs necessary?
PACs have been forming primarily in response to the severe
limitations imposed on the amount an individual or the Party can
contribute to a Federal or state Candidate by the election reforms
instituted at both the Federal and state levels after Watergate. As a
result, at the Federal level, individuals are now limited to a maximum
contribution of $1,000 in the Primary period and $1,000 in the General
period, for a total of $2,000. The exception is a Congressional or
Senatorial Candidate, who can contribute an unlimited amount of
his/her own funds to the campaign.
The PACs have actually helped make it possible for a person of
relatively modest means to compete with the wealthier individuals and,
even more importantly, with the incumbents. The same reformers who
agitated for the personal limitations on contributions are now turning
against the PACs, the arguments being that these single-issue groups
unduly influence the Congressperson or Senator once elected. This is
the same argument used to enact the first set of reforms.
Frankly, when one looks at the size of today's campaign budget
for a Congressional race, though not minimizing the value of $10,000,
even that maximum contribution is a relatively small percentage of the
amount raised and spent. It is ludicrous to imply that a
Congressperson or Senator would risk jail and jeopardize a career and
personal integrity for a modest campaign contribution. However, that
is not to say some have not been tempted and succumbed to personal
offers, but even then most of those were bribes of personal funds, not
campaign funds.
As to the undue leverage being brought to bear on them after
being elected, I find this, too, to be either terribly naive, at best,
or a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, at worst.
C. How Do They Work?
;
First of all, the majority of PACs do their selection of the
candidates they are going to support before they make a contribution,
i.e. they check out the candidates' stand on the issues, send them
questionnaires (sometimes referred to as "litmus tests"), interview
them, and rate them, based on the input. They also do the same with
the opponent. Sometimes the results are very unequal and the decision
is relatively easy. They will usually support the Candidate who
generally thinks the way they do about the problems and their
solutions. If they both come out fairly equal, they will then go with
the one whom they feel has the best chance of winning.
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The PACs also know that, with the tremendous amount of
crisscross pressure a Congressperson or Senator experiences on
virtually every vote from many directions including his/her Party and
peers, the vast majority simply try to determine what is in the best
interest of their constituents and the country, and vote accordingly.
This is also true in most cases at the state and local levels of
government.
As a matter of fact, any lobbyist crass enough even to mention
their affiliated PAC's contribution or potential contribution is
usually persona non grata from that point on in the legislator's
office.
I suspect, as the old saying goes, the "method behind their
madness" (the reform agitators) is that they are not going to be
satisfied with any system of helping a Candidate finance the campaign
other than through public financing, so they are trying to eliminate
PACs by innuendos and specious attacks. This is in spite of the fact
that public financing when tried, as in New Jersey, has proven to be a
disaster for everyone concerned except the media outlets.
If a group of people choose to pool their resources to help a
Candidate whom they believe supports their viewpoint and will,
therefore, best represent them in the U.S. House of Representatives,
or Senate, or state or local office, that is their right, and some
would believe it is their duty as citizens to do so.
So, in essence, PACs have grown because limits have been
placed on the amounts individuals and the Parties can contribute to
candidates; limits that are ridiculously low by comparison with the
costs of communications and campaigning today.
Unless a person would deny the right of a Candidate to
communicate his/her message to the people, with its subsequent denial
to the people to hear that message, there really is no valid reason to
attack a Candidate on the basis of their acceptance of PAC
contributions. PACs are simply people. If one group of people want to
organize a PAC to support a Candidate opposed by a different group of
people, they can do so by filing a simple one-page form and investing
the cost of a postage stamp. This is simply an organized method for
what we have been doing all along, i.e. a basic fundamental principle
of our campaign system is one group of people supporting a Candidate
who shares their point of view versus an opposing group supporting
another candidate.
It is important for a Candidate to understand what goes into
the dynamics of PAC solicitation, the benefits, and the risks
involved. The Candidate will probably be challenged for accepting PAC
contributions, either by the opponent or by the media, and if unable
to counter the implied charges, he/she could be put on the defensive
and thereby give an element of credibility to the accusations.
One needs to know how PACs function to solicit from them
effectively, just as one needs to know what motivates the individual
contributors in the district.
D. Preparations for the Program.
;
In preparing the PAC solicitation program, the first step is
to obtain a current list of active PACs from the state and national
Party headquarters, or your Political Fundraising Consultant will have
one. The first thing to notice is that there are over 3,000 of them.
If a Candidate attempted to mail all of them, he/she would be wasting
money. Instead the list should be reviewed carefully. It should show
the name, address, and phone number of the PAC; its affiliated group,
if any; the name of the treasurer and/or chairperson; the contact
person - usually a director for the larger PACs; and the amount of
money on hand as of the last FEC, or state report. This last item can
be deceiving, since many PACs do not begin to solicit funds until the
election year begins.
Go through the list carefully and first pick out any PACs, or
the affiliated group, that are based in the district and/or state.
There are many PACs that only contribute to campaigns in their own
home states, or where they have subsidiaries.
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Next pick out the PACs that have some kind of tie-in with the
Candidate either by virtue of employment, membership in the same
associations, or ideological stand on the issues, e.g., if a liberal,
the Candidate can bet the American Conservative Union will pass on
his/her campaign, but COPE would probably provide support. Look for
related fields, e.g., if the Candidate is in retail sales, pick out
all the PACs connected with that field: Sears, Ward, small
businesspersons associations, BIPAC (Business-Industrial PAC), etc.
If the Candidate is considered a fiscal conservative, i.e. a
strong supporter of the free enterprise system, etc. then he/she would
pick out those PACs that are known to be strongly oriented in that
direction, e.g. Amway Corp., Coors Co., most insurance companies, the
American Medical Assn. (AMPAC), etc.
If the Candidate is considered to be moderate to liberal
politically, he/she might pick up support from most of the union PACs,
especially if a Democrat (about 90 to 95 percent of their
contributions are made to Democratic candidates). Then, pick out
major national associations and corporate PACs. The lesser known ones
are usually more parochial in their interests and with their
contributions. Look for PACs that are affiliated in some way with
members of the Finance and Advisory Committees. Apply the same
extensions as for the candidate. Finally, pick out those
single-interest PACs that the Candidate agrees with philosophically.
When finished, there should be a list of about 500 PACs, the
most likely prospects. Enter these into the computer in the
Organization Prospect File. With a numeric code, distinguish the best
100 or so; marking these as the preferred prospects. **1**
E. The First Mailing.
;
The campaign will need to prepare PAC kits for the preferred
100 PACs and, though it makes for a sharper presentation to use
customized covers, it is not really necessary to incur additional
cost. The kit itself can be loose, contained in a pocket folder (what
school children refer to as PeeGees), or bound in book style (the
cellophane types used for reports).
The kit should contain the following:
(1) a straightforward biography;
(2) a 3 x 5 glossy photo;
(3) a copy of the Political Game Plan (excluding the Cash
Flow schedule);
(4) the position booklet or six of the major issue papers;
(5) a copy of the brochure;
(6) a copy of two or three press clippings following the
public announcement of candidacy;
(7) if it is not in the Game Plan, a reference to any recent
polls taken in the district that show the
vulnerability of the opponent;
(8) a list of the members of the Finance and Advisory
Committees, staff, and consultants, showing
occupations or professions, in addition to address and
phone number;
(9) a copy of the announcement speech;
(10) a cover letter soliciting their support and volunteering
to provide any additional information, if needed;
(11) the campaign's FEC ID number (or state number, if
non-Federal);
(12) a campaign BRE;
(13) a report showing how much money the campaign has raised
to date;
(14) the number of contributors and volunteers.
About a month or so after the formal announcement date, the
kits should be mailed first class. The balance of the 500 PACs should
receive the cover letter, a copy of a press clipping, a brochure, a
BRE, the campaign's FEC ID number, and a synopsis of the Candidate's
position on the issues.
FootNotes:
**1** In Political Campaign Management Software, these PACs could be
designated as prospective contributors over $100 by entering a "T" in
that field. The others could be designated with an "F".
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They should be mailed at the same time in a #10 envelope,
first class. Reason for the first class: The campaign will want to
delete or correct those returned to avoid future mail costs and to be
sure they are going to the right people.
F. The Follow-Up.
;
About two weeks after the mailing, the Candidate should begin
calling the preferred list. The balance of the 500 are rarely called
but continue to receive future mailings. During subsequent telephone
follow-ups, other individuals can help make the calls, but this first
one should be made by the Candidate personally.
To understand why all of this is necessary, it is important to
know what is happening at the other end. About this time of year,
they are being inundated with requests for assistance, literally by
the hundreds. A new Candidate is usually on the bottom of their
priority lists. So it is important for the campaign to stand out, not
only as one that is different but one that knows what it is doing.
Most PAC directors are politically astute people who know what
the odds are in a given race. If the campaign cannot prove to them
that it has its act together, the request for help will not get past
the circular file.
Also, while all of this is going on, they are involved in
other activities, such as raising money for their PAC, holding
training seminars, putting out newsletters to their members, etc.
Most of them are understaffed and underpaid; to say they are hassled
in an election year would be an understatement.
Therefore, the campaign has the burden of proof. The
Candidate has to provide them with a clear picture of the campaign,
the demographics of the district, etc. - even the opponent. In
addition to proving to them that he/she can win, it needs to be
explained why they should want the Candidate to win over the opponent.
And then they must be motivated to act now. Fortunately, more and
more of the PACs are beginning to appreciate the need for early money
in the campaign and do not put it off until September and October as
they used to do.
G. Procedures the PACs Follow.
;
Many PACs have set procedures that must be followed. Keep in
mind that most of them fully appreciate the trust position they hold
on behalf of their PAC contributors. They know they are not
dispensing their own money and are, therefore, even more careful than
they might otherwise be about its disbursement.
Most of them have committees that must review and approve all
requests for contributions. Normally these committees are made up of
volunteers who are actively involved in their fields of work, so they
may only be able to meet once a month. Occasionally, a committee
member will want the director to obtain additional information before
making a decision, so another month will pass without an answer or a
contribution. A Candidate will find it takes the patience of Job to
work a PAC program properly.
Some of the PACs, like BIPAC, AMPAC, Associated General
Contractors, etc. work through a series of regional members or
committees and until the national PAC receives approval from the local
representative(s), they may be forbidden to act. The Candidate needs
to find out early on what the procedures are for each PAC and act
accordingly.
Some PACs act only as a conduit for individual contributions
earmarked for a specific candidate. So, unless some member of the PAC
wishes to contribute to the campaign, the PAC is unable to make a
contribution.
Many PACs will not become involved until they see polling
results that show ballot strength and favorability ratings. Even
though the first poll will not be until June, do not worry; many of
these PACs would not get involved before the Primary anyway, so lean
on them in August when the campaign does have results. Incidentally,
many PACs will not become involved pre-Primary for any reason, and
even fewer if there is a contested Primary.
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The question might come up: if this is the case, why is the
campaign doing its PAC mailing so early. There are two reasons for
this: (1) to alert them to the campaign in the hope that by doing so
early they will start to track the campaign's progress and (2) to
discourage any major contributions from going to the opponent.
Try to enlist third party influence. PAC directors might try
to ignore the Candidate on occasion, but they have a hard time
ignoring their contributing members. Have campaign supporters write
letters to their company, trade association, or union PAC, urging
their financial support of the campaign. If the national Party has a
field director in the district's area, ask him/her to call two or
three PACs on behalf of the campaign. Many of the Party field
directors know the PAC directors and they can help obtain favorable
results.
H. The Second PAC Mailing.
;
In the next PAC mailing, include one or two favorable press
clippings on the campaign, update the campaign's progress in terms of
active volunteers, number of contributors, and the amount of
contributions received to date. Be honest with them. They are
picking up information from a number of sources, including the
opponent, especially if they are seriously considering the campaign.
To attempt to deceive or mislead one could have disastrous results,
not only with that PAC but with many of the others. Washington, DC,
in many ways, is a small town, and the PAC directors usually know each
other well and exchange information regularly. This is also true in
most state capitols where the state PACs are based.
If the campaign's Political Campaign Consultant is
Washington-based, refer the PAC director to him/her for additional
information. Most of the PAC directors know the consultants in DC and
respect their judgment.
Two weeks after the second mailing, start the telephone
follow-ups; but this time others including the Campaign Manager should
help. Continue this process until each PAC has contributed or given a
definite "No." Remove the definite NOs from the list and move to the
Support File those that have contributed, **1** but do not forget
them. Send them the campaign newsletters and updates regularly.
Remember, they now have a stake in the outcome. Not only might they
be able to give again, but they might try to encourage other PACs to
join them in supporting the campaign.
I. Other PAC Activities the Candidate Should Do.
;
There are two other activities a Candidate should do regarding
PACs. At some point shortly after the Primary, he/she should plan a
3-day trip to DC if a Federal Candidate, to the State Capitol if
non-Federal, and visit personally with as many PAC directors on the
preferred list as possible. If the Political Fundraising Consultant
is DC based, he/she will usually help arrange the itinerary. If not,
the Candidate should see if the national Party headquarters can be of
assistance; if no help is available there, then ask the PAC director
of a PAC already supporting the campaign for assistance. The next
activity is more complicated but could be arranged during the earlier
visit.
There are some PACs in the DC area which will not contribute
money directly to a campaign but will buy tickets to an event. In all
honesty, I have never fully understood the reason for this but feel
sure they must have one.
See if the campaign's consultant, national Party, or a
supporting PAC will sponsor a cocktail party for the Candidate during
his/her visit (obviously not a problem for an incumbent already in
DC). There are a couple of facilities used regularly in DC for these
events and they have fairly standard procedures. Usually the campaign
can raise several thousand dollars from this activity that would not
be available any other way.
FootNotes:
**1** This is done automatically in Political Campaign Management
Software when a contribution is entered.
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One last comment about the PAC program: the Candidate should
not overlook the help of any officeholder he/she might know
personally. They can be very helpful in opening doors for the
Candidate with PACs with that they might be close. Also, the Party
leaders are more than willing to help. Be sure to try to visit with
them while in DC or the State Capitol.
7. OUT-OF-DISTRICT FUNDRAISING PROGRAM
;
The out-of-district (OD) program involves two basic
activities: (1) a program similar in approach to the PAC program, i.e.
a combination of direct mail with a telephone follow-up and a
broad-based direct mail program; and (2) sponsorship: solicitation by
key individuals connected to a particular industry or association.
Both of these are predicated on the fact that there are people
outside of the district, who, like the PACs have an interest in the
outcome - either because they agree with the Candidate's views and are
opposed to the opponent's or because they see the race as an
opportunity to add a vote in the legislature to the Party, in the hope
of gaining or retaining a majority. In effect, they are single person
PACs, individuals who prefer to go it alone as opposed to pooling
their resources.
A. Direct Mail and Telephone Follow-up.
;
In the 1st Stage, the Candidate accumulated from the state
Party committee (or the records at the Secretary of State's office, if
the Party was unwilling or unable to help) lists of Party and state
Candidate contributors from around the state. If possible, try to add
to this list the names of contributors (over $500 potential) from the
national Party headquarters (if they are unwilling or unable to help,
check the resources available form a reputable mailing list firm).
Between these two sources, it should be possible to develop a
list of about 5,000 names. Ask the state Party chairperson, executive
director, or county chairperson to help select about 100 to 200 of the
most likely contributors in the state. Prepare a kit exactly like the
PAC kit to send to these individuals, changing the cover letter
slightly to conform to this solicitation.
Prepare a smaller kit for the remainder of the list including
the above-mentioned cover letter, a brochure, a BRE, a one-page
synopsis of the Candidate's position on the issues, and a brief
outline (one page, front and back) on why the campaign is winnable and
how it is going to be done. Add all 5,000 names to the Prospect File
in the computer with distinguishing codes.
About two weeks after the PAC mailing has been dropped, drop
the entire OD mailing. Two weeks later the Candidate should begin to
call personally the potential major contributors from around the
state.
Mail to this OD group two more times during the course of the
campaign, transferring the names from the Prospect File to the Support
File as they become contributors. Have staff and committee assist on
2nd and 3rd telephone follow-ups.
Depending on the campaign's success in putting together a
quality list, it should net from these three mailings, plus second and
third appeals to first-time contributors, approximately $30,000 with
this program. The follow-up appeals will take place automatically
when the campaign re-solicits the Support File. Here again, the
Political Fundraising Consultant can be of invaluable assistance with
this program, in copywriting, list selection, and targeting.
B. "Sponsorship" Solicitation by Key Individuals.
;
The second activity involves the assistance of third parties,
either persons or groups. Certain individuals and organizations around
the country maintain regular communications with associates or members
via newsletters or subscription magazines. During the campaign year
they use these communication resources to advise their associates or
members that races around the country need and deserve their personal,
financial assistance; suggesting that they send contributions directly
to the campaign.
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I do not feel at liberty to disclose their names in this
Manual without their permission, but I would suggest that a few
inquiries, while making the PAC and OD follow-up calls, will produce
the necessary information, or possibly the national Party field staff
will be of assistance.
I can say, though, if these individuals or organizations will
act as advocates on the Candidate's behalf, this activity could net as
much as $30,000 for the campaign. Most Political Fundraising
Consultants should be familiar with these resources and how to
approach them.
8. MAJOR EVENTS
;
Another primary source of income for the campaign is the major
event, usually a dinner featuring a prominent individual as guest
speaker with tickets averaging $125 or more per person. Though
somewhat overdone in recent years, these events, if done properly and
sparingly, can be very successful.
In the Prototype Game Plan I have projected two major events -
in May and September. Timing for these events is very important,
since they also serve as political rallies and media events to
generate momentum at critical points in the campaign.
A. Arranging for a Guest Speaker.
;
The first problem to be solved in arranging these events is
obtaining a "headliner," i.e. a featured guest speaker who not only
will help draw contributors but will also maximize the media attention
given to the campaign.
The two months used in the Prototype plan (May and September)
are among the most popular months for these events. Therefore, the
competition with other candidates around the country is strong.
First, determine who would be the best draw in the district. If the
President, or a former President, as the case may be depending on the
Candidate's Party, would be the best, then try for him. But do so
early, do not wait until a month before the event and expect him to be
available.
Find out who the political scheduler is and make contact by
mail and phone at least 5 to 6 months before the event. The first
inquiry will be met with the usual: "We'll consider your request and
get back with you."
This is not a stall, both the President and, I presume, the
former Presidents will allocate a very limited number of days for
political activity during the campaign year. Being limited in the
number of visits they can make, they rely on their own political
advisers and the national Parties to assist them in the selection
process. This is normally a long drawn-out process and, usually,
final decisions are unable to be made until a month before the event.
To protect itself, the campaign should select at least five
other persons who would be helpful (Vice-President, Cabinet members,
House leaders, Senate leaders, or former ones, etc.) and make an
appeal to them at the same time it requests assistance from the
President, or a former President. The campaign can always cancel one
if it receives duplicate acceptances; they will understand. This is a
relatively routine procedure during the campaign year.
After extending the invitation, ask national Party or
legislative leaders to make calls on behalf of the campaign to the
people being sought. As a backup to this first list, the campaign
should send the same letter to the state's U.S. Senator, Governor, or
a well-known Representative, if they are members of the Candidate's
Party. It should be first determined that they would not be a
liability in the district. When writing give them an option of at
least 2 days for the spring event and 2 for the fall, preferably a
Friday or Saturday, though some would draw well on any night.
Incidentally, the campaign should not overlook the possibility
of a national figure in another field, like sports or entertainment.
Many individuals in these areas contribute a certain amount of their
time for political appearances during the campaign year for the
candidates of their Party. Some, including some former elected
officials, are also available for an honorarium. Check with the
national Party headquarters to find out who has volunteered to help
this year or, if someone on the committee knows someone personally,
make the appeal directly. The important thing is to make these
appeals early.
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B. Secure the Location.
;
At the same time lock in the location, a hotel, country club,
or major restaurant, that can handle 300+ people. They usually have
their dates booked months in advance so, to be safe, it is a good idea
to make a tentative booking when the initial letters are sent to the
prospective speakers; a reservation can usually be canceled or altered
as long as it is done at least a month ahead. Be sure the place
selected is centrally located, has adequate facilities, and is
reasonably priced. Some places will not charge for the dining room,
if a certain number of meals are bought.
C. Establishing the Cost Factors.
;
Do not go overboard on decorations or on the meal itself. The
people who attend these events are coming to support the Candidate and
hear the guest speaker. They really do not expect to be served an
elaborate meal. This did not get to be called the "rubber chicken
circuit" by the politicians and media for nothing.
The campaign should establish a maximum allowance of $30 per
person for everything connected with the event, except the "host"
costs for the guest speaker. The $30 should include the invitations,
floral arrangements and decorations, band (if used), cost of meals and
room, etc.
The host costs for the guest speaker will vary considerably.
