Want To Run For City Council? Here’s How To Get Started
A city council is the legislative body of a municipality, made up of elected officials who represent specific districts or wards. For many candidates, it’s the most accessible entry point into public office. It’s also one of the most competitive.
In larger cities, the number of council candidates can be significant. In New York City’s 2021 elections, more than 300 candidates ran for just 51 council seats. Even in smaller towns, contested races are common, especially when an incumbent is challenged or a seat opens up.
If you’re considering a run for city council, understand that an election is not just about ideas. They are won on visibility, organization, and execution over a defined period of time.
Based on how most local campaigns actually unfold, first-time candidates tend to underestimate how much structure is required early on. Filing deadlines come quickly. Fundraising takes longer than expected. And without a clear plan, it’s easy to fall behind candidates who are more prepared.
This guide breaks down how to run a city council campaign step by step, with a focus on what typically happens in real local races. It covers what you need to set up, where campaigns tend to struggle, and how to build momentum early.
Estimate the votes needed to win a city council election before setting canvassing and supporter-identification goals.
What City Council Members Do
City council members—sometimes called aldermen, councilpersons, trustees, or commissioners—are responsible for representing the interests of their constituents at the local level.
While titles vary by municipality, the core responsibilities are generally consistent. Council members work closely with city leadership and departments to address issues that directly impact their communities.
These typically include:
- Zoning and land use
- Public safety
- Parks and recreation
- Transportation and infrastructure
- Local economic development
Depending on the city or town, a council’s responsibilities may also include:
- Approving city budgets
- Proposing and passing local laws and ordinances
- Updating municipal charters
- Responding to constituent concerns
- Overseeing local agencies
- Acting as a check on the mayor or executive branch
Understanding the scope of the role is important. Voters aren’t just evaluating your ideas. They’re evaluating whether you understand how local government actually functions and how decisions are made.
In many local races, candidates who can clearly explain how decisions get made—and where they fit into that process—have an advantage over those who speak only in broad policy terms.
Running for City Council? Give Local Voters a Place to Learn About You
A campaign website gives residents a central place to learn about your background, community involvement, priorities, endorsements, and upcoming events. It also gives you a reliable destination to promote on signs, mailers, social media, and campaign literature.
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.
| Area | Strong Campaigns | Struggling Campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Start early and stay active with steady, consistent outreach. | Start late, work in bursts, and spend too much of the race catching up. |
| Visibility | Show up at events, canvass regularly, and build repeated exposure in the community. | Have limited public presence and remain unknown outside immediate supporters. |
| Fundraising | Begin fundraising early and build momentum over time. | Delay fundraising and fall behind when spending starts to matter most. |
| Website | Launch a website early with clear calls to action for donations, volunteering, and contact. | Delay the website or launch one with little useful information or no clear next step. |
| Outreach | Expand beyond friends and family through direct voter contact and local networks. | Stay confined to their personal circle and fail to broaden support. |
| Messaging | Refine their message over time based on voter feedback and local concerns. | Use broad or static messaging that never sharpens into a clear reason to vote. |
| Team | Delegate key tasks early and build a small, reliable support structure. | Try to do everything alone, leading to missed follow-ups and uneven execution. |
What Running for City Council Actually Looks Like
Before getting into the steps, it’s worth setting expectations.
Most council candidates start with low name recognition. Early support usually comes from friends, family, and immediate networks—not the broader voting public. Without deliberate outreach, many campaigns struggle to move beyond that initial circle.
Building awareness takes time and repeated exposure. In most local campaigns, voters need to see a candidate multiple times—through events, conversations, or online—before taking action.
A campaign also requires consistent effort. Between events, outreach, fundraising, and planning, many candidates find that running for office functions as a second job.
Fundraising is another common challenge. Even in smaller races, you will need some level of financial support to cover basic campaign costs. A common pattern is candidates delaying fundraising early, which limits their ability to compete later when visibility matters most.
There is also a growing expectation that candidates maintain a digital presence. At a minimum, this includes a website for city council campaigns—something many candidates delay, and later regret when they have no way to capture interest or direct supporters after initial outreach. Most voters will look you up online before deciding to engage further.
Why You Should Consider Running for City Council
The role of a city council member is grounded in local impact. Council members deal directly with issues that affect daily life in their communities, from development decisions to public services.
You don’t need to be an expert in every area. But you do need a working understanding of the issues that matter most in your district and how local government addresses them. Voters can tell when candidates speak in generalities versus when they understand how things actually work.
Before running, define your purpose:
- What problems are you trying to solve?
- What perspective do you bring?
- Why should voters choose you over other candidates?
Strong campaigns are built on clear positioning. Voters should be able to quickly understand who you are and what you stand for.
This starts with understanding your district:
- Demographics and population trends
- Key issues and concerns
- Influential groups and community leaders
From there, you can begin shaping your campaign message, platform, and overall strategy.
First, Check Your Eligibility to Run
Running for city council starts with meeting your local eligibility requirements. These rules are set at the municipal level and can vary more than most first-time candidates expect.
Before doing anything else, confirm your eligibility with your city clerk or local elections board. This step is often overlooked early, and mistakes here can delay or prevent a campaign from moving forward. In practice, many first-time candidates assume eligibility is straightforward, only to run into issues with residency timing, voter registration status, or filing windows that are already closing.
Most city council positions share a few common requirements:
- Age: Typically at least 18 years old, even in large cities like New York
- Residency: You must live in the district or municipality you plan to represent
- Voter registration: Candidates are usually required to be registered voters locally
Some cities also impose additional restrictions. For example, candidates who do regular business with the city—such as holding contracts or permits—may face conflicts of interest that affect eligibility.
Term lengths and limits also vary. In Los Angeles, council members serve four-year terms with a maximum of three terms. In Dallas, terms are two years with up to four consecutive terms. These differences can influence how competitive a race is and how often seats open up.
