What’s Your Campaign Theme?
For political purposes, your campaign theme covers a variety of elements which are used to communicate a political message. It should be based on a clear reason why a candidate is running for office and backed up by an overall identity that shapes the overall campaign.
The end goal, of course, is to convince people to vote for you.
Listen to this post:
Why are you running for office?
You should be able to summarize your campaign’s main message or narrative into a concise statement that explains why voters should support your campaign, organization or political party. The message should be short enough to not only tell a story, but also to be broken down and used as talking points that can be used by a candidate over and over again.
So, what is a political theme? For your messaging, it’s a summary of why you are seeking office.
For more of an idea, here are some campaign message examples:
- “As we face fiscal woes and a decaying infrastructure, we need leaders who will restore fiscal accountability and help rebuild our state. John Smith is that leader.”
- “Jane Smith is a former teacher and administrator, not a well-connected politician. Her background in education means she can restore accountability to our local schools.”
- “Ian Incumbent has missed over half of the Town Board meetings over the last two years. How can he govern if he doesn’t even do his job? Jane Smith will be there and work hard for the taxpayers.”
- “Our town board is indifferent to citizen needs over outside developers. John Smith will work for sustainable growth.”
- “Colin Candidate is running for judge to insure impartial and fair justice for all.”
All these examples touch on an important issue to voters and what the candidate is going to do when elected. From the examples above, you can extract the major theme in just a few words. As you refine this, it will become your elevator speech and the basis for your candidate stump speech.
Your messaging should reflect and promote that idea throughout the campaign. In one form or another, your message should be repeated at every opportunity, in every available medium.
Why are you seeking elected office? The answer is what you hope to accomplish when you win.
[bctt tweet=”Your campaign’s main message should be a concise statement that explains why #voters should support you.”]
Your campaign theme should appeal to voter emotions
If your theme can play on voter emotions, it can become far more powerful. What are the wants and needs of your community? Education? Jobs? The economy?
- Know the issues and interests of your target voter. You can find this out through public meetings, newspapers and just speaking with people. Learn how your solutions contrast with those of your opponent.
- Show you can relate to and feel your target voter’s pain. Political themes that can tie both a problem and a proposed solution together is a powerful message.
- Most people vote on emotion, not logic. Tap into and create a memorable emotion that gives voters feelings about you and what you hope to accomplish.
It’s emotion that makes political ads so powerful. In a 2005 American Journal of Political Science study, it was found that emotional reactions occur faster than conscious appraisals. This is why negative political advertising is so persuasive – because it works. This isn’t to say that your campaign should be based on negatives, but perhaps how you couch your issues can influence voter’s emotional reaction and participation.
All of your campaign communication – speeches, print material, signage – should reinforce your theme and the feelings they produce. Your campaign message should show that you share a voter’s values. This helps them identify with you and builds trust.
Your campaign slogan – an extension of you
While a summary of your campaign is great and should be practiced until it can be recited in your sleep, the average voter needs something even shorter. They need a slogan that encapsulates the idea of your campaign.
Your slogan should touch on the major issue or reason for your campaign. Examples of this includes:
- Let’s Make a Difference
- A Voice for Smart Growth
- Proven Leadership.
- Quality in Government
- Fair and Impartial Justice
Your campaign slogan should be related to your message. For example, if you are running an anti-sprawl campaign, a slogan like ‘A Voice for Smart Growth‘ would be appropriate. It’s short, it fits on a campaign sign (if it had to) and is related to a major campaign issue.
[bctt tweet=”Your #political campaign slogan should encapsulate your entire campaign. http://ow.ly/McUq30gBjnT”]
What’s your color theme?
It’s usually best to keep your campaign color scheme to two colors, one lighter and one darker. Simple is best. That goes for your fonts, as well. A nice sans-serif font is better than a fancy script font. Most political organizations tend to use sans-serif fonts for their boldness and readability.
What colors are you going to use to promote your campaign? In the US, red, white and blue are always favorites, but if you were running on environmental issues, perhaps green and white might be a better scheme.
There is a bit of science behind color and how it makes people feel.
- Red often indicates excitement or danger. This color corresponds to the Republican party.
- Blue indicates peace and tranquility. This color corresponds to the Democratic party.
- Green indicates life and growth. This color is used by, yes, the Green Party and often by independent candidates.
- Orange is often interpreted for innovation and creativity.
All of your print materials should match your color scheme.
