Running for Office? Here Are Some Political Campaign Slogan Ideas

A lot rides on your campaign slogan, so choose yours carefully. A slogan should connect to voter concerns and acknowledge the current political environment. It needs to be both memorable and concise. Basically, your slogan should summarize the essence of your campaign in a single phrase.

Easy, right?

Sort of. Slogans are a dime a dozen. They are reused all the time.

But for you and your campaign, your slogan should be chosen carefully. Figure out why you are running for office. What is the core value or issue you are trying to impress on voters? What is it that you want voter to know about you? Once you know that, it’s just a matter of summarizing it in a phrase.

Short and memorable slogans work best. Forget weak and passive phrasing. The most successful slogans are typically three or four-word statements that are both positive and suggest action.

Sample Campaign Slogans

[Candidate] for reform. [Candidate] for action.
A Name You Know.
A Voice for [Smart Growth/Lower Taxes/Etc.]
A Voice for You.
Fighting for Us
Had Enough? [I Have.]
Integrity. Honesty. Commitment. [Any combination]
It’s About You
It’s Time for a Change
Leadership / Experience / Commitment (Any order)
Let’s Make a Difference!
Proven [Leader/Tax Cutter/Experience]
Quality in Government.
Strength and Experience.
Taking Action, Getting Results.
Vote [Name] for Change.
Working for YOU!
Cleaning up [Location]
A Real Choice for [Location]
Vote for [Leadership]. Vote for [Change].
Working for a better [Location].
The Choice is Clear.
Promises made, promises kept.
A Record of Accomplishment
Independent Leadership
Fighting for [Location]’s families
For Effective Government
Action starts NOW!
Working harder for [Location].
Leadership for [Location].

Past Presidential Slogans

Some are good, some not so good… A few might even work for a local campaign.

1840 – William Henry Harrison – Tippecanoe and Tyler Too
1844 – Henry Clay – Who is James K. Polk?
1848 – Zachary Taylor – For President of the People
1856 – John C. Fremont – Free Soil, Free Labor, Free Speech, Free Men, and Fremont
1860 – Abraham Lincoln – Vote Yourself a Farm
1864 – Abraham Lincoln – Don’t swap horses in the middle of the stream
1884 – Grover Cleveland – Blaine, Blaine, James G. Blaine, The Continental Liar from the State of Maine
1884 – James Blaine – – Ma, Ma, Where’s my Pa, Gone to the White House, Ha, Ha, Ha
1888 – Benjamin Harrison – Rejuvenated Republicanism
1896 – William McKinley – Patriotism, Protection, and Prosperity
1916 – Woodrow Wilson – – He kept us out of war
1920 – Warren G. Harding – Return to normalcy
1924 – Calvin Coolidge – Keep cool with Coolidge
1928 – Herbert Hoover – – A chicken in every pot and a car in every garage
1952 – Dwight Eisenhower – I Like Ike
1960 – Richard Nixon – – For the future
1964 – Lyndon B. Johnson – The stakes are too high for you to stay at home
1964 – Barry Goldwater – In your heart you know he’s right
1968 – Richard Nixon – Nixon’s the One
1976 – Gerald Ford – He’s making us proud again
1976 – Jimmy Carter – A Leader, For a Change
1980 – Ronald Reagan – Are you better off than you were four years ago?
1984 – Ronald Reagan – It’s morning again in America
1984 – Walter Mondale – America Needs a Change
1988 – George Bush – Kinder, Gentler Nation
1992 – Bill Clinton – Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow
1992 – Bill Clinton – Putting People First
1992 – Ross Perot – Ross for Boss
1996 – Bill Clinton – Building a bridge to the 21st century
1996 – Bob Dole – The Better Man for a Better America
2000 – Al Gore – Prosperity and progress
2000 – George W. Bush – Compassionate conservatism
2000 – George W. Bush – Reformer with results
2004 – John Kerry – Let America be America Again
2004 – George W. Bush – Yes, America Can!
2008 – Barack Obama – Change we can believe in
2012 – Barack Obama – Forward
2012 – Mitt Romney – Believe in America

Found the perfect slogan? Great! Now use it on all of your political campaign materials, from signs to mailers to your campaign website. Just like your colors and design, your slogan should remain consistent and endure throughout your campaign.