El Paso, TX · GOAL FOR TODAY To prepare you to organize and oversee a strong campaign for local,...

El Paso, TXAugust 12, 2017

SOCIAL•Feel free to tweet us (@AnniesListTX) about the training•Post your pictures from today to our Facebook: facebook.com/annieslisttx•Post your pictures from today to our Instagram: Instagram.com/annieslisttx

GOAL FOR TODAY

To prepare you to organize and oversee a

strong campaign for local, county, or state

legislature.

GROUND RULES

•Remove Distractions •Respect All Voices•Step Up – Step Back•Meet your Needs

AGENDA

EL PASO

AUGUST 12TH

WHO WE ARE

THE ANNIE’S LIST AGENDA

WHY YOU, WHY NOW

WHY WOMEN?

WOMEN AND

RUNNING FOR OFFICE

WOMEN’S APPROACH

APPROACHING WOMEN

Will you run for office?

NATIONAL LANDSCAPE• 88 % of Governors are MEN

• 80% of Big-City Mayors are MEN

• 75% of State Legislators are MEN

TEXAS LANDSCAPE

• 80% of Texas State Legislators are MEN

• Texas House: 21 Democratic Women

• Texas Senate: 2 Democratic Women

LADIES IN THE

LEGISLATURE

SUCCESS ON THE BALLOT

Equal at the Ballot Box

WOMEN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Prioritize women, children, & families

Serve beyond district

Create more open government

Work across the aisle

Create more legislation

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

YOUYou are qualified.

You are smart.

Texas needs you!

WIN NUMBER

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

In your folder:

• Agenda• Worksheets• District 151 Profile

DISTRICT 151

DISTRICT 151

Democrat Leslie Garcia

vs.

Republican Incumbent Marshall Smith

WIN NUMBER

WHY THE WIN NUMBER IS SO

IMPORTANT TO THE PLAN

The starting point to determine every aspect of your plan and

budget to win your election

2012 2014 201643,400 25,500 47,500 21,600 10,600 23,600

Projected Turnout = 2012 Total Votes + 2014 Total Votes + 2016 Total Votes / 3 = Projected Turnout

Win Number = 0.52Projected Turnout X 52% = Win Number

Total VotesVotes for Dem

WINNING WITH NUMBERS WORKSHEET

43,400 25,500 47,500 38,800

38,800 20,176

Importance of Win Number

•Drives the size of your campaign, budget, field program, and size of your staff

• Is driven by historical election data and turnout from top of the ballot excitement

•Calculation is not an exact science but a good estimation

• The number you must commit to memory as the most important driving force in each decision you make throughout the campaign

CAMPAIGN PLAN

OVERVIEW

YOUR CAMPAIGN PLAN

GETTING STARTEDGoal is Win Number; Deadline is Election Day

WRITE DOWN THE CAMPAIGN PLAN!

IF IT’S NOT WRITTEN, IT DOESN’T EXIST

SUMMARY OF THE PLAN1) GOALS

2) TIMELINE

3) LAY OF THE LAND

4) FUNDRAISING

5) MESSAGING

6) VOTER CONTACT

7) OPERATIONS (STAFF AND VENDORS)8) BUDGET

9) RECOMMENDED ROLES

SUMMARY OF THE PLAN

SECTION 1GOALS

SECTION 1: GOALS

Answers the question of who votes for you and why

SECTION 2TIMELINE

SECTION 2: TIMELINE

Working back from Election Day, include:• Financial Reporting• Major Holidays• Early Voting• Ballot by Mail Deadlines• Voter Registration Deadlines• Direct Mail and Messaging Calendar • Meaningful campaign milestones for

fundraising and voter IDs

SECTION 3LAY OF THE LAND

SECTION 3: LAY OF THE LAND

This section is a true assessment of viability:Why you? Why now?

SECTION 4FUNDRAISING

SECTION 4: FUNDRAISING

Include goals, milestones and major strategies

SECTION 5MESSAGING

SECTION 5: MESSAGING

Overview of the story you will tell about the candidate.

This section should include:• Messaging Calendar• Mail Calendar• Message Boxes

SECTION 6VOTER CONTACT

SECTION 6: VOTER CONTACT

Overview of how you will reach win number; includes specific numbers, voters, and timeline

SECTION 7OPERATIONS

SECTION 7: OPERATIONS

How does your campaign office run everyday?Who approves purchases?

Who can write checks? What hours will the campaign office be open?