A President usually does not charge a fee (though sometimes former
ones do), but the campaign is normally responsible for covering the
cost of accommodations while he is in town, not only for him but also
for his official entourage, including the Secret Service. Usually,
they will want at least one whole floor of the hotel. Sometimes the
hotel will provide this free as an advertising and public relations
write-off, especially if the campaign is having the dinner there.
Incidentally, the costs of a Presidential visit are considerably
higher than for most other guest speakers, but there are off-setting
considerations: (1) the charge for a dinner like this is usually at
least $250 per person; (2) the private social hour that precedes the
dinner usually costs at least $500 per person; and (3) the ensuing
publicity for the campaign is worth thousands.
Other potential guest speakers may or may not charge a fee,
but the campaign is always responsible for their expenses. If they
are on a circuit, the campaign will be expected to pay for its share
of the plane costs from his/her last location to the district.
There are certain rules of etiquette to be followed, regarding
the treatment of the guest speaker. From the time they touch the
ground until they take off, the campaign is totally responsible for
their reasonable needs and comfort. A car and driver/aide should be
assigned to them with the responsibility of picking them up at the
airport and attending to them while in the district. The guest is not
expected to make any expenditures for meals, room, and transportation
while there.
Try to make them as comfortable as possible and their visit an
enjoyable one. Be sure they are briefed on any local issues and the
Candidate's stand on the major issues before they meet the press. If
they have not been sent this information in advance, the driver/aide
should have it available for him/her at the airport, along with a copy
of the itinerary.
D. Operations and Promotion.
;
After firming the date and the guest speaker, have the tickets
printed and call a meeting of the Finance Committee. It will be
advantageous to establish an ad hoc Dinner Committee, made up of a
ticket chairperson(s), a host chairperson(s), and a dinner
chairperson(s) to be responsible for the whole event. Tickets should
be given to members of the Finance Committee and each person asked to
sell at least one table (ten people to a table) within a definite
period of time - usually two weeks.
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FUNDRAISING:
Also they should be asked to sell tickets (not formalized) for
the private social hour (in effect, a more private meeting with the
guest). This event is usually held in a separate room at the same
location as the dinner and is priced at either $250 or $500.
Normally, any person who has already contributed $1,000 is invited to
attend these private social meetings, without cost.
The upper-level income members of the committee should sell at
least two tickets each to this event. They would collect the funds
and the names would be placed on a special list to be used at the
door. As mentioned before, this event is usually held in the hour
just prior to the public social hour, before the dinner. Remember,
the press conference is held prior to the private social hour.
At the same time these arrangements with the Finance Committee
are being made, the staff should be sending an invitation letter
including two to four tickets, to be bought or sold, and a BRE to all
previous contributors of over $100 and the $100+ prospective
contributors.
Be sure to include all district elected and committee
officials of the Candidate's Party. Also include higher level state
elected officers and officials, if it is the President or a former
President. About this time, the first press release with the formal
announcement of the dinner and guest speaker should be sent; include
the names of the Dinner Committee chairpersons.
E. The Follow-up.
;
About 8 to 10 days after the letters have gone out, the Phone
Bank should begin follow-up phone calls to the contributors and the
prospective contributors who were sent invitations. At this time send
out the second press release; include a biography with a photo of the
guest speaker (available from their offices), the time and location of
the press conference, and a progress report of ticket sales to date
(if the sales are good). Make final arrangements for meals,
decorations, hostesses or hosts, ticket takers and sellers at the
door, transportation, etc.
If the campaign does draw the President, Vice-President, or
other major personage, there will usually be a traveling press corps
with them. Though not absolutely required, it is good public
relations to have several vans with drivers at the airport to provide
transportation for them and their equipment to the hotel and back.
Also, as a matter of courtesy, they may be offered free tickets to the
public social hour and dinner. Most are not allowed to accept gifts
and will insist on paying the actual cost portion of the ticket price
($25). This same arrangement should be offered to members of the
local media.
Incidentally, make sure the room used for the press conference
is large enough to accommodate all of their equipment. In arranging
the room, a large banner, usually a reproduction of the first
billboard poster on heavy paper, is used as a backdrop behind the
speaker's podium, both here and in the dining room. Use flat paint so
the TV lights don't reflect off of it. On the podium itself tack a
window or lawn sign. The Candidate should be at the right hand side
of the guest speaker throughout the press conference. Have press kits
available for members of the visiting press corps, if present.
F. Planning an Airport Rally.
;
If the guest speaker is the President, Vice-President, a
former President, or a major dignitary, and if the guest and time
permit. the campaign should arrange to have as many people as possible
meet the plane at the airport on arrival and again on departure. To
build the crowd, invitations should be sent to all volunteers,
endorsers, local schools, senior citizen clubs (providing buses, if
necessary), political organizations, scout troops, etc. Arrange for a
local high school band to be on hand (sometimes this requires a
contribution to the band uniform or traveling fund) and a motorcade
with police escorts. If having a problem building a crowd, have the
Phone Bank do a follow-up.
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FUNDRAISING:
A week before the event run a series of 30-second spot radio
commercials announcing the arrival and time, inviting the general
public to attend. In the ticket letter to the contributors and
prospective contributors, be sure to include the same information and
encourage attendance.
Remember, these are major media events as well as fundraising
events. If handled properly, the campaign should dominate the local
political news for at least 10 days.
The day after the event, send out the final press release.
Give an update on the success of the event (in terms of people
participating, not money) and express appreciation to the guest
speaker, the guests, and everyone who helped make it such a huge
success. Also, send out special thank-you letters containing the same
message to that same group of people.
G. Other Possible Activities.
;
All of this is predicated on a dinner event. As circumstances
dictate, the campaign may have to shift to a luncheon or some other
type of event that would not provide the same return of money for the
campaign (it is hard to tell the President's scheduler that if the
campaign cannot have him for a dinner, it does not want him to come).
If this happens, the campaign will have to provide for a second event
to make up the difference.
If time permits and the guest speaker is willing, try to
arrange a political rally at a local college auditorium or public
place where all the supporters and the public can attend and have an
opportunity to see and hear the Candidate and the guest speaker. If
it is an enclosed place, consider charging a $1 admission fee to
offset the costs of rental, security, loudspeakers, etc.
9. MINOR EVENTS
;
During the months of March, April, June, July, and August,
each team on the Finance Committee, working with one of the Regional
Committees, should put on a minor event in their Region designed as
much for morale and political purposes as for fundraising (one event
each month). Low-priced ticket events ranging, for example, from $7
for an individual to $15 for a family are best. The intent is to
involve as much of the general public as possible. Spaghetti and/or
chicken dinners, picnics, polka or slow dances, fashion shows, river
cruises, pancake breakfasts, pizza parties, auctions, potluck dinners,
etc. are all popular ideas that work well and are easy and fun to put
on.
A loophole of sorts in the FEC law allows a contributor, even
if they have already contributed the maximum $1,000, to pay for the
expenses of an event up to another $1,000 ($2,000 if spouse
contributes) as long as the event is held in their home, a church
hall, or a community room not normally used for commercial purposes.
Promotion and sales should be done by the two committees, with
campaign headquarters providing logistical help and arranging for
press releases before and after.
10. THE CANDIDATE'S CONTRIBUTION
;
The last source of income to be discussed is usually the first
contribution made. Except in rare cases, most candidates have to
provide a major portion of the seed money in the 1st Stage of the
campaign. Usually this is done in the form of a loan to the Campaign
Committee so that, if a surplus remains at the conclusion of the
campaign, the Candidate can recover this initial investment. If not,
he/she writes it off as a direct contribution on the year-end FEC
report or carries it forward to the next campaign, if running again.
In addition to this direct contribution, the Candidate will be
contributing time, energy, and effort, plus a loss of salary during
the 6 months of full-time campaigning if a challenger. There will also
be a considerable investment in clothes, meals, transportation, and
incidental expenses. In many cases, the average Congressional
Candidate can expect to invest between $50,000 and $70,000 to the
campaign effort.
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FUNDRAISING:
Since few candidates have this amount of money readily
available, most borrow during the campaign and usually end up with a
personal debt. Normally a fundraising dinner party will be held
shortly after the election to try and retire as much of this debt as
possible. As might be expected, this is much easier to do if the
Candidate is the winner.
Whatever debt still remains can usually be deferred until the
next campaign period (paying interest only), if the lender or
creditors agree, and retired at that time. Normally, an early
fundraising effort combining direct mail and a dinner is held in the
spring or fall of the following year to complete this debt retirement
and provide the seed money for the next campaign.
Even though a challenger Candidate might lose the first time,
the chances of winning the next time improve considerably. The voter
ID data accumulated, including the Support File, plus the improved
name ID provide an excellent base on which to build the next campaign.
The major contributors, PACs, and Party officials are very aware of
this and will usually provide the support necessary to help make it
happen. In fact, it is not unusual for them to extract a commitment
from the Candidate that he/she will run again, if unsuccessful the
first time, before they make their initial contribution. In rare
cases they will even back a third try, depending on circumstances and
an analysis of the first two losses.
Many candidates have the attitude that the campaign is not for
them personally, but for all the people who share their feelings about
how the government and country should be run. They see themselves as
merely the catalyst to make this happen. Within this framework, they
have no problem making the necessary requests for funds, time, and
effort from those who share these beliefs and want to effect a change.
If this the operative framework, others will respond in a positive
manner.
11. SUMMARY
;
In summary, the fundraising game plan should contain the
following:
(1) Description of the Finance Committee, its purpose,
structure, goals, objectives, and methodology;
(2) The budget and sources of income;
(3) A brief analysis of each source of income and the
procedures the campaign plans on using to tap them;
(4) A modified copy of the Time Line, showing the dates
involving fundraising activity;
(5) A copy of the FEC, or appropriate state, rules
regarding federal, or state, campaign solicitation.
All Finance Committee members should receive a copy of this
plan at their first meeting along with a copy of the Political Game
Plan (minus the Cash Flow schedule). Needless to say, they should
become thoroughly familiar with both.
In many cases, the national Party, some major PACs, and major
prospective contributors will want to see a copy before considering
their contribution. Since the assumption is made that one of these
copies might end up in the opponent's hands, I recommend that specific
dates of activity in this version of the plan be deleted; show months
only. This precaution will minimize the chances that the opponent
will schedule similar activity at the same time in an attempt to
upstage the campaign.
Always keep fundraising activity uppermost in everyone's mind.
The Finance Committee and the staff will have to be reminded
constantly that the outcome of the political campaign is directly
related to the success of the fundraising campaign.
If at all possible, try to secure the services of a Political
Fundraising Consultant. This service is usually less expensive if
provided as part of a total contract with a multi-agency. If unable
to obtain a multi-agency, even a separate contract will more than pay
for itself by helping to insure the fundraising campaign's success.
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FUNDRAISING:
A plan is only as good as the people responsible for
implementing it. Select the committee with great care. Make sure it
is well-balanced and representative of a broad cross-section of the
business, industrial, professional, labor, and trade communities.
They must believe in the Candidate and be committed to attaining the
campaign's objectives.
The fundraising campaign must be as well organized and
strictly implemented as the political campaign. At any given time
there will be several activities going on simultaneously; only
organization and discipline will prevent chaos, confusion, and
collapse. A well-prepared Time Line, strictly adhered to, will help
considerably in keeping all activities on track.
Remember, all events are opportunities for additional media
exposure as well as fundraisers. Be sure to maximize this aspect of
the activity. When putting out fundraising progress press releases,
talk in terms of numbers of contributors and the average contribution
per person, as well as the total amount raised to date.
Stick to the budget and cash-flow schedule! There is a strong
tendency to spend for items or activity not originally called for in
the Political Game Plan if a surplus develops at any given time. Do
not succumb. Either put the money aside in an interest-bearing
account or in the media trust account being maintained by the ad
agency for the campaign.
Be sure the members of the Finance Committee are thoroughly
familiar with the FEC, or state, rules and regulations regarding
soliciting contributions and accounting. The last thing any campaign
needs is a scandal involving illegal campaign contribution activity,
no matter how inadvertently done. The Treasurer or Political
Fundraising Consultant should establish a sound accounting procedure
for the campaign, and the staff must adhere to it, no matter how
rushed they might be. Call the FEC, Secretary of State, or the
national or state Party's legal department if there is a question
before proceeding with a questionable transaction. Finally, remember
the specific figures used in this Chapter are illustrative only, based
on the Prototype Game Plan. Each campaign's figures should be based
on its own situation and game plan.
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OPPONENT:
CHAPTER VII
WHAT THE OPPONENT WILL BE DOING;
It Takes Two to Tango
It would be nice if the campaign were operating in a vacuum,
but obviously that is not going to happen. The opponent is going to
be campaigning with everything at his/her disposal. If the opponent
is an incumbent, that can be formidable.
A major problem in many campaigns, is the overreaction that
occurs, either by the Candidate or the volunteers, when the opponent
scores points. It is going to happen; expect it, try to anticipate
how and when it is going to happen, and be prepared to counteract as
soon as possible. Whatever happens - do not panic!
1. FIRST STAGE STRATEGY AND ACTIVITY
;
Initially, the opponent will also try to take the high road
and try to ignore the Candidate, concentrating on maximum utilization
of free media coverage through conferences, releases, and actualities.
If an incumbent, he/she will take full advantage of the franking
privilege and the usual election-year dispensation of grants to
various agencies within the district. If the Candidate is a
challenger, he/she should not make the mistake so many candidates do
by crying "foul." Those candidates only embarrass themselves. These
activities are relatively normal and routine, and the news media knows
it. It is proper to chide the incumbent for his/her new-found
election-year interest in the district, if the charge is justified.
Gradually, the opponent may begin to acknowledge the Candidate's
existence, but only in a backhanded sort of way, designed to put down
the challenger by pointing out his/her lack of experience and
expertise.
The opponent, if an incumbent, already has a high name ID
rating, or should have, therefore, the primary emphasis in this early
activity will be on what an excellent job he/she is doing for the
district and how hard-working he/she is. Incidentally, if an
incumbent, after three terms, does not have a name ID rating of at
least 75 to 80 percent, something is wrong - this could be a really
strong sign of vulnerability.
Constituent service will show a marked improvement. Telephone
calls and letters will be returned promptly; flags that have flown
over the Capitol will be passed out to every school, American Legion
Post, and VFW in the district. **1** Every graduating senior in the
district will receive a congratulatory letter from the Congressperson.
Constituent surveys, showing the Congressperson's desire to know what
the people are thinking and that he/she is listening will abound. The
district staff will begin showing up at every function and meeting
they can get to, just to be sure the people know the "boss" is
concerned and wants to do everything possible to be helpful.
The incumbent will significantly increase the trips back to
the district and decrease the "junkets" around the country and
overseas. A number of "right" bills will start being co-sponsored by
the Congressperson (courtesy of the Party leader). The media will
find the Congressperson much more accessible for interviews. Town
Hall meetings will be called so the Congressperson can show how
accessible he/she is to the public.
Most of this effort will be expended to help create a positive
feeling about the Congressperson (the favorability rating factor) and
establish that he/she is different from the rest of those
"blankety-blank" people on Capitol Hill. He/she cares, is
experienced, trustworthy, honest, doing a good job, and must be
returned to keep up the good fight.
Needless to say, the opponent will have had professional polls
done to determine the major issues and concerns of the people in the
district. Staff and national Party research services will be
developing every statistic and fact they can come up with to prove
he/she is on the right side of these issues and voting the way the
constituents want. Even those votes that might be doubtful will have
a perfectly sound explanation prepared for them.
FootNotes:
**1** I use "flown" figuratively here because as many know, the U.S.
Congress has a staff of workers who do nothing all day long but run
flags up and down the flagpole over the Capitol building, so that it
may be said that this flag flew over the Capitol.
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OPPONENT:
A theme or slogan will be developed to help communicate this
positive feeling. The names, addresses, and phone numbers of every
person who received any kind of personal correspondence during the
last few years form the incumbent will be melded in the political
mailing list (incumbent's Support File). Campaign stationary designed
to simulate the incumbent's official stationary might be developed.
The photo files will be searched for photos showing the incumbent
receiving an award or interacting with people on a personal level.
Whether it be Scouts, Easter Seals, March of Dimes, Diabetes, Cancer
Research foundation, etc. it's a sure bet some type of humanitarian
activity will be featured.
2. SECOND STAGE CAMPAIGNING
;
Around mid-summer more overt political campaigning will begin.
Rare is the incumbent who will walk precincts, but most will do a few
plant gate or shopping center visits. They will usually be at all the
fairs, festivals, and parades. Virtually every civic association or
club will have the incumbent at their monthly luncheon or breakfast
meeting. The final franking mail will be sent out in late August to
all households, stressing the incumbent's voting record.
About the last thing an incumbent will want to do is provide
the challenger with an opportunity for additional free media coverage.
So, as a rule, they will find every excuse imaginable to avoid joint
appearances and/or debates. However, sooner or later, they will have
to engage in some or risk public and media disapproval. "The later,
the better" is usually the motto. Only if polls show slippage will
the reverse hold true.
3. THIRD STAGE - HIGH GEAR
;
Around Labor Day the average incumbent will swing into high
gear. The billboards and bus signs will go up. Political direct mail
will begin: first to Party members, then to previous supporters and
the constituent file, then to the independents. Their Phone Banks
will spring into action, either with volunteers or paid telephoners.
**1** A major event will normally take place in both September and
October with a heavy-hitting guest speaker in attendance. At least
one major rally will usually take place in late September. It is not
unusual for them to run a short burst, lasting 7 to 10 days, on radio
and TV about the second or third week of September. Expect a heavy
10-day run just before the election. Much will depend on what the
polls are saying about the challenger's progress.
Yard, window, and corner signs will flower during the month of
October. A tabloid can be expected around the first week of October,
followed shortly thereafter by a series of well-designed endorsement
and issue-type newspaper ads.
A second mailing will go out the final week of October,
coordinated with the media blitz. A major GOTV effort will be made
the last 10 days of the campaign, usually tied into the local Party's
program. Most local candidates are anxious to attach themselves to
the incumbent's coat-tails and will tie him/her into their grass-roots
programs. I would also expect key supporting organizations to provide
large numbers of volunteers for the GOTV effort.
4. OPPOSITION STRATEGY AND TACTICS
;
It would be unusual for an incumbent to attack a challenger
directly (they run the risk of appearing weak or defensive). However,
if their polls indicate they are in serious trouble, expect almost
anything. Even personal attacks, though usually handled by a third
party, are possible. Most incumbents, or their more avid supporters,
will have done an intensive background check on the challenger early
in the campaign. If there is anything there to exploit, it will be
exploited if necessary.
Experts will appear to prove the challenger's positions are
unrealistic at best, damaging to the country at worst. If the
incumbent can get a copy of the challenger's speaking schedule,
individuals or "truth squads" can be expected to be there to sandbag
the challenger with loaded questions. And every effort will be made
to stack the audience with supporters whenever a joint appearance or
debate is on schedule, especially if the media is there.
FootNotes:
**1** As a rule, incumbents do not have a volunteer base as strong or
as large as that of a challenger.
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OPPONENT:
Whenever possible, the incumbent might try to upstage any
event or activity a challenger has planned. An incumbent is usually
more newsworthy and can, therefore, draw the media away.
The incumbent might try to prove the challenger is an
extremist, representative of only a small segment of the district.
The tone of the attack will be that the majority of the people in the
district must rally together behind the incumbent in order to prevent
this group from taking over. Just as the challenger will be trying to
lower the favorability rating of the incumbent, the incumbent will be
attempting to do the same against the challenger. Since the challenger
does not have a voting record to prove where he/she is on the
political spectrum, the incumbent will use the challenger's position
papers, contributors, and public statements to make the case against
him/her.
Most of these attacks and/or counterattacks will be made by a
third party (the Campaign Manager, Chairperson, etc.). This tactic
usually achieves the desired result, while keeping the incumbent above
the fray. Without a strong objection from the challenger, it will
continue.
5. SUMMARY
;
The basic strategy of the incumbent is usually to capitalize
on the high name ID, reserving the campaign funds to build a higher
favorability rating and concentrating on the above-average voting
group. As long as he/she can, every effort is usually made to avoid
media opportunities that will be helpful to the challenger. Covert
campaigning can be expected right after the first of the year, plus
extensive fundraising. Overt campaigning will usually begin
mid-summer, gradually increasing in intensity until Labor Day, at that
point it will go into high gear.
The incumbent will try hard for the center ground on the
issues and the "high road" politically by having third parties do the
attacking against the challenger - personally, politically, or
philosophically, if necessary.
Since incumbents usually do not have as strong a volunteer
force, they will rely more heavily on paid personnel to do the
telephoning and the GOTV program. They will also tap heavily into
precinct organizations of the local Party, key organizations, and
other candidates.
In a debate or joint appearance, an incumbent can be expected
to rely heavily on statistical data and less on demagoguery, creating
the impression he/she knows what he/she is talking about.