A common issue in local races is timing. Filing windows can be short—sometimes just a few weeks—and petition requirements often take longer than expected, especially in larger districts. Candidates who wait too long to verify requirements often find themselves rushing to meet deadlines or scrambling to gather signatures under pressure.
How to Begin Your Campaign
Once you’ve confirmed eligibility, the next step is formally entering the race.
Your city clerk or county elections office will provide the required forms and filing instructions. This typically includes:
- Candidate registration forms
- Financial disclosure statements
- Personal and professional background information
You may also need to pay a filing fee, depending on the municipality.
Deadlines matter. A common issue is candidates focusing on messaging or outreach first, while delaying paperwork. In local races, missing a filing deadline ends a campaign before it starts. Many experienced candidates prepare paperwork in advance to avoid last-minute issues.
This is also the stage where campaigns begin putting basic infrastructure in place—although in practice, this is often delayed. In most local races, that includes launching a website for city council campaigns early—often around the time of filing—so there is a central place to direct supporters, collect contact information, and establish credibility. Campaigns that launch without a website often struggle to capture interest after early conversations, events, or announcements.
Can You Keep Your Existing Elected Position?
Some states and municipalities require candidates to resign from their current elected position before running for another office. This is commonly referred to as a “resign-to-run” law.
States that have some form of this requirement include:
- Arizona
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Texas
If this applies to you, it can significantly impact your decision to run. Resigning early means giving up your current position without a guaranteed outcome in the new race. In some cases, this becomes the deciding factor in whether a candidate moves forward at all, especially if the current role provides stability, income, or visibility.
Even in areas without formal resign-to-run laws, holding another public office or leadership role can create practical challenges. Time commitments, conflicts of interest, and public perception all play a role.
Before moving forward, evaluate how your current responsibilities align with the demands of a campaign.
What Will Your City Council Campaign Cost?
Campaign costs vary widely depending on the size of the municipality and the competitiveness of the race.
In smaller towns, a campaign may only require a few thousand dollars, supported by door-to-door outreach and local events. In larger cities, costs increase quickly due to competition, paid outreach, and broader visibility efforts.
A more realistic breakdown looks like this:
- Small town or village: $1,000–$10,000
- Mid-sized city: $10,000–$75,000
- Large city or competitive district: $100,000+
These ranges depend on several factors:
- Whether an incumbent is running
- The size of the voting population
- The level of competition in the race
- The campaign’s overall strategy
In many smaller races, candidates rely heavily on personal networks to fund early expenses. In larger or more competitive districts, campaigns that fail to raise money early often fall behind quickly in visibility.
Common expenses include:
- Printed materials (mailers, signs)
- Digital outreach (ads, email tools)
- Events and community engagement
- Campaign staff or consultants (in larger races)
Early spending is usually concentrated on visibility, such as basic materials, signage, and digital presence, before expanding into broader outreach.
A common mistake is underestimating early costs or delaying fundraising altogether. By the time candidates realize they need more resources, stronger campaigns have already established visibility and momentum.
To set a realistic budget, review financial disclosures from previous elections in your area. Most state and local election boards provide access to this data. In practice, candidates who review past filings tend to set more realistic budgets and avoid overspending in areas that don’t produce results.
| Phase | Focus | What Actually Happens |
|---|---|---|
| 6–12 Months Out | Exploration and positioning | Testing interest, talking with trusted supporters, researching eligibility, learning the district, and deciding whether to move forward. |
| 3–6 Months Out | Filing and campaign setup | Completing paperwork, confirming deadlines, building a petition plan, launching a website, setting up fundraising, and putting basic campaign infrastructure in place. |
| 2–4 Months Out | Visibility building | Attending events, canvassing, meeting community leaders, growing name recognition, and beginning endorsement outreach. |
| Final 1–2 Months | Voter contact and persuasion | Increasing outreach, placing signs, sending mail or digital messages, refining the campaign message, and turning general awareness into voter support. |
| Final Weeks | Turnout and follow-through | Reminding supporters to vote, confirming volunteer help, pushing direct voter contact, and focusing on turnout rather than broad awareness. |
What Candidates Often Get Wrong Early
Even well-prepared candidates tend to run into the same early issues:
- Waiting too long to confirm eligibility or file paperwork
- Underestimating the time required to gather signatures
- Delaying fundraising until later in the campaign
- Launching without a website or digital presence
- Focusing on messaging before building basic campaign infrastructure
Catching these issues early can make the difference between a campaign that struggles to gain traction and one that builds steady momentum.
How to Build Visibility and Local Support
Strong messaging matters. Early on, visibility matters more.
In most city council races, voters don’t engage after a single interaction. Recognition builds through repetition—seeing your name at events, on signs, in conversations, and online. Campaigns that create consistent exposure tend to gain traction. Those that don’t remain limited to their immediate network.
Most candidates start with very little reach. Early support usually comes from friends, family, and close contacts. In many local campaigns, that initial group may only represent a few hundred potential voters. Expanding beyond that group requires deliberate effort, not just messaging.
In practice, local campaigns build visibility through three primary channels:
In-Person Outreach
This is still where most local elections are decided.
- Attending community events
- Going door-to-door
- Speaking at local meetings
- Having direct conversations with voters
In smaller districts, a candidate who knocks on a few thousand doors can meaningfully shift the outcome of a race. That level of contact is difficult to replicate through digital channels alone.
One pattern that shows up repeatedly: candidates wait until they “feel ready” to begin outreach. By then, other campaigns have already established a presence. Voters may not remember specific conversations, but they remember who they’ve seen before.
Another common scenario: two candidates with similar platforms, but one is consistently visible in the community. The visible candidate usually has the advantage, even if their messaging is less refined.
Network and Community Relationships
Local influence moves through people, not platforms.
This includes:
- Community leaders
- Local organizations
- Advocacy groups
- Business owners
- Civic and religious groups
In many races, a small number of well-connected individuals can introduce you to dozens or hundreds of voters. That type of access is difficult to replace with broad outreach.