SECTION 8BUDGET

SECTION 8: BUDGET

A written document organized by program area that outlines:• When every dollar needed will

be raised• Where every dollar will be spent• A timeline to facilitate cash flow

projections

SECTION 9RECOMMENDED ROLES

SECTION 9: RECOMMENDED ROLES

Outline everyone’s duties, including candidate, staff, high-level volunteers and consultants.

What are they doing – What are they not doing

SUMMARY OF THE PLAN1) GOALS

2) TIMELINE

3) LAY OF THE LAND

4) FUNDRAISING

5) MESSAGING

6) VOTER CONTACT

7) OPERATIONS (STAFF AND VENDORS)8) BUDGET

9) RECOMMENDED ROLES

STORYTELLING

AND

MESSAGING

STORYTELLING & MESSAGING

STORY VS. MESSAGEConnected but not the same

Your Story

The values and experiences that define you

“Tell me about yourself

Your Message

The reasons voters should support you

“Why are you the right person for the job?”

WHY TELL A STORY

“No one ever made a decision because of a number. They need a story.” – Daniel Kahneman

Stories Stick

Stories Sell

Stories Spur Action

TELLING A GOOD STORY• Easy to understand• Reflects shared values• Personal and authentic• Makes people feel something• Starts with status quo; moves to what could be

DISCOVER YOUR STORY

DOCUMENT YOUR DISTRICT

•What are the demographics of the area?

•What is changing about the district?

•What are the major issues being discussed?

•What are the major issues not being discussed?

•Are things getting better or getting worse?

What would this look like in District 151?

CRAFT YOUR MESSAGEYour message is the bridge between your story and your vision for the district

The Message Box• Puts all of these things in the context of

your campaign• Creates your proactive communication

strategy• Prepares you for attacks and pivots

MESSAGE BOX

What We Say About Us

What the Opposing Campaign Says

About Itself

What We Say About Our Opponent

What Opposing Campaign Says

About Us

SB4 will lead to the deportation of hardworking

moms and dads, and separation of innocent

families, and no police chief or sheriff of a major city

supports it

I will work with Sheriffs to make sure our communities

are truly safe from dangerous illegal

immigrants by enforcing the law. SB4 will help decrease

crime and human trafficking.

He puts vulnerable people at risk by banning Sanctuary Cities. Human trafficking will

only increase and crimes like domestic violence will

go unreported because people will fear deportation.

I voted for SB4 to protect Texans and my opponent would rather have illegal immigrants breaking the law than force sheriffs to

enforce the law. The Democratic Party’s policies

are what leads to more human trafficking,

What We Say About Us

What the Opposing

Campaign Says About Itself

What We Say About Our Opponent

What Opposing Campaign Says

About Us

DISTRICT 151MESSAGE BOX

MESSAGE DONE WELL• Is in the language of the voters

• Contrasts you with your opponent

• Is evident in all aspects of your strategy

• Is both aspirational and reasonable

• Helps to inoculate the candidate from

potential attacks the opponent will make

• Answers the question: Why you and why now?

MESSAGE DONE POORLY•An issue or list of issues•Your resume•A list of your accomplishments•Your campaign strategy

SB 4 Anti-Sanctuary Cities Bill

“As a professor I have students from every walk of life in my classes. When SB 4 passed the State Legislature, I had to comfort students who were terrified their parents would be deported or that they would be discriminated against with this “show me your papers” type law. This intimidation and discrimination is unacceptable in Texas and I will work to make it so no student has to worry about anything but receiving a good education.”

House District 151 Candidate

Leslie Garcia’s Message on SB 4

MESSAGE REFINEMENT•Write it well•Tailor it to your audience•Speak to values, not issues•REPEAT IT

WRITE IT WELL• Establish common ground• Choose one key point or strong stat to

drive home your point• Make it interesting with pretty words• Use examples, analogies, statistics,

personal anecdotes – things that can be pulled out and quoted, reused, dispersed

TAILOR TO YOUR AUDIENCE

Speak to what voters DO care about, not what you think they SHOULD care about!

Each time you present, keep in mind:•How long you have to speak•Who you are speaking to•Why you are speaking

SPEAK TO VALUES

NOT ISSUES

“Jails are for people we’re afraid of,

not people we’re upset with.”

- Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez

SAMPLE MESSAGE

“Our goals are urgent. We must protect our families and educate our kids while holding

corporations accountable and running a government that’s

lean but not mean.”

- Former Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm

REPEAT… REPEAT… REPEAT…

STORY IN ACTION

PUTTING YOUR

STORY IN ACTION

MESSAGING CALENDARWorking backwards from Election Day, create a messaging calendar by asking these questions:

•What is the message that should be amplified?•Where should you amplify that message? •What action is required for this to happen on time?