Every chip in the district (favors owed for favors done) will
be called in, especially if it appears to be a close election. The
incumbent will usually do a limited amount of broad-based campaigning
(for cosmetic or media purposes), more concentration on centers of
influence, key groups, and media.
Since campaign funds are relatively easier to come by and
significant expenditures unnecessary before Labor Day, an intensive
media program in September and October can be expected, that the
Candidate's campaign must be prepared to neutralize.
Rarely can or will an incumbent do a voter ID program on the
scale a challenger will attempt. **1** An incumbent's Phone Bank
will be geared primarily to advocacy calls to ticket-splitters,
independents, and Party members during the GOTV effort. An incumbent
will usually rely more heavily on free and paid catch-all media spots
to campaign for the average voter group, personal campaign activity
plus targeted use of the media for the above-average voter group.
The incumbent knows, all other things being equal, he/she
usually has the advantage over the challenger at the outset. Expect
the incumbent, therefore, to maintain that advantage by not allowing
the challenger to accelerate campaign activity at a greater rate. In
other words, if the incumbent's campaign proceeds at a rate equal to
the challenger's, the incumbent is almost assured a victory. An
astute incumbent, therefore, can be expected to monitor carefully, by
polls, the challenger's and his/her own progress and to adjust the
campaign plan accordingly.
A normal campaign budget for an incumbent to accomplish this
will average between $350,000 and $400,000.
FootNotes:
**1** A device like TeleClerk could radically change this situation.
By installing and running a system like this a year before the
election, an incumbent could do the ID program with hardly any
volunteers.
#ENDCARD
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SUMMARY:
CHAPTER VIII
SUMMARY AND OVERVIEW;
Play it again, Sal
In the previous chapters, I have attempted to point out many
of the basic procedures that must be planned and implemented to run a
successful campaign, i.e. those activities that are fundamental and
basic to most candidates' campaigns, regardless of the type or
location of the district. Except for those sections where I
specifically referred to a Congressional campaign, or an incumbent's
strategy, everything presented is applicable to all other levels of
campaigns.
If it were possible to quantify these constants in terms of a
percentage of the whole campaign, I would estimate they would
constitute 85 to 90 percent of the activity in the average campaign.
Yet, so often, many consultants, advisers, or strategists will
concentrate on the 10 to 15 percent that make up the variables. The
assumption appears to be that the Candidate is already aware of the
constants (or can figure them out) and, therefore, does not need this
kind of detailed assistance. In some cases, it may be a result of the
lack of campaign experience on the part of the adviser.
My own experience has shown almost the opposite. The
candidates I have studied over the years, no matter what their other
skills might be, usually have had to spend an inordinate amount of
precious campaign time learning the peculiarities of campaign
management and techniques. Eventually, by trial and error, they are
able to get most of it together, but more often than not, it is with
about 60 days to go before the election. Many opportunities for
potential votes are lost in the process.
The Campaign Manual, therefore, has been written essentially
to help speed up this learning process. As any pro will point out,
there are probably a dozen different ways to solve the same problem.
The methods presented in the Manual cover only a few. My primary
intent has been to help the reader understand the problems, to define
objectives, and to suggest basic methods that will work (and have
worked for me) and the procedures to be followed.
For example, further reading on the subject of how direct mail
letters should be written will sometimes suggest apparently
contradictory methods. Frankly, I do not believe there is a "best"
way. I have used one-page letters and three-page letters, short
paragraphs and long paragraphs, straight margins and indents, letters
signed by heavies and some that were signed by not-so-heavies, at
different times; they all seem to work equally well. As long as they
are sincere, straightforward, and well-targeted, they should produce
positive results. What is important, the constant, is the use of
direct mail in the campaign.
Another example is the activity in the 1st Stage
(pre-announcement). How the items listed are accomplished, i.e.
whether done by the Candidate personally, by a committee, or done by
someone else, is not the constant. The accumulation of this data and
the preparation activity is what is important and must be done.
In developing the strategy and game plans, the Candidate must
develop a realistic awareness of the problems being faced, reasonable
solutions, and a viable plan to implement them. The methodology used
in this Manual is one example of how someone might go through this
step-by-step procedure. It is by no means the only way to accomplish
the goals. It is, however, one of the surest ways.
A Candidate must weigh or take stock of his/her resources,
including an objective self-appraisal as a candidate. What kind and
how much support can the Candidate really expect from the Party,
friends, and acquaintances? Does the Candidate really have the
caliber of staff and committee people needed - those willing to devote
the required time and energy to the campaign? Is the family and the
Candidate really prepared for what lies ahead? Can he/she
realistically raise the seed money it is going to take to get the
campaign off on the right foot? Do the members of the Finance
Committee really have the ability and willingness to raise the kind of
money expected from them?
#ENDCARD
#CARD
SUMMARY:
Is the opponent, if an incumbent, really vulnerable, or is
this just wishful thinking on the Candidate's part? Is the Candidate
really committed to serving the people in the district in this manner,
or is this just an ego trip, or a means of building name ID for
commercial purposes? Is the media availability in the district such
that it can be used effectively to communicate the Candidate's
message? If not, are there realistic alternatives available that will
accomplish essentially the same results? For example, if the district
is in the New York City media market, the costs of TV would probably
be prohibitive or, at best, the buy would be considerably weakened in
comparison with the program called for in the Prototype Plan. There
would have to be a viable alternative to accomplish the objectives
that TV would otherwise realize.
The important points are: (1) the Candidate must have a method
that will build up his/her name ID rating equal to the opponent's (if
an incumbent); (2) the favorability rating must be greater; (3) there
must be a secondary Political Game Plan that will effectively deliver
the Candidate's message to the above-average voters; (4) a program is
needed that will identify the voters; (5) the campaign must have a
communication method and program that will help motivate the
electorate to come out and vote for the Candidate; and (6) there must
be a program in place that will maximize the potential votes on
Election Day.
The programs and systems outlined in the Prototype Plan do all
of these things. It is a refined version of a plan that has actually
been used in a number of campaigns with a high degree of success when
implemented properly. **1** It is not based on theory, it is doable.
The Candidate's plan, regardless of its final form, must also
accomplish the above objectives and be doable. If it fails in any one
of the six areas, the campaign will almost surely fail in its desired
outcome.
It would be a rare situation where an incumbent does not
appear to have a sizable lead at the outset over a challenger. Given
that an incumbent in not going to concede just because a challenger is
in the race, the Candidate must devise a strategy that presumes an
active campaign on the incumbent's part (or any opponent). If the
best the Candidate could hope to do is neutralize the incumbent in the
media level of the campaign, the needed gains have to be made in the
other two levels - field operations and Candidate activities.
As mentioned before, the challenger usually has a decided
advantage in these two levels, if he/she capitalizes on them. If the
incumbent were to maintain as strong a program as this, he/she would
be virtually unbeatable.
What so many candidates do not seem to realize, or fully
appreciate, are the cost factors involved with an extensive field
operations program. A careful analysis of the Prototype Budget will
show that the field operation's costs for staff, materials,
telephones, and logistical support services actually exceed the
electronic media portion of the budget. But without these support
materials and services, the field operations volunteers could not
accomplish their objectives.
The same is true of the Candidate's level of operation within
the campaign. Though not as expensive in direct cash outlays, the
value of lost income and time involved while campaigning full-time can
be substantial. Here again, unless this "expenditure" is made, a
challenger/candidate has reduced considerably one of the only two
methods he/she has to make gains over an incumbent.
In the media level, there is a hidden advantage in that there
is a finite limit to the amount of communication that any Candidate
can do, regardless of how much money he/she has to spend in this area.
Though no easy task, it is possible to neutralize the opponent by
matching his/her media expenditures, at least to the degree it is
prudent, i.e. not risking overexposure.
Since TV stations have relatively strict limits on the amount
of advertising time they can sell for a given show, since they must
sell (or make available for sale) to the Candidate an amount (both in
terms of quantity and quality) equal to what is sold an opponent,
**2** and since they must also make the schedule of the opponent's
buys available to the Candidate at either the time of inquiry and/or
purchase, the Candidate has an opportunity to communicate his/her
message through this medium as effectively as the opponent. These
same rules are usually followed by radio stations, newspapers, and
billboard companies.
FootNotes:
**1** As a matter of fact, when it was first used in its present form
it was very instrumental in helping a challenger Congressional
candidate beat a firmly entrenched and powerful incumbent. The
candidate had never run for political office before, was not
exceptionally active in community affairs, was a very qualified and
decent person but hardly what one would call charismatic. The
incumbent had been in office for 26 years, was considered invincible,
was virtually an institution both in the district and DC. The
incumbent had virtually an unlimited source of campaign funds; the
challenger never put a dime of his own into the campaign. To make
matters even more "impossible," the Party registration in the district
was 3 to 1 against the challenger. Frankly, a more perfect lab test
for this plan could not have been devised. The plan worked; the
challenger not only beat the incumbent, but he did so by the largest
percentage of any winning candidate in that year.
**2** This is a result of the FCC's equal access rule.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
SUMMARY:
The only area of paid media communications where there are no
limits or restrictions is direct mail. However, logic dictates that
the maximum number of mailings an opponent can do in a 2-month period
is three, more than that risks overexposure.
[Note: I have deliberately avoided spelling out the number of TV and
radio spots necessary to achieve the campaign's objectives. There are
simply too many particular factors that must be taken into
consideration when making this determination to provide the reader
with a constant that would be meaningful. Only after studying the
targeting needs, polling results, the Arbitron ratings, media
availability, rates, etc. can this type of decision be made. If the
campaign has not availed itself of professional assistance in any
other area of the campaign, it must do so in this one.]
In the Prototype Plan, these limitations on the opponent's
media capabilities are anticipated, matched, and effectively
neutralized. By maximizing the activities in the other two levels, it
is possible for a challenger/candidate to actually reverse the normal
positions, i.e. that the incumbent is inherently stronger and the one
to beat. In fact, I am convinced that at any given time, 70 percent
of all campaigns are winnable by the challenger as a result of these
advantages, if exploited properly (regardless of currently prevailing
ideological shifts). As mentioned before, the fact is most candidates
lose as a result of their failure to plan and implement a sound
campaign, not because the opponent beats them.
Since the implementation is so conditional on adequate
financing, it is imperative that a viable Finance Committee be formed
and made operational early in the campaign. Remember, a campaign is
similar to a business; if undercapitalized at the outset, its chances
of success are minimal.
There are those campaigns that will occasionally be successful
in spite of themselves, (the five or less fluke wins in any given
year), but for a Candidate to base his/her campaign on this occurring
could only be described as foolish. The average Congressional
Candidate's campaign represents a capital, time, and labor investment
of around $1.2 million over a 12-month period - too much to be spent
for an exercise in futility, especially when substantial sacrifices
are being asked of so many others.
Also, remember that even though a Candidate can assemble a
very talented, energetic group of individuals on his/her team, there
is still a need for an experienced coach to help the Candidate and
his/her teammates perform as a unit with maximum effectiveness.
Someone must assess the situation critically, develop the strategy,
call the plays, change tactics if the other team does something
unanticipated, and motivate the members to perform according to the
plan, etc. especially when, or if, the team falls behind and time is
running out. There is an old adage that says a lawyer who defends
himself has a fool for a client. That can easily be applied to the
Candidate who tries to run his/her own campaign.
There are many outside sources of assistance available to a
Candidate because an opponent's votes can affect individuals or groups
throughout the state or country, not just in the district. But these
potential allies usually will not become enthusiastically involved
unless they believe the Candidate knows how and has the ability to
take maximum advantage of all opportunities. The tell-tale signs are
the Political Game Plan and Budget plus the results of the early
fundraising efforts, both in terms of amount and number of
contributors. They are accustomed to hearing all the possible
arguments about why they should help; they usually know the opponent's
voting record (if an incumbent), or position on the issues (if a
challenger), and they are aware of the opponent's vulnerability. But
unless the Candidate can prove to them he/she has at least an even
chance of winning, they will be reluctant to commit a portion of their
limited resources to the campaign. There is rarely anything personal
in this decision; it is simply pragmatic. The most irrefutable proof
the campaign can give them is the first $150,000 of campaign funds
being raised by the Finance Committee within the district.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
SUMMARY:
The cost of the campaign is a direct function of the need to
communicate - the purpose of political communications being to inform
and motivate. In recent years the cost factors for paid
communications have increased at an astronomic rate by comparison with
most other areas of the economy. If is rather hypocritical,
therefore, when the size of a Candidate's campaign budget is
questioned by the opponent or members of the media. When done, it is
usually a smokescreen designed to divert public attention from the
real issues in a campaign. Fortunately, the more objective and
informed media reporters do not fall for this tactic as they did in
the past and refuse to be used by the opponent in this manner.
Remember, almost any negative attack can be turned around by
the Candidate and used to his/her advantage if it is anticipated, the
responses prepared in advance, and the mechanism put in place to
deliver the response quickly. Usually it is only when a Candidate
reacts in panic that mistakes are made and the opponent is able to
score cheap points.
Build measuring devices into the campaign, that will enable
the campaign to assess impact (positive or negative) and evaluate
progress. Reinforce these measuring devices with professional polls,
that help to confirm or deny the results of the internal methodology.
If the field program is realizing its objectives on schedule, but a
poll indicates the Candidate is trailing badly, then in all
probability the initial objectives were understated and immediate
corrective action might be called for. Incidentally, be sure the poll
is taken and results broken down by the Regional alignments. This
will help to adjust strategy, if necessary, on a more localized basis.
The campaign must do extensive research before establishing
its Region, Area, and precinct objectives. They should be
realistically obtainable and adequate to guarantee a win.
Remember, there are three main types of political targeting,
(direct mail, demographics, and media) one applicable to each level of
the campaign, (field operations, media and candidate activity) and the
calculations for each type have their own methodology. Avoid confusing
them or attempting to apply one to the other. The method of
implementation used is then subdivided and dependent on the Stages of
the campaign. Plot the target out on a graph to reduce the chances of
oversight and/or mistakes being made.
As the analysis and planning for each level is done, determine
whether an activity's primary purpose in a given Stage is to build
name ID, a favorable impression for the Candidate, or a negative
impression of the opponent. Then, subcategorize the activity as to
its primary respondent grouping: the average voter or the
above-average voter. Keep in mind the safety net concept: If one
activity partially misses its given objective, what activity has been
planned to catch the differential; is there a third net beneath that
one? A fourth net within a given level is usually unnecessary and
inefficient.
To review briefly how this strategy works, look at the field
operations and media programs in the 4th Stage as an example. The
primary objective of this Stage's activity is to inform the
above-average voter group about the Candidate and his/her differences
with the opponent (negative advocacy), i.e. providing them with a
reason to vote for the Candidate and/or against the opponent. Since
the campaign does not know specifically who the above-average voters
are, this will be a partial catch-all program to undecided voters,
designed to insure communication with them (the number substantially
reduced, however, from what it could have been by the activities in
the 2nd and 3rd Stages).
The first net is the Precinct Captain's program, backed up by
the second net - the Phone Bank volunteers program. The third net is
provided by the media level programs: (1) the free media generated by
debates and attack press releases, (2) the first 3 weeks' run of TV
and radio commercials, and (3) the direct mail program to the
unidentified members of the opposition Party accomplishes a secondary
objective of this Stage.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
SUMMARY:
Tracking surveys (polls taken weekly) done in campaigns using
this system have shown that it is 90 percent effective in realizing
its objective, i.e. the targeted group received the required
additional information needed to reach a decision on how to vote. On
the average, over 60 percent of those who were previously in the
undecided category decide to vote for the Candidate as a result of
this contact and the message received.
In each Stage the personal political activity of the Candidate
is designed to either supplement or capitalize on the activities
taking place at the other two levels in the campaign, e.g. when they
are concentrating on identifying and informing (a result of that is
higher name ID) in the 2nd Stage, the Candidate is concentrating on
centers of influence and selective groups that will help increase
public awareness of the campaign.
Keep in mind the emphasis has been on primary objectives in
each Stage and there will always be a certain amount of activity, in
all levels, that will help realize other objectives. This activity
will usually be concurrent, e.g. the billboards through all Stages are
designed primarily for building name ID, a primary activity in the 2nd
Stage, but in this case a secondary activity during the rest of the
Stages. Also, the primary activity in the 3rd Stage is positive
advocacy, but if the opponent does something (like vote on a
particular bill, if an incumbent), that is in blatant opposition to
what a majority of the people in the district would want, just because
it might happen in the 3rd Stage should not preclude the Candidate
from taking issue with him/her. However, these departures should be
chosen carefully and done infrequently.
The Candidate should be cautious about adopting
well-intentioned advice, regardless of the source, especially if it is
not compatible with the Game Plan. No matter how experienced the
individual or what source they represent, unless they have taken the
time to study in detail the campaign's particular situation, the
advice, though helpful in some other given situation, could adversely
impact another area of the campaign.
If hiring a consultant, regardless of the type, be sure he/she
is one that is heavily experienced in the particular level of campaign
being run. Many of the better known names in the business developed
their reputation on Presidential campaigns where there is a
considerable amount of national publicity. There is about as much
similarity between running a Presidential and Congressional race as
there is between a football and a baseball game. Actually, most
political consultants shy away from publicity as much as possible to
avoid taking any media attention away from their client or causing the
media to tag the Candidate on the basis of the philosophical leanings
of their previous clients.
If possible, consider using multi-agencies - for Congressional
and smaller races especially. They are usually the most
cost-efficient. Check prices carefully when negotiating with all
potential suppliers; the differences can be substantial. Remember
even a 2-cent differential on a direct mail piece equals $10,000 when
mailing 500,000 pieces. Most reputable multi-agencies can save the
cost of their fee to the campaign just in these discounted rates
alone.
When negotiating contracts, the Candidate should be sure
he/she knows what the campaign is receiving; there is a significant
difference between a managing consultant and one who simply dispenses
advice during a monthly visit to the district, with little or no
follow-through on the days in between.
Once selected, do not second-guess or question loyalty. The
vast majority of Political Campaign Consultants, especially those who
are full members of the American Association of Political Consultants,
are full-time professionals. Once retained, like an attorney or
doctor, they must put the campaigns interests above all other
considerations; the Candidate's campaign becomes their campaign and,
frankly, in 17 years I have never heard of a Political Campaign
Consultant violating that position of trust. They would be
blackballed out of the business if they did. With only a few hundred
full-time Political Campaign Consultants in the country, it would not
take long for the word to get around.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
SUMMARY:
A Candidate should be sensitive to the campaign's internal
morale and avoid becoming so busy campaigning that it is overlooked.
Remember, for most volunteers a campaign is a social experience; there
is no rule that says they should not have some fun. Make sure the
staff receives the recognition and appreciation they deserve. Some
Political Campaign Consultants believe an adversary relationship
should exist between the Candidate and the Campaign Manager, but I do
not. I believe they are partners in the effort. The activity of each
should complement the other's efforts. The same holds true for the
consultant.
The Candidate's spouse and family are participating in the
campaign, either directly by working on it, or indirectly by doing
without the Candidate for the next 12 months and covering his/her
share of the household functions and responsibilities. The Candidate
should let them know continuously how much their support is
appreciated and share the campaign experiences with them. Let them
feel they are really a part of what is happening.
The Candidate should never forget he/she is asking the people
of the district to accept him/her as their leader in the U.S. House of
Representatives, the legislature, the city council, etc. - a serious
responsibility, regardless of the specific office. They should always
conduct and project themselves as a leader should. Show respect for
the office and the person serving in it, though not, obviously, for
the way in that he/she is exercising the duties and responsibilities
of that office. Do not engage in gutter politics or dirty tricks no
matter what the provocation. Candidates only demean their own
integrity and that of all the people who have placed their trust in
them when they resort to this type of campaigning. That is not to say
they should not play hard-ball when necessary, but always play fair.
**1**
Finally, remember that the overall strategy must be to
neutralize the opponent in the "backboard" by matching him/her in the
media level of the campaign and to use the Pawns and King pieces
(volunteers and the candidate) to maximum advantage, i.e. to a greater
degree than the opponent can or does. If the Candidate develops a
sound Political Game Plan with a realistic Budget, raises the funds
necessary to implement it effectively, organizes a comprehensive,
dynamic precinct and phone bank program, with a capable staff to
administer it all, he/she can win!
FootNotes:
**1** I strongly subscribe to a Campaign Code of Ethics and believe
that all candidates should exchange campaign literature and ad copy,
48 hours before its dissemination to the general public.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
VARIATIONS:
CHAPTER IX
VARIATIONS
For Congressional and Other Type Campaigns;
1. CONGRESSIONAL SIZE CAMPAIGNS (500,000 PEOPLE)
;
The Prototype Plan I have been using in the previous chapters
is based on an urban/suburban district with a relatively compact media
market. There are at least three other types of districts, plus three
common situations, that would necessitate a fundamental change in the
methodology used to achieve the campaign's objectives. They are:
A. A semi-rural district.
B. A rural district.
C. An urban (or suburban) district in a major
metropolitan area.