Candidates who build these relationships early tend to gain momentum faster. Those who wait until later—especially when asking directly for endorsements—often encounter resistance or indifference.
Sometimes candidates focus heavily on public-facing outreach while neglecting behind-the-scenes relationship building. In practice, both matter, but relationships often drive turnout and support more directly.
Digital Presence
Your digital presence is not where most local campaigns are won—but it is where many lose momentum.
At a minimum, this means having a website for city council campaigns that appears when voters search your name. This is now a baseline expectation. If a voter hears your name and cannot quickly find clear information, that moment of interest is usually lost.
Your website functions as your campaign’s central hub:
- Who you are
- What you stand for
- How to take action
A pattern that shows up often: a candidate attends an event, has strong conversations, and generates interest—but has no clear place to direct people afterward. Without a website, that interest fades quickly.
Here’s another scenario: a voter hears your name from a friend or sees a sign, searches for you, and finds either nothing or incomplete information. In most cases, they move on.
Social media through Facebook or Instagram can extend visibility, but it rarely drives meaningful engagement on its own in local races. It works best when paired with real-world outreach and a clear destination—typically your campaign.
Increasing Your Local Popularity
In local elections, popularity is often familiarity.
Voters frequently support candidates they recognize, even if they are not deeply engaged on every issue. Recognition builds gradually, not all at once.
That exposure typically comes from:
- Consistent presence at events
- Ongoing community involvement
- Visibility in neighborhoods and public spaces
As the campaign progresses, this expands to include signage, printed materials, and broader outreach.
Door-to-door canvassing remains one of the most effective tools available. Even short interactions can create recognition that carries through to Election Day.
A pattern that we’ve seen in many campaigns is that candidates start with strong early activity, then slow down due to time constraints or burnout. Visibility drops, and momentum follows. Campaigns that maintain steady, consistent outreach tend to outperform those that operate in bursts.
Reach out to organizations who might endorse you as a candidate.
Securing Endorsements
Endorsements can validate your campaign, but their value depends on context.
They signal to voters that your candidacy has support from trusted organizations or individuals. In some cases, they also help with fundraising and volunteer recruitment.
Most organizations won’t approach you. You need to initiate the process. This usually involves:
- Completing questionnaires
- Participating in interviews
- Presenting your positions clearly
Common sources include:
- Local political parties
- Labor unions
- Community organizations
- Local newspapers and editorial boards
- Influential community members
Not all endorsements carry the same weight. In many local races, smaller, community-based endorsements can be more influential than larger, less connected organizations.
Sometimes candidates will pursue high-profile endorsements while overlooking local groups that have direct relationships with voters. In practice, those local endorsements often have a more immediate impact.
Attend Events and Public Meetings
Attending events and public meetings is one of the simplest ways to build visibility and context.
These settings allow you to:
- Understand current local issues
- Observe how decisions are made
- Meet voters and stakeholders
Candidates who attend regularly become familiar faces. Over time, that familiarity builds trust—even without direct interaction.
Many useful conversations happen outside the formal setting. Before and after meetings, candidates often connect with attendees in ways that lead to introductions, support, or future opportunities.
Connect with Members of Your Community
Direct engagement remains one of the most effective ways to build support.
Meeting with residents, leaders, and local groups allows you to:
- Learn what matters most in your district
- Share your perspective
- Build trust over time
Campaigns that treat outreach as one-way communication often struggle. Voters respond more to candidates who listen and adapt.
The candidates who gain traction tend to ask more questions early, then refine their messaging based on what they hear.
Put Together Your Campaign Committee
Even small campaigns benefit from structure.
Most jurisdictions require candidates to form a campaign committee, appoint a treasurer, and open a campaign bank account before raising or spending money.
While candidates can act as their own treasurer, this often becomes difficult to manage alongside campaign activity.
In practice, even a small, reliable team makes a measurable difference. This may include:
- A campaign coordinator
- A treasurer
- Volunteers for outreach and events
- Advisors with local knowledge
A common pattern: candidates attempt to manage everything themselves early on. This usually leads to missed follow-ups, slower outreach, and inconsistent execution. Campaigns with even basic delegation tend to operate more effectively.
You’ll need to get enough signatures to get on the ballot.
Register as a Candidate
To appear on the ballot, you must complete the formal registration process.
This typically includes:
- Collecting petition signatures
- Submitting required affidavits
- Paying filing fees where applicable
Signature requirements vary widely. In larger districts, this step often takes longer than expected.
A common issue is underestimating how long it takes to gather valid signatures. Campaigns that rely on a small group of volunteers or start late often struggle to meet the requirement.
In some cases, campaigns collect enough signatures, but a portion are invalid due to errors or ineligible signers. This creates additional risk if there isn’t a buffer.
Once your petition is accepted and all requirements are met, your name will appear on the ballot. Then it’s time to announce your campaign for office.
At that point, the campaign shifts from setup to execution—and the candidates who have already built visibility and structure tend to have a clear advantage.
Online Candidate provides an affordable website platform for political campaigns, along with tools and marketing services.
How Political Candidates Raise Money for Their Campaigns
Fundraising is essential to building a viable campaign, but for many political candidates, asking people for money is one of the most uncomfortable parts of running for office.
Campaigns are typically funded through individual contributions, candidate funds or loans, fundraising events, online appeals, and support from political parties or committees where permitted. Local candidates usually begin with people they know, then expand through donor calls, events, email, texting, referrals, and repeat contributions.
The permitted sources, limits, and forms of outside support vary by office and jurisdiction, so campaigns should confirm the rules before accepting contributions or coordinating assistance.
Successful campaign fundraising requires a repeatable process for identifying prospects, making direct asks, following up, and maintaining donor relationships throughout the election.
This guide explains how first-time and local candidates can build that process.
