Political Campaign Tips and Strategies by Online Candidate

How Voter Questions Can Help Shape Your Campaign

Polls and surveys can give you an idea of how your electorate feels about various issues. But the problem with this method is that you are framing the discussion by asking specific questions.

What if you are completely missing the important issues or asking the wrong questions?

You’ll never know unless you ask the voters.

That’s right. Ask voters and constituents to ask you questions about what matters most to them. And then compile their questions and put together answers to share with everyone.

Engaging with voter questions is a way to:

Address constituent concerns.
Enrich your campaign content.
Keep your messaging relevant and tied to your community’s needs and interests.

There are a few ways to set up direct lines of communication.

Accept questions through your campaign website and social media

This allows constituents to easily send in their queries through various channels. Complement this with a dedicated response or FAQ sections on your website, where you regularly post answers. This keeps your website dynamic and encourages regular visits from voters seeking information or updates.

“With the recent changes in our local economy, how will you adapt your policies to help those most affected?”

Create videos to answer in person

One easy way to make a lot of rich media content is to simply record a series of videos with the candidate reading and answering selected questions. Distribute your answers across your digital platforms. This not only personalizes your responses but also improves your visibility and engagement.

“How will you address the rising costs of living in our area?”

Hold live Q&A sessions on Facebook or Instagram Live

Ready to go live? Offer a real-time interactive experience through a live event on Facebook, Instagram, or even YouTube. Announce these events ahead of time and gather questions in advance, but also take live inquiries during the broadcast. This format allows for spontaneous and direct interaction. It helps make the sessions more engaging and interesting. You can also use social media posts or additional video for more detailed responses to questions.

“What are your key policies, and how do you plan to implement them?”

Through email and newsletters

Email also offers a more personalized channel for engaging with voters. Include a brief Q&A section in your newsletters and invite questions in reply. If you have more personal questions or concerns, you can respond directly rather than in a public way. Then you can answer the questions using the methods described above.

Through these varied digital methods, your campaign can effectively create content to answer voter questions and build stronger connections.

A List of Our Best Election Slogans

A good slogan enhances visibility and resonance with your electorate. Below is a list of election slogans for political candidates and campaigns. These focus on the theme of electing or voting for a specific candidate. These can be used for local, state, and federal campaigns.

Elect [Name] for Real Reform
Change Starts Here: Elect [Name]
With [Name], We Can Make a Difference
Elect [Name], Champion for Change
[Name]: Working Tirelessly for You
Vote for [Name], Vision for Tomorrow
Elect [Name]: Commitment You Can Trust
Vote for [Name], a True Advocate
Vote for Integrity and Dedication—Vote [Name]
Elect [Name] for Proven Strength
Action Speaks Louder: Elect [Name]
Build a Better [town/city/village] with [Name]
Your Voice Matters—Elect [Name]
Vote for [Name], a Leader for [Smart Growth/Lower Taxes/Etc.]
Time for Change? Vote [Name]
Elect [Name] for Proven Solutions
Revitalize Our City—Vote [Name]
Clean Streets, Clear Future—Vote for [Name]
Choose [Name]—A Fresh Start for [Location]
Leadership You Can See—Vote [Name]
Elect [Name] for Clear Choices
Celebrate [Name]’s Achievements—Reelect [Name]
Vote for [Name], Stand for Independence
[Name]: Fighting for Our Families
Elect [Name] for Effective Solutions
[Name] Works Hard for [Location]—Vote [Name]
Elect a Fresh, Energetic Voice—[Name]
People’s Choice—[Name] for [Location]
Integrity in Action—Vote [Name]
Leading [Location] Into the Future—Vote [Name]
Results, Responsibility, [Name]
Dedication Without Compromise—Vote [Name]
Vote for [Name], the Change We Urgently Need
Trust [Name] for Experienced Governance
Rebuild With Us—Elect [Name]

Here are more slogans specifically for candidates who are running for sheriff, judge, or school board positions:

“Safety First, Safety Always: Elect [Name] for Sheriff”
“Justice Served with Integrity: Vote [Name] for Judge”
“Commitment to Community: [Name] for Sheriff”
“Fair Decisions, Trusted Leadership: Elect [Name] for Judge”
“Protecting Our Future: Vote [Name] for School Board”
“Leadership in Law Enforcement: [Name] for Sheriff”
“Balanced Education for a Brighter Tomorrow: Elect [Name] for School Board”
“Your Voice in Justice: Vote [Name] for Judge”
“Safety, Service, Security: [Name] for Sheriff”
“Educational Excellence for Our Children: [Name] for School Board”

The tough part is picking one that best fits your personality and issues. By using a campaign slogan in promotional materials and advertisements, you can improve your visibility and drive greater voter turnout on Election Day.