Whatever you do, once you commit to a color theme and slogan, stick with them. Switching things up halfway through election season will only dilute your brand and confuse voters.
What about your website?
Your online presence – your political campaign website, social media profiles and online advertising – should all match in look and feel. You will want to use the right tools to build your website. A good design should have colors and fonts that match your offline signage. The look of your site should tie together the position you are running for or the major issue behind your election.
The colors of your website design should match your print and sign material.
Hammer that campaign theme home to voters
At this point, your political campaign theme is well on its way. You have a message, a slogan, and a general design scheme. From here on in, it’s a matter of combining and using these elements consistently though your campaign literature, TV and radio ads, signage and your campaign website. Hammer that messaging home so every voter can easily recall what you stand for, and why they should vote for you on Election Day.
Our online store carries Campaign Letter Templates, and Campaign Brochure Templates – or save with a Digital Combo Package.
What the Best Political Campaign Web Designs Do Well
Looking for examples of the best political campaign web designs? A good campaign website has to do more than look polished. It should quickly tell voters who the candidate is, what office they are seeking, and what the campaign is about. It should also make it easy to learn more, donate, volunteer, request a sign, or find voting information.
Plenty of “best political website” lists showcase sites the publisher had nothing to do with. We’re doing something different. Most of the examples below were custom-designed by Online Candidate for real campaigns. We’ve also included an example created by a campaign using our Monthly Campaign Website Builder. It shows what candidates can build themselves using the same campaign-focused platform.
The designs vary because the races do. A sheriff’s website shouldn’t look or read exactly like a school board or county clerk site. Each example takes a different approach while keeping the candidate, office, message, and next step clear.
School Board Website Design Centered on Education Experience
This school board campaign website immediately identifies the candidate, the office being sought, and the district. The large candidate name and portrait sit over softly muted classroom imagery, while the apple incorporated into the logo adds an education-specific detail without overwhelming the design.
The navy, blue, and gold color scheme continues through the donation section and gives the entire site a consistent identity. Photographs of the candidate with students in a classroom connect the campaign message to the candidate’s experience as an educator.
Why it works: The website does not rely on generic political imagery. Its branding, photographs, and content reinforce the school board race, while the donation buttons and election-date message give visitors clear next steps.
City Council Re-Election Website Built Around Experience
This city council campaign website is structured around the case for re-election. The opening message establishes experienced leadership as the campaign’s central argument before visitors begin reading about individual issues or accomplishments.
Our design approach: We built the site around the campaign’s strongest argument: a record of experienced leadership. The prominent portrait and civic imagery reinforce that message, while the expanded navigation gives an incumbent room to present issues, accomplishments, voter information, events, volunteer opportunities, and donation options.
Why it works: The design recognizes that an incumbent’s website has a different job from that of a first-time candidate. It emphasizes record, experience, and continued service rather than simply introducing the candidate.
Planning your own campaign website? Online Candidate offers professionally designed websites as well as a do-it-yourself monthly option. Answer a few questions to find the website option that fits your campaign.
Sheriff Campaign Website With Sign-Ready Branding
This custom sheriff campaign website establishes a bold visual identity immediately. The oversized name, star-and-stripe logo treatment, candidate portrait, and sheriff title make the candidate and office immediately clear.
Our design approach: We treated the website as part of a larger campaign identity. The logo, typography, colors, and graphic elements were designed to remain recognizable when carried over to signs, mailers, social graphics, and other campaign materials.
The red, white, and navy palette fits a public-safety campaign, while the landscape and flag background add geographic and patriotic context. A prominent red donation section creates a strong visual break and makes contributing one of the site’s primary actions.
Why it works: The site combines strong campaign branding with a straightforward conversion path. Visitors can quickly identify the candidate, understand the office, read about relevant experience, or contribute without searching through the site.
Issue-First School Board Campaign Website
This school board website takes an issue-first approach. Instead of opening with an oversized candidate portrait, the hero section uses books, an apple, and a message centered on parents, teachers, and students. That makes the audience and the campaign’s education focus clear right away.
Unlike the custom designs featured above, this site was created using Online Candidate’s Monthly Campaign Website Builder. The campaign used the platform’s color, font, image, layout, and election-countdown options to create a distinctive website around its own message and materials.
The teal, dark blue, and orange palette avoids the standard political red-and-blue treatment while still appearing professional. The candidate portrait is placed beside a detailed introduction and clearly organized priorities. A countdown near the bottom turns the election date into a visible call to action.