Understand the Rules Before Raising Money
Before accepting contributions or spending campaign money, learn the rules that apply to your race.
Campaign finance requirements vary by jurisdiction and office. Federal, state, county, municipal, school board, and judicial campaigns may operate under different rules.
Depending on the election, a candidate may need to:
- Register a campaign committee, appoint a treasurer, and open a dedicated campaign bank account
- Collect required information from contributors
- Follow individual contribution limits
- Reject contributions from prohibited sources
- Report campaign loans and personal contributions
- Disclose money raised and spent
- Meet specific filing deadlines
- Include disclaimers on fundraising materials
Some offices, particularly judicial positions, may also restrict when candidates can solicit contributions or who may raise money on their behalf.
Candidates should not assume that accepting money before a formal announcement is automatically permitted. Certain fundraising or spending activity may trigger registration and reporting obligations even if the candidate is still exploring a possible run.
Consult the appropriate election authority before soliciting or accepting contributions. Federal candidates should review Federal Election Commission requirements. State and local candidates should consult their state election agency, county board of elections, municipal clerk, or an attorney familiar with the applicable campaign finance rules.
Determine How Much Your Campaign Needs to Raise
A campaign should have a fundraising target tied to a realistic budget.
Campaign costs vary widely by office, location, electorate, and level of competition. Even local races for council, school board, judge, sheriff, or mayor may require several thousand dollars or more, while large city, state, and federal campaigns can cost substantially more, sometimes millions of dollars.
Research previous successful races for the office you seek. Review available campaign finance reports to see how much candidates raised and spent. Consider how many voters or households the campaign must reach and what that outreach is likely to cost.
Your budget may include:
- Campaign website and digital services
- Signs, mailers, brochures, and other printed materials
- Advertising
- Fundraising event expenses
- Staff or consulting services
- Voter data and outreach tools
- Email and text messaging
- Office, travel, and administrative expenses
- Election Day activities
Work backward from the projected budget to determine how much money must be raised and when it will be needed.
For example, a local campaign with a $15,000 fundraising goal might plan to raise:
- $2,000 through candidate seed money
- $5,000 through direct personal requests
- $4,000 in net proceeds from fundraising events
- $2,000 through email and online appeals
- $2,000 through repeat contributions and supporter referrals
The actual mix will vary. The purpose of the exercise is to turn a general fundraising goal into a measurable plan.
Begin With Seed Money and Your Existing Network
Most candidates do not begin with enough money to cover their early campaign expenses. Seed money is the initial funding used to establish the campaign and begin broader fundraising.
It may help pay for:
- Committee registration and banking expenses
- A campaign website and fundraising software
- Initial printing and promotional materials
- A kickoff event
- Early voter outreach or professional services
Seed money often comes from the candidate, family members, friends, close colleagues, and other early supporters. Candidates may also contribute or lend personal funds to their campaigns where permitted. Because candidate contributions and loans may be treated differently for reporting and repayment, document them correctly from the beginning.
Start with people who already know the candidate’s character, background, and commitment. Explain why you are running, why the race is winnable, what the campaign needs to fund, and how their contribution will help. Personal calls, meetings, and individually written messages usually carry more weight than a mass email.
In our experience with first-time local candidates, many are reluctant to ask friends and family for money and instead begin by planning a large public fundraiser. That often starts the process in the wrong order. A smaller group of committed early supporters can provide the money, introductions, and credibility needed to make a larger event successful.
Early supporters may also help by hosting a gathering, introducing the candidate to other donors, sharing a fundraising appeal, volunteering, or providing an in-kind contribution where permitted.
The initial goal should be to pay for the campaign’s early infrastructure, demonstrate support, and create a base for broader fundraising.
Build a Donor Prospect List
A donor prospect list is one of the campaign’s most valuable assets.
Start by listing people the candidate already knows. Potential early donors may include:
- Family members
- Friends
- Current and former colleagues
- Professional contacts
- Business and community leaders
- Neighbors
- Members of civic organizations
- Political contacts
- Former classmates
- People involved in issues related to the campaign
- Supporters of similar candidates or causes
Don’t limit the list to people who appear wealthy. A person who cannot make a large contribution may donate a smaller amount, host an event, introduce the candidate to other prospects, or become a recurring supporter. Small contributions can add up over the course of a campaign.
After developing the initial list, expand it through referrals, local party contacts, public campaign finance records, previous contributors to similar candidates, and people who have supported related issues.
Public campaign finance reports can help identify contributors who have previously supported comparable candidates or causes. However, campaigns should never assume that previous giving guarantees future support. Research provides a starting point for a personal and relevant request.
Prioritize Your Prospects
Not every person on the list should receive the same request.
Organize prospects based on factors such as:
- Their relationship with the candidate
- Their history of political or charitable giving
- Their apparent ability to contribute
- Their interest in the office or campaign issues
- Their connection to the community
- Their likelihood of introducing other supporters
- The amount they may reasonably be asked to give
The strongest prospects are generally people who know the candidate, care about the outcome, and have the ability to help.
Campaigns can divide their lists into categories, such as:
- Initial seed donors
- Major donor prospects
- Event prospects
- Small-dollar supporters
- Previous contributors
- People requiring an introduction
- Supporters who may provide referrals
This prioritization helps the candidate spend limited fundraising time where it is most likely to produce results.
Assign an Ask Amount
A fundraising request should usually include a specific amount.
Asking someone to “support the campaign” places the burden on the donor to decide what that means. A specific amount makes the request clearer and easier to answer.
The appropriate ask amount may depend on:
- The donor’s previous giving history
- The strength of the relationship
- The donor’s likely financial capacity
- Their interest in the race
- The importance of the request
- Applicable contribution limits
- Whether this is the first or a repeat contribution
Do not ask every prospect for the same amount. Someone who regularly gives several hundred dollars to local candidates should not necessarily receive the same request as a first-time small-dollar donor.