D. A district without a local media market.
E. A district with open registration.
F. A contested primary.
A. A Semi-Rural District.
;
Normally this district will contain two or three medium-sized
cities (75,000 - 125,000 population); be less homogeneous than an
urban/suburban district, i.e. a smaller spread of ethnic and/or racial
backgrounds; contain relatively equal amounts of light industry,
medium industry, and agriculture; have multiple media markets serving
it; lack a dominant, local daily newspaper; will be spread over an
area of around 1,000 square miles - too small to fly, too long to
cover by car from one end to the other in a single day, and normally
covering at least four or five counties.
In the organizational structure, each county would probably be
designated as a Region, regardless of individual population, and then
sub-divided into five Areas following the same guidelines in the
Prototype Plan.
The campaign will have to analyze and develop to a greater
degree each Region's individual objectives, as a slightly different
campaign strategy will probably have to be developed for each one,
i.e. intensive precinct operations in the county/Regions with the
cities, Phone Bank only in the more rural county/Regions. **1**
Without one of the field operation's safety nets in the more rural
Regions, the risk will be greater that the objectives will not be
fully realized, and this factor will have to be taken into
consideration when doing the calculations.
Also, the campaign will probably be more dependent on local
Party committees, organizations, and candidates for assistance in all
Stages relevant to field operations. Normally a quid pro quo
arrangement can be worked out where these entities will supply
volunteers in exchange for paid support services and materials
(headquarters, slate card mailers, computer services, etc.). The
campaign must develop Regional/County Finance Committees, that operate
semi-independently of the whole committee. Major events will be more
difficult to promote and the campaign will probably have to hold each
event at 2 locations in different parts of the district.
Generally these types of districts have very parochial
counties each one like a little fiefdom, that present unique problems
in aspects of the campaign. Whereas a Candidate can operate somewhat
independently of the local Party and elected officials in an
urban/suburban district, if necessary, it is almost impossible to do
so in this type of district. Candidates will find that many of these
individuals jealously guard their territory and might work against
them if they attempt to campaign independently of them and the county
ticket. Regrettably, there is often deep-rooted competition between
the various county bosses. The Candidate should be careful about who
is appointed to the Advisory Committee; if it is loaded too heavily
from one county to the other, he/she could be asking for serious
internal campaign problems.
FootNotes:
**1** Precinct operations rarely work well in rural areas.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
VARIATIONS:
Greater care must be taken (and energy expended) to solidify
the Candidate's base in this type of district. There will also be
additional costs for extra headquarters, telephones, equipment,
supplies, and staff personnel.
The free media program will also have to be regionalized. The
number of releases will stay about the same as in the Prototype Plan,
but multiplied by each county's media outlets. With a few exceptions,
the campaign will find most county outlets will not cover political
news that happened in another county. Drop-ins at radio stations and
newspapers are a strong must.
Since the industries are so diversified the Candidate will
have to become as expert in one area's problems as the others. Also
the style of campaigning will vary considerably, e.g. a man would not
show up to tour a local dairy farm in a three-piece suit and wing-tip
shoes.
Ironically, the Candidate will have to campaign harder and end
up seeing less people because of the extra travel time required. If
possible, the Candidate should start campaigning full-time at the
beginning of the 2nd Stage. Also, the Candidate will have to
concentrate more time on the fairs, festivals, and parades during the
3rd Stage, simply because there are more of them. To compensate,
decrease activity at plant gates and shopping centers.
The campaign vehicle should be a van equipped as though it
were a mobile office (it will be used extensively to deliver supplies
to the Regional and Area Chairpersons) and a room on wheels for a
place to change clothes, freshen up, and stretch out between the long
runs. Make sure it has air-conditioning, automatic drive, a tape
deck, and cruise control. After a few months of intensive rural
campaigning it will become obvious why this is necessary. Paint the
campaign logo on each side and it also becomes a moving billboard.
The campaign's billboard spread will require a larger number
of boards to achieve the same GRP rating. Fortunately the rental
rates are usually less in these districts, so the budget should not
have to be increased too much. Rely more heavily on unlighted boards
(they are less expensive, and lighted ones are unnecessary in rural
areas) and also on 4 x 8 signs.
Since the media market is so spread out, chances are the
campaign will beunable to utilize TV to the same extent possible in
the Prototype Plan. Since seeing the Candidate is a necessary part of
developing that very important sense of familiarity, I would recommend
the campaign attempt some TV coverage, at least in the last 10 days of
the campaign. Limit the spots to three, the biography, the "attack,"
and the appeal for votes (3 days, 3 days, 4 days), and exercise even
greater care in placement for maximum exposure. Also the campaign
should use pictures of the Candidate more extensively - in window
signs, billboards, tabloids, and even stationary - but be sure the
quality of the photo is exceptionally good.
Expand the radio coverage (using the same six spots as in the
Prototype Plan on a 10, 20, 30 40 basis) to make up partially for the
decrease in TV exposure. The same goes for the newspaper ads.
Whereas this type of media is not that important in an urban/suburban
district, it is essential in this type of district. Endorsement ads
are especially effective.
The direct mail will be about the same as in the Prototype
Plan in both quantity and targeting. I recommend a special edition of
a tabloid (heavy on pictures) for hand distribution at fairs and
festivals. Also the use of a slide presentation, or TV video, as a
permanent feature in the campaign booth at all fairs is recommended.
In the GOTV Stage, the campaign will probably have to rely
more heavily on host homes for telephoning, especially to keep the
long distance costs down.
The budget for this type of campaign will be about the same as
in the Prototype Plan. The extra costs for billboards, signs, radio,
newspaper ads, staff, and transportation should be offset by the
reduced costs for TV.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
VARIATIONS:
B. A Rural District.
;
These districts are primarily farm districts with a large
number of small cities and towns (5,000 - 75,000 population), usually
contain two or three predominant ethnic backgrounds, have a modest
amount of light industry, have multiple media markets serving it, lack
a dominant daily newspaper, and spread over an area of several
thousand square miles comprising upwards of 20 counties.
In a district of this type 5+ counties equal a Region, with
each county becoming an Area. To avoid potential conflicts with local
Party county chairpersons, the campaign should designate its county
chairperson the Area Chairperson.
Precinct operations are impractical, if not virtually
impossible, in a rural district. The Phone Bank program is the only
viable means to realize the field operation's objectives. Since the
cost of a Phone Bank in each county would be prohibitive, the campaign
is almost totally dependent on volunteers making the necessary calls
from their homes. **1** An exception might happen in the 4th and 5th
Stages. It is not unusual to pool resources with the local county
Party committee and candidates to form organized phone banks at that
time. This system is not as effective as having the campaign's own
Phone Bank, but it could be helpful. The other option is to establish
a bank of ten intrastate WATS lines in the base area where there
should be an adequate supply of volunteers to work them and thereby
make all calls from that central location. In the long run, this
might be the most cost-effective way.
Since one of the safety nets has been eliminated, the campaign
runs a greater risk of not reaching its objectives. To offset this
risk, the campaign should factor this into the calculations of vote
objectives by increasing the safety margin 10 percent.
The Finance Committee structure and other operations would be
the same as in a semi-rural district, as is the heavier dependence on
county Party organizations. The previous caveats regarding the
sensitivities of county chairperson also apply here.
The free media program and the Candidate's personal campaign
activities are the same as in the semi-rural district, only multiplied
even further to cover all the counties adequately. In addition to a
van equipped as previously mentioned, the campaign will also need to
make arrangements for the occasional rental of a twin-engine and
twin-piloted plane for use when campaigning in the farthest Regions.
Arrangements should be made with the Regional or Area Chairpersons to
provide ground transportation on those days.
Also the billboard spread will have to be even greater, though
unit costs will be less. Be more selective about positioning them and
place even heavier emphasis on the 4 x 8 signs.
In these districts, even though the media market for TV is
diversified, the rates are usually so low unless the campaign draws
from a major market area, that it can accomplish virtually the same
objectives as in the Prototype Plan. If this is the case, follow the
buy outlines in the Prototype Plan (10, 20, 30, 40) using the six
basic commercials.
Radio usage and newspaper ads are essentially the same program
used in a semi-rural district. The direct mail program is the same as
in the Prototype Plan.
Since there will not be a corresponding reduction in the TV
portion of the budget to offset the increased costs of billboards,
radio, newspaper ads, and signs, the campaign will have a higher
budget than the one in the Prototype Plan. Minus the savings in the
precinct operations, the net increase should be around $20,000.
C. An Urban or Suburban District in a Major Metropolitan
Area.
;
These districts are usually contained within metropolitan
areas of 1,000,000+ people. The strategy and game plan is essentially
the same as the Prototype Plan with one major difference - the
electronic media.
FootNotes:
**1** If the campaign were using a device like TeleClerk, it could
move it from county to county while making the calls.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
VARIATIONS:
Radio and TV costs in these districts are usually prohibitive.
As in a semi-rural district, the campaign might consider a short run
on very well-targeted programs (TV only, no radio) 10 days prior to
the election and, certainly, the Candidate should use his/her picture
more extensively on printed material.
However, the main substitutes are increased direct mail (at
least one extra piece to undecideds, independents, and unidentified
members of the opposite Party) and a significant increase in precinct
walking by the Candidate, especially in the top four categories of
prioritized precincts, i.e. 4, 5, 3, and 2. Since there will not be
the number of fairs, etc. to attend, the time should be available.
Go heavy on signs and weekly newspaper ads. Building name ID
in this type of district is a real problem, since many people here are
not even sure what Congressional district they are in. To the extent
the campaign is able, paper the district with signs: in windows, on
lawns, poles, fences, etc.
Since even a short run on TV will be expensive, plus the added
cost of extra signs and another direct mail piece, the budget will
probably be higher than the Prototype Plan by $50,000.
D. A District Without a Local Media Market.
;
This district is essentially one that draws most of its
electronic media from outside the boundaries of the district and
state. As to other factors regarding this type of district, follow
the appropriate guidelines already given.
What makes this district's problem unique is the lack of
interest in the race that exists on the part of the media outlets
servicing the district. This greatly reduces the free media coverage
other candidates are able to generate; it adds to whatever cost
problems may exist for paid media.
Increase the direct mail and sign programs, as in the urban or
suburban type district, and increase the TV and radio budget to enable
use of the same format and amount of coverage as in the Prototype
Plan. Depending on the cost factors involved, the campaign should
consider using 5-minute spots strategically placed during the month of
September (the campaign's Political Media Consultant, or ad agency,
will explain how these work technically and the specific costs
involved).
Depending on the location, the budget will probably have to be
increased between $60,000 and $100,000 to make up for this loss of
free media coverage.
E. A District in a State with Open Registration.
;
There are still a few states in the country that do not allow
their residents to declare Party affiliation when registering to vote
and have open primaries, i.e. the voter selects that Party's primary
they are going to vote in when they go to the polling place.
As mentioned before, this situation presents a unique problem
to the candidate. This particular problem is solved, at least
partially, by a redirection of the targeting and increasing the direct
mail program in the 2nd and 5th Stages.
Since the Candidate does not know who the members of his/her
Party are, the campaign must follow the percentages with the direct
mail pieces in the 2nd and 5th Stages. Expand those mailings to all
voters in prioritized precincts 1, 2, and 3. Then change the
campaigning and field operation direction from a 4, 5, 3, 2, 1, 6
priority schedule to 4, 3, 2, 1, 5, 6 (again, going with the
percentages).
All other factors, type of district, media situations, etc.
apply and have little or no relevance to this added situation.
#ENDCARD
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VARIATIONS:
The differential in the budget for the extra direct mail will
probably be an increase of $30,000, plus or minus $5,000 depending on
the actual numbers involved.
[Note: There is one other possible problem that a Candidate should be
aware of that occasionally occurs in a district with open primaries.
Sometimes an opponent, or a supporting organization, will attempt to
sandbag a Candidate by encouraging a person to run against him/her in
the Primary. The word then goes out to that opponent's supporters to
vote for the dummy candidate in the Primary (who, if the winner, then
"packs it in" during the General election - guaranteeing a win for the
opponent, or organization, who engineered it all). As strange as this
may seem, it does happen. In fact, there are some cases where several
dummy candidates have been encouraged to run. What makes it so
tempting is that, even if the dummy Candidate does not win, the
serious Candidate, whose Primary race he/she enters, is forced to
spend a considerable amount of resources to beat him/her.]
The only effective countermove that I have seen work is for
the Candidate who is being sandbagged to make sure the opponent has
opposition in his/her Primary also, so that his/her supporters are
unable to cross over. This is done, of course, by encouraging someone
to run against the opponent.
Other measures like complaining to the media to counter this
tactic rarely seem to work, as they require the dummy candidate to
admit being a "dummy" in public. Frankly, this tactic smacks of dirty
tricks and I find it reprehensible. Unfortunately though, it does
happen and the campaign needs to be aware of it.
F. A Contested Primary.
;
Other than the situation just discussed, a Candidate might
himself/herself in a legitimate primary race for his/her Party's
nomination.
Essentially the Prototype Plan, with the appropriate
variations depending on the type of district the Candidate is in, is
still applicable and the campaign's base plan. However, with a
contested primary, the Candidate must increase the number of Stages
and, in effect, superimpose another plan over it.
In the Prototype Plan (without a contested Primary), there are
5 Stages (both will presume a 06/07/90 Primary Election):
10/01/89 1st Stage: Pre-Announcement.
03/02/90 2nd Stage: Voter ID (all voters); build name ID.
06/08/90 3rd Stage: Positive Advocacy (undecideds, independents).
09/06/90 4th Stage: Negative Advocacy (undecideds).
10/19/90 5th Stage: GOTV - General Election.
With a Primary there are 7 Stages:
10/01/89 1st Stage: Pre-Announcement.
02/04/90 2nd Stage: Voter ID (Party members only).
04/01/90 3rd Stage: Positive Advocacy (undecided Party members only).
05/21/90 4th Stage: GOTV - Primary Election.
06/08/90 5th Stage: Voter ID and Positive Advocacy (all voters minus
Party members).
09/06/90 6th Stage: Negative Advocacy (undecideds and independents).
10/19/90 7th Stage: GOTV - General Election.
[Note: Announcement of candidacy is moved up one month to 02/01/90.]
In the Primary, the field operation organization concentrates
its activities among Party members only. Since this "field" is
usually between one-fourth to one-third of the total electorate in an
average district, the timeframes for each Stage are adequate to do the
job. If the district has open registration, concentrate on the 1, 2, 3
prioritized precincts whenever reference is made to "Party members."
#ENDCARD
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VARIATIONS:
In the 3rd Stage the first direct mail piece would be similar
to the Prototype Plan and the campaign would send a second direct mail
piece to undecideds and unidentified Party members only, with a
comparative flyer describing the differences between the Candidate and
the closest opponent for the nomination. Remember, the Candidate is
going to need the supporters of this opponent after the Primary, so
stick to the issues and be factual. Instead of a letter, the campaign
might consider using a tabloid since it is less expensive. Also in
this Stage begin putting up lawn signs.
During the 4th Stage, a final GOTV mailer is sent to all Party
members, in addition to the contacts being made by field operations,
except those identified supporters of the opponent. On 5/28/90 the
campaign should begin a 10-day run on TV and radio, carefully targeted
to the demographics of the average Party members - subject, of course,
to previously mentioned variations. Use three spots - a biography,
the issues spot, and the appeal spot - 3, 3, and 4 days respectively.
The Candidate's personal campaign activity is geared almost
exclusively to members of the Party. However, free media activity
should be primarily directed against the presumed opponent in the
General Election period, with only occasional releases directed
against the Primary opponent. All the other types of releases follow
the Prototype Plan.
The campaign will need additional polls: a mini-benchmark (300
samples, Party members only) around 04/01/90 and a follow-up poll (250
samples, Party members only) done on 05/14/90. Both should be
"weighted" by Region.
In the Prototype Plan, the increased costs would be
approximately $30,000 for direct mail, $40,000 for radio and TV,
$15,000 for polling, $5,000 for Administrative and Field Operations,
and $10,000 for consultant fees. Additional costs: $100,000.
This extra amount will have to be raised primarily in-district
since, as mentioned before, PACs, ODs, and Party funds are rarely
available to candidates in a contested Primary. The campaign will
also need to add to this amount the funds that were anticipated from
outside sources before 06/07/90 in the Prototype Fundraising Schedule
($55,000).
The Prototype Plan Cash Flow schedule calls for cumulative
expenditures of around $200,000 as of June 7th. With the additional
funds needed for the Primary ($100,000), the total amount would be
about $300,000, most of that would now have to be raised in-district.
The Fundraising Game Plan would have to be adjusted accordingly.
The usual exception to receiving outside funds in a contested
Primary is made when the perception of the experts indicate the
Primary opponent(s) are competition in name only, i.e. the Candidate
is a sure winner.
The most positive benefit of a contested Primary is the higher
name ID the Candidate will realize as a result of the extra activity.
A secondary benefit is the opportunity it presents to make sure the
field operations program is well organized and working efficiently.
2. U.S. SENATE, GUBERNATORIAL, OR OTHER STATEWIDE RACES
;
The basic strategy and Political Game Plan for a U.S.
Senatorial, Gubernatorial, or other statewide campaign depends on a
number of factors, some similar to those in a Congressional race,
others quite different.
A. Some Similarities and Differences.
;
The procedural and organization steps in the 1st Stage are
essentially the same, as is the methodology used in calculating
objectives and prioritization. Most of the activities and roles of
the various players are also substantially the same, only on a
different scale, i.e. there are more of them. The rules regarding
voter behavioral patterns, average and above-average, are about the
same; therefore the dual campaign strategy with its programs designed
for each group is also applicable. The need for safety nets to insure
communications with the largest possible percentage of voters is just
as important. Maximizing the use of free media is of even greater
importance, and the methodology to accomplish this is essentially the
same.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
VARIATIONS:
But on all three levels of the campaign there are significant
differences dependent on three basic factors: (1) the status of the
Candidate, i.e. most Senatorial or Gubernatorial candidates are
existing officeholders and, therefore, have a voting record that can
be identified and attacked, plus a base (their present constituency)
on which to build; (2) the size of the state by population and/or
geography, that will materially affect the budget, game plans, and
type of campaign activity done by the Candidate; and (3) the
availability of volunteers to do a field operations program similar to
the Prototype Plan, i.e. identify, inform, encourage support, and
motivate to get out and vote.
1. Status as a Previous Officeholder.
;
The Candidate who has previously held office, in addition to
the type of research required in the 1st Stage of the Prototype Plan,
must also do the type required of an incumbent, i.e. a careful
analysis of the previous voting record with a reasonable defense of
same. In effect, that particular advantage enjoyed by a
non-officeholding Candidate is lost. This could make the Candidate
vulnerable unless the attack is anticipated and rebuttals prepared.
It is a good idea to have a committee established to play devil's
advocate and really rake the Candidate over the coals in mock debates
to help prepare for what is coming.
The other side of the coin is that the Candidate does have a
natural base on which to build, i.e. the present constituents. An
appeal for financial and volunteer help should be made to them early
in the campaign, that in medium to larger states begins at least 6
months earlier.
2. The Size of the State by Population and/or Geography.
;
This second factor is difficult to discuss in this book, a
separate Manual is almost required. Frankly, adaptations can be
readily made from the Prototype Plan in states up to about six million
people, roughly 12 Congressional districts. When a state begins to go
over that number, the problems of size become such that adaptation
becomes very difficult. In states that large it is very difficult to
have a field operations program similar to the one in the Prototype
Plan, except possibly in the Candidate's base area. Beyond that, the
Candidate is almost totally dependent on a piggy-back arrangement with
local county Party committees and other candidates (especially
Congressional ones).
Essentially the campaign becomes media-oriented and the only
valid method of checking progress is the professionally done poll.
This is one of the reasons why there is an inverse ratio with
regard to campaign unit costs per registered voter. In a
Congressional race the campaign unit cost is about $1.60 per person.
In a state with a population of, say, 3,000,000, the campaign unit
cost is about $1.00 per person. By the time we reach a state with
10,000,000+ population, the campaign unit cost has dropped to about 75
cents per person. In effect, what is happening is the gradual
elimination of the field operation's costs and, even though there are
increased budgets for staff, travel, administration, and paid media,
there are many offsetting economies of scale, i.e. the more you buy,
the less it costs.
3. The Availability of Volunteers.
;
This third factor ties into the second, especially in the
small to medium-sized states where a full field operations program is
both feasible and necessary. If a substantial number of volunteers
are available (roughly 1,000 per 500,000 of population) the campaign
can implement a full-scale field operations program with a reasonable
percentage of the campaign budget. If not available, the campaign may
have to resort to paid telephoners, or a system like TeleClerk, using
intrastate WATS lines from a central location; or the program can be
modified if there are enough volunteers in the base area to use WATS
lines from that geographical location to the rest of the state, even
though the campaign headquarters may be located elsewhere. Obviously,
the cost of enough WATS lines to do the job properly is going to be
expensive (about 10 percent increase in the budget). Add the cost of
paid telephoners and it begins to equal the media budget, in effect,
increasing the total budget by about 40 percent.