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Political Campaign Tip: Use A Consistent Ballot Name

What’s in a name? If you are running for office, it should be consistency.

For example, if you are appearing on the ballot as “John Quincy Smith,” don’t promote yourself as “John Smith” or “John Q. Smith.” Your political campaign website, signage, and all your promotional materials should match. A consistent ballot name helps build name brand identification and reduces voter confusion.

In the case of write-in ballots, voters must use the correct version of your name. Write-in elections are tough to win, even in the best of circumstances. Proper spelling is important to withstand legal ballot challenges. To make things simple for write-ins, you might want to avoid using your middle name or initials in the campaign. Not every municipality allows for a “sticker campaign,” where a candidate provides voters with stickers with the candidate’s name as registered to attach to ballots as a write-in.

A few years ago, in a local race, a candidate first announced that she was running in a press release using her first and last name. But when the first mailing went out, a middle name was added. By the end of the campaign, the name had morphed to first, middle, and a hyphenated last name. Most voters probably didn’t notice, but for those following the election, the constant name changes may have seemed odd.

Avoid nicknames and middle initials unless they are important to your branding. If the name or nickname is not often used consistently, it can be confusing to both voters and search engines. This can potentially cause your website to rank lower than it should for candidate name searches. On the other hand, sometimes a nickname can help boost voter recognition.

Some candidates have gone the route of completely changing their names to improve their chances of winning. One congressional candidate went so far as to change his ballot name to his website address. Another thought was that his name sounded too feminine, so he had it changed in time for the primary. And then there was the candidate who legally changed his name to ‘Pro-Life’. (The change apparently did not help, as he ran and lost in several elections.)

Finally, make sure that your ballot name is properly spelled out on all election materials, including absentee ballots. Whatever you do, don’t be that candidate who misspells their own name in their advertising!

Checklist Download: Campaign Branding and Marketing Checklist [PDF]

Do Write-in Candidates Ever Win?

A write-in campaign is a type of election in which people who are not on the ballot can nevertheless make themselves eligible to win by receiving enough valid write-in votes. Write-in campaigns are usually low-budget, grassroots efforts that take place in cases where the original candidate has either died, dropped out of the race, or ran unopposed.

It’s not impossible to win an election as a write-in candidate, but the odds are long. They tend to be more successful on a local or state level. There have only been a handful of congressional elections where a outsider candidate won a general election. It takes money and organization—the same things a regular campaign requires—only you don’t have party backing. The tactic is more likely to succeed in down-ballot elections, where a non-ballot candidate can secure a local primary win before succeeding in a general election.

State rules around this process aren’t uniform. Some places ask write-in candidates to officially declare their intention to run and often submit paperwork to either the state or local election office. Other states are more lenient. They let voters write in the name of virtually anyone, without formal requirements.

The role of write-ins in the election process

Write-in candidates have been part of the U.S. political landscape for a long time. Their impact grew significantly in the early 2000s. In recent times, these types of votes have become a popular way for the electorate to express their dissatisfaction with their choices on the ballot.

Some argue that voting for a write-in candidate is a waste of time or shows a lack of understanding of the process. But in some situations, it proves useful. For example, there could be a scenario where a preferred candidate is left out by the parties. With non-ballot submissions, voters can support their top outside choice, potentially swinging the outcome.

While it’s true that they rarely win, write-in candidates play a crucial role. They often bring attention to key issues that matter to voters. Even if they don’t win, their stance on the issues can shape the dialogue of the other candidates.

Even a presidential candidate can win as a write-in. In March of 2024, President Joe Biden won the New Hampshire Democratic primary after the state was stripped of its delegates by the Democratic National Committee. Voters who wrote in Biden’s name allowed him to beat the other primary candidates.

Winning as a outsider is not easy

To win as a outsider, you need to stand out in the crowd and convince the voters that you’re their best choice. A few things that can help with this:

Be authentic: Show your true colors and be yourself. This will help people connect with you and know what they can expect from you in the future.
Be genuine: If you’re not being genuine, it will show through your speech and body language. People will see right through it and not take what you say seriously.
Be passionate: When it comes to winning as a outsider, passion is key! You need to be 100% invested in what you are doing if you want people to believe in your cause or campaign.
Be a good speaker
Have a strong social media presence
Provide detailed plans and ideas on how to solve problems

The challenges of running a write-in campaign include:

Fundraising difficulties and building a network of viable donors.
Lack of promotion and advertising by the candidate.
Securing volunteers to distribute yard signs, bumper stickers, and other promotional materials to supporters.
Finding volunteers to help with the GOTV effort.
Limited coverage by traditional news outlets, which often focus only on major party candidates.
The candidate’s name, where it may be tricky to pronounce, leading to misspelled votes.