Why it works: The design leads with the concerns of the office rather than the candidate’s name alone. It also demonstrates that a campaign can build a polished, office-specific website without ordering a custom design.
County Clerk Re-Election Website Focused on Results
This county clerk campaign website uses a polished, contemporary design to make the campaign feel substantial and results-oriented. The oversized “Trusted Leadership. Proven Results.” headline creates a strong first impression, while the candidate portrait and angular red graphics give the page energy and visual direction.
Our design approach: We used large typography, strong color blocks, and a structured content layout to give the campaign a more contemporary presentation. The visual hierarchy leads visitors from the main campaign message to the service improvements and supporting details below.
The messaging is particularly well matched to the office. Rather than relying on broad political language, the page emphasizes secure records, easier access, efficiency, technology, and public service. The navigation panels beneath the hero guide visitors toward the candidate’s experience, accomplishments, campaign involvement, and endorsements.
Why it works: The design turns the responsibilities of the clerk’s office into clear voter benefits. Its visual hierarchy allows visitors to understand the campaign’s main argument before reading the supporting details.
State Senate Website With Distinctive Local Branding
This state senate campaign website stands apart from more traditional political designs through its purple, teal, and coral color palette. The bright portrait and welcoming visual style give the campaign a distinctive personality while maintaining a professional appearance.
The headline combines experience with a clear sense of regional identity. Supporting navigation highlights the candidate’s background, policy positions, district, and contact options. The section below connects community service and professional experience directly to the work of the office.
Why it works: The site creates a recognizable political brand without relying on conventional red, white, and blue imagery. The colors, portrait, typography, and locally focused language work together to make the campaign feel both personal and grounded in the district.
Sheriff Campaign Website That Leads With Credentials
This sheriff campaign website places qualifications at the center of the design. The hero section combines a full-length candidate portrait with a message about experienced leadership and community-first service. A short credential strip immediately summarizes the candidate’s law-enforcement, police leadership, and military experience.
Our design approach: We designed the opening section to establish qualifications before asking visitors to explore the rest of the website. The experience figures support the leadership message with evidence that voters can absorb at a glance.
The dark navy and muted gold palette conveys authority without making the site feel severe. Bold condensed typography strengthens the public-safety theme, while action panels direct visitors toward the candidate’s background, yard signs, endorsements, and voting information. The next section supports the opening claims with additional information about the candidate’s record and community service.
Why it works: Sheriff candidates often need to establish credibility quickly. This design puts experience, service, and evidence above the fold while still giving supporters clear ways to learn more and participate.
What Effective Political Campaign Website Designs Have in Common
These political campaign website design examples don’t follow a single visual formula—and they shouldn’t. A school board candidate, county clerk, city council member, and sheriff should not all have interchangeable websites.
Even so, the examples share several important characteristics:
- The office is immediately clear. Visitors should not have to search the page to determine what position the candidate is seeking.
- The design supports the campaign’s main argument. Experience, education, public safety, constituent service, and local roots require different visual and messaging priorities.
- The branding can work beyond the website. Effective political campaign branding should translate to signs, mailers, social media, and print materials.
- Photography contributes to the message. Classroom, civic, community, and professional images provide context that a standard headshot cannot supply on its own.
- Visitors are given a next step. The site’s campaign pages and calls to action should make donation, volunteer, endorsement, yard-sign, contact, and voting information easy to find.
Photography is especially important. When we build websites, we find that large, clear photos work best. We can always scale down an image, but it’s tough to make small or blurry images better. A strong horizontal photograph with enough open space for headlines gives a designer far more flexibility than a tightly cropped vertical image. When possible, campaigns should gather several high-resolution portraits, community photographs, and office-relevant images before the design process begins. These political campaign photography tips explain what types of images work best online and in campaign materials.
Choosing the Right Political Website Design
There’s no single design that will be right for every campaign. Effective political campaign web designs reflect the office, the candidate’s background, the campaign’s central message, and the actions supporters should take.
A first-time campaign may need to focus on introducing the candidate and establishing credibility. An incumbent may need to highlight accomplishments and continued service. A sheriff candidate may lead with qualifications, while a school board campaign may place greater emphasis on education priorities and community involvement.
The design should communicate that argument before a visitor reads every word. When the photography, branding, message, and calls to action reinforce one another, the website becomes more than an online brochure. It becomes a working part of the campaign.
You can also view additional campaign website design examples created for local, county, state, and federal races.
Ready to create your campaign website? Compare Online Candidate website packages to choose professional setup, custom design with self-managed content, or the monthly campaign website builder.