TYPES OF MEDIA

WHAT TO MAKE AVAILABLE ON YOUR WEBSITE

SOCIAL MEDIA BEST PRACTICES• Use your message calendar

• Authorize regular users

• Credible third party commenters

• Connect and engage with your audience – use #hashtags

• Use photos and videos

• Be personable

• Make asks – engagement #s are the goal

• Don’t feed the trolls, but they can excite your base

• Edit and delete as needed, but it’s all permanent

MATCH THE MEDIUMFacebook Twitter Instagram

Total 68% 21% 28%

Women 69% 21% 23%

Men 67% 21% 32%

Age 18-29 88% 36% 59%

Age 30-49 79% 22% 31%

Age 50-64 61% 18% 13%

65+ 36% 6% 5%

Less than $30,000 65% 18% 29%

$30,000-49,000 68% 16% 30%

$50,000-74,000 70% 26% 30%

$75,000+ 76% 30% 30%

BUILDING AN EMAIL LIST

• Keep your list engaged and have informative content

• Optimize for phone viewing• Don’t SPAM People• Don’t Burn and Churn

USING PAID MEDIA

• Direct Mail – VENDOR IS KEY• Purchase targeted digital ads • Run radio ads on minority or select

stations• Don’t buy TV – unless you are

running for State Senate or above

USING EARNED MEDIA• Have supporters write op-ed pieces in the local

newspaper• Send out press releases when something you are

doing is news worthy • Debate your opponent as much as you can to reach

more voters• Prepare for Editorial Board interviews to receive

additional endorsements

EDITORIAL BOARD INTERVIEWS

A study conducted in 2011 and again in 2016 found that

newspaper endorsements are likely to influence readers’

decisions, especially those of more moderate voters.

EDITORIAL BOARD PREPSpeaking to the Editorial Board is likely your most important interview and the best opportunity to amplify your message with an endorsement.

Prepare by:

•Creating talking points

•Making a briefing book using the questionnaire

• Role playing with staff or a volunteer

• Researching interviewer/board

• Practice pivoting to the issues you want to discuss

“I think about answering, not the question that was asked, but the question that I wanted to be asked.”- Robert McNamara

THE ART OF THE PIVOT

• “Yes, and . . . “

• “The fact of the matter is . . . “

• “The real question is . . . “

• “That’s not the issue. The real issue is . . . “

• “I can’t speak to that but, I CAN tell you . . . “

• “The reality is . . . “

• “What I’d like people to know is . . . “

THE PIVOT IN ACTION

Pivot for District 151The Bathroom Bill

INTERVIEW DO’S○ Be prepared○ Be early ○ Be aware of your appearance

■ Dress conservatively; take into account colors, patterns, and jewelry

■ Be aware of your body language○ Remember, you are always on record○ Know your record○ Act on any follow up items○ Say “Thank you

INTERVIEW DON’TS

○ Bring too many people○ Use humor○ Speak in hypotheticals○ Debate○ Lie○ Fill silences○ Debut new ideas○ Answer questions that you don’t know the answer to

LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS

✓Approved Staff✓Approved Surrogates

✓The Candidate

No one else. Period

LUNCH BREAK

VOTER CONTACT

CONNECTING WITH VOTERS

WINNING WITH NUMBERS WORKSHEET2012 2014 2016

43,400 25,500 47,500 21,600 10,600 23,600

Projected Turnout = 43,400 25,500 47,500 38,800 (2012 Total Votes + 2014 Total Votes + 2016 Total Votes) / 3 = Projected Turnout

