GETTING READY TO RUN
Scott Spector
&
Sondra Milkie
INTRODUCTIONS
A LITTLE ABOUT WISCONSIN PROGRESS
We at Wisconsin Progress envision a
Wisconsin (and a United States) that is a
better, more equitable place to live ,
work, and raise a family.
In pursuit of this goal we recruit, train,
elect, and develop candidates for local
and state Legislative office.
A RECORD OF SUCCESS
SINCE OUR FOUNDING IN 2009:
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Conducted 34 trainings around the state for
candidates and activists.
Recruited and trained close to 200 candidates for
local office.
Over 70% of our candidates have won their
elections.
LAST CYCLE:
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Worked with 86 candidates for spring office; 80%
were elected.
Won all 9 partisan primaries where we endorsed
candidates.
Elected 11 new progressive champions to the
state legislature.
In the past 12 months, we have conducted 15 trainings
and trained 268 candidates and activists.
WHY RUN FOR OFFICE?
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
From city council to US Senator – all elected
officials change lives.
BENCH BUILDING
Sen. TAMMY BALDWIN
CITY COUNCIL
COUNTY BOARD
ASSEMBLY
CONGRESS
SENATE!
MARY BURKE
Rep. MARK POCAN
SCHOOL BOARD
COUNTY BOARD
GOVERNOR?
ASSEMBLY
CONGRESS!
IS RUNNING FOR OFFICE FOR YOU?
LET’S FIND OUT!
STEP ONE:
ARE YOU READY TO
RUN?
KNOW THE OFFICE
 What does the office you’re running
for do?
 What issues do they deal with?
 What is the annual budget? What are the 3
biggest line items?
 What is the time commitment?
 How often do they meet?
 When do they meet?
 How long is the term?
KNOW THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE
 Who is the incumbent and are they bad on the issues?
 What is the voter turn out? Are there any election trends working
for or against you?
 How much money is typically spent on the races in your area?
 What issues matter to the people in your area?
 Why did the last candidate win or lose?
 What are the boundaries of your district?
KNOW THY SELF
• Are you a good candidate for office:
Does your family support your decision to run?
• ‘I don’t know’, ‘maybe’, ‘sort of’ ‘I haven’t asked’ are all WRONG
answers!
• Are you willing to put the time and effort into a campaign?
• Are you willing to ask your friends and family for money?
• Do you have time to campaign?
• Campaigning can be a 20 hour a week commitment!
• Will you knock on doors?
• What talents and assets can you bring to elective office?
• How are you involved in your community?
KNOW THY SELF
 Self-Research
 Depending on your community and what you’re running for, running for
office may or may not seem to be an invasion of privacy.
 Collect all the information about yourself you can so you can be prepared
for what the enemy might throw at you!
 Areas of Interest
 Education
 Business
 Financial
 Personal
 Lets take a look at some example questions…
KNOW THY SELF
 Education
• Where did you go to high school, did you graduate? Where did you go to
college? Were they public or private institutions?
• What degrees did you earn? Did you actually complete your degree?
• Have you repaid student loan?
 Business
• What is your complete work record? Go back and recreate a timeline
of your work history.
• What was your relationship with your employers like ?
Did you win any awards professionally? Hold any leadership
position? Hold a position with your union?
• Were you ever fired for misconduct?
• Are there business deals you have been involved with that
may raise questions?
KNOW THY SELF
 Financial
• Are you in default on any loans? Do you have any liens or recent judgments
against you?
• Have you always paid your income taxes in full and on time?
• Do you have a good credit rating? Does your spouse ?
• Who have you made political contributions to?
 Personal
Have you or anyone in your family ever had problems with law enforcement?
Do you have a record of anything occurring in court?
What organizations are you associated with or volunteer at?
Do you serve on any local boards? Hold a position at a child’s school? All of
this is good and demonstrates leadership!
• Are there any articles that have appeared in newspapers where you are directly
quoted? Have you written letters to the editor?
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KNOW THY SELF
If you have had past problems in
any of those areas, it doesn’t mean
you can’t run for office!