You can grow support by door-to-door canvassing, putting up signs, and running a digital campaign using a campaign website, and online advertising.

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The process of a write-in campaign involves drafting your letter of intent and submitting it to your local election office. Then, gather signatures from qualified voters in your precinct. Make sure those signing have read and understood the petition.

Write-in votes may be cast improperly for a variety of reasons.

Provide detailed instructions to voters

Now comes the hard part of the process: Making sure that every vote cast for you is properly cast.

The most important part of write-in campaigns is letting the public how to cast a vote for you. Because voting for a candidate not listed on the ballot is different than a typical vote, you must carefully inform voters exactly what they must do so their votes are considered valid. Many states will not count a vote if the candidate’s name is not spelled correctly. Even where the name is written or the sticker is placed on the ballot is critical to casting a proper vote.

With more states voting by mail, these types of unofficial campaigns are becoming more prevalent. This is why it’s important to know the laws and rules – and to convey them properly to your supporters.

So, can you win as a write-in candidate?

Sometimes, a person can win an election without receiving the most votes. In a hotly contested election, there may be three or more candidates, and one who receives the most votes wins.

Sometimes a write-in candidate can even defeat an unopposed incumbent candidate. This is more likely to happen if the incumbent is unpopular.

Local elections can often be won by unlisted candidates because so few people turn out to vote in them. (Though this trend may be reversing.)

But generally, it takes as much effort, if not more, to get enough voters to choose a candidate who is not on the ballot. It may not be easy, but never underestimate determination and planning.

Create an affordable campaign website with Online Candidate. Every election cycle, we assist hundreds of local and grassroots campaigns.

Spring Cleaning For Your Campaign’s Social Media

Spring is finally here! Days are getting longer, and for many, it’s time for cleaning. If you are running for office, now is a great time to review your campaign social media accounts.

These tips apply to both campaign and personal accounts.

Update your campaign profile account information

When was the last time you updated your social media profiles? Bios and profiles are often filled in when an account is created and then forgotten. Is all the information up-to-date? Are all the relevant fields completely filled in, including a link to your political campaign website?

You may be surprised at the amount of information that is incomplete or out-of-date.

Check your profile images

Others get their first impression of you through your profile (or avatar) image. Make sure that it is up-to-date and professional. If you are using a head shot for person profiles, make sure the image looks professional. Use proper lighting and positioning. (You don’t want it to look like a mug shot.)

Don’t crop your picture from a group photo or use a low-res, grainy image.

Your profile images should be consistent across platforms for branding purposes. While a mobile phone can take great pictures, consider hiring a professional photographer.

Photos and videos make the best content

Campaign photos and videos get attention. You can increase the visibility and engagement of your Facebook and Twitter posts by including photos. You’re more likely to have a post shared if it includes an image. While it may take a little work to add images, it’s worth the effort.

Unscripted, engaging content can get followers attention, such as giving a glimpse of what really goes on behind-the-scenes. Other ideas include supporter testimonial videos or educational content about the issues you are running on. Look at the posts that get the most views and shares. Consider using that material for a paid promotion.

Just make sure that you own or have properly licensed any images or videos that you use!

As an aside, never, ever use your personal Facebook profile for political campaigning activities. We see this all too often and tell clients to create a campaign Facebook page. You can certainly recommend your campaign page to your existing friends and followers, but keep your personal and political activities separate. If you don’t, you could find your account shut down completely.

Use a scheduling tool for your social media posts

While manually posting to social media provides the most control, consider using a scheduling tool. Services such as Buffer or Hootsuite let you share posts across multiple platforms at once. You can also schedule posts for specific times. This makes it convenient to post a series of event reminders and get out the vote notices ahead of time.

Ditch the dead weight from your accounts

It’s better to never start a social media account than to start one and let it become neglected. If you have an account that you have not updated in a while, either use it or shut the account down.

The problem with abandoned profiles is that people who come across them may assume the campaign is over. Or they may follow the dead account and never get follow-ups.

If you shut down your social media accounts, leave a final post explaining that you are finished. You may want to suggest other ways followers can keep in touch. Then remove any links to those shuttered accounts from your website.