Win Number = 38,800 0.52 20,176 Projected Turnout X 52% = Win Number

Democratic Base = 2014 Votes for Dem / 2014 Total Votes = Democratic Base %

Voter Gap = Projected Turnout X Democratic Base % = Projected Dem Turnout

Win Number - Projected Dem Turnout = Voter Gap

Total VotesVotes for Legislative Dem

10,600 25,500 41.6%

38,800 41.6% 16,141

20,176 16,141 4,035

FINDING VOTERS

•Census data•District viewer•VAN (Voter Activation Network)•Scores from VAN

TARGETING

Non-Voting Republicans

Non-Voting Persuadable

Non-Voting Democrats

Presidental Republicans

Presidential Persuadable

Presidential Democrats

Voting Republicans

Voting Persuadable

Super Democrats

Turnout

Support

Low Medium High

Non-voters

Sporadic

Voters

DISTRICT 151 MID-TERM TARGETING0 to 9.99

10 to 19.99

20 to 29.99

30 to 39.99

40 to 49.99

50 to 59.99

60 to 69.99

70 to 79.99

80 to 89.99

90+ Unknown

0 to 9.99 9 17 20 61 50 44 42 68 55 23 0 38910 to 19.99 28 54 83 153 136 137 194 296 287 224 0 1,59220 to 29.99 32 72 181 345 303 222 269 290 213 146 0 2,07330 to 39.99 51 169 390 537 459 431 673 687 620 301 0 4,31840 to 49.99 57 120 218 366 336 312 478 644 514 322 0 3,36750 to 59.99 51 117 328 652 513 441 647 757 432 292 0 4,25060 to 69.99 126 222 853 1,721 1,188 1,057 1,870 1,599 1,009 473 0 10,11870 to 79.99 389 448 1,003 1,269 979 979 1,754 1,902 1,493 738 0 10,95480 to 89.99 925 486 778 940 980 1,170 2,058 2,796 1,608 1,241 0 12,982

90+ 6,038 1,051 990 601 551 1,368 2,060 1,696 1,398 2,289 0 18,042

Unknown 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 5,949 5,951Total People 7,706 2,756 4,844 6,645 5,495 6,162 10,046 10,735 7,649 6,049 5,949 74,036

TurnoutParty Support

Total People

Total Voters Section

15,161 Democratic Base

18,900 Persuasion

3,737 Low Propensity

37,798 Voter Universe

DISTRICT 151 PRESIDENTIAL TARGETING

DISTRICT 151 COMPARISON

Total Voters Section

15,161 Democratic Base

18,900 Persuasion

3,737 Low Propensity

37,798 Voter Universe

CLOSING VOTER GAP

Registering Voters

Turning out the Democratic Base

Persuading Voters

REGISTERING VOTERS• Use voter registration as a method to get to know your

community before starting your campaign

• Know the laws around voter registration

• Needs to be a strategy of every campaign – swing districts cannot be won without voter registration

• Goal should be to register 2x vote gap in the district

WAYS TO CONTACT VOTERS

Cost Effectiveness of GOTV MethodsMethod Effectiveness Cost Per Vote

Door-to-Door 1 vote per 15 contacts $31

Volunteer Phone Calls 1 vote per 35 contacts $35

Commercial Live Calls 1 vote per 125 contacts $63

Direct Mail 1 vote per 273 contacts $91

Data from Get Out the Vote, 2015

HOW TO PERSUADE VOTERSTo effectively persuade begin with the following:

• Create a script that is easy for your volunteers to follow

• Establish a commonality with the voter

• Practice pivots with your volunteers before sending them out

• LISTEN to the voter and what they are most concerned about

• If persuasion is more difficult in your district consider placing your most effective volunteers on persuasion doors

LET’S WALK

THROUGH HOW TO

ID VOTERS

SIMULATION

CREATING A VOTE PLAN● Help voters create a plan to vote. Ask voters these types of

questions:

○ What day will you vote?○ What time of day will you vote?○ Will you drive to the polls yourself or have someone take

you?○ Will you vote at the same time as your family members?○ Do you know where you vote?○ Do you know what ID you need to take with you to the

polls?

COMMITMENT CARDS

WORK SMART: PLANNING FOR FIELD CAPACITY NOW

Information for this exercise:

18,900 Persuasion VotersLive in 14,500 homes in the district

Paid canvass staff is paid $10 per hourA block walk shift is 4 hours

An average block walker can reach 40 doors per 4-hour shift

Mon Tue Wed Thur Fri Sat Sun Total2 3 3 3 X 10 4 25

Typical Volunteer Recruitment per Week

WORK SMART:PLANNING FOR FIELD CAPACITY NOW

X 3 knocks =

/ 40 doors per shift =

X 20% Contact Rate =

14,500 DoorsDoor Knocks

ShiftsDoor Knocks

Door Knocks Unique IDs

43,500

43,500 1,088

43,500 8,700

/ 32 Weeks =

- 25 volunteer shifts =

X 4 hours X $10 per hour =$ per week

X 32 Weeks = Total Cost$ per week

Shifts shifts per week

remaining shiftsShifts per week

remaining shifts

32 WEEKS BEFORE EARLY VOTING

1,088 34

34 9

9 $360

$360 $11,520.00

/ 16 Weeks =

- 25 volunteer shifts =

X 4 hours X $10 per hour =$ per week

X 16 Weeks = Total Cost$ per week

Shifts shifts per week

remaining shiftsShifts per week

remaining shifts

16 WEEKS BEFORE EARLY VOTING

1,088 68

68 43

43 $1,720.00

$1,720.00 $27,520.00

32 WEEKS VS. 16 WEEKS

Starting Early = Using Volunteer Capacity Wisely

16 Weeks in Field

32 Weeks in Field

$27,520$11,520

Starting 32 weeks until Early Voting would

save District 151 $16,000 in paid

canvassing

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT

• Friends• Family• Professional Networks• Religious Networks• Democratic Clubs• Activist Groups• VOTERS

Where would you look for volunteers?