At the same time, do not assume that a prospect will be offended by a larger request. A donor can always decline or offer a smaller amount.
The candidate should be prepared to explain why the requested amount matters. For example:
We are raising $5,000 this month to fund our first district-wide mailer. Would you be willing to contribute $250 toward that effort?
That’s stronger than a vague request to “help the candidate.”
Make Candidate Call Time a Priority
For many campaigns, the most effective fundraising activity is candidate call time.
Call time is scheduled time during which the candidate personally contacts prospective donors. It should be treated as a recurring campaign responsibility rather than something done only when money becomes urgent.
A campaign can make call time more productive by preparing:
- The prospect’s contact information
- A recommended ask amount
- Notes about the relationship
- Known issues or interests
- Previous contribution history
- The purpose of the current fundraising push
- A place to record the result and next action
The candidate should briefly explain why they are running, why the race matters, why the campaign is viable, what the money will fund, and how much they are asking the prospect to contribute. Then make the request directly and allow the prospect to respond.
A simple call might sound like this:
I’m running for town council because our community needs better long-term planning and more accountable local government. We are building the campaign now and raising money for our first voter outreach program. Would you be willing to contribute $100?
The call should feel like a conversation, not a recitation. Candidates should use their own words and be prepared to answer questions about the campaign.
Not every call produces an immediate contribution. Record whether the prospect:
- Agreed to contribute
- Requested a follow-up
- Declined
- Offered another form of help
- Suggested another person to contact
- Asked for more information
- Made a pledge that has not yet been received
A pledge is not the same as money in the bank. Follow up until the contribution is received or the prospect clearly declines.
Hold Fundraising Events Strategically
Fundraising events can raise money, introduce the candidate to new supporters, and create campaign momentum.
Many candidates begin with a kickoff event after announcing their candidacy. The event may be a reception, dinner, breakfast, house party, auction, golf event, or informal community gathering.
The format matters less than the financial and political purpose.
Before organizing an event, estimate:
- Expected attendance
- Contribution or ticket levels
- Sponsorship opportunities where permitted
- Food and venue expenses
- Printing and promotional costs
- Processing fees
- Expected gross revenue
- Expected net revenue
A crowded event that costs almost as much as it raises may generate enthusiasm but provide little financial benefit.
Look for supporters who can donate or reduce the cost of a location, food, printing, or other services, but remember that donated goods and services may be reportable as in-kind contributions.
An in-kind contribution is a donated good or service, such as event space, food, printing, or professional work, that may still need to be valued and reported.
For more formal events, campaigns may offer multiple contribution levels. Any payments should be processed and recorded according to campaign finance requirements.
Promote the event through:
- A page on the campaign website
- Personal invitations
- Social media
- Text messages where appropriate
- Calls from the candidate or event host
- Reminders as the date approaches
The campaign should also follow up with attendees after the event. Thank them, provide campaign updates, and invite them to stay involved. Event attendees may become volunteers, recurring donors, endorsers, or hosts of future events.
Events should support the campaign’s fundraising system, not replace direct donor outreach.
Make It Easy to Contribute Online
Supporters expect political campaigns to accept online contributions. A secure campaign website provides a stable place where people can learn about the candidate and contribute. Social media, email, text messages, and advertising may generate interest, but the actual transaction should take place through a trusted, campaign-appropriate donation system.
The contribution process should:
- Work well on mobile devices
- Clearly identify the candidate or committee
- Collect legally required donor information
- Use secure payment processing
- Provide suggested contribution amounts
- Allow custom contribution amounts
- Include required disclaimers
- Send a confirmation or receipt
- Make recurring contributions available where appropriate
- Provide campaign staff with usable contribution records
Campaigns may also create separate fundraising landing pages for specific appeals.
For example, an email about funding a campaign mailer can link to a page explaining the mailer, its cost, and what different contribution amounts will help accomplish. The message on the landing page should match the request that brought the donor there.
We often see campaigns launch donation pages and assume contributions will follow. The page processes the transaction, but the candidate’s message, outreach, and follow-up create the reason to give. Don’t assume that simply adding a donation button will produce contributions. Supporters need active reasons to donate.
Use Email, Texting, and Social Media to Support Fundraising
Digital channels can reinforce direct fundraising by keeping supporters informed and directing them to the campaign’s donation page.
- Build the campaign email list through the website, events, volunteer activity, and personal outreach. Fundraising emails should explain why the campaign is asking, what the money will support, how much is needed, and when the contribution is required. Balance donation requests with campaign updates, issue content, event information, and volunteer opportunities.
- Text messaging can support event reminders and deadline-driven appeals, particularly when messages come from volunteers or supporters contacting people they know. Campaigns must follow applicable consent, identification, and messaging requirements.
- Social media can promote events, report fundraising progress, and direct supporters to the campaign website. However, just posting donation links is not a complete fundraising strategy. Personal requests from the candidate, volunteers, friends, or event hosts are usually more persuasive than general posts.
Keep Building the Prospect and Donor List
Fundraising does not end after the first round of calls or the kickoff event.
Continue adding:
- New supporters
- Event attendees
- Referrals from donors
- Email subscribers
- Volunteers
- Endorsers
- Community contacts
- People who interact positively with the campaign
Keep accurate records of all contributions, pledges, contacts, and follow-up activity. Depending on the campaign’s size, this information may be managed through a campaign CRM, a fundraising platform, or carefully maintained spreadsheet. A common problem in small campaigns is that donor information ends up spread across payment systems, email accounts, event lists, and personal notes. While it can be a pain, consolidating that information early makes follow-up easier and reduces reporting problems. This is one reason to have a capable treasurer or a person responsible for financial records.
Useful internal information may include:
- Contact details
- Contribution dates and amounts
- Pledge status
- Preferred contact method
- Issues of interest
- Event attendance
- Volunteer activity
- Referrals
- Follow-up dates
- Notes from conversations
Only collect information that the campaign can manage responsibly. Donor and supporter data should be treated as confidential campaign information and accessed only by authorized people.