Raising Seed Money For Your Political Campaign
One of the largest obstacles that political campaigns face is raising initial funds for the race. Starting a campaign without money is difficult, and raising money often requires spending money upfront. Mailers cost money. Holding in-person events or rallies require some up-front costs. Many local candidates simply don’t have a lot of funds to put up themselves.
If you have rich relatives or friends who are willing to help you launch, that’s great. For those who have it a little tougher, the web offers powerful opportunities to raise seed money donations for political candidates and non-profit organizations.
The two elements to raising seed money donations
As more money is spent on politics, even local elections are becoming increasingly expensive. Even a great candidate running on a strong platform is not enough.
To raise money, you need both exposure and a mechanism.
Mechanism
The mechanism is the way through which you process donations online, starting with your campaign bank account and a reliable fundraising platform. While some candidates use PayPal, politically oriented services like ActBlue, WinRed, or Anedot are often better options. These platforms are designed specifically for political campaigns and offer features like social sharing, e-ticket sales for events, and compliance with reporting requirements.
For example, ActBlue is popular with Democratic candidates, while WinRed caters to Republican campaigns. Anedot works for both parties and is great for local campaigns that need flexible solutions. Researching and choosing a platform that aligns with your needs is critical for smooth and transparent fundraising.
Exposure
Who is going to give you money if they don’t know about you or your campaign? That’s where exposure is needed. Building awareness is key, and creating buzz before you officially announce your campaign can give you a major advantage. If you are able to secure startup funds before your announcement, it will give you a leg up right from the start.
Even if you can’t accept or spend money early, you can still do things to create anticipation. Use tools like social media and email marketing to build excitement and get supporters ready to donate once your campaign officially launches.
How to reach out to potential donors
Social media is a great way to build a following online and get your message out early. Experts recommend starting an online presence as early as possible to build a network of friends and supporters. Facebook and X / Twitter are still the largest platforms for political campaigns, but newer platforms like Instagram and TikTok can also be highly effective, especially for engaging younger voters.
- Facebook: Create a campaign page and use Facebook Events to promote fundraisers. Consider running targeted ads to reach potential donors.
- X / Twitter: Use hashtags and engage in trending conversations related to your platform.
- Instagram and TikTok: Share short videos introducing yourself, explaining your campaign, or thanking donors for their support.
A website lends credibility and creates a hub for your online campaigning. Many people will not donate through a Facebook post or an X/ Twitter link (though more do so today than a few years back). A campaign website provides a fixed place where voters and donors can visit for updates, news and information. It is the place to send donors from outside locations so they can learn more about the campaign and donate.
During time you should also be building your email list. The sooner one is started, the more time you have to build subscribers that you can reach out to repeatedly throughout the campaign. Your own email list will always be more valuable than rented lists. State and congressional candidate treat their lists like gold – and so should you.
Building Anticipation
Having a good online presence, even a small one to start, tells donors that you are serious about running for office and serious about winning the election. For example, share behind-the-scenes updates, ask for feedback on campaign themes, or conduct informal polls to engage supporters early on. For example, a school board candidate could build anticipation by sharing a countdown to their campaign announcement alongside inspirational quotes and community snapshots, driving interest and followers ahead of launch.
Make a compelling case why they should support you, and you should be well on your way to taking that seed money and growing it into something much, much larger!
Online Candidate’s campaign website packages are affordable for any campaign. We also offer a variety of popular political ebooks, including our own guide, Running for Office as an Online Candidate.
Related:
How Candidates Raise Money For Local Campaigns
Download the free Online Fundraising Guide
Facebook Political Ad Authorization – What You Need To Know
A number of clients and outside candidates have reached out to us because they’ve had problems getting authorized to run political ads on Facebook.
If you don’t know already, Facebook requires verification from you or a member of your campaign if you want to run political advertising through the platform. The verification process was put in place to stop the spread of misinformation on the social network. It was also in response to the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where the company harvested the profiles of 50 million Facebook users without their consent to build voter-targeting models.
Facebook is not just a social media platform; it is also an advertising platform. Being authorized means that other people will be able to see your ads and your ad budget for this account.
Even if you are just running a page for your political campaign and do not plan on running any promotions, it’s a good idea to verify yourself and become authorized.
In 2018, Facebook launched an authorization process for political advertisers to run “electoral or issue-based” ads.
What constitutes political advertising on Facebook?