MAKING THE ASK TO

VOLUNTEER• Make the best ask possible• Frame ask as an opportunity• Ask everyone who supports you

– Question 1: Will you vote for me?– Question 2: Will you volunteer?

• Anyone can make the ask

MANAGING VOLUNTEERS

When was the last time you volunteered on a campaign?

•What was great about that experience?

•Was there anything terrible about your experience?

•Would you volunteer again?

MANAGING VOLUNTEERS• Set people up for success

• Set meaningful goals

• Set a culture of excellence and accountability

• Create a training program for volunteers

• Be prepared before a single volunteer steps foot in your office

• Lead by example and take new volunteers out with you to train them

• Develop relationships

• THANK your volunteers

VOTER CONTACT RULES

• Always have the right script – volunteers should stick to the script, not express their personal views

• Tracking systems

–If it doesn’t exist in VAN, it doesn’t exist

–Get information for future contact including collecting emails and phone numbers

–Notes are only as good as your follow through

–Your ability to work smart is only as good as your data

PRIORITIZING FIELD WORK• Be cognizant of your budget. Remember,

nothing is free, including volunteers• Prioritize areas/density and types of contact• Decide priority contacts for the candidate

vs. those for volunteers or paid canvassers• Train volunteers and staff on how to use

your literature and scripts• Know the law – don’t break the law

BUDGET

AND

COMPLIANCE

BUDGET & COMPLIANCE

RULES OF THE BUDGET

Rule 1: Driven by campaign plan

Rule 2: Must be realistic

Rule 3: Reflects priorities

Rule 4: Voter Contact > Overhead

STARTING YOUR BUDGET•Research previous races for scale

•Start at Election Day and work backwards

•Consider timing of decisions and payments

•Create versions – Cadillac, Civic, Bicycle

IF IT ISN’T WRITTEN IT ISN’T REAL

SIZE OF THE BUDGET

Dependent upon the following:

• Position being sought

• Location

•Candidate’s ability to fundraise

• Excitement around the race or candidate

• Investment by outside organizations

•Available resources on the ground

DISTRICT 151CADILLAC BUDGET

Line Item Estimated Cost Total % of Total

Filing Fee 750.00$ NGP 3,000.00$ VAN 1,000.00$ Overhead 10,000.00$

Campaign Manager 50,000.00$ Field director 30,000.00$ Deputy Field 20,000.00$ Finance Director 33,000.00$ Interns 1,000.00$

Graphic Design 5,500.00$ Photogrpahy 1,000.00$ Digital Ads 14,000.00$ Direct Mail 160,000.00$ Social Media ads 1,500.00$ Website 3,500.00$

Palm Card 10,000.00$ Signs 5,000.00$ T-shirts 1,000.00$ Other Ads 3,500.00$

Canvass 30,000.00$

Fundraising Events 2,000.00$ Donation Processing 3,500.00$

Food for Volunteers 10,000.00$ 11,500.00$ Volunteer events 1,500.00$

Polling 15,000.00$

415,750.00$

4%

19,500.00$ 5%

185,500.00$ 45%

32%134,000.00$

4%15,000.00$

Volunteer events

Polling

Admin Costs

Staff Costs

Paid Communications

Voter Contact

Paid Canvass

Fundraising

7%30,000.00$

5,500.00$

3%

1%

14,750.00$

DISTRICT 151 –HONDA CIVIC

BUDGET

Line Item Estimated Cost Total % of Total

Filing Fee 750.00$ NGP 1,650.00$ VAN 1,000.00$ Overhead 4,000.00$

Campaign Manager 28,000.00$ Field director 17,000.00$

Graphic Design 1,200.00$ Photogrpahy 350.00$ Digital Ads 5,000.00$ Direct Mail 64,000.00$ Website 1,400.00$