Ask Appropriate Donors Again
A person who has already contributed may be more likely to contribute again than someone who has never supported the campaign. A second request should give the donor a new reason to help, such as a campaign milestone, reporting deadline, specific voter-contact project, start of early voting, or final Election Day push.
Recurring contributions can also provide predictable revenue through Election Day. Even modest monthly contributions can add up and help the campaign plan its spending through the end stretch. Many political donation platforms support this functionality.
Follow all applicable limits and make sure repeat contributions are properly aggregated and recorded.
Thank Every Donor
Always acknowledge campaign contributions. A personal note, phone call, email, or other thank-you makes a strong impression and increases the likelihood that the donor will remain involved.
Larger or personally significant contributions may warrant a personal call from the candidate. Smaller online contributions should at least receive a prompt confirmation and a sincere thank-you.
A donor acknowledgment can:
- Confirm that the contribution was received
- Explain what the support will help fund
- Provide a brief campaign update
- Invite the donor to an event
- Encourage the donor to volunteer or share the campaign
- Keep the relationship active without immediately making another request
Don’t treat donors and donations as just transactions. People are more likely to give again when they understand that their contribution was noticed and put to use.
Common Political Fundraising Mistakes
Candidates often weaken their fundraising by making avoidable mistakes:
- Waiting too long: Start early enough to fund campaign infrastructure and voter outreach.
- Relying only on events: Events can help, but they should support direct donor outreach rather than replace it.
- Avoiding personal requests: Emails and social posts are useful, but direct asks usually produce better results.
- Asking everyone for the same amount: Base the request on the prospect’s relationship, interest, giving history, capacity, and applicable limits.
- Making vague appeals: Explain what the money will fund and why it is needed now.
- Neglecting follow-up and recordkeeping: Track pledges, unanswered requests, donor information, and required reporting details.
- Treating the donation page as the strategy: A contribution form processes money; it does not create donor motivation.
- Ignoring campaign finance rules: Confirm current contribution, reporting, and disclaimer requirements with the election authority responsible for the race.
- Failing to thank donors: Prompt acknowledgment helps maintain the relationship and increases the likelihood of future support.
Fundraising takes significant time and discipline. Candidates should expect to devote regular hours to calls, meetings, events, and follow-up.
The strongest campaigns do not wait until they run short of money. They establish a fundraising system early, review progress regularly, and continue developing donor relationships through Election Day.
Related Resources
Getting ready to run for office? Online Candidate provides political campaign websites with built-in tools for donations, volunteer recruitment, email signup, and voter communication.
Updated June 2026
5 Ways To Connect With Voters Online
It may be the dog days of summer, but political candidates should make sure they are staying on top of their campaign activities and making themselves visible to the public.
If you’re planning an election that’s still months away, there are a variety of tasks to do, from creating campaign material to scheduling events.
Here are five things you can do right now to connect with voters – without even going outside.
Engage through social media
People are home and spending more time engaged online. To reach them, it’s important to have an active social media presence. Your posts don’t all have to be political. Provide information from your local and state government, along with relevant local news. Share human interest stories about those in your area that are making a difference. Be a leader and show that you, too, are effected by what is going on in the wider community.
Related: Facebook Political Ad Authorization – What You Need To Know
Enhance your email outreach
Use this time to grow your email list. Encourage people to sign up through your website and social media accounts. The sooner you can start growing your own email list, the better. There are many email marketing vendors that allow you to create and send emails to subscribers for free. As you grow your email list, you will find that it will become your campaign’s most valuable asset.
Get into the routine of sending emails a few times a week, sharing relevant updates and information that you might use for social media updates. You can increase this amount as you get closer to Election Day.
Related: Top Tips for Your Political Email Marketing
Hold a Facebook Live event, anywhere and anytime
Facebook Live a live video streaming service. It lets anyone broadcast from their cell phones straight to their Facebook News Feed. Doing a live video requires a good Internet connection and the ability to speak well into a camera. Viewers can leave reactions and comments while you are streaming. You can respond to them in real time. Themes for Facebook Live events include: ‘Virtual Town Hall’, ‘Lunch with the Candidate’, ‘Virtual Walks’, ‘Ask Me Anything’ – anything you can think of.
When you are finished, you can embed your videos into your campaign website.
Related: Using Facebook Live for Your Political Campaign
Host virtual fundraisers
A virtual fundraiser is an online fundraising event. It can help compensate for the lack of real-world fundraising events. For example, you can combine fundraising with a virtual “Lunch with the Candidate” event for a closed audience. In many ways, planning a virtual fundraiser is like planning any other event. Establish your goals, organize your team, make a budget and plan the event itself. It doesn’t all have to be you. You can have guests, even entertainment.
Want people to show up? It’s critical to promote your virtual events and fundraisers. Engage your social media contacts and use your email list to reach out with reminders. Paid advertising on Facebook can also help spread the word. If you have street addresses, you can even use IP Targeting to reach voter households.
Engage in peer-to-peer messaging
Peer-to-peer messaging (or person-to-person or P2P messaging) is when two or more people communicate over text messaging. Peer-to-peer fundraising can exponentially increase your organization’s reach. It allows volunteers to manage hundreds of text message conversations with your contacts. Messages to your contact list come from volunteers, so recipients are more likely to take action. Texting is a great way to touch base with your supporters with relevant updates or information.
Combined, these online methods can help you form a cohesive strategy for effective remote outreach.
Here are additional services and resources to help your virtual campaign:
- Need your social media accounts set up? We offer Social Media Setup as an add-on service to our political website packages.
- By matching physical addresses to specific online IP addresses, IP Targeting becomes your way to directly reach voters.
- Check out our Running for Office Podcast Series.
6 Candidate Fails You Can Totally Avoid
There are many, many mistakes that candidates make during the course of a political campaign. It often has to do with something a candidate says or does in public.