Shut down your social accounts gracefully rather than just pulling the plug.

Stay Positive!

You need thick skin to be online. Candidates encounter online comments disparaging them and their campaign all the time.

The most natural instinct is to strike back with a nasty or sarcastic reply. In the end, though, it’s better to take the high road and actively protect your reputation.

Have a plan in place for dealing with negative material. If there is negative material that happens to be true, prepare to address it directly. Fight back against false rumors and information with the truth. Then return focus to the issues that are important to your voters.

How you respond to both large and small crises will define you and your leadership skills for voters.

Use some simple SEO on your social profiles to boost your online presence. Your bios should include the candidate’s name as it appears on the ballot, the year, and the full position that you are running for. Social profiles are also a great place to include your campaign website link. And check your privacy settings.

Talk with your followers; don’t broadcast to them. Reply to comments, even negative ones. Host live Q&A sessions, such as Facebook Live. Watch the social trends for content ideas, and use relevant hashtags when you post.

For more tips and ideas for digital campaigning, subscribe to our email list below and check out our book Running for Office as an Online Candidate.

Image courtesy of debspoons at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Making Your Campaign’s FAQs Work Harder for You

One problem with many local campaign websites has nothing to do with design.

It’s a lack of content.

We see this all the time. A candidate is ready to launch, but the campaign only has a short bio, a few lines about why they are running, and not much else. There may not be enough issue content, enough voter information, or enough detail to make the website feel complete. That’s also why it helps to think through what pages a campaign website should include.

Frequently asked questions are an easy way to add useful content without turning every page into a long policy write-up. They give you a place to answer voter concerns, explain your positions, and fill in gaps on pages that would otherwise feel thin.

We’ve worked with candidates who did not have enough material for full issue pages at the start, but did have enough recurring questions to build strong FAQ content. In many cases, that is what helps a website start feeling more complete.

For local races especially, that matters. Many voters are not going to spend much time on your website. They’re going to skim, look for a few answers, and make a quick judgment. If your website answers the right questions clearly, you are already ahead of many campaigns.

Why FAQs work on campaign websites

A strong FAQ section helps visitors find answers faster. It gives campaigns a place to address concerns directly. It also helps cover more of the questions voters actually have.

FAQ sections can help your campaign by:

giving undecided voters quick answers
adding depth to short issue pages
answering practical questions about voting, volunteering, and donations
helping campaigns respond to common concerns before they turn into bigger problems
adding useful, searchable text

That last point matters. Many local candidate websites do not have enough written content to support search visibility or answer the kinds of questions voters type into Google. FAQs can help with both.

FAQs are especially useful for local candidates

Local campaigns usually do not start with much content.

A school board candidate may have strong reasons for running, but no long issue statements. A town board candidate may know the community well, but not have every position written out yet. A county clerk or comptroller candidate may need to explain what the office does before getting into why they are the right choice.

Instead of forcing the campaign to write long pages all at once, you can build useful material one question at a time.

This works well for websites of candidates running for school board, city council, town board, mayor, sheriff, district attorney, county clerk, state legislature, and Congress. The exact questions vary by office, but voters are still looking for the same thing: straightforward answers.

Sometimes the most important questions are not policy-heavy at all. People just want to know who the candidate is, why they are running, what they stand for, and whether they seem prepared for office.

Where FAQs should go on a candidate website

One mistake campaigns make is dumping every question onto one long FAQ page. In many cases, it works better to place questions where they naturally belong.

We also find that FAQ content usually works better when it is spread across the right pages instead of buried on one long list.

About page FAQs

This is a good place to answer questions such as:

Why are you running for office?
What experience do you bring to this role?
How long have you lived in the community?
What should voters know about your background?

Issue page FAQs

Issue pages are often the best place for FAQs tied to voter concerns.

Questions might include:

What is your position on local development?
How would you handle property taxes?
What would you do about traffic in our town?
What are your priorities for public safety?
What is your view on school spending?

Voting information FAQs

This section is often overlooked, and it’s an important topic for all your supporters.

Questions here can include:

Where do I vote?
How do I register to vote?
When is Election Day?
Is early voting available?
Can I vote by mail?

You can also point visitors to state voting information links for official deadlines and election resources.

Volunteer and donation FAQs

These pages should answer practical questions such as:

How can I volunteer for the campaign?
Do I need campaign experience?
Where does my donation go?
Is online giving secure?
Can I donate by check?

A main FAQ page can still be useful, but it works best as a hub that points visitors to deeper pages.