Palm Card 4,000.00$ Signs 2,000.00$ T-shirts 350.00$ Other Ads 1,200.00$

Canvass 12,000.00$

Fundraising Events 1,000.00$ Donation Processing 1,400.00$

Food for Volunteers 2,500.00$ Volunteer events 1,000.00$

149,800.00$

8%

2%2,400.00$

3,500.00$ 2%

5%7,550.00$

Volunteer events

7,400.00$

12,000.00$ Paid Canvass

Fundraising

Paid Communications

Voter Contact

Admin Costs

Staff Costs

5%

30%45,000.00$

71,950.00$ 48%

DISTRICT 151 –BICYCLE BUDGET

Line Item Estimated Cost Total % of Total

Filing Fee 750.00$ VAN 1,000.00$ Overhead 2,000.00$

Campaign Manager 28,000.00$

Graphic Design 750.00$ Digital Ads 2,500.00$ Direct Mail 25,000.00$ Website 1,200.00$

Palm Card 3,500.00$ Signs 1,000.00$ Other Ads 500.00$

Canvass 5,000.00$

Fundraising Events 1,000.00$ Donation Processing 700.00$

Food for Volunteers 1,800.00$ Volunteer events 1,000.00$

75,700.00$

5,000.00$

5,000.00$ 7%

2%1,700.00$

2,800.00$ 4%Volunteer events

3,750.00$ 5%

37%28,000.00$

29,450.00$ 39%

7%

Paid Canvass

Fundraising

Paid Communications

Voter Contact

Admin Costs

Staff Costs

THE AVERAGE BUDGET

• Paid Communications and Staff will be the largest cost for any campaign

• Remember that budgets are very fluid and evolve over time

• There is always a way to cut expenses

• Always use common sense when it comes to expenses

• A budget should always be realistic and achievable

Budget Total Admin Costs Staff Costs Paid Comms Voter Contact Paid Canvass Fundraising Volunteer Events PollingCadillac 410,750$ 4% 32% 45% 5% 7% 1% 3% 4%Honda 149,800$ 5% 30% 48% 5% 8% 2% 2% Bicycle 75,700$ 5% 37% 39% 7% 7% 2% 4%

COMPLIANCEKnow the law

WHAT IS A CONTRIBUTION?

•A direct or indirect transfer of money, goods, services or any other thing of value•An in-kind contribution is a contribution of goods or services

REPORT ACCURATELY

• For all contributions, know the donor’s:– Full legal name– Address– Employer ($500+)– Occupation ($500+)

• Anonymous contributions are prohibited• Report a contribution as the date it is

received not the date deposited• You must account for every dollar you take in

– Every race has limitations on how much cash you may accept

AVOID COMMON ERRORS•Corporations cannot contribute

•Unions cannot contribute from dues money, but may contribute from a PAC

•Only US Citizens and permanent residents may legally contribute to campaigns under Federal law

•Contributions may be taken from out of state PACs if they file with the Federal Trade Commission

CREDIT CARD EXPENDITURES

•Credit cards are a method of payment, not the reportable payee

• Reported payee should always be the vendor you paid with the card

•When reporting, use the date you made the payment, not the date the credit card bill shows the transaction

CANDIDATE’S PERSONAL FUNDS

The candidate’s out-of-pocket expenses for the campaign must be reported – whether or

not the candidate wants to be reimbursed.

These expenses may start before the candidate has officially filed. For example if you purchase website domains and pay to create a website prior to filing a treasurer’s

appointment you must record these expenses in your first financial report.

STAFF REIMBURSEMENTS

•Report the original payees – not the person being reimbursed •Use the dates the person spent his/her own money – not the date of the reimbursement •Consider reimbursing mileage instead of gas receipts or per diem instead of meals

GENERAL REPORTING GUIDELINES

• Reports must be filed electronically

• Familiarize yourself with the process before the filing deadline

• Start the process of filing in advance

• Set yourself up for success!

•Get NGP software

•Use a spreadsheet or QuickBooks to track expenses

• Track transactions in a database

• Manage accounting in a timely way

• Keep copies of every check and receipt

• Audit regularly for missing info

STAFFING

MODELS

STAFFING MODELS

SAMPLE CAMPAIGN STRUCTURES

CANDIDATE’S GOLDEN RULEOutside of sleeping and eating, the candidate should be

doing only two things:

RAISING MONEY.TALKING TO VOTERS.

Evaluate the schedule often to make sure your campaign sticks to this rule.

FUNDRAISING

CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISING

POLITICAL FUNDRAISING

WHY YOU?

WHY NOW?

WHAT’S IN IT FOR THEM?