Political advertising includes ads about social issues, elections or politics. Advertising includes targeted image or video ads, Facebook Live event promotions – or even just boosting a post that contains political content.
The criteria for political advertisers include ads that are:
- Made by, on behalf of, or about a candidate for public office, a political figure, a political party or advocates for the outcome of a public election
- About any election, referendum, or ballot initiative. This includes “go out and vote” ads
- About social issues in the location where ad is being placed
- Regulated as political advertising
Social issues is a pretty broad term. Facebook lists the topics that count for advertising purposes. In the United States, they include:
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civil and social rights
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crime
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economy
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education
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environmental politics
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guns
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health
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immigration
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political values and governance
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security and foreign policy
Facebook verification for political ads begin in May of 2018. It required a label on political advertisements to let users know that an ad contains political content.
If you are going to run an ad on Facebook that focuses on any topics on this list, it must also contain a disclaimer.
All political ad disclaimers must:
- Accurately represent who is responsible for the ad and include accurate, valid information.
- Not include profanity, objectionable language or unrecognizable words or phrases.
- Not include URLS or acronyms, unless URLs or acronyms make up the name of the organization.
- Not imply that your ads are associated with Facebook.
- Not imply that a foreign leader paid for the ad.
- Not include duplicate “Paid for” language that is the same as provided by Facebook.
Facebook must approve your disclosure against their own advertising policies before your ad can run.
If an ad runs without a proper disclaimer, it will be paused, disapproved and added to the Ad Library, until the advertiser completes the authorization process and is approved.
Starting the Facebook ad authorization process
Make sure you have the following information ready before you begin. This will save you a lot of time and frustration as you confirm your identity.
- You must be the Page administrator or advertiser on the Page from which you’re running ads about social issues, elections or politics.
- A US passport, driver’s license or ID card.
- A US-based residential mailing address.
We’ve found this Facebook Help article to be helpful for those who want to start the verification process.
Ads on Facebook, Google and other ad networks today require a ‘paid for’ disclaimer.
The Facebook political ads verification process:
- First, you’ll need to set up two-factor authentication. This is a security feature that helps protect your account from hacks.
- Provide a copy of at least one US-based, government-issued ID. This can be a driver’s license or passport. Make sure the image is clear and readable.
- Provide the last four digits of your SSN.
- Provide your mailing address. This is where Facebook will send the verification code.
- Once you request a verification card, it will take (roughly) a few weeks until receive a card in the mail. This will contain a code for you to enter to confirm your identity.
- Enter the card code provided to confirm your address verification (you can do so by returning to facebook.com/id/us_political_ads_advertiser/
The steps of this process are similar if you want to verify a location for a listing or business page.
- You will need to provide details regarding the funding of the political advertising. You’ll have to disclose whether the funds paying for the ad come from a political party or if they are self-funded.
- Once your identity and information is verified and you have been allowed to run political ads, you will need to link your ad accounts in Business Manager to set up your “paid for by…” disclaimers.
- After submitting your disclaimers and linking that will be allowed to post ads, you will not be able to place new ads from the ad account until your disclaimer has been approved. This process can take a day or so.
- Once approved, you’ll see a new option appear in the ad creation process. If your ads include political content, you’ll need to check the box to add a “paid for” disclaimer.
How long does it take your account verified and approved?
According to Facebook, if you follow these steps properly, you should expect to receive your verification card in 7–10 days. We have had clients that received their cards within that time. Others did not get their cards for a few weeks. And we also heard from several angry candidates that they never received anything at all!
Do NOT try to run political ads before you are authorized
Most ad rejections seem to be automated. If your campaign page has already been determined to be political in nature, any campaign advertisements run through that page will be automatically flagged for review.
If you want to run election ads through Facebook, you need to be authorized and FIRST.
If you repeatedly try to push ads through before you are properly verified, it’s possible you may have your ability to run ads permanently disabled. We don’t know this for a fact, but feedback from some of our clients suggests this might be happening. So, be careful.
Banned election advertising?
Both Facebook and Google instituted issue-advocacy and political ad bans in the weeks leading up to the US 2020 general election. This was done in an effort to curb misinformation on behalf of politicians and special interest groups. While Google soon lifted its ban after the November election, Facebook prohibited political ads on its social network indefinitely.
Facebook eventually lifted its self-imposed prohibition in March, 2021. Could this political advertising ban happen again? It’s certainly possible, and campaigns should prepare for that eventuality.