Start with the questions people actually ask

The strongest FAQ sections usually come from the questions candidates hear in person, by email, and on social media.

Look at what the candidate hears at events. Review supporter emails. Check social media comments. Think about what volunteers, donors, and undecided voters tend to ask first.

We often see campaigns skip over questions that feel obvious to them because they have been living with the race for months. Voters have not, and many are just beginning to pay attention.

In many political races, the campaign already has the raw material. It is just scattered across emails, Facebook comments, conversations at events, and notes from people asking the same things over and over. This is similar to how voter questions shape a campaign long before a website is finished.

If the same question comes up more than once, it probably belongs on the website.

Candidates usually know more than they think they do. The challenge is pulling the right answers out in a format voters will actually read.

Better FAQ examples by office type

A lot of campaign FAQ examples sound too generic. The better ones sound like questions a real voter might actually ask.

School board candidate

Q: Why are you running for school board?
A: I’m running because families deserve a school board member who listens, communicates clearly, and stays focused on students. Our district needs stronger academic focus, more budget transparency, and better communication between the board and the people it serves.

Q: What are your top priorities for the district?
A: My priorities are academic performance, budget accountability, and clear communication with parents and residents. I want to see stronger support for students and teachers, along with more transparency around major district decisions.

City council or town board candidate

Q: What would you do about overdevelopment in town?
A: Growth should be planned carefully and should reflect the needs of residents, not just the interests of developers. I support smart development, but not at the expense of traffic, infrastructure, neighborhood character, or quality of life.

Q: How would you approach rising local taxes?
A: I want our local government to take a harder look at spending before asking residents to pay more. That means better oversight, more transparency, and clearer priorities.

Mayor candidate

Q: Why do you want to be mayor?
A: I want to bring a more practical, visible style of leadership to city government. Residents want a mayor who shows up, responds, and pays attention to the basics: public safety, roads, services, and the overall direction of the city.

Sheriff candidate

Q: What experience prepares you for this position?
A: My background includes law enforcement experience and leadership responsibilities that relate directly to the demands of this office. I understand the importance of training, supervision, public safety coordination, and maintaining confidence in the department.

State legislature candidate

Q: How will you represent this district?
A: The job is to represent the district well, stay visible, and make sure local concerns are not lost at the state level. That means listening, communicating consistently, and staying focused on the people who sent you there.

Answer difficult questions directly

One of the smartest uses of a FAQ section is dealing with tough questions before voters start filling in the blanks themselves.

Don’t dodge obvious issues. Don’t answer a fair question with vague filler. If a subject is sensitive, address it clearly and calmly.

For example:

Weak answer:
“I understand there are many perspectives on this issue, and I look forward to working with stakeholders toward a solution.”

Better answer:
“I support careful local development, but not every project is the right fit. Growth should improve life for residents, not add strain to traffic, services, or neighborhood stability.”

The second answer sounds like a position. That is what voters are looking for.

This is also where simple language in politics helps. Clearer language makes it harder to hide behind vague answers.

Common FAQ mistakes

We see a few problems come up again and again.

answers that say very little or are incomplete
treating the FAQ page as a substitute for all other content
adding too many weak questions
repeating the same answer across the site
ignoring practical questions about voting, volunteering, or donations
leaving the page outdated

One mistake we see a lot is answering the question the campaign wants to answer instead of the question a voter is really asking.

We also see campaigns bury good FAQ material on a single page when some of those questions really belong on the about page, issues page, or donation page.

A shorter list of strong questions is better than a long list of bland ones.

Do candidate website FAQs help with SEO?

They can, if they are written naturally and placed in the right spots.

A useful FAQ section can support search visibility by adding relevant content around the candidate’s name, office sought, district, issues, and voter concerns. It can also help capture longer search phrasing, especially when people search in question form.

You do not want to load the page up with keyword-heavy questions just for search engines. You want to build a candidate website that answers real questions clearly. That usually makes the page more useful, and it often helps search visibility as well.

For the broader version, see SEO tips for campaign websites.

To FAQ or not FAQ?

A FAQ section is a simple way to make your campaign website more useful and more complete.

Many voters are not looking for long policy documents. They are looking for quick, trustworthy answers that help them decide whether you seem prepared, serious, and worth supporting.

If your campaign website feels thin, unclear, or unfinished, improving your FAQ content is a smart place to start.

Need help writing or revising your candidate website content? Online Candidate provides political campaign website services built for real campaigns, and we also offer copy examples and copy editing services for website clients.

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