• Political fundraising is charity

• Only the rich give• It’s rude to ask more

than once

FUNDRAISING

INFRASTRUCTURE

• Campaign Treasurer• Database/Spreadsheets

NGP QuickBooks Google Sheets or Excel

• Website that allows donations by credit card• Mailing Address• Stationary + Postage• Plan for Compliance • Capacity

FUNDRAISING TECHNIQUES•Call time•Face to face•Direct mail•Events•Digital: Social Media/Email

COMPARISONFace-to-Face: 50-70% response, very low cost, quick return, time intensive, for large donations

Call Time: 30-50% response, very low cost, quick return, less time intensive, for medium to large donations

Events: 15% response, low cost, slow return, very time intensive, for all donors

Online: 0.02% response, low cost, quick return, moderate time, for low dollar grassroots donors

CIRCLES OF

INFLUENCE

CIRCLES OF INFLUENCE: FINDING YOUR FUNDRAISERS

Let’s take a look at the worksheet in your folder

CANDIDATE PROSPECTUSShould Include:

• Picture of Candidate

•Map of District

•Historical Election Data

•Brief Why Me/Why Now

•How you will win

•Contact Information

Tailored to the recipient!

THE ELEMENTS OF THE “ASK”

IT’S YOUR TURN

1) Find a partner

2) Role play making the ask

•Donors: Create a person you think you might encounter on the trail. Be creative

•Candidates: Try to remember all of the elements of the ask.

THE MAGIC WORDS

PLEASE

JOIN ME

TOGETHER, WE . . . [ASK FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT]

[REMAIN SILENT]THANK YOU

WHAT’S NEXT?

Please join me in supporting strong women leaders running for office. Together, we will

generate better public policy in Texas for women and their families.

Will you contribute early and often to worthy candidates who share your values?

Thank you

ELEMENTS

OF THE

“ASK”

ESTABLISH RAPPORT

1

ESTABLISH RAPPORT

Engender the donor’s trust and let them know that their support matters

• “You were so helpful in my last campaign”• “Mayor Cook suggested I give you a call”• “We meet last year at the SEIU conference

in Washington, D.C.”• “How are Maria and the kids doing?”• “I’m connecting with people who share our

values, like you.”

1

CUSTOMIZE YOUR

MESSAGE

2

CUSTOMIZE YOUR MESSAGE

• Start where they are, not where you are• Remember, donors give because they

benefit and are connected to you. What’s in it for them?

• Explain in clear, specific and compelling terms the benefits of you being elected

• Remind them of what is at stake in terms of their key issues

2

PROVING YOU

CAN WIN

3

PROVING YOU CAN WIN

• Money raised to date• Endorsements from credible sources• Press clips• Voting statistics for your district• Polling Data

3

CREATE A VISUAL

4

CREATE A VISUAL

• Your $40 contribution provides one four our shift for our paid canvass

• $300 will help us contact 200 homes with a direct mailer

• With just $5 we can put one more sign up at the Elementary School to increase name ID

• For every dollar you donate to our campaign we can knock on three more doors

4

ASK FOR A

SPECIFIC AMOUNT

5

ASK FOR A SPECIFIC AMOUNT

• You are giving the donor helpful information

• Without the information, a donor almost certainly give you less

• Research donor history to know how much to ask for

• Aim high(er than what you think you might receive)

5

FINDING DONOR HISTORY

MAKE THE ASK

6

MAKING THE ASK

• “Can you contribute $250 to my campaign?”

• “Would you make an investment of $2,000 to elect me?”

• “I need $5,000 today to pay for a round of calls to voters. Would you invest that amount?”

• “Can you help me get to the finish line by making a $1,000 contribution today?”

6

ZIP IT AND LISTEN

7

ZIP IT UP AND LISTEN

Once you’ve asked for a SPECIFIC amount,

BE SILENT

Until the donor responds.

7

OVERCOMING OBJECTIONSThe 4 kinds of Nos and how to overcome them

No, Not right now. “Can I follow up with you next week?

No, Not that amount. “We need givers at every level, where do you see yourself fitting in?”

No, not you.“Your friend Carmen is my campaign treasurer, do you mind if I ask her to

give you a call?”

No, I’m not interested at all.“I understand. Thank you for your time. Do you know anyone else I should

contact about my campaign?”

ESTABLISH A CLEAR

PROCESS TO COLLECT

8

Establish a Clear Process to CollectMake arrangements to collect the contribution right then and there!

Send a link in an email or pick up the check that day

Make it easy for the donor!

8

SHOW APPRECIATION

9

SHOW APPRECIATION

Mail hand-signed thank you letters immediately, certainly within 3 to 5 days.

Our letter should be in your voice, be genuine and authentic, and express real gratitude.

And it should confirm the date and amount of the gift

9

RENEW SUPPORT

10

RENEW SUPPORT

• Once you’ve thanked each donor, look for opportunities to ask again for an additional gift

• Current donors are more likely to give again than a new donor is likely to start giving

• The new request should be for something new: “Now that we have accomplished X together, we can get to work on Y.”