Unfortunately, we CANNOT help with Facebook ad authorization. We wish we could. As it is, we have no special tricks or connections to help with what can be a very frustrating process…
Good luck!
Related:
- Facebook for Political Campaigns
- Using Facebook Live for Your Political Campaign
- Why Running Your Campaign From Just Your Facebook Page Is A Bad Idea
This post was updated on January, 2022
Every Vote Counts – Video
Getting the most votes on Election Day is the most important part of the campaign process. Your GOTV efforts are all about supporter turnout.
So why do so many eligible voters forget to vote on Election Day? The video below shows a variety of reasons, from being too busy to just forgetting to vote. It also provides viewers with tips and resources to help ensure that their vote is counted.
Feel free to share this video with your supporters and embed it to your campaign website.
Related: 4 Political Campaign Video Ideas
So You Want To Run For Mayor? Here’s How To Get Started
Most people associate a mayoral position with a large city. However, the position of mayor as the head of a municipality extends to small towns and villages.
The majority of mayors and the city council, village, or town council are directly elected by the voters. This means you’ll need to run a more traditional political campaign.
Let’s start with the basics.
- What type of government does your city / town / village fall under?
- Why do you want to become mayor?
- Check your eligibility to be on the ballot
- Can you keep your existing elected position?
- How much money will you need raise for your mayoral race?
- Increase your local popularity
- Build your endorsements
- Expand your social network
- Attend events and government meetings
- Create a campaign committee
- File your documents
If you want to run for mayor, there are a number of factors that you need to take into consideration. You should be aware of the eligibility requirements, the most pressing issues that are affecting the city, and how to go about raising funds for your campaign. Also essential will be identifying an effective campaign team to help plan and execute a successful campaign strategy.
What type of government does your city / town / village fall under?
Your local government will not only determine the eligibility requirements, but also the duties and responsibilities of mayor.
Did you know there are two types of mayors? They can ‘weak’ or ‘strong’.
A “Strong Mayor” is elected directly by voters. Under this form of local government, the mayor serves as Chief Executive to administer government duties. These duties include the power to: propose annual budgets; draft and implement administrative rules; and appoint and remove department leadership.
These types of mayors typically serve in a “mayor-council” system of government. This consists of an executive branch (Mayor) and legislative branch (City Council). Some mayors have veto power over council legislation, while others do not.
A “Weak Mayor” may also be referred to as “council-manager”. Under this type of government, the elected council ( often a “City Commission” or “Board of Aldermen”) makes policy and sets the local budget. The mayor is a full voting member but has little or no executive power. In these cases, the mayor is simply appointed by the council, or it is a ceremonial role that may be rotated between council members.
To administer city policies and programs, a professional City Manager who is responsible for managing city employees and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the government.
“When the burdens of the presidency seem unusually heavy, I always remind myself it could be worse. I could be a mayor.” – Lyndon B. Johnson
Either way, becoming elected is not easy. You must adhere to the requirements of a candidate and abide by state and local campaign laws and regulations.
These regulations include:
- How you can run for office.
- How and when you can raise money.
- How campaign contributions can be spent.
- Messaging requirements
- Everything in between.
Finally, becoming elected mayor requires convincing the majority of residents to vote for you.
This process can be overwhelming if this is your first election, but you will find the process easier by starting with the basics.
Running for Mayor? Get Your Campaign Website Started Early
Give voters one place to learn about your background, priorities for the community, endorsements, campaign events, and ways to get involved. Getting your website online early also gives you a central destination to promote throughout the race.
Online Candidate can build and set up your campaign website for you, or you can create your own with our Monthly Campaign Website Builder starting at $29/month.
Why do you want to run for mayor?
Before you start a campaign for mayor, you should have clear goals in mind. What are some of the challenges facing the residents in your town or city? What policies would you enact to help them deal with those issues? What makes you a better choice than your political opponents?
The National League of Cities releases an annual State of the Cities report. In it, the NLC examined 100 State of the City speeches from large and small cities across the United States.
According to the report, these are the top issues that matter to cities:
- Economic Development
- Public Safety
- Budgets
- Infrastructure
- Education
- Housing
- Energy/Environment
- Demographics, Diversity, and Inclusiveness
- Technology and Data
- Health Care
There is a good chance that one or more of these issues can become the basis of your candidacy. Learn the local issues and how they effect taxpayers and residents. Find out what solutions are being proposed and think about your stand on those positions.
Did you know? There are aver 1,400 mayors responsible for representing cities with populations over 30,000 across the United States.