#ENDCARD
#CARD
VARIATIONS:
Incidentally, the number of WATS lines needed will depend on
the actual number of calls to be made and the length of time in each
Stage. If in a contested Primary, and most of these types of races
are contested, the campaign would probably start the Phone Bank at
least 6 to 9 months before the Primary Election, depending on
circumstances and early fundraising results. The formula for
calculating the number of calls possible per unit, per hour of
operation, can be found in Chapter V on Implementation. Remember, in
a contested Primary, the field to be called consists only of
registered Party members' households. **1**
B. The Organizational Structure.
;
When setting up the organizational structure, the 5 on 5 Plan
is still the best method to use from both an administrative and
communication point of view. Following population and geographical
lines as much as possible, divide the state into five Regions, trying
various combinations, e.g. all Congressional districts, all
legislative districts, or all counties. Whatever method is used, try
not to cut their boundaries or zip codes. Then subdivide the five
Regions into five Areas each, again roughly balanced. This should be
done regardless of whether or not a full-scale field operations
program is going to be implemented. Remember, there are many other
activities based on Regional and Area designations besides the
precinct and Phone Bank programs.
Increase the staff to five Field Operations Directors, one for
each Region. Also, depending on the size of the state, the campaign
will need one or two full-time Press Secretaries, at least one
full-time Scheduler, a Finance Director, and six to eight additional
secretaries. Some campaigns in medium-sized states also add the
position of Political Director to oversee the field operations
program, scheduling, the Candidate's campaign activities, etc. freeing
the Campaign Manager to work more on strategy, fundraising,
administration, and the paid media program. In states of this size,
the campaign should also have at least two Advance Persons, working
with the Scheduler, to insure maximum impact, especially for free
media coverage, every day the Candidate is campaigning.
C. The Candidate's Activities.
;
As to the Candidate's campaign activities, door-to-door
campaigning and coffee klatches are usually impractical, unless being
staged as media events. Place more emphasis on plant gates and
community shopping centers. Try to cover as many of the major county
fairs and festivals as possible, along with the key parades that
receive media coverage. Building name ID with a favorable impression
is much more difficult in a statewide race than in a Congressional
one. It not only takes longer but is much more dependent on the
media. Centers of Influence activity is still important but not as
extensive. When scheduling try to work in a senior citizens' home or
club every day; it is good PR and they have the largest single voting
bloc in many areas and usually have the highest turnout. In medium to
large geographical states, it is usually more cost-efficient to have a
twin-engine plane with two pilots chartered for the duration of the
campaign, rather than renting on a daily rate basis.
In larger states the campaign may need two planes, the second
for stand-by use of the Campaign Manager and/or the Political
Director.
D. Variations in the Paid Media Program.
;
On the media level in the campaign, including the direct mail
program, the same schedule and format is applicable in most states.
However, if the Candidate does not have a contested Primary to
generate early paid media, I would recommend a series of 5-day runs in
May, July, and early September, in addition to the 10, 20, 30, 40
spread 4 weeks out from the General Election.
Develop a series of at least three 5 minute biography spots
covering different segments of the Candidate's life, emphasizing
his/her continuous concern and care for people, for the May run. In
the next run (July), develop three 5-minute spots concentrating on
three major issues, state or national, of almost universal concern to
the people of the state. In the September run, cut three 5-minute
commercials critical of the opponent's record or position on those
same three issues. The October run should follow the same pattern and
format established in the Prototype Plan. To the extent appropriate,
most of the 30 and 60 second spots should be drawn from the footage
used in the 5 minute spots.
[Note: The above suggestions as to commercial content are, as before,
contingent on polling results, i.e. that the Candidate is not trailing
by more than ten points in late August and the opponent's favorability
rating is not over 50 percent. If either of these conditions exist,
the campaign should consider (and I would probably recommend) a much
more aggressive content in the September and October runs, more
emphasis on the attack. Remember, the campaign must lower the
opponent's favorability rating if the Candidate is going to have a
viable chance of winning.]
FootNotes:
**1** If in a state which does not register voters by Party, the
candidate must select the probable households which favor his/her
Party by pulling from the voter registration lists those people who
voted in the two previous Primary elections of their Party.
#ENDCARD
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VARIATIONS:
E. Polling.
;
With regard to polling, the size and number are partially
dependent on the size of the state and whether or not there is a
contested Primary. Normally, for follow-up polls, a 500-person sample
is sufficient for an acceptable degree of accuracy in most states.
**1** Since the media budget is so large and dependent on poll
results for accurate targeting, if the Candidate does not have a
contested Primary, I would recommend the campaign do follow-up polls
30 days before each run, i.e. April, June, August, and September.
Then do tracking polls every week in October. If there is a contested
Primary, follow the schedule in the section on contested Primaries,
plus the tracking polls. In either case, the campaign should do its
benchmark poll (preferably 800 to 1,000 samples in medium to large
states) no later than February. In summary, if the Candidate has a
contested Primary the campaign should do 1 benchmark, 5 follow-ups,
and 4 tracking polls. A word of caution: I do not recommend using the
same polling company being used by the Congressional candidates in the
state, if possible.
Normally, a quid pro quo is worked out with them, whereby the
campaign will test their ballot strength on the portion of the poll
covering their district and they reciprocate for the campaign on their
polls. If both have the same polling firm, the campaign loses the
obvious advantage of being able to cross check results effectively.
F. Fundraising.
;
The fundraising methodology is essentially the same as in the
Prototype Plan, except that the objectives are doubled, tripled,
quadrupled, etc. as the individual situation dictates. In statewide
campaigns, each Region should have a separate Finance Committee and
its own plan patterned after the one in the Prototype Plan. A
statewide Finance Chairperson(s) and the Finance Director are
responsible for coordinating all activities between the Regions.
In medium to large states, it is sometimes cost-effective to
utilize mailing lists available from firms that rent them (see Chapter
VI, Fundraising). This possibility should be explored with the
Political Fundraising Consultant.
Most direct mail fundraising should emanate from central
headquarters, using either the campaign's in-house computer system or
a direct mail computer firm. Obviously the size of the support and
prospect files in a campaign of this size are going to be considerably
larger than in the Prototype Plan. The campaign has basically two
options to address this situation: (1) utilizing a computer service
bureau to maintain the files, and (2) expanding the size of the
in-house computer system.
If the campaign decides to use an outside computer service
bureau, they will find in many cases that there is a severe problem
with regard to the lead time necessary to make this program work
effectively. As mentioned previously, political work is usually a low
priority for these type of firms and the campaign will pay a premium
if they don't meet their time-line requirements. However, there is an
advantage in that these companies can usually process computer
generated letters considerably faster than the campaign. Most of the
prospect lists the campaign will be using are available from list
rental companies on magnetic tape for 35 to 50 dollars per thousand
names. This is certainly less expensive and time consuming than
keypunching these names from hard copy. **2** Also, by pre-printing
the appropriate signature on the continuous feed letterhead, a
significant amount of time is saved over doing this manually.
FootNotes:
**1** This is an area where the campaign must rely heavily on the
expertise and judgment of the Political Polling Consultant.
**2** Keypunching costs average 18 cents for a 3-line record.
#ENDCARD
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VARIATIONS:
I recommend that the campaign combine these two operations by
using a computer service bureau for the Prospect file mailings and an
in-house computer system for processing the Support file mailings. A
configuration similar to the one described in Chapter V on
Implementation, Section 25, should be setup just for Support file
maintenance and letter generation. A separate configuration should be
set up for all other computer needs of the campaign, networked by use
of telephone modems with each of the Regional headquarters around the
state. By using a Tandy 4000HD with a 40MB hard disk as the central
computer and Tandy 4000s as the satellite computers, the campaign
could handle all of its computer needs in a very cost-efficient
manner. Total cost for the Political computer configuration would be
approximately $30,000, and for the Fundraising configuration
approximately $15,000. For high-speed performance and maximum
versatility both systems could use the Xenix operating system.
For those seriously interested, main components of this system
are as follows: 2 Tandy 4000HD computers with 40MB each; 8 Tandy 4000
computers; 7 Tandy DMP 440 printers; 3 DWP 520 printers with
Bi-directional tractors; 2 Printer Selector Interfaces; and 6 internal
modems. Each Regional office would have 1 Tandy 4000 computer, 1
Tandy DMP 440 printer, with 1 internal modem. The Political system in
the central campaign headquarters would have 1 Tandy 4000HD computer
with 40MB and an internal modem, 2 Tandy 4000 computers connected by
cable to the 4000HD, 1 Tandy DMP 440 printer, 1 DWP 520 printer, and 1
Printer Selector Interface. The Fundraising system would have 1 Tandy
4000HD with 40MB, 1 Tandy 4000 computer connected by cable to the
4000HD, 1 DWP 520 printer, 2 DMP 440 printers, and 1 Printer Selector
Interface.
Though these two systems could be easily connected, I would
recommend they be kept separate for security reasons. I would also
recommend that with a configuration as sophisticated as this the
campaign staff have at least one person who has computer operating
experience.
[Note: All computers must have power surge protectors interfaced
between the wall outlets and the computers. These are relatively
inexpensive devices that help regulate the flow of electricity to the
computer and prevent loss of data that might occur as of result of
fluctuation in the flow of electricity.]
G. The Use of Consultants.
;
All of the caveats in the Prototype Plan regarding the use of
professional consultants are even more important for statewide races.
Unfortunately, I do not know of any multi-agencies capable of doing
medium to large states effectively, that means these campaigns lose
some of the economies enjoyed by smaller states (under six million)
and Congressional campaigns. The campaign will have to retain
separate firms for most of these functions, i.e. a Political Campaign
Consultant, who usually oversees the whole operation; a Political
Fundraising Consultant; a Political Media Consultant (or Ad Agency)
for production and, usually, placement; and a Political Direct Mail
Consultant.
Start with the Political Campaign Consultant and let him/her
help with the selection of the others. Most Political Campaign
Consultants know how to negotiate, who is offering the lowest prices
commensurate with quality, plus whom they can work with most
effectively, that is no small consideration in larger state races.
Incidentally, there does not appear to be a uniform standard
of pricing by consultants for statewide campaigns. Even my firm's fee
schedule is not fixed as it is for Congressional races, but is
determined after an analysis of the many factors involved, i.e. size
of state, type of campaign, number of days in state required, etc.
[NOTE: One factor used by many consultants in setting price schedules,
not often realized by candidates, is the point at that the consultant
enters the campaign. The lowest rates are used when they come in at
the very beginning and become progressively higher the further along
the campaign is when they start, the reasons being the extra amount of
work necessary and the pressure involved to redo a whole campaign in a
crisis situation. For example, candidates will usually find that
campaigns pay more for a consultant hired 6 months before the election
than they would pay for the same consultant hired 12 months earlier.
In this case, it definitely does not pay to wait, in more ways than
one.]
#ENDCARD
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VARIATIONS:
H. Summary.
;
In summary these are some of the variations on the constants
in the Prototype Plan for a U.S. Senatorial, Gubernatorial, or major
statewide race. Between these types of campaigns the major
differences are in the obvious orientation of the issues and in
fundraising. U.S. Senate candidates are subject to the same laws and
limitations of the FEC as Congressional candidates, whereas
Gubernatorial and other statewide candidates are only subject to their
own state's laws on campaigns. In some states this can be a
significant difference, especially with regard to the limits and
sources of individual contributions.
Keep in mind all figures and recommendations used here, as in
the Prototype Plan, are illustrative only, i.e. used to demonstrate
the procedures, systems, or method of calculation. The few I have
alluded to were meant as examples only. The Candidate and the
campaign's consultants will have to decide that options are right for
the campaign after a detailed analysis of the situation, the
campaign's resources, and the problems to be solved.
3. LEGISLATIVE CAMPAIGNS
;
Where U.S. Senatorial, Gubernatorial, or major statewide races
are, to a certain degree, multiplications of a Congressional race,
Legislative races are a partial division. The actual size of a
Legislative district will vary from state to state, but generally they
are about one-fourth to one-fifth the size in terms of population.
In spite of the fact that their basic objectives are
essentially the same, Legislative candidates can rarely hope to raise
the kind of money (proportionately) that a Congressional Candidate can
raise. Since the public's interest is usually not as high in
Legislative races, recruiting volunteers is an even greater problem.
As a percentage of the campaign budget, most Legislative candidates
usually have to contribute a greater share of their own funds than do
Congressional and statewide candidates.
The electronic media costs are usually prohibitive and
invariably have too much of a "spillover" beyond their district's
boundaries to be cost-effective.
However, because the districts are smaller, many Legislative
candidates are able to walk every precinct, in some cases twice before
the election, in addition to the other types of personal campaign
activities. So, heavy emphasis is placed on the Candidate level in
the campaign.
Since budgets are severely limited, most Legislative
candidates have to make do with a volunteer staff (with the possible
exception of a Campaign Manager) as well as the all-volunteer Field
Operations and Finance Committees. The voter registration file direct
mail programs are usually cost-prohibitive, though more and more state
Party committees are providing low-cost assistance in this area on a
time-sharing basis with their computers. If this is not available,
the substitute has to be form letters stuffed by volunteers.
Basically there are four paid-media programs that are
constants for a Legislative candidate: (1) direct mail; (2) billboards
(commercial and 4 x 8's), lawn and window signs; (3) local newspaper
ads; and (4) radio commercials, if sufficiently localized.
There are fewer above-average voters the lower down the ballot
the race is since many people, by the time they get to the Legislative
races (if they do, about 15 percent do not) simply vote the Party. To
offset this tendency, the Candidate's name ID rating must be higher
than the opponent's. This usually means having a name ID rating of
around 50 percent.
In addition, the favorability rating must be considerably
higher and with a greater percentage of the voters. Neutral is
usually the highest percentage rating given most legislators by the
voters - they simply do not know much about them.
#ENDCARD
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VARIATIONS:
Therefore, the use of a slogan or campaign theme should be
maximized, as well as the Candidate's picture. All literature,
stationary, signs and newspaper ads must hit these four points over
and over: the Candidate's name, the office being sought, the
Candidate's picture, and the slogan (no more than six or seven words
maximum - keep it simple).
To the extent the campaign can, follow the field operations
program outlined in the Prototype Plan both with Precinct Captains and
Phone Bank volunteers (working from their homes). Few opponents
expect this kind of offense and can usually be caught off guard as a
result.
Be sure to calculate the objectives accurately, keeping in
mind that there is usually a 10 to 15 percent drop-off between the
number of votes cast for the top of the ticket and the middle to
bottom. Usually the state Party headquarters or County Registrar of
Voters can provide the campaign with the necessary data to determine
the average percentages in the district.
Polling is usually cost-prohibitive, but check with a local
polling firm to see if a special rate might be available if the
campaign and three or four adjoining Legislative district campaigns
pool their resources and commission a poll together. And, do not
overlook the local college as a source of assistance in this area.
Occasionally, as a class project, they will conduct polls for local
candidates. With the professor monitoring it and the school's
computers doing the computation, they can be very accurate.
Another possible source of assistance is a quid pro quo
arrangement with the Congressional candidate covering the district.
Normally, the Candidate would agree to share volunteers for precinct
or Phone Bank activity, or to do a literature drop, in return for
access to the demographic and issue information, plus inclusion of the
Candidate as a ballot-test question. **1** In this arrangement the
campaign is normally not allowed to release the poll information (even
of its own campaign) without the consent of the Congressional
candidate.
In fundraising the Candidate is very dependent on local,
in-district contributions raised in one-on-one solicitation. Direct
mail does not work too effectively; but still put a BRE in, and make
an appeal with all mail the campaign sends out. Though many national
PACs will not get involved in Legislative campaigns, nor out-of-state
contributors, do not overlook state PACs and major in-state
contributors. The state Party committee chairperson, treasurer, or
executive director should be able to provide a considerable amount of
assistance in this area.
Another source of assistance will be the Party State
Legislative Caucus; most have special committees for just this kind of
help to candidates of their Party. The county Party committee, if
active, can also be relied on to help both politically and
financially. Most feel a special responsibility for Legislative and
local candidates within their county. Check with the national Party
to see what assistance is available from them. Both Parties have
extensive Local Elections Divisions that focus all of their attention
on these types of races. Usually the assistance is channeled through
the state Party, but it doesn't hurt to inquire.
If the campaign sets up its Political Game Plan along the
lines suggested in this section, using the rest of the Prototype Plan
as the base, the budget will probably be in the $50,000 range, based
on 25,000 registered voters in the district. Of that amount, the
campaign should plan on raising three-fourths in-district, and could
reasonably expect to raise the other one-fourth from outside sources.
The budget would probably be as follows: $10,000 billboards; $4,000
signs; $18,000 mail; $4,000 brochures and stationary; $7,000 newspaper
ads and radio commercials; $7,000 administrative and office expenses
(includes basic computer system: $3,000 for 386/33 computer with 120MB
hard disk, Panasonic KX-P1624 printer, and Political Campaign
Management Software).
FootNotes:
**1** Most polls will test two other campaigns for reference points
and possible coat-tail effects.
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VARIATIONS:
4. LOCAL CAMPAIGNS
;
The variations in these campaigns are too numerous to begin
listing. A City Council or County Supervisor campaign could be for a
district seat or at-large. It could be partisan or non-partisan. The
size of the potential electorate could be from 300 to 2,500,000. In
Los Angeles, for example, a City Council campaign is comparable to a
Congressional race with a budget to match and an L.A. County
Supervisor has a constituency larger than many states - a campaign
there being the equivalent of many U.S. Senatorial campaigns with
similar budgets.
The Prototype Plan, with the appropriate variations to match
it up with the size and makeup of a specific electorate and district,
will be just as operational for the local election effort. The
objectives and limitations are virtually the same. It is for this
reason that throughout this Manual I have constantly referred to
districts in terms of numbers of people.
The primary differences lie in the area of fundraising. Since
most of these local campaigns are non-partisan, the Parties do not
become overtly involved, nor do national PACs and OD contributors.
Where they are partisan, Party help is usually given only by the
county and state committees. However, to offset this handicap most
local elections have the least restrictive campaign laws regarding the
source and amount of contributions.
In the medium to larger cities and counties, there are many
individuals, organizations, and companies with significant vested
interests in city- and county-level decisions or votes. It is through
these individuals and groups that most city and county candidates draw
financial and volunteer support. This is why local candidates are so
often classified in the media by the group they represent: he/she is
the PTA Candidate, the homeowner's association Candidate, the Chamber
of Commerce Candidate, etc. Unless an individual is able and willing
to finance the bulk of his/her campaign personally, he/she invariably
has to be aligned with one or more of the major, organized groups
within the community. The budget, as with the appropriate game plan,
will also depend to a great extent, on the population and type of
district.
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APPENDIX A:
ACTUAL GAME PLANS AND PROCEDURAL MANUALS THAT WORK;
What follows in this Appendix are actual plans and procedural
manuals that were developed and used during recent campaigns. They
have not been edited in any way, but all references to Party, dates
and the candidates involved have been omitted. Many of the figures
are out of date but are included merely to illustrate the calculations
derived.
Keep in mind these are adaptations of the Prototype Plan
presented in this Manual. In some areas, the Prototype Plan is a more
updated, improved version of these plans and procedural manuals as a
result of my constant effort to improve the process after the
experiences of each campaign cycle.
This, then, is a campaign plan prepared for internal use by
the campaign and for inclusion in press and PAC kits. The cover page
and biography of the candidate have been removed.
#ENDCARD
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Appendix A:
Chapter One
ANALYSIS AND OVERVIEW
The Congressional District of is
located in the of the State. It includes
most of County (the city of
).
The District has a relatively equal blend of light-to-heavy
industry. It is well diversified with a sound economic base.
Education and income levels are slightly higher than average
and so is unemployment. It is very homogeneous with primary
ethnic backgrounds being German, Scandinavian, Italian, and
Polish. There are also sizable Greek and Lebanese
communities in the eastern portion.
The people are generally industrious, civic-minded
individuals with a relatively high degree of personal pride
in themselves and their community. Politically, the present
trend appears to be going conservative, based on recent
elections and surveys. The number of individuals who
identify with the party is declining, while the
have enjoyed a slight increase in recent years.
However, the majority of the defections have become
independent or ticket-splitters to the extent that no
individual could hope to win elective office without a
significant percentage of their support.
Current estimates break down as follows: Democrats, 40%;
Republicans, 35%; Independents, 26%. Assuming a 60% turnout,
we will need % of the Democrat, % of the Republican,
and % of the Independent vote in order to win. Our
strategy is designed to reach these objectives.