10

GETTING READY

TO RUN

GETTING READY TO RUN

SO YOU’RE READY TO RUN, NOW WHAT?

GETTING READY TO RUN

So you’re ready to run, now what?

DECIDE WHICH OFFICE

TO RUN FOR & WHEN

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES2018 March Primary & November General Election

• Statewide Office

• State Legislature

• County Positions

2018 Nonpartisan November Elections

• El Paso City Council Representatives

• Canutillo, Clint, Fabens, and Tornillo ISD

2019 May Nonpartisan Election

• El Paso, Ysleta, Socorro ISD Elections

• El Paso Community College Board

CONDUCT A

PERSONAL AUDIT

CONDUCT A PERSONAL AUDIT

Review your financial, personal and public life• School• Military• Employment/business history• Investment portfolio• Social media posts• Social media posts for your immediate family members

Review everything!

GET YOUR

HOUSE IN ORDER

GET YOUR HOUSE IN ORDER• Have you voted regularly in elections?• Have there been any public reports about you or

your family?• Have you had conversations with your close

family and friends about your run?• Have you had an appropriate conversation with

your employer and made sure you can run and keep your job?

• If you are already an elected official, are you ready to stand by your record?

FILE A TREASURER

APPOINTMENT

FIND A TREASURER• What does a Treasurer do?

–Lends their name/credibility to the campaign

–Can help with financial filings but you as the candidate are ultimately responsible for the content

• Who should you ask?

–Usually someone of the opposite sex

–Prominent member of the community or politically active non controversial person

–Someone who is not currently a treasurer for a Texas or Federal PAC

–Someone who’s name helps you raise additional funds

FILE A TREASURER APPOINTMENT

File for an EIN with the IRS

File Treasurer Appointment with Texas Ethics

Commission or local authority

ESTABLISH

ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

ESTABLISH ADMINISTRATIVE DETAILS

• Read fundraising rules that apply to the office you are seeking

• Find reporting deadlines

• Open a bank account for your campaign

• Establish an address for your campaign

• Set up online donation system

• Set up systems to rack the money (NGP, QuickBooks, Spreadsheets)

• Set up systems to track information

• Optional – get a campaign phone number

FUNDRAISING TOOLS

INFORMATION COLLECTION TOOLSMore Power – Higher Cost Free/Low Cost

SET UP WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA

ACCOUNTS

WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA

• Purchase all website domains and as many iterations of them as possible

• Create a political page as a candidate on Facebook

• Create a Twitter and Instagram account• Create a website

SEARCH FOR

CREDIBLE CONSULTANTS

SEARCH FOR CREDIBLE CONSULTANTSNon-Retainer Consultants

Retainers or Salaried Support

• Mail Vendors• Democratic or Progressive

Organizations

• Paid Campaign Staff• General Consultants

WORK ON CREDIBLE

ENDORSEMENTS OF

YOUR CAMPAIGN

TYPES OF ENDORSEMENTS

• Organizational Endorsements

–Local

–Regional

–Statewide

–National

• Endorsements from local political community leaders

• Endorsements from key Elected Officials

• Neighborhood Association Endorsements

• Major Financial Donors

ORGANIZATIONAL ENDORSEMENTS

1) Make a list of organizations who endorse political candidates in the local region, state, and nationally

2) Understand the environment

3) Identify your best prospects

4) Research your prospects

5) Be prepared to answer questions from these organizations in the form of an in person interview or a questionnaire

OUTREACH TO CRITICAL SUPPORTERS

Legislative Campaigns City Council Candidates• AFL-CIO

• Central Labor Councils (CLCs)

• Planned Parenthood• Teachers Unions & Associated

PACs• Texas Organizing Project• Texas Trial Lawyers*

• CLCs• Texas Organizing Project

School Board Candidates

• CLCs• Teacher’s Unions• Texas Organizing Project

BALANCING FUNDRAISING & MEETINGS

• Fundraising is the single most important task in the beginning to bring attention to your race

•Money attracts money

•Only take meetings that:

–Raise money

–Secure endorsements

OVERALL ADVICE

REGARDING ENDORSEMENTS

1) Don’t feed the trolls2) Don’t waste time3) Ask for help4) Use as a learning opportunity5) When in doubt, call Annie’s List!

FILE FOR OFFICE

FILE FOR OFFICE

78 Days

Before the Election

QUESTIONS

AND

DEBRIEF

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

DEBRIEF

ARE YOU READY TO . . .

THANK YOU

QUESTIONS?

512-481-8100info@annieslist.com