Your objectives will affect the messaging and theme of your campaign. You will need to understand both the issues, your districts, and your voters to develop a campaign platform. Analyze the attitude of the locals towards the current elected officials.
Analyze the demographics of the area, including the number of voters, age ranges, household income and more. What are the dominant constituent groups in the city? What are their needs and demands?
Research previous campaigns. How did those candidates conduct their campaigns? What issues did they run on? What success have they achieved?
With this information, you can start to design a robust campaign strategy.
Check your eligibility to be on the ballot
The eligibility for a mayor position varies based on the town you intend to run. Before you begin your campaign, you should be familiar with the eligibility requirements.
Below are some of the common requirements for mayoral candidates:
Age requirements
Generally, to become mayor of a large US city, a person needs to be at least 18 years of age. Other places have their own specific age requirements. For example, Hialeah, FL requires a candidate to be at least 19 years old, be a registered voter and a local resident for at least one year.
You must be at least 21 to run for mayor in Louisville (KY), Aurora (CO) and Oklahoma City. Cities like Colorado Springs, Washington, Glendale and Kansas City requires you to be 25 years. Denver (CO), Nashville (TN) and Memphis (TN) requires candidates to be at least 30 years of age.
A few cities don’t have a minimum age at all. They include Baton Rouge, LA, Pittsburgh PA; Minneapolis MN; and Jersey City, NJ.
Educational requirements
Most cities require you to have at least a high school diploma to be mayor, while others need a bachelor’s degree.
Residency requirements
Most cities require that candidates should be residents of the city or town for at least one year before they apply for the position. Also, if the candidate wins the election, he/she should live in the city until the end of their tenure as mayor.
If you don’t think you qualify to be mayor, perhaps running for city council would be a better move. That could give you additional experience an connections.
Where to get help on starting your campaign
Your county elections board or city clerk can provide the requirements and rules for your election before you run.
As with anything else government related, paperwork is everything. You will need to get and fill out all the relevant registration forms and documentation. You must provide details such as your name, age, education experience, residence, and your financial interests.
You will have deadlines for submitting the documents. Some documents may have filing fees.
Know your deadlines. Don’t miss them.
Can you keep your existing elected position?
Some cities require the candidates to resign from their existing elected position while serving as mayor. This is called “resign to law”. Five states currently have resign-to-run laws—Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, and Texas. If you fall under this law, you will need to leave your current job before you can run for another office.
“What matters is voting for where you live: Who’s your mayor, who’s your police chief, who represents you, your city council, your judges. That matters that you vote.” – Joe Walsh
How much money will you need raise for your mayoral race?
Election costs vary from location to location and from position to position. A village mayor candidate may hardly need to raise money at all and do little more than door-to-door canvassing.
However, a large city campaign will require considerably more resources and networks to establish itself.
- Before you plan for fundraising, you should calculate the amount needed for your election. Election costs are higher than ever before. The amount varies based on the size of the city and competitiveness of the seat. The state board elections have financial campaign disclosures, but it’s also wise to check the FEC records for estimations if you live in a large city.
- Many factors can affect the costs of a campaign. For example, if you are running against an entrenched incumbent, then you will likely need a bigger budget. Research the amount raised and spent from other mayoral candidates from the last few campaigns. Figure that you will need to raise and spend within that range.
After you evaluate the past elections, you will identify the spending trends that will help you develop a practical budget for your own campaign.
Early donors who believe in your cause will be some of your most important backers. Online fundraising is one of the most effective ways to find money when starting out. You should have a mayor campaign website as early as you can to accept donations from online donors.
To start fundraising, you won’t need much. Once you have a bank account and website, you’ll need a payment processor for your online transactions. A good online donation page contains the logo and colors of your campaign. A short introductory candidate video is also a good addition.
Related: Start your mayor campaign website – affordable package pricing and resources.
Increase your local popularity
Good messaging bonds you with voters. But to really build a following, don’t underestimate the power of raw popularity.
Many voters will vote for a popular individual for any political seat. We often see this in governor elections, where celebrities with no political experience sweep into office.
So, how do you increase your popularity?
It can be tough, especially if you are not extremely outgoing.
- Familiarize yourself with what is happening locally through community events, charity events and more.
- Engage yourself in development initiatives and become a regular visitor at council meetings. It is there that you can display leadership in the issues that are important to you. Others who attend those functions will get more acquainted with you and identify you as a potential leader.
- Try to meet with community influencers and other essential people outside of scheduled government meetings.