Based on voting patterns in local, state, and federal
elections over the last 10 years, our District can reasonably
be classified as a "swing" District i.e., a district which
could elect either a Republican or a Democrat in a general
election.
Our current Congressman, Mr. (a
), is presently serving his term. He is
well-known in the District and generally receives a good
performance rating. However, recent surveys indicate that
the people are ready for a change, if a viable alternative is
presented to them.
His recent back-pedaling on economic, labor, and social
issues has only served to alienate a sizable percentage of
his base support. The double-talk syndrome (vote one way in
D. C. and tell the folks back home a different story) is
causing him problems with some members of his own party and
the local press.
Another problem facing Mr. is his lack
of a precinct organization. years in office, coupled
with the absence of any serious challenges, has resulted in
the deterioration of his original volunteer organization.
Over-reliance on the media has disillusioned many of his
supporters. After years, he is no longer a real person
to them; he has become a press release or a form letter.
Recent surveys indicate that he is vulnerable, but his defeat
will not be easy. In order for to win, we will have
to meet Mr. on his own terms in the media "arena."
's name recognition will have to equal
Mr. 's and must have an even more
favorable rating. This means that we will have to develop an
intensive and, therefore, expensive media program designed
to:
(1) bring name ID in the District to at least 70%;
(2) associate with name a favorable impression
by the voters ("he represents us"); and (3) encourage
dissatisfaction with stand on the issues, his voting
record and his performance as our Representative over the
last years.
Secondly, we will have to develop the most extensive grass
roots organization ever seen in the Congressional
District. Literally every precinct will need to have at
least two precinct workers committed to helping him become
our next Congressman. They will require and receive
extensive training and adequate materials to do this job.
To assist this Field Operations program, maximum utilization
must be made of the latest direct mail and phone bank
techniques available. Every potential vote must be
identified, committed, and received at the polls on Election
Day.
In order to maximize our recruiting efforts, has pledged
that he will personally walk every precinct during the next
10 months to solicit support and volunteers. In addition to
his efforts, every member of the committee will constantly be
recruiting new volunteers. Also, every piece of mail that
goes out during the next year will include a request for
help.
We estimate that it will take an active volunteer
organization of 2,000 persons to reach our objectives.
We recognize that the best intentions, the best candidate,
the most diligent efforts, and adequate funds are still not
enough. Mr. has some of the most professional help
available to an incumbent Congressman in D. C. They are
experts in political organization and communications. We are
not. Therefore, we felt it essential to seek out and retain
the best political consulting firm we could find in the
country. After a long and thorough search, we have retained
the firm, Campaign Management Associates (CMA) of Washington,
D. C., to assist us in this effort. One of the nation's
leading political consulting firms, they will assist us with
every phase of the campaign, including fund-raising.
The basic job, however, is up to us. We are the ones who
will make it happen. We have a well-qualified candidate; and
with a sound organization, hard work, discipline, and an
excellent media communications program, we can beat
and have a Congressman who will truly be representative of
Congressional District.
The details of how we will accomplish this are outlined in
the following chapters.
#ENDCARD
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Appendix A:
Chapter Two
Roles, Duties and Obligations
In order to implement the game plan, we have devloped certain
basic procedures and duties to be followed by all persons
involved in the campaign. It is our contention that a
political campaign is very similar to a military campaign.
If we are to be successful, everyone connected with the
campaign must be willing to follow the same procedures and
perform their duties exactly as outlined. This will require
a high degree of self-discipline and willingness to
cooperate. The methods which we will be using have been
time-tested and have proven to be the most effective for this
type of campaign. Although we shall try to allow each region
a high degree of autonomy in the operation of the day-to-day
campaigning, we ware very insistent on the use of basic forms
and procedures throughout the campaign.
In subsequent chapters, we will outline in more specific
detail the duties of the Field Operations Committee, the
Finance Committee, and scheduling. In this chapter, we will
simply provide a broad overview of the roles, duties, and
obligations of the various individuals and committees
connected with this campaign.
We will also make reference to standardized forms
developed by CMA, copies of which will be found in
the Appendix, and which will be used exclusively in
this campaign.
The principle individuals and committee involved are:
1. Candidate (CA)
2. Candidate's wife (CW)
3. Campaign Manager (CM)
4. Campaign Secretary (CS)
5. Administrative Aide (AA)
6. Press Secretary (PS)
7. Field Operations Director (FOD)
8. Campaign Committee Chairperson (CCC)
9. Treasurer (Tr)
10. Regional Chairperson (RC)
11. Area Chairperson (AC)
12. Precinct Captains (PC)
13. Finance Chairperson (FC)
14. Advisory Committee (AdC)
15. Field Operations Committee (FOC)
16. Finance Committee (FiC)
17. Special Interest Committee (SIC)
18. Campaign Consultant (CMA)
19. Campaign Attorney (CA)
20. County Central Committee (CCC)
Note: "Chairperson" as used in this chapter and Manual,
though designated in the singular and masculine pronouns, may
be female and/or two or more persons.
Other abbreviations frequently used are:
1. PAC's Political Action Committees
2. CD Congressional District
3. PIPS Precinct Index Prioritization System
#ENDCARD
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Appendix A:
The Candidate (CA)
The candidate ( ) is, of course, the
central figure in this campaign. He is the person ultimately
responsible for its success or failure. What he says or
does, how he appears, where he goes, all have a direct
bearing on the outcome.
Though the prerogative is his, he has agreed to share his
role as the ultimate decisionmaker in the campaign with the
Campaign Consultant (CMA) in order to concentrate his
energies on campaigning. His objective will be to meet
personally as many people in the District as he can during
the campaign and to enunciate his position on the issues. To
this end, he will walk all of the precincts in the District,
attend numerous public functions, and meet with members of
the press on a regular and frequent basis. He will do
everything possible to keep himself informed on the issues
and his opponent's positions and activities. When necessary,
he will take an active role in fund-raising.
As the central figure in this campaign, he has a
responsibility to those individuals, staff and volunteer, to
keep himself mentally and physically fit during the course
of the campaign. He may not take nay action which could be
injurious to his health and/or welfare. Whenever he travels,
for example, he must take every precaution to insure the
safety of his trip. When flying, he is to use commercial
aircraft or, if absolutely necessary, twin-engined, twin-
piloted, private aircraft. When driving, all speed and
safety laws must be rigidly adhered to.
He must take at least 1 day off each week of the campaign for
R & R (rest and recreation) purposes. This may be waived
during Stages 4 and 5 only. Under no circumstances may he
campaign for more than 16 continuous hours at one time.
Since the level of his morale has a direct bearing on the
morale of everyone connected with the campaign, he should
make every effort to keep himself "up" emotionally by
avoiding those situations which he knows to have a depressing
effect on him.
Probably nothing is more aggravating during a campaign than
trying to stay on schedule. Every effort will be made to
develop a smooth, well-organized schedule each day. It will
be the CA's responsibility to follow it as closely as
possible. In other words, when the CM or his AA says it's
time to move on - MOVE!
He must be very conscious of his personal appearance and
mannerisms, he is constantly in the "spotlight" and must be
very sensitive about the way others are perceiving him and
how he might appear to the press or amateur photographers.
Drinks should always be held in the left hand to avoid a wet,
clammy handshake. Drinks should never be in hand when
pictures are being taken. No more than one alcoholic beverage
per day is allowed while campaigning. Appropriate dress for
the occasion at all times is a must, as is a sincere
attitude.
#ENDCARD
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Appendix A:
The Candidate's Wife (CW)
The candidate's wife is both an extension of the candidate
and one of his alter egos as far as the voters are concerned.
Our campaign activity can be virtually doubled if she is
willing and able to work independently of her husband during
the course of the campaign. Since she is willing and capable
of this, later in the campaign, she will be scheduled for the
same type of activity as CA. The same dictums regarding self
and appearances hold for her as with the CA.
Though our present budget does not provide for a staff AA to
accompany her when campaigning, every effort will be made to
recruit a volunteer to perform this role.
3. Campaign Manager (CM)
The Campaign Manager is the primary administrative officer of
the campaign. It is his job to direct the activities of all
the other individuals and committees connected with the
campaign. He sits as an ex-officio member of all campaign
committees and is responsible for coordinating all of their
activities. It is also his responsibility to recruit,
select, train, and supervise the members of the FOC, the
campaign Staff, independent auxiliary agencies, and the
volunteers involved in other activities of the campaign.
He is responsible for seeing that the timetable is completed
on schedule and that the high level of integration desired is
obtained. Although he will attempt to maintain as low a
public profile as possible, so as not to distract from the
Candidate, it is inevitable that he will, from time to time,
have public exposure. As he is perceived by many as one of
the candidate's alter egos, the dictums regarding self and
appearance apply to him as well as the CA and CW, when in
public.
He is responsible for directing the campaigning activities of
the CA and CW,as well as other surrogates that may be needed
during the course of the campaign.
He is to communicate with the candidate and the Campaign
Consultant on a regularly scheduled basis and to inform them
of pertinent activities. He is also to communicate with the
Advisory and Finance Committees at least once a month. He
will publish a newsletter monthly, or at least bimonthly, to
keep the volunteers and contributors informed of the
campaign's progress.
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Appendix A:
4. Campaign Secretary (CS)
The Campaign Secretary is the 2nd ranking administrative
officer of the campaign. She is also CA's and the CM's
secretary and the office manager. In addition to all of the
normal and routine duties implied, she is also the director
of volunteer activities. In this capacity, she will maintain
accurate files on all volunteers (see Volunteer file care in
Appendix) and make sure that they are assigned to the
appropriate regional chairperson. She will also personally
direct the activities of those volunteers assigned to
campaign central.
When the phone banks and regional storefront headquarters are
established, she will be responsible for making sure that
they are properly outfitted with the necessary equipment and
supplies.
As the director of scheduling, she is responsible for
completing as accurately as possible a Request for Appearance
form on all events scheduled for CA or CW (see Chapter on
Scheduling). Under no circumstance will CM or CW attend a
campaign event that has not been properly scheduled. She
will also be responsible for making all necessary travel
arrangements when out-of-town travel is required.
She is a standing member of the AdC.
5. Administrative Aide (AA)
The Administrative Aide is to drive and accompany the CA on
all campaigning activities throughout the course of the
campaign.
He will be directly responsible for the successful
implementation of the CA's daily schedule. This will mean
"advancing" each day's schedule the day before, checking
routes, alternate means of transportation, alternate
activities in case of cancellations, and verification of
pertinent information contained in the Request for Appearance
form.
Once at the event, he will be responsible for keeping the CA
on schedule, assisting him in every way possible to insure
his political success, distributing literature when
appropriate and taking notes for the CA and the CM. He will
also take appropriate campaign photographs of DW with local
dignitaries and supporters.
As he will be perceived as one of the CA's alter egos, the
same dictums regarding self and appearance apply to him as to
the CA. When not working directly with the CA in the field,
he will assist the CM and the CS with the performance of
their duties, as assigned by them.
He is a standing member of the AdC.
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Appendix A:
6. Press Secretary (PS)
The Press Secretary will be responsible for the preparation
and distribution of all approved press releases emanating
from Campaign Central. As Director or Research, he will also
be responsible for setting up and maintaining research files
on the issues, along with the CA's and his opponent's
activities.
He will do everything possible to maintain a close working
relationship with all members of the media affecting the
district so as to encourage the best possible coverage of the
CA.
As it is extremely important that we maximize the CA's
exposure to the public, the PS should be constantly on the
alert for media events the CA can attend. He will also
assist in the preparation of copy for the Tabloids,
Newsletters, computer and Special Interest group mailings.
When directed to do so by the CM, he will be the official
spokesman for the campaign when the CA is not available for
comment.
He is also a standing member of the AdC.
As he is often in the public eye, the same dictums apply to
him regarding self and appearance as previously mentioned.
NOTE: Opposition Research can often be critical in a
political campaign. The PS must always be aware
of what our opponent is doing and saying during
the course of the campaign and must maintain
accurate records of same.
7. Field Operations Director (FOD)
Essentially, he will act as liaison between the FOC and the
CM. He will provide whatever assistance is necessary for the
successful completion of that part of the campaign. He will
also make sure that all regions are adequately supplied with
campaign materials and equipment.
It will also be his responsibility to help monitor the
progress of the game plan through its various stages and to
supervise the phone banks.
When the candidate or his wife have been assigned to a
particular region, he will assist the RC in scheduling the
day's activities and the AA in its successful implementation.
He is a standing member of the AdC and the FOC.
#ENDCARD
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Appendix A:
8. Campaign Committee Chairperson (CCC)
The Campaign Committee Chairperson is the head of the
advisory committee (AdC) and the visible head of all the
volunteers associated with the campaign. As their leader, he
is responsible for motivating them to do their utmost in this
endeavor. He is also responsible for presenting their views
and suggestions to the candidate, the CM and the Advisory
Committee.
When necessary, he will be asked to make public appearances
on behalf of the CA and/or the campaign. This will require
his being aware of what's going on in the campaign, the CA's
views on the issues, and the campaign strategy.
He also can serve a unique role as morale builder for both
the CA and the campaign staff. To do this, he should assume
the responsibility of overseeing the workings of the
interrelationships between the various parts of the whole to
be sure they are functioning harmoniously.
9. Treasurer (Tr)
The Treasurer is responsible for making sure that all
receipts and expenditures are handled in a manner consistent
with Federal requirements. He is also responsible for the
timely preparation and delivery of all required federal and
state reporting forms.
His staff bookkeeper/clerk is responsible for processing all
incoming contributions by completing the necessary
contributor's card (see Appendix) and making deposits. She
will also prepare the necessary checks for expenditures and
keep accurate records of same.
As the staff person assigned to the FRC, she is responsible
for all of the logistical work involved in its fund-raising
activities.
She will be responsible for the preparation and delivering of
Thank-you (TY) letters to all contributors.
The Tr is a member of the AdC and the FRC.
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Appendix A:
10. Regional Chairperson (RC)
Each Regional Chairperson is directly responsible for the
implementation of the game plan in the region assigned to
them. They are also responsible for recruiting, training and
supervising the four area chairpersons in their region.
Detailed instructions on how to accomplish their tasks are
contained in the Field Operations chapter of this Manual.
They are automatically a member of the AdC and the FOC and
will meet on a regular basis with the CM regarding political
conditions in the regions.
11. Area Chairperson (AC)
The Area Chairperson is directly responsible for the
recruiting, training and supervising of the campaign workers
in each of the precincts assigned to them ( the PC's).
They also share responsibility with the RC for the successful
implementation of the game plan in their area.
Detailed instructions on how to accomplish their tasks are
contained in the Field Operations chapter of this Manual.
They are automatically a member of the FOC and will meet on a
regular basis with the CM regarding political conditions in
their area.
12. Precinct Captain (PC)
The Precinct Captain is responsible for the successful
implementation of the game plan in his assigned precinct.
In Addition to the duties outlined in the game plan,
additional responsibilities and the method of their
accomplishment are contained in the Field Operations chapter
of this Manual.
13. Finance Chairperson (FC)
The Finance Chairperson is the head of the finance committee.
He is responsible for directing their activities and insuring
the successful completion of their objectives.
He is a standing member of the AdC and the FiC and is
responsible for presenting to them progress reports on a
regular basis.
The program for accomplishing this is contained in the
Finance Committee chapter of this Manual.
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Appendix A:
14. Advisory Committee (AdC)
The advisory Committee is responsible for overseeing the
total operation of the campaign.
They will meet on a regular basis with the candidate, CMA,
and the CM to discuss and approve basic strategy and the
progress of the campaign.
15. Field Operations Committee (FOC)
The Field Operations Committee will be made up of the five
regional chairpersons, the area chairpersons, the FOD and the
CM. They will meet on a regular monthly basis.
They will provide advice and direction on the field
operations level of the campaign and provide feedback on the
impact of the other levels in their respective regions and
areas.
16. Finance Committee (FIC)
This committee, under the leadership of the Finance
Chairperson, and with the assistance and direction of the CM
and CMA, will be responsible for raising approximately 60%
of the proposed budget.
Their specific program is contained in the Finance Committee
Operations chapter of this Manual.
17. Special Interest Committee (SIC)
The Special Interest Committee will provide an auxiliary
service to the game plan. Their particular duties will vary,
depending on their capabilities. In some cases, they will
provide funds, mailing lists, research material or special
mailings to their members. This will be developed as the
campaign progresses under the direct supervision of the CM
and with the assistance of the FOD.
18. Campaign Consultant (CMA)
The Campaign Consulting Agency contracted to assist and
direct the campaign will also be responsible for the creation
of all advertising and collateral materials used by the
campaign. This will include brochures, logos, bumper strips,
tabloids, mailers, newspaper ads, plus radio and TV
Commercials. They will be responsible for placing these ads
and commercials with the appropriate media outlets. All
finished products will be subject to final approval by
before public viewing.
They will also perform all other duties as outlined in their
contract with the CA and the AdC and this Game Plan.
#ENDCARD
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Appendix A:
19. Campaign Attorney (CA)
The Campaign Attorney will be responsible for checking on and
advising us of the legal consequences of our political
actions. He will also be responsible for representing the
campaign in any legal disputes which may arise.
20. County Central
Committees ( CCC)
The County Central Committee in this
district has pledged the CA their full cooperation in this
campaign.
They will be asked to assist the campaign financially, with
volunteer recruitment, voter registration drives and voter
information lists after the Primary Election.
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Appendix A:
Chapter Three
The Game Plan
The basic strategy of this campaign has been developed as a
result of the observations and analysis mentioned in the
preceding chapters.
We plan on constructing a positive, forceful and well-
organized campaign throughout the district. In order to
accomplish this, we are implementing CMA's Regional
Organizational Plan. The district will be divided into five
regions and then each region will be subdivided into five
areas. Each area will contain between 20 and 50 precincts or
wards. We have already begun to recruit Chairpersons for
each of the regions and areas and hope to have this process
completed by the end of February 19 . These 25 people
will then make up the Field Operations Committee. They will
be responsible for recruiting precinct captains in each of
the precincts assigned to them, during the month of March,
19 . On Saturday, January , we will conduct an
all-day seminar for this committee and ask them to conduct
similar seminars in their areas on Saturday, January for
their precinct captains.
Stage One:
The campaign will be broken down into Four Stages. Stage 1
will run from February , 19 and continue until May ,
19 . During this stage, an intensive campaign will be
conducted to identify the definite voters, solid
voters and the Undecideds. This
Identification stage is just that - an attempt to identity.
Whatever effort is expended to educate the voters will be
secondary to the primary goal. We need to firmly establish
our base before proceeding to build on it. Precinct kits
containing a map of the precinct, walking sheets and
campaign-related material will be provided to each of the
Precinct Captains by February , 19 at the latest. Also
included in the kits will be endorsement sheets (see
Appendix). Each PC will be asked to have every person who
indicates that they are supporting to sign this sheet.
This information will be sent to Campaign Central, where it
will be recorded and then fed into our computer, along with
the names of known voters.
Our objective here is to "bleed" off of our computer tapes
(which will contain the names of all the registered voters in
the district) those people who have already made up their
minds about whom they are going to vote for, so that we will
avoid waste in our Direct Mail Program. (More about this is
mentioned in Stage 2).
During this stage, the CA and when possible, CW will begin
walking precincts. They like the PC's will be attempting to
identify known supporters. Also during this stage,
will be devoting a considerable amount of time to fund-
raising activities and promotional events designed to improve
name ID and to solidify basic support.
Media activity during this stage will be limited primarily to
"free" coverage obtained through press conferences,
promotional press releases and coverage of the CA's
attendance at scheduled events. The only "paid" media
activity anticipated will be through newsletters, fund-
raising activities, some special interest group mailings and
billboards.
We will also, during this stage, have our first professional
poll taken. (This will be put out to bid, so the actual firm
to be used is unknown at this time.) At the present time,
our plans call for having two follow-up surveys done in the
fall.
#ENDCARD
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Appendix A:
Stage Two
During Stage Two (the Advocacy Stage), we will concentrate
our activities at all three levels (Candidate, Media and
Field) on convincing the undecideds to vote for the CA. This
stage will begin May , 19 and continue through
September , 19 . A training seminar will be held for
the Field Operations Committee on Monday, April and
they will be asked to conduct one for their PC's on Saturday,
April .
The PC's will be asked to re-canvas their precincts, calling
on those people whom the initial surveys showed to be
undecided. Equipped with a synopsis of the CA's position on
the issues compared with the legislative record,
campaign literature and endorsement sheets, they will attempt
to convince the voters that our CA is the best choice between
the two. If positive information is received, it will be
forwarded to Central and processed in the same manner as in
Stage One.
The Candidate will also change "gears" during this stage, in
that he will become much more vocal, publicly, on the issues
and on the incumbent's voting record and failure to properly
represent various segments of the district. Heavier emphasis
will be placed on appearances at public events such as County
Fair, etc.