Since we deal with the online aspects of campaigning, we’ll stick to mistakes that candidates make online.
In no particular order, these are the top mistakes that we see all too often.
Failure to keep it short
People just don’t have time to read through mountains of information. Just because you have unlimited space on the web does not mean that you should explain each position you take with dozens of pages and thousands of words. It’s highly unlikely that you are going to change a voter’s mind with a long, well-reasoned arguments. White papers are fine for downloads, but don’t make that material your primary content.
In your writing, eliminate most adjectives and get rid of as many adverbs as you can. Write in a plain style with short sentences. Split up your content into logical sections with sub-headings. Remember that writing for the web is different than writing for print.
Failure to keep the third person
We see this a lot. Candidates use their site’s home page as an open letter to voters. While this is a good concept, it can kill your website rankings. Using the the words ‘I’, ‘me and ‘my’ mean nothing to the search engines. If you want to rank for your name, then your name needs to be included in your site content.
Sometimes we’ll have a client who really wants to use first person copy on their home page. To compensate for this, we often use ‘pull boxes’ that include the candidate’s name. Combined with a good page title, page description and image tags, we can often work around the first person copy limitations.
Failure to use online fundraising effectively
Okay, we are now two decades into the twenty-first century. Even the smallest campaigns have the ability pull donations from online sources. If you have a campaign bank account and a website, there are many services that allow you to take online donations with minimal cost.
Fifteen years ago, the majority of our clients did not accept online donations. Most figured it was too much work for too little return. Back then, PayPal was a popular choice through which to take donations. While you can still use PayPal (and Online Candidate provides native integration for it), newer services designed for political fundraising provide tools to take donations from more sources like social media. Some can even let you collect recurring donations through Election Day.
Our advice to local campaigns is to start early, use your website to raise seed money, and use those initial funds to build momentum as the race heats up.
Failure to track traffic
The flip side to getting website traffic and online donations is tracking where it all comes from. One of the simplest and most popular web tracking solutions is Google Analytics. It’s a free service and just requires that a bit of tracking code be added to the pages of your website.
There is plenty of information provided with just the standard setup. You can see how many visitors your site gets, what pages they visit, how long they stay on your site and so on. With a little configuration, you can set up tracking for emails, pay-per-click advertising and even offline advertising if you happen to use targeted landing pages. Tracking your website traffic will help you determine what advertising channels are working best.
Online Candidate offers server log stats, but those numbers can be misleading. They tend to overstate visits by counting bots and non-human traffic. Google Analytics can be easily integrated into our websites. We also offer Site Launch service as a website addon option. This includes Google Analytics setup and a review of the site for best optimization practices to help it rank better for related searches.
Failure to forget anything can go viral online
Anything you post online – be it a post, video or document – has the ability to spread far beyond its intended audience.
Many candidates tend to forget that offline material can end up online as well. There have been many cases where a candidate ‘true’ thoughts were revealed in a private setting. All it takes is a single recording from a cell phone to make things public. One famous example of this is Mitt Romney’s “takers vs makers” comment at a private fundraiser. The secret recording made headlines, and Romney never fully recovered from his remarks.
Failure to launch
One local candidate that we knew didn’t make an official announcement that he was running for office until a week before Election Day. Why the wait? He didn’t want to ‘tip his hat’ too early.
Unfortunately, by keeping things under wraps for so long, hardly anyone knew about the candidate or his campaign in time to make a difference. Not only did he announce late, but there had been no preparation to do anything after the announcement. Once the announcement appeared in the local paper… there was nothing. No mailings, no volunteer efforts .
Needless to say, the candidate lost the election.
Starting early gives you time to build support and run a successful political campaign. It doesn’t mean that you have to announce early. Most successful campaigns spend a lot of time in preparation, long before they announce their campaign to the public.
Start early with social media to build awareness and anticipation. Use your website to gather email addresses, volunteers and early donations. By the time you are ready to announce and make your campaign official, you’ll be able to hit the ground running and build on the momentum you’ve already established.
As always, check your local board for office qualifications and any rules or laws pertaining to the timing of your preparation (such as fundraising) and when you can legally announce your campaign.
Related: 5 Online Mistakes Candidates Make When Running a Political Campaign
Check out or selection of campaign ebooks and guides designed to help you get the most out of your online campaigning.
Opening a Bank Account For Your Political Campaign
Raising money and managing expenses is an critical part of the election process. Opening a campaign bank account is a first step in establishing a viable political campaign.
A bank checking account serves several purposes. It allows you to accept political donations and contributions from supporters, and to make campaign purchases. To do all this, you will want to know how to open a bank account for a political campaign.
- Open your political campaign checking account as early as possible. Campaign finance laws in many states require that a campaign bank account be established in order to legally deposit political donations. The earlier you have an account, the sooner you can start raising seed money.
- Prior to opening a campaign bank account, you may need to establish a political campaign committee with your local county Board of Elections. The name you use for your campaign committee is the name you will use to open the bank account. The bank will require committee paperwork along with personal identification.
- Open an interest-free checking account rather than an interest-bearing savings account. Any interest earned on a campaign bank account must be reported in your finance reports. Considering how little banks pay in interest, the small amount of money to be gained is hardly worth the additional effort required by your committee treasurer to report.
- A candidate’s personal funds can be used for campaign purchases before a campaign bank account is established. Those purchases are generally treated as an in-kind donation or as a personal loan. Once the campaign is underway, the treasurer should handle the political funds and keep track of income and expenditures. For larger campaigns, it may be a good idea to hire an accountant.
- You should keep detailed records of every account transaction for financial filing requirements. Keep statements, records and receipts in a safe place. They should be held indefinitely in case questions later arise as to your campaign finances. Whatever you do, do not co-mingle funds between accounts.