It just means we need to get out in
front of any potential problems…
KNOW THE RULES
 When is election day?
 What paperwork do you have to file to get on the ballot?
 When is that paperwork due?
 Legal requirements for being a candidate
 Knowledge is power!
The more information you have to make a decision,
the better your decision will be. If you really want to
know if you should run for office – do the research!
STEP TWO:
FIRST STEPS TO
RUNNING
BUILD A KITCHEN CABINET
Your Kitchen Cabinet will be your table of trusted advisors.
They will help bear the heavy workload of the campaign and free
you up to do what candidates do best:
Raise money and knock on doors!
BUILD A KITCHEN CABINET
• Campaign Manager
• Data guru
• Treasurer
• Community outreach
• Bookkeeper
• Door Buddies
• Volunteer coordinator
DEVELOP YOUR FUNDRAISING LIST
No matter what of fice you decide to run for, raising money will
be one of your two top priorities.
Building a list is a political art form – here’s how to start:
 Everyone you ever met goes on the list
 If your family sends out a Christmas Card, or if you’ve recently had a
wedding and still have your invitation list – those are good places to
start
 Keep your list in Excel
 It will be easier to keep track of and utilize later
 Have columns for all methods of contact: Phone, PERSONAL e mail, address, city, state, zip
DEVELOP FUNDRAISING LIST
 Groups to consider when building your list
 Friends
 Family
 Members of your local union
 Church group
 High school class list
 Kiwanis
 Rotary
 PTO/PTA
BUILD YOUR CALENDAR
The most valuable resource to a campaign is a candidates time.
Ensure that you use your most precious resource in the best way
by keeping a calendar:
Candidate Doors
12-6
Candidate Doors
12-6
Kitchen Cabinet
Meeting – 7
Candidate Doors
w/volunteer
5-8
Candidate Doors
w/volunteer
5-8
Call Time!
5-8
Candidate Doors
5-8
Call Time!
5-8
Call Time!
5-8
Candidate Doors
5-7
Suzie Soccer
Game 7:30
Ben Bowling
Birthday Party
7
County Dem
Party Meeting
6-9
Candidate Doors
10-4
Doors
17 Hours
Call Time
6 Hours
Doors
18 Hours
Candidate Doors
10-4
Call Time
3 Hours
Doors
14 Hours
Candidate Doors
12-8
Candidate Doors
w/volunteer
5-8
Candidate Doors
5-8
Work Retreat
Call Time
0 Hours
WRITE YOUR CAMPAIGN PLAN
• If you don’t write it down – it doesn’t exist.
• Why Plan?
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Identifies what you need to do to win.
Establishes timelines, and outlines the budget
Helps maintain focus
• We will help you fill out a campaign plan for you
today, and help you adjust it through the
campaign
• What will go in your campaign plan is another
training…
NEXT STEPS
RUNNING IN 2015 OR 2016
 Work on building your networks, political capital
• Volunteer with your union or local political campaigns.
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Meet the volunteers who you will need to help you win; Lean
how campaigns really work
• Start attending the meetings of the body you plan on
running for
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Is there a sitting member who can introduce you around and tell
you what’s going on
Are there other boards and bodies whose meetings you should
attend?
• Can you become more involved (take a leadership role) in an
organization you are a part of?
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This demonstrates leadership and may help build your list
It may help you generate news stories on your work
 Start working on the first steps we already discussed
RUNNING IN 2017 AND BEYOND
• Time is on your side…
• Can you relocate to a dif ferent community to improve
your electoral chances?
• Can you add experience to help your candidacy
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Education?
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Boards and commissions?
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Volunteer activity?
• Can you change jobs to improve your prospects ?
• Its never too early to start building your capital!
QUESTIONS?
OUR CONTACT INFORMATION
SCOTT SPECTOR
spector@wisconsinprogress.org
SONDRA MILKIE
milkie@wisconsinprogress.org
Please take the time to fill out a Wisconsin Progress Training Follow -up
Worksheet and give it to us before you go!
Thank you!!