The paid media campaign will consist of billboards being
placed strategically throughout the district and two mailings
targeted to Special Interest Groups and the known undecided
or voters. One of the mailings will be a
specially prepared tabloid on his position on the issues and
the other will be a computerized letter personally addressed
to them.
Also during this stage, the tone and content of our press
releases will change to conform to the intent of our
objectives. However, at no time do we plan on conducting a
"negative" campaign. No release will be put out which simply
criticizes without suggesting a viable alternative.
We will also open store-front headquarters in each of the
regions during the first week of June, if budget permits.
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Appendix A:
Stage Three
Stage Three, the Voter ID and Advocacy Stage, will begin on
September and continue until October .
During this Stage, the PC's will be asked to contact any
undecided left on their Precinct Sheets and those known
voters they feel could be persuaded to change
their minds. They will also be asked to contact known
supporters to see if they need Absentee Ballot applications
and assist them, if requested to do so. Special attention
during this period will be given to Old Age Homes, shut-ins
and new registrations. Basically, the PC kits will contain
the material developed during the earlier stage. A new
tabloid is anticipated for this stage. A concerted effort
will be made to place bumper stickers on as many cars as
possible throughout the district during this period. Also,
we will ask them to place posters in protected areas wherever
possible. (Due to the inclement weather anticipated during
this stage and the usual sniping, we plan on discouraging the
use of yard signs until the final stage of the campaign.)
The Phone Banks will continue to operate during this stage,
performing back-up duty to the PC's. The PC's will be asked
to check and compare their results against the Phone Banks'
on a regular basis during this period. As much as time will
permit, the results will continue to be fed into the
computer.
The Candidate will concentrate his activity in those areas
where the PIPS analysis (done during Stage One) and on-going
research show us to be borderline--roughly, the middle one
third of all the precincts; again, subject to the same
division of time adhered to in the earlier stages (60/40).
Our intent here and through the press releases, will be to
try and force our opponent into a defensive position on the
issues, while establishing CA's image as the true
representative of the people.
An intensive media campaign will be conducted during this
stage and stage four. We intend to "blitz" the district with
TV, radio and newspaper commercials designed to project CA's
image as a concerned citizen and community leader. The
billboards will continue to provide name ID improvement and
all methods will be tightly integrated for maximum impact. A
training seminar will be held for the FOC on Monday,
September . They will be asked to then meet with their
PC's on Saturday, September . Special Interest Group
mailings will go out during the first two weeks of this stage
and a personalized computer letter will be mailed to known
undecided voters. A "Postcard" mailing will also go out from
our volunteers throughout the district.
Our final follow-up survey will be taken during this stage.
It is estimated that our "point of no return" will be reached
on October and any corrective action that has to be
taken must be decided upon and executed by that time.
On Saturday, October , we will have our final training
seminar with the Field Operations Committee. They should
meet with their PC's on Saturday, October for a morning
meeting followed by a Yard Sign Program that afternoon.
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Appendix A:
Stage Four
On Saturday, October , we will begin the fourth and final
stage of our campaign effort--the GOTV Stage, General
Election., This stage will, of course, culminate with our
Victory celebration on Tuesday, November . Basically,
the PC and phone bank operations will be a repeat of the
stage three. Also, there will be little change in the
Candidate's activities from stage three.
The media program will reach its peak during this stage. We
do plan on staying flexible regarding content so as to be
able to respond quickly if our opponent's campaign tactics
make it necessary to do so.
A final mailing will take place during the last four days of
the campaign. This will be a flexible mailing program
designed to fit the needs of each region, area and preference
indicated by the voter.
Also, an intensive campaign will take place during this stage
to implant 5,000 Yard Signs throughout the district.
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Appendix A:
SUMMARY
In summary, we plan on conducting an intensive, well-
organized, positive campaign during the next ten months. For
the most part, we will run our campaign independently of
other considerations such as primary opponents and other
campaigns going on in the district at the same time. The
primary thrust of the campaign will be to identify as early
as possible all known supporters and to then direct our
efforts toward those who are still undecided. We will also
attempt to build up CA's name ID to a point relatively equal
to the opponent's and, once this is accomplished, then
proceed to criticize his record.
The campaign will be tightly integrated with all levels
(Candidate, Media, and Field Operations) working in tandem.
Maximum use will be made of all resources available to the
campaign, including the latest techniques in communications.
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Appendix A:
Chapter Four
The Campaign Timetable
January Formal Announcement of candidacy
Letters to 3500 Party members in district
Letters to PAC's and "kickoff" dinner contributors
National Congressional Council
February "Kickoff" dinner
Post billboards
Open phone bank
Follow-up letters to PAC's
FOC Seminar - Stage One
Begin Computer programming
Benchmark survey
May Post Bus Signs
FOC Seminar - Stage Two
Begin Direct Mail Program - U & R
Publish first tabloid
June Open store-front headquaters in each region
Minor Fund-raising events begin
August Follow-up survey I
Complete computerization of campaign
September Newspaper ads
FOC Seminar - Stage Three
Follow-up survey II
Publish second tabloid
Letters to PAC's and previous contributors
Begin production of TV commercials
Major Fund-raising events
October FOC Seminar - GOTV program
Last day to update computer
Final follow-up survey
Begin postcard mail program
Begin direct mail program - U & R
Radio and TV ads begin 10-day run
Yard signs go up
Newspaper ads
GOTV mail program
November GOTV - General Election Day
VICTORY PARTY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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APPENDIX A:
Field Operations Guide
The task you are undertaking as a Precinct Captain for the
Congressional Campaign is probably the most important single effort in
the whole Campaign. Every other function in the Campaign is either
directly or indirectly supportive of your efforts. Without your
complete cooperation and effort, this Campaign could not result in
victory on November , 19 . The decision was made many months ago
that only an intensive "grass roots" type campaign would be successful
here in the district. As a result of this decision, all of the
media efforts (radio, TV, newspapers, etc.) will be subordinated to
the Field Operations.
As you study this guide, please keep in mind what you have just read -
the success of this Campaign depends on YOU! Outlined in this guide
are step-by-step procedures for each of the five stages during the
course of the Campaign. Please study them carefully and accomplish
the tasks as accurately as possible. Every step is important and has
relevance to the other programs going on in the Campaign. If you have
any questions, please do not hesitate to call your Area or Regional
Chairperson for assistance.
Thank you for all of your assistance and cooperation in this effort.
REGION: AREA: PRECINCT:
REGIONAL CHAIRPERSON:
AREA CHAIRPERSON:
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APPENDIX A:
FIELD OPERATIONS GUIDE
Stage One - Voter Identification & Volunteer Recruitment Stage
February , 19 thru May , 19
During this stage, we would like you to make an intensive effort to
contact every household which has a registered voter in your precinct.
This contact should be in person - - not by telephone, if at all
possible. Our primary objective during this stage is to identify and
record the definite voters, the definite voters
and the undecideds. In your kit you'll notice the Endorsement Sheets.
Please take a moment to fill in the information at the top. So often,
we receive these sheets at Central without this information and a
considerable amount of time is wasted finding out who sent it in.
Remember, there are hundreds of precincts in the Congressional
District; and, without accurate record-keeping, the logistics would be
impossible to handle.
When you contact these homes in your precinct, simply identify
yourself as their Precinct Captain and tell them you are taking a
survey in order to find out who they are planning to support in the
upcoming election. If they plan on voting for tell them you
think that's great and then ask them to do two things:
(1) to please sign your Endorsement Sheet (actually, they should
PRINT their name and then initial it and,
(2) show them the return envelope and ask them what type of activity
listed there they would like to volunteer for, if any. Have them
complete the envelope and mail it for them to Central.
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APPENDIX A:
You should, in every case, mark your Precinct Sheet with a " " next
to their name if they are going to vote for . If they say they
are undecided, put a "U" next to their name, and if they indicate that
they are going to vote for the candidate, put a " " next to
their name. If they decline to state, put a "DS". Somewhere on their
line, you should also put their phone number if it is not already
listed. This will make your work in the later stages considerably
easier.
You should not put any other markings on these Precinct Sheets. The
sheets are very expensive and the set you have has to last the entire
campaign. Also, if you have to turn them over to someone else, the
coding has to be consistent. When an Endorsement Sheet is filled,
please send it directly to Central Headquarters, P. O. Box .
When these sheets are received by Central, a copy will be made and
sent back to your Regional Chairperson. The name may be used at some
point in the future for an Endorsement Ad in your local newspapers.
We will also make an Endorsement Card on each one for our central file
and then will send the name to our computer company. They will code
that information into the computer so that we will not mail to our
known supporters information designed for those who are still
undecided.
As you will see in the later stages, these names will also become
crucial in the successful completion of your efforts in getting out
the vote on Election Day.
In summary, then for Stage One, our primary objective is to identify
and record our known supporters and secondly to recruit additional
volunteers for the Campaign. We do not expect you to spend a
significant amount of time in trying to educate the undecided or to
make any "conversions". This will be accomplished in later stages of
the Campaign.
Note: Each person is to be surveyed, regardless of party designation.
Stage Two - The Voter Advocacy Stage
(May , 19 thru September , 19 .)
In this stage, we would like you to re-canvas your precincts, calling
only on those people who indicated in Stage One that they were
undecided (U). The primary objective will be to convince as many of
them as possible to vote for in . To assist you in this
effort, we will provide you with a synopsis of position on the
issues sometime during the month of May. We suggest you call on these
people in person, identifying yourself as their precinct captain for
the Congressional Campaign and that you would like to help them
to become better informed on the issues and the candidates. In your
kits, you have a "bio" sheet which shows a background we can all be
proud of. has been accurately described as a political
moderate and a fiscal conservative - the very kind of person most of
us can identify with and trust. He is one of the people of the
district, he knows the problems and issues facing us and even more
importantly, he knows how to get the job done in Washington. He is
strongly opposed to the burgeoning bureaucracy in Washington and the
outrageous increase in taxes being voted in year after year. He is
also a strong advocate of equal rights and opportunity for every
person in our Country.
As you talk with these people, if they indicate they would like to
support don't hesitate! Ask them to sign the Endorsement Sheets and
fill out the return envelope if they would like to be a volunteer,
just as in Stage One.
As an alternative to individual contact, some Precinct Captains prefer
having a series of "Coffee Hours" in their home to which they invite
only the known undecideds. They then ask their area or regional
chairperson to come by and talk to the group about . Sometimes,
this "third" person influence can be very effective.
Incidentally, during Stages One and Two, and his wife, will
be walking many of the precincts throughout the district. Naturally,
you will be advised when they are going to be in your precinct and
asked to help plan their activity while there. Your area chairperson
will advise you regarding this activity.
Also, during Stage Two, if our budget permits, we are going to try and
open storefront headquarters in each of the regions. your area
chairperson will let you know about this sometime in June.
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APPENDIX A:
To summarize, Stage Two efforts are directed toward educating the
undecideds about . If you have already reached your basic goal
of 100 known supporters, keep going! There are bound to be a certain
number of precincts which will not make their objectives. Your extra
effort could make the difference!
Stage Three - Voter ID and Advocacy Stage
(September , 19 thru October , 19 )
Take a good, hard look at your precinct sheets. Are you satisfied
that you have all the information you need on our known supporters?
Call on them and ask them (1) if they plan on being out of town on
Election Day, Tuesday, November , or unable to get to the polls for
any reason, would they like to have an absentee voter application and
(2) if they would like to have a bumper sticker for their car, or a
yard sign. This gives you a chance to get back in touch with them to
make sure there hasn't been any slippage. (Incidentally, we recommend
that you carry a roll of scotch tape with you and help them place the
bumper sticker on the bottom center section of their rear window -
inside. This gives maximum visibility, it lasts longer and doesn't
mess up their bumper.)
After you are satisfied that our known supporters are firm, review
your list of undecideds. It is imperative that you contact all of them
during this stage. The choice at this point will be clear and
well-defined. We will send to you a biographical profile of our
opponent, along with his position on the issues. With this
information, you should be able to point out to the known undecideds
the differences between him and . You should be able to make
a strong appeal at this time for their commitment to unless they
want a continuation of the policies of the last twenty-five years! If
you are successful in your efforts to get them to endorse
continue sending the names to Central until October , so they can
receive our final mailing. Names obtained after October should be
designated on your sheets in such a way that you will be certain to
give them top priority on election Day. You should also develop
during this stage, a list of people who had previously indicated they
would be willing to put up yard signs for . On the weekend of
October , you should organize a sign "planting" effort in your
precinct and see to it that everyone who requested a sign has one put
up in their yard. This is usually a fun project for some of the
teenagers associated with the campaign.
The media campaign will be especially intensive during this stage and
stage four. Your efforts will be supported by newspaper ads, radio,
and TV commercials, billboards and direct mailings - - notice we said
"supported" - - the primary effort is YOURS!
and will be concentrating their campaign
activities in those precincts which our analysis shows need the most
help and which have the best chance of being won over.
Remember, this is our last chance to "sell" those people who are still
uncommitted on voting for . Plan your schedules far enough in
advance so that you will be able to give it your very best effort.
Stage Four - Get Out The Vote (GOTV), General Election
October , 19 thru November , 19
This is it!! If you have done your job properly during the last nine
months, you should have a minimum of 100 names on your precinct sheets
of people who have said they will go out and vote for
on November . Hopefully, you will have 120 names to contact, just
to be safe. You should contact all of these people by phone to see if
they need any special assistance on Election Day, and to remind them
that it is coming up very quickly. After doing this, if time permits,
you should give one last call to any undecideds still on your list.
If our budget permits, we will try to send them one last mailer in
this stage; but in all probability, the final contact will be yours.
Again, the phone banks will be in operation to provide back-up
assistance for you. In the seminar preceding this stage, you'll be
given detailed instructions on how to coordinate their activities with
yours. you will also receive instructions on the way you can help on
Election Day.
If you have any problems during any of these Stages, please do not
hesitate to contact your area or regional chairperson. They are there
to help you. If you feel you cannot do the job, try to recruit your
own replacement and let your area chairperson know what's happening.
All supplies will come to you from your area chairperson. If you have
any problems along these lines, please call Campaign Central
Headquarters for assistance.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX A:
SOME SUGGESTED DO'S AND DON'TS:
1. Do Keep In Contact With Your Area Chairperson.
2. Do Keep A Smile On Your Face And A Very Positive Attitude
When Talking With Your Fellow Voters.
3. Do Try To Always Give A Positive Impression Of Yourself And
The Campaign.
4. Do Develop The Attitude That What You Are Doing Is An
Integral Part Of The American Political Process - - Because
It Is!!!
5. Do Conserve Brochures And Supplies. Costs For These Items
Have Increased Tremendously In The Last Few Years. Use
Everything Effectively.
1. Don't Ever Belittle Or Attack Personally Our Opponents,
Regardless Of How Much "Mud" They Might Sling. We Are Going
To Run A Positive Campaign Based On The Issues.
2. Don't Do Anything To Interfere With Our Opponents' Signs or
Other Advertising Programs.
3. Don't Spread Rumors About Our Opponents and Don't Believe
Any You Might Be Hearing About The Campaign. If In
Doubt,Call Headquarters - - You'll Always Get A Straight
Answer.
4. Don't Give Up. We Have A Tough Fight Ahead Of Us, But A
Golden Opportunity To Win Solidly and Let Our Voices Be
Heard In Washington, Loud and Clear!
THANK YOU!
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APPENDIX A:
Finance Committee Operations Manual
The function of the Finance Committee is to help raise the funds
necessary for the successful completion of our campaign for the U. S.
Congressional seat in District.
That this accomplishment is possible is beyond question.
(1) Recent elections in Districts around the state and here in
the show that there is a definite swing on the part of
the voters to candidates representing the moderate to right wings of
political philosophy and attitudes. our major task politically is to
find those people and get them out to vote on Election Day - November
, 19 .
(2) Recent surveys indicate that the district is -
by any reasonable definition - a swing district, i.e. a district with
a large percentage of independent voters who vote for the person, not
the party, and could therefore, go either way in a General Election.
These same surveys also indicate that the incumbent Congressman,
is perceived as being very and out of step
with a majority of the voters in the district.
(3) The district is so diversified that it would be
virtually impossible for someone to win without a strong
well-organized "grass roots" campaign, coupled with an intensive media
and direct mail operation and an early start. The incumbent has had a
"free ride" for so long that his grass roots organization is virtually
non-existent.
(4) We do not for a second underestimate the formidableness of
Congressman . As a year incumbent he
has at his disposal the prestige of his office, a well-qualified
staff, the franking privilege which he uses with utmost effectiveness
and professional assistance with his campaigns.
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APPENDIX A:
In order to counter these advantages we have retained the firm of
Campaign Management Associates of Washington, D. C., one of the
nations's leading political consulting firms. They will be
responsible for our campaign operations planning and media activity.
In addition to this plans on walking many precincts in
the district between now and the election. Through this
effort, we not only hope to develop a close relationship with
and the voters, but we will be recruiting volunteers in order
to build the most intensive "grass roots" organization the
district has ever seen.
So we can win! And we can win big - but it all depends on you.
Without your assistance it would be virtually impossible.
#ENDCARD
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APPENDIX A:
What Are The Objectives?
The Campaign Budget has been set at $300,000.00. We hope to raise
this amount from five (5) sources.
1. PAC's and Out-of-District Contributions $60,000.00
2. National Committees 40,000.00
3. Direct mail within the District 40,000.00
4. Fund-raising events within the District 80,000.00
5. Individual Solicitation within the District 80,000.00
$300,000.00
Sources 3, 4, and 5 (within the District) total $200,000.00. Among
the District's 5 regions, the allocation is as follows:
Region I 30% $ 60,000.00
Region II 20% 40,000.00
Region III 15% 30,000.00
Region IV 10% 20,000.00
Region V 25% 50,000.00
$200,000.00
When a contribution is received, it is credited to the region in which
the contributor lives -regardless of where or how it was raised. For
example, if an event is held in region III and someone attends it from
region I, region I would receive the credit toward their budget
objective of $60,000.00.
This also applies to any funds received as a result of our direct mail
program. They are automatically credited to the region in which the
Contributor lives.
All fund-raising events are credited on a NET basis only, i.e. the
costs of holding the event are deducted from the total raised and only
the net amount is credited toward the region's objectives.
Since sources 1 & 2 listed above will not be available until after the
primary election (for the most part), the bulk of the budget for the
primary campaign will have to be raised within the district.
Since our cash flow budget calls for an expenditure of about $180,000
by September ,19 each region will need to raise approximately 70%
of its objective by that date. Therefore Region I should plan on
raising $42,000., Region II - $28,000., Region III - $21,000., Region
IV - $14,000., and Region V - $35,000. by September , 19 . The
balance of $40,000 we hope to raise from sources 1 and 2 by this date.
This gives us just about one year to accomplish this herculean task.
Suggested methods follow.
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APPENDIX A:
The Method of Operation
Between now and the Primary Election we have divided the campaign
fund-raising period into three stages.
Stage 1 December , 19 - April , 19
Stage 2 April , 19 - August , 19
Stage 3 September , 19 - November , 19
During these Stages it will be helpful if you keep in mind a
distinction between "direct" activity and "support" activity. direct
activity is where you (as the Finance Committee) have the primary
responsibility for the success of a particular fund-raising event or
activity, e.g. a district-wide or regional dinner and individual
Solicitation. Support activity is when the fund-raising event or
activity has been initiated by someone else but it is taking place
within your region, e.g. the political committee within your region is
putting on a p[olka Party to help raise funds or central has done a
mailing to Doctors in your region which need a follow-up phone call to
solicit funds.
At any given time in each of the Stages, something will be happening
which will require your involvement in either a direct or support
role.
Stage 1 - December , 19 - April , 19
Sometime during this stage (tentatively - Feb. ) we are asking the
Finance Committee to sponsor one major fund-raising event ( a major
event is $100 per person.) The NET amount to be raised from this
event is $40,000.
Our objective is to sell 500 tickets at $100 per person.
The event itself will be a Dinner/Dance kicking off
campaign.
central will handle the publicity and initial mailing but it will be
up to the Finance Committee to do the actual selling. Each Finance
Committee Member should recruit at least 10 persons to assist them
with their ticket sales.
We suggest that you put together a "prospect list" of at least 150
persons in each of your regions who are potential contributors to
these events. Then call a meeting with your committee members and
decide who will be personally responsible for calling at least 15
people from that prospect list. you should then 43-convene your
meeting ten days later to determine what progress has been made and by
whom.
Remember the above objectives are on a NET basis, therefore when
making your plans you must take into consideration all expenses
involved in the event you are planning.
Also during this stage there will be a regular and on-going direct
mail program along with individual solicitation to raise funds. our
objective from these two sources is $50,000. Objective Stage 1 is
$90,000.00 plus $10,000 from sources 1 & 2 for a total of $100,000.00.