- If you get the support of elected officials and community leaders, that will eventually give you the connections and endorsements needed to boost your candidacy.
Make sure you start your outreach process before you declare your intention to run for any political seat. Once it’s known that you are vying for an elected position, many will treat you differently.
Later, once you get your campaign off the ground, you can erect billboards, door signs and brochures to make yourself more visible to the public. Door to door canvassing across different neighborhoods will also enable you to establish a deeper connection with the voters and get better support. Online campaigning will help you reach new voters and keep in contact with existing supporters.
“Mayors are leaders, doers. We get things done, and we are moving America’s cities forward.” – Michael Nutter
Build your endorsements
Getting endorsed by politicians, political parties and other authorities can help establish trust with a good segment of the electorate. Organizations don’t seek candidates to endorse, so you should be proactive when looking for endorsements. This is especially important for first-timers.
Most organizations require candidates to follow a certain process to secure their endorsement. Typically, you will need to fill a questionnaire and outline your policies that will bring that will benefit the organization or their objectives. And if you need endorsements from individuals, then a letter with a similar outline will be beneficial.
Some ways to raise awareness in your region are to have local, well-known citizens write letters in the local newspapers or ask for endorsements from editorial boards.
It helps to be endorsed from other politicians, political parties, influential locals, local unions and community leaders. These are essential to your campaign as they raise your profile while making you more visible to the voting public.
Good endorsements can also boost your fundraising and volunteer organizational abilities.
Expand your social network
As a politician, you need to be active on social media. If you are not talking about yourself and managing your own online conversation, then others will speak for you.
And that will probably be your opponents!
Learn how social media works yourself. Eventually, your campaign team will help put together a social media strategy. Work on promoting good messaging and content. While you may do most of this yourself before you announce your candidacy, eventually you may want to have a social media manager handle this aspect of the campaign.
Running for office? Get free tips for starting and running our digital campaign. Sign up here.
Attend events and government meetings
As an aspiring politician, it is crucial to participate in events and government meetings. They offer a platform to air your views on local issues and get recognized as a leader with genuine concerns for the people.
As noted above, being present in public meetings you will provide opportunities for meeting local representatives and developing a network that will be vital before and after your campaign.
Building contacts now will be essential to your political career.
Meet community members
Every day, you should have a goal of meeting at least one influential people in the community. These are individuals who understand the local community. They can help with your messaging and especially in convincing voters in their districts.
Relationships are the ingredients to success in almost every industry and profession. A larger network means a higher potential for success. Therefore, you should dedicate time for networking activity.
Create a campaign committee
Before you run, you will need to establish a campaign committee, designate a campaign treasurer, and have a campaign bank account.
These requirements are typical for every political campaign. A treasurer must be appointed before the making of expenditures or accepting of any funds towards the campaign. A candidate can act as their own committee treasurer though this is not recommended.
The treasurer is responsible for:
- Signing and filing of committee reports and statements
- Budgeting for expenditures
- Ensuring the campaign contributions fall within legal limits
- Authorization of expenditures
This position is sensitive and comes with significant responsibilities, and so you must have a trusted individual for the job. The treasurer should develop a campaign budget that includes sources of money and expenditures for the entire campaign period.
Other important members of your campaign team are:
- Chairperson
- Communications director
- Campaign manager
Most cities require you to establish a committee before you declare candidacy. Once established, your team will also help in day to day running of the campaign.
File your documents
Many cities require mayor candidates to get a certain number of signatures for an election petition for them to qualify to run for the seat. So, you will need to collect signatures if you want to be on the ballot.
The exact number of signatures will vary based on the size of the town or city and the number of residents. These forms are available at your local clerk’s office and specifies the number of signatures needed and the deadline of collection. If you are running for mayor in a large city, then you may need a team of canvassers and volunteers who will help you to get the signatures.
Once your petition has collected the required number of signatures, the next task is the candidate’s affidavit and fulfilling any other election requirements.
If all goes well, you will be on the ballot!
And that’s just the start of your election season. As you ramp up your campaign, building an excited base is important. You will need those people to show up on Election Day.
“Winning the election is a good-news, bad-news kind of thing. Okay, now you’re the mayor. The bad news is, now you’re the mayor.” – Clint Eastwood
Turnout is crucial in mayoral elections, as in 15 of the 30 most populous cities in the U.S., voter turnout is less than 20 percent.
Now that you have an idea of how to become a mayor, now is the time to get started!
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