So many rules… Local, state and federal…
These guidelines also apply for a political party bank account and political action committee bank accounts. If you accept donations or hold fundraisers, you will need a place to deposit your money. Most traditional banks, savings and loan association or credit unions can handle accounts for political campaigns and fundraising needs. You’ll want to check with them for eligibility first, of course.
- Large banks like Chase and Bank of America can certainly handle government banking needs.
- If you prefer a more personal touch, check with your local regional bank.
- Credit unions may also be able to handle election accounts, if that type of account is permitted by charter and policies.
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EIN numbers for political campaigns
Federal campaigns and committees are required obtain an Employer Identification Number (EIN). This nine-digit number is issued by the IRS for identification purposes. (IRS Form SS-4) It is similar to EIN numbers assigned to businesses and corporations. This number is required to open a campaign bank account.
- A political organization must have an EIN, even if it does not have any actual employees.
- Don’t apply for an EIN until your organization is legally formed.
- Never open a political bank account in the name of an individual or with an individual’s Social Security Number. Use the organization’s EIN.
If you are starting a political action committee (PAC) and opening a checking account, the PAC must be first approved by the Federal Election Commission (FEC). Under these requirements, you will need an address for the PAC and a designated treasurer to handle the funds. There are additional compliance guidelines for any fund transfers that you make.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a bank account needed for a political campaign?
A bank account is necessary for a political campaign, but it is not the only way to fund a campaign. A candidate can use personal funds, contributions from family and friends, or even donations from outside organizations.
Does a political candidate need to establish separate bank accounts for both the primary and general election?
This can depend on whether your contribution limits apply per election. For example, if the contribution limits are different then fundraising for the primary election and fundraising for the general election are separate. If this is the case, a candidate may need to establish separate bank accounts for each election.
Campaign banking information and requirements do vary. As always, be sure to follow your local election laws to the letter. Campaign accounts for state and local office are governed by state law.
With Online Candidate’s affordable Political Website Design Packages, you can start raising contributions today. Backed by easy-to-use tools and exclusive resources, we help hundreds of campaigns WIN every election cycle.
Engage Supporters and Drive Traffic with Political Campaign Text Messaging
Whether it’s accepting donations, recruiting volunteers, or simply listing your policy positions, supporters and voters will turn to your website as the central hub of your campaign. This is why it’s one of your first priorities when running for office.
Once you have your website all set up, it’s time to face your next challenge.
Getting people to it.
Optimizing your site for search engines and linking back to your website on social media posts and ads is great to bring in generic traffic.
But in order to get targeted traffic: those people who are most likely to take an action when they land on your site (make a donation, sign up to volunteer or RSVP for an event), you need to reach out to them through channels that are engaging and personal.
Here’s how you can use targeted text messaging to get political supporters to your site and take action:
Send them to your donation page
Fundraising text messages have click-through rates of a massive 13%. Compare that to email with just a 0.44% click rate.
It means that texting is one of the most effective ways to get supporters to donate to your campaign.
Initiate a peer-to-peer text conversation with supporters, linking them to your website’s donation page:
Gauge their interest
Unlike mass texts, peer-to-peer texting is meant to be more conversational. Don’t overload your first message with everything at once. Ask them if they are interested in supporting your campaign by making a donation.
Link out to your donation page
If you get a positive response, send them a link to your website’s donation page.
Thank them for their contribution
Donors appreciate being kept up to speed on your fundraising efforts. Show them the difference they made to your campaign by sending them political text messages that show impact.
You can even shoot out a mass text message to supporters at key moments of the campaign. For example, after a town hall or a debate, and ask for a donation. If you’re making calls to get people to donate, you can send a follow up text message with the link to your donation page.
Get RSVPs and registrations for events
If you want to turn supporters into event attendees, you need to take them on a journey—from being mildly interested in your campaign and your event, to clicking on the link to your event registration form and entering their credit card details.
Having personalized conversations with supporters through a channel like political peer-to-peer texting is a great way to do it:
Send an initial text message to gauge interest
Lay out the bare details of your event in the initial message:
- What is the event for?
- When is it taking place?
- Where is it taking place?
Conclude by asking your supporter if they are interested in coming to the event.
If yes, send a link
Send them a link to your website’s event registration page. Make sure the page is mobile optimized.
Acknowledge their registration
Once your contact has registered for your event, send a quick acknowledgement text thanking them for making the decision to attend.
Recruit volunteers
One of the best times to recruit volunteers for your campaigns is during your voter ID efforts.
If you find that someone is a strong supporter, ask them to volunteer and send them a link to your volunteer page on the spot.
Ask if they are likely to support your candidate
Most campaigns identify support levels on a scale, e.g. 1-5, where 1 highly likely to vote for your candidate and 5 is highly unlikely.
If they are a strong supporter, ask them if they are willing to help out with the campaign
Send a link to your volunteer registration page
If you get a positive response, you can send a targeted followup message.
In addition to getting people to your campaign website, use text messaging to:
Send campaign updates to supporters
A quick mass text is an easy way to reach all your supporters quickly and efficiently, especially if you are sending out time-sensitive info.
Run opinion polls
Send out a mass texting campaign to subscribers asking them for their opinion on an issue or an event. You can store the results on your texting software or CRM to analyze later.
Get voters to the polling booth with GOTV texts
With peer-to-peer texts, volunteers can reach potential voters in personal conversations, and encourage them to vote. Because of its conversational nature, peer-to-peer texting gives your agents the ability to answer queries and send follow-up get out the vote text messages.
Text messages are often overlooked in the realm of marketing, but they shouldn’t be. Text messages can be a powerful tool when it comes to targeting voters and supporters, especially when coupled with other marketing efforts. They’re personal, timely, memorable, and convenient.
Mukundan Sivaraj is a political and nonprofit communications expert at CallHub, an outreach platform that connects organizations with their supporters through voice and text messages.
Free Download [PDF]: Political Campaign Website Meets Text Messaging
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