Stage 2 - April , 19 - August , 19
During Stage 2 we plan on having five minor fund-raising events ($25
per person) one in each region. The NET objectives on a regional
basis are as follows:
Region I - $4,000. (200 tickets @ $25 per = $5,000 - $1,000
expenses)
Region II - $4,000. (200 tickets @ $25 per = $5,000 - $1,000
expenses)
Region III - $4,000. (200 tickets @ $25 per = $5,000 - $1,000
expenses)
Region IV - $4,000. (200 tickets @ $25 per = $5,000 - $1,000
expenses)
Region V - $4,000. (200 tickets @ $25 per = $5,000 - $1,000
expenses)
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APPENDIX A:
The events could be whatever the committee chooses to do - a Polka
Party, a Dinner, a Ski Party, a Fashion Show, etc. Whatever you think
will work best in your region.
As with the major fund-raising event, a prospect list should be put
together (preferably on 3 X 5 cards) and distributed to your committee
members for follow-up solicitation.
Our objective is to raise $20,000 NET from these five events.
Also during this stage our individual solicitation program will
continue. Our objective from this source is $20,000 during this
stage. Essentially this part of the fund-raising program will be
carried on by and members of the Finance Committee.
The direct mail and PAC solicitation programs will continue as in
stage 1.
Total objective Stage 2 is $50,000 (cumulative totals: $150,000.00
plus $60,000.00 from sources 1 and 2 = $210,000.00).
Stage 3 - September , 19 - November , 19
During the first three weeks of this stage we are asking each of the
regions to sponsor one minor fund-raising event similar to the ones
put on during stage 2. The NET objectives will be the same and the
suggested procedure should also be duplicated. Since this is a
different campaign period many of the individuals who contributed
during stage 2 should be approached to contribute a second time. We
suggest however, that you utilize a different type of event from stage
2. A Lake Cruise, Hayride Party, Tea Dance, etc. are some more ideas
which can have the desired financial results and provide some fun and
entertainment at the same time.
Our objective is to raise $20,000 NET from these five events.
We plan on raising $10,000 from our direct mail program and $30,000
from individual solicitations during this stage 3 for a NET of
$60,000. Our objective from sources 1 & 2 during this period is
$30,000.00 for a total of $90,000.00.
Summary of Objectives And Sources:
Source: Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3
12/ -4/ 4/ -8/ 9/ -11/
1. PAC's & OD cont. $ 10,000. $ 40,000. $ 10,000.
2. Nat'l Comm. $ $ 20,000. $ 20,000.
3. Direct Mail I D $ 20,000. $ 10,000. $ 10,000.
4. Fund-raisers $ 40,000. $ 20,000. $ 20,000.
5. Individual slctrs.$ 30,000. $ 20,000. $ 30,000.
Individual Totals: $100,000. $110,000. $ 90,000.
Cumulative Totals: $100,000. $210,000. $300,000.
Important Considerations
All Federal candidates are subject to very strict rules and
regulations concerning fund-raising activity. Though some of these
rules may seem ridiculous the penalties for violating them can be very
serious. in addition to the political damage, they involve fines and
possible jail sentences.
One of the first rules is that under no circumstances can a Federal
candidate accept a campaign contribution from a corporation. All
contributions must be from individuals.
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APPENDIX A:
Another important rule is that the maximum a person can contribute is
$1,000.00 during a campaign period. Keep in mind though that we are
involved in two campaigns - the Primary and the General. So a person
could give $1,000 in each one. Also note that it is per person,
therefore both a husband and wife could each give $1,000. in each
campaign period for a total of $4,000. There is an important
exception to this rule that you should be aware of and that is that an
individual may host a fund-raising event in their own home or at a
public hall or church and spend up to $1,000 for refreshments without
charging it to the campaign or against their $1,000.00 limit (double
this amount if the wife is a co-host).
Third rule. All fund-raising material, including tickets, must have
the following disclaimer: "AUTHORIZED BY THE CONGRESSIONAL
COMMITTEE. A Copy of our report is on file with the Federal Election
Commission and is available for purchase from the Federal Election
Commission, Washington, D.C." We strongly recommend therefore that
you let central take care of all your printing needs in connection
with any fund-raising activity, even if it is done on your own
stationary.
Fourth rule. All receipts and expenditures must be made through the
Congressional Committee.
Fifth rule. A monies received on behalf of the campaign must be
deposited and recorded immediately. Please be sure to mail them in to
Central as soon as received. Mail to: Congressional Comm., PO Box
Be sure to include a cover note of
explanation.
Sixth rule. We must have a record of the name, address, phone number,
occupation and place of employment of all contributors over $200. The
name, address, and phone number is required for all contributions
below $200. Please be sure to obtain this information for all
contributors and send it in with the contribution.
Seventh rule. We cannot accept a cash contribution over $100.00, it
must be by check.
The Federal Election Commission is currently reviewing all the above
rules. if any changes occur during the course of the campaign we will
notify you.
Conclusion
As stated at the outset, the job you have to do in the campaign is
crucial to its success. The timing is equally important. As any good
businessman knows "cash flow" is the key phrase in any budget. Your
stages of fund-raising activity are directly related to the Political
Stages of the campaign. If you fail to meet your objectives on
schedule, the Political campaign will be unable to meet its objectives
on schedule. And since timing is extremely important in the
successful outcome of a Political campaign we must do everything
humanly possible to succeed.
Unlike other types of "business" operations where you can modify or
adjust schedules and timetables without dire consequences, a Political
campaign cannot afford that luxury. we are dealing with a time frame
that cannot be altered.
In effect, we have only this one opportunity to unseat one of the most
Representatives ever to walk the halls of Congress and
to finally elect an individual who is not only extremely
well-qualified to do the job but who will represent our interests in
Washington.
When you become tired and discouraged with this monumental task before
you, remind yourself of what it's all about. Think about the
thousands of extra dollars we are all paying every year to support a
"welfare" system designed and implemented by the very man who calls
himself our Congressman today. Think about the outrageous inflation
rate that robs all of us day in and day out and then try to remember
what prices were like years ago when
first took office. Think about how little we worried about energy
and unemployment years ago.
AND THEN THINK ABOUT HOW RIDICULOUS IT IS TO EXPECT ONE OF THE PERSONS
RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MESS TO NOW FIND THE SOLUTIONS!!!!!!
Yes, it is going to be difficult, but together we can do it. Campaign
Central will do its part with all the logistical support you will
need. will do his fair share and then some.
Fund-raising events and activity will take precedence over all other
events during the course of the campaign. Without these funds, we
will be unable to communicate our message to the voters and that's
what this is all about. That is in essence what all this money buys
-communications. has been using our tax dollars for
years to sell us on his programs, it's time we
sold him some of ours!
Thank you for your cooperation in this worthwhile effort.
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APPENDIX A:
The congressional Committee "Cash Flow" Budget
A-44 Diagram
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APPENDIX A:
The congressional Committee "Cash Flow" Budget
A-45 Diagram
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APPENDIX A:
Sample prioritization schedule
A-46 Diagram
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APPENDIX A:
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE MANUAL FOR TELEPHONE OPERATION
Introduction
The telephoning you are about to begin on behalf of our Congressional
District Candidate, , is one of the most important jobs in the
campaign. Not only will you be making the only personal contact many
of these voters have with campaign, you will also be
accumulating the data essential to future mail contacts.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the outcome of this campaign
will be directly related to the success or failure of this telephone
program.
Please take your time and follow the instructions carefully. Do not
begin to telephone until you are certain you know what to do. If you
have any questions or problems, contact your Supervisor if you are
calling from a phone bank, or Campaign Headquarters at
if you are calling from home.
We really appreciate what you are doing and sincerely thank you for
your efforts on behalf of good government and campaign
for Congress.
Sincerely,
CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN
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APPENDIX A:
Definitions and Explanations
Let's take a moment to review the computer printout sheet in front of
you. They have a way of looking difficult but are really easy to
understand once you know the code.
Starting at the top of the sheet you'll notice the date of this
printout is listed plus the region you are calling, then the area
within the region is shown in pen. these are our campaign boundaries
which your supervisor will show you, if requested. Then follows the
County's Ward and Precinct designations which correspond to our region
and area designations. If available, we have also listed the polling
place for the precinct you are calling. If it isn't there please find
out what the location is and write it in at the top.
Phone: Where a number was available it is listed. If time permits
you might want to check with the Information operator to
see if they have a listing and write the number in that
space.
Party: The voter lists have been consolidated where there was more
than one registered voter at the address listed. Therefore
RR means that there are two Republican voters in that
household, N=Independent, D=Democrat. A + sign after the
letter means that there are at least two more registered
voters in that household.
Last Name: Wherever possible we have tried to eliminate duplication of
voters at the same address. Sometimes though a slight
change in spelling can cause the computer to print the same
person twice. All you can do is check the sheets carefully
and line-out any duplications you spot.
First Name: Usually if there is more than one voter in the household
the computer will print the male name if it was apparent.
When addressing mail where there is more than one voter in
the household, you might want to address it to "The Smith
Family."
Address: Should be self-evident.
Sub. No.: Indicates apartment number or special additional
designation.
Zip: The zip code number must be used on all mailings since
we are mailing at bulk rates.
Ref. Nbr.: The code number assigned to this voter by the computer for
easy identification.
Prev. ID.: Shows the results obtained during the previous canvas of
the district done earlier this year. A " " indicates
that this voter is a known supporter and does not
require a phone call until election day. A "U" indicates
that they were undecided when last contacted. When
calling them please use Telephone Conversation 1.
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APPENDIX A:
Voter ID: U =, Undecided or /Declined to State/Moved or
Deceased. A circle (in pencil) around either of these
three letters activates certain responses from the campaign
and the computer. That is " " will receive one type of
mail and follow-up messages; "U" will receive a different
type; and " " will be deleted entirely - no additional
communication either by phone or mail.
Will Help: V = Volunteer. When this letter is circled the person will
be contacted and asked to help on the campaign.
ABS Ballot: This response triggers the Absentee Ballot Program of the
Campaign. When the voter requests assistance to vote
absentee the R is circled. When the mail person sends
them a request for an absentee ballot, the date of mailing
is inserted within the space following and the A is
circled. One week later a follow-up phone call will be
made to make certain they received the ballot. At this
time the B is circled, if they have received it. Otherwise
another request form is mailed to them.
Mailings: This code acts as a checkpoint for making sure that the
mailings originating from the Headquarters are actually
sent. When the voter indicates he is undecided tabloid
(T) will be mailed to him and the T circled. When he
requests an Absentee Ballot application form, a letter from
will be sent in a separate envelope and the AB will
be circled. The M is an open code for possible future use.
Election Day: This section will not be used until Tuesday, November.
It is a control mechanism designed to help regulate
the number of calls made to Get Out The Vote (GOTV) on
election day. When the 1st call is made, circle the 1. If
the person has voted, circle the + and no further calls
will be made. If transportation to the polls is needed
the T should be circled and the information given to the
Supervisor.
If a second call is needed later in the day to
remind them to vote, then the 2 is circled following the
completion of that call.
Total House Equals the number of households shown on this printout
Holds This within the precinct. Next to this should b the number
Printout: of voters in the precinct.
Total
Voters: This is where we'll record the final number of
supporters identified in this precinct just
prior to the election.
Precinct
Voter This figure will be entered by the Campaign and compared
Objective: with the total votes on
.
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APPENDIX A:
Tips To Telephone Effectively
Put a smile in your voice. The easiest and surest way to do this is
to have a smile on your face while telephoning.
Never argue.
Please adhere to the printed conversation. Do not ask if we can send
literature.
Use Pencil only on voter printout sheet.
If there is no answer after five rings, please call next number on
voter list.
Do not forget to make appropriate mark on voter sheet (circle
, U or ) after a completed call. Failure to do this will
result in multiple calls to a home which is irritating to voters.
ONLY ONE MARK PER HOUSEHOLD. Register the response of the person with
whom you are speaking for the whole family.
During the conversation repeat the name of the person with whom you
are speaking as often as it is comfortable for you to do so. People
like to hear their name repeated.
Do not mark voter printout sheet if line is "busy" or "doesn't
answer". Mark sheet only with coding indicated on conversation sheet.
If number is no longer in service, draw a line through the number.
Make an effort through the information operator to secure the new
number of voter.
Remember, it is important to ask every "yes" voter two (2) things:
(1) will he volunteer; (2) will he or any member of the family need an
absentee ballot.
Consult your biographical sketch of if personal
information is requested. If a question is asked which you cannot
answer, or if a question is posed to you regarding
position on certain issues in the material provided, advise the voter
that you cannot speak for on issues, but he/she will receive
a direct communication answering the question. Verify name and
address. Make note of question on scratch pad, plus name and address
of voter. Give to Supervisor or send to HQ if calling from home.
If voter states he/she will require transportation to the polls,
inform the voter we will be happy to supply this service and that the
transportation committee will be in touch with the voter closer to the
election (November ) to set up a time mutually convenient.
After hanging up, put the voter's name, address, telephone number,
precinct number and "ride to the polls" on pad provided. give to
Supervisor. Circle the T in the Election Day column on the voter
printout sheet.
If irritation is encountered because of former campaign telephoning
(or other reasons) -please apologize and inform the voter that the
calls are being made from the registered voter list. Add, if
possible, "While I have you on the phone may I commend you on your
interest in good government evidenced by being a registered voter."
"KEEP DIALING" PHONES ON HOOKS LOSE ELECTIONS.
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APPENDIX A:
Telephone conversation No. 1
Conversation to U and previous U's - Advocacy Call
"Hello, Mr./Mrs. , this is , a
volunteer with the Congressional Committee. We think
that it's time for a change and that is unusually
well qualified. He would do an excellent job for us in Congress.
Mr./Mrs. , may we count on your support for
?
If Answer is: Reply: Mark Sheet
NO Thank you for your time. Circle A in voter
ID column. Mark
line through name.
YES That's good to hear. Would
you like to be part of the Circle in voter
for Congress team and ID column.
work in the campaign?
Yes - That's great! Our volunteer Circle V in Will
chairman will be in touch Help column.
with you. We certainly
appreciate your willingness
to help.
(After hanging up, put name,
address, telephone number &
precinct on card provided and
give to Supervisor or send to
Headquarters.)
No - We understand; however, we do
appreciate your support of
.
Is there a possibility you or
any member of your family may
require an absentee ballot?
Yes - We will send you a request Circle R in ABS
form to be completed for Ballot column.
an absentee ballot. This
form should be completed (see Absentee
and mailed as soon as Ballot op.
possible. instructions)
Thank you for your interest
in electing .
No - It has been a pleasure talking
with you. Thanks again for your
support of .
Undecided or
Non-Committal has a remarkable Circle U in voter
record in his business ID column.
and public life. Your Address a tabloid
favorable consideration to them and circle
and support of on T in mailings
November is column on voter
appreciated. printout sheet.
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APPENDIX A:
NOTE: (1) All previously identified U's will already
have received a tabloid.. Only the undecideds obtained from the U call
should receive one following this first call.
(2) After you have called all the U's assigned
to you please recall all previous U's (undecideds) repeating the same
opening conversation and see if they have decided to vote for
. If the have - erase the circle around the "U" and circle the
" ". This will insure their getting a follow-up phone call on
Election Day.
If they are still undecided, address an
undecided mail packet and mail it to them. This applies to undecideds
determined from the previous ID survey and your current
calling.
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APPENDIX A:
Telephone Conversation No. 2
Conversation to Prev. ID - "F" only. Begin calling Monday, 10/ / .
"Hello, Mr./Mrs. , this is , a volunteer with
the Congressional Committee. As you know the election is
coming close and we just wanted to check with you and see if there is
a possibility you or any member of your family may require an absentee
ballot?"
If Answer Is: Reply: Mark Sheet:
YES We will send you a request Circle R in ABS
form to be completed for an Ballot Column.
absentee ballot. This form
should be completed and
mailed in as soon as
possible. Thank you for
your interest in electing
.
NO It has been a pleasure Put an X over
talking with you. Thanks the R in the ABS
again for your support Ballot Column.
of .
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APPENDIX A:
Absentee Ballot Program
Step 1
All households circled with an "R" in the ABS Ballot Column should
have a number ten envelope addressed to them. After the envelope is
addressed the date should be printed in the space after the R of the
ABS Ballot Column and then circle the "A" in the ABS Ballot Column.
The enclosures for the envelope are:
(1) application for Absentee Voters Ballot
(2) properly addressed and stamped plain white envelope for
returning the ballot application to County Auditor or Registrar's
Office.
Step 2
Address a different envelope to the same person you have just sent the
ballot application. (DO NOT USE THE SAME ENVELOPE CONTAINING THE
BALLOT APPLICATION). Enclose the proper letter and literature from
. Circle the "AB" on the voter printout sheet in the
mailings column.
At the end of each day these should all be stamped, sorted by Zip code
and mailed.
During the Absentee Ballot period (approximately 10/ -10/ ) it
is the responsibility of the telephoners to watch these dates on the
voter printout sheets. Seven days after any date indicating a request
for a ballot application the telephoner should call and inquire as
follows:
(1) was the application received, and
(2) did the voter complete and mail.
If affirmative answer received, the following instructions should be
observed:
On voter printout sheet, circle "B" in the ABS Ballot column.
If negative response is received, the telephoner should erase the old
date and write the new date on the sheet, and repeat step 1 above.
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APPENDIX A:
Volunteer Timetable
September Prepare sheets for telephoning. Check phone
numbers, supplies, etc.
September Start Advocacy Phone Bank program with
Telephone Conversation No. 1. Begin Precinct and Sign program.
October Begin call Prev. ID " " regarding Absentee
Ballot. Continue Advocacy program, especially concentrating on Prev.
ID "U".
October Begin Postcard Mail program and put up Yard
Signs.
November Start calling all known " 's" and remind them
that Election Day is Tuesday.
November BEGIN GOTV PROGRAM
Order of Priority calling:
1st - All identified " 's"
2nd - All households with a Party designation " "
3rd - As time permits, all households with a Party
designation " " in Regions I, IV and V
(unless there is also a @@@ in the
household).
Supplies needed for Telephone Program:
1. Volunteer cards
2. Transportation Request pads
3. Information Request pads
4. No. 2 pencils
5. Ruler
6. Absentee Ballot applications
7. No. 10 Campaign envelopes
8. No. 10 Plain envelopes (with stamps)
9. Tabloids
10. Synopsis of Issues
11. Single page bio
12. Letter to Absentee Ballot voters
13. Letter to Undecideds (2nd mailing)
14. Brochures
15. Comparison of Voting Record Sheets
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APPENDIX A:
Congressional Committee "CASH FLOW" Budget
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APPENDIX A:
Congressional Committee "CASH FLOW" Budget 2
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APPENDIX A:
Sample Prioritization schedule
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APPENDIX B:
Sample Forms - BRE
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APPENDIX B:
Sample Forms - Contributor and Pledge Cards
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APPENDIX B:
Sample Forms - Volunteer and 2 Endorsement Cards
B-4 Diagram
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APPENDIX B:
Sample Forms - Daily Schedule Worksheet
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APPENDIX B:
Sample Forms - Endorsement
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APPENDIX B:
Sample Forms - Request for Appearance and Scheduling Form
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APPENDIX B:
Sample Forms - Cash Flow Schedule Form
B-8 Diagram
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APPENDIX B:
Computer Transmittal Form 1 of 2
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APPENDIX B:
Computer Transmittal Form 2 of 2 (codes)
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APPENDIX C
DIRECTORY OF POLITICAL RESOURCES AND POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE;
Publisher's Note: On the following pages you will find a new
feature of The Campaign Manual, a directory listing of political
resources and possible sources of assistance.
The first page contains the addresses and phone numbers of the
national Parties, government agencies, and others that might be
helpful to political candidates seeking information and assistance.
Possible Sources of Assistance
1. Amer. Assn. of Political Cons.
202 E Street, N.E.
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 546-1564
2. Clerk of the House
H-105
U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-7000
3. Democratic Cong. Committee
400 S. Capitol St., S.E.
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 863-1500
4. Democratic Nat'l. Committee
400 S. Capitol St., S.E.
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 863-8000
5. Democratic Sen. Committee
400 S. Capitol St., S.E.
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 224-2447
6. Democratic Study Group
LHOB #1422
U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5858
7. Federal Election Commission
999 E St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20463
(202) 523-4089 (800) 424-9530
8. League of Women Voters
1730 M St., N.W.
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 429-1965
9. National League of Cities
1301 Penn. Ave., N.W.
Washington, DC 20004
10. Nat'l. Rep. Cong. Committee
320 1st St., S.E.
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 479-7050
11. Nat'l. Rep. Sen. Committee
440 1st St., N.W. Suite 600
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 224-2351
12. Republican Nat'l. Committee
310 1st St., S.E.
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 863-8500
13. Senate Document Room
SHOB4
U.S. Capitol
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-7860
14. Superintendent of Documents
U. S. Govt. Printing Office
Washington, DC 20402
(202) 783-3238
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