You’re ready to make change within your community. But first, you have to get elected. That means you need to get your name out there. When you’re ready to run for city council, here are five tips to help you plan and promote your campaign.
Design eye-catching campaign posters
Modern digital marketing might be effective for reaching the most people, but what good is reaching people in other cities, states, or countries for your city council campaign? They can’t vote in your district. You need to reach voters who live in your area. And that’s where campaign posters come in.
Posters are one of the most effective ways to target an audience in a specific area. Naturally, only people in proximity to your campaign posters will be able to see them. Hang your posters around your district to ensure everyone in town knows you’re running for council.
It’s also important to make sure your posters can catch the eye of any passersby. And since you’re busy campaigning, you probably don’t have time to design graphics from scratch. Luckily, there are hundreds of templates for campaign posters online from sites like PosterMyWall. Simply choose the template that best fits your campaign brand, fill in your information, and you’ll be ready to print in no time.
Calculate your vote goal
It’d be nice if everyone in your district voted for you, but unfortunately that’s not very realistic. Really, you only need more votes than your competitor, and it’s important to know that number as you plan your campaign.
To calculate the number of votes you need to win your city council election, do some research and find the turnout numbers from the past few elections, along with the total number of registered voters. Divide the turnout by the total registrants to find the turnout percentage for each year. Then, add the percentages and divide them by the number of years to find the average voter turnout. Multiply this percentage by the current number of registered voters to determine the projected voter turnout of the current election year.
Then, all you have to do is find 50% of the projected voter turnout. Your goal should be anything above that number (in two-person elections). Keep this number in mind as you plan and execute your campaign. You don’t need all the votes; you just need more than the competition!
Talk to the voters in person
It might be the digital age, but city council elections are still won in person. Take the time to get out of the office and talk to the voters in person:
- Plan live events
- Give speeches
- Go door-to-door
- Attend community events
Even something as simple as talking to the people at the table next to you in a restaurant could be enough to earn a few votes in the upcoming election. You want people to get to know you as a person, not just a face on a screen. The more people you talk to, the more likely they’ll vote for you!
Harness the power of social media
It might not be as powerful as talking to someone in-person, but social media still has it’s place in modern politics. The key to any type of marketing campaign is to reach your audience where they spend their time. In 2023, over 70% of all Americans use some sort of social media, making it a great place to promote your campaign.
However, social media isn’t just about creating a page and posting regular content (although that certainly doesn’t hurt). It’s important to engage with your followers and build a relationship. Reply to comments and direct messages and even comment on other community pages. The more personable and engaging you seem, the more people who will want to vote for you.
Pro tip: Your campaign posters make great content to post to your social media accounts.
Find the best people to help you
At the end of the day, the best election promotion strategy is finding the right people to staff your team. Elections are never won single handedly — even smaller city council elections. For example, while you’re out shaking hands and giving speeches, have someone with graphic design skills dedicated to making your next round of election posters.
Not only does it save you time out of your busy schedule, but it ensures every piece of your campaign is as professional and effective as possible. Never turn down a little help when it comes to running for city council.
Implement change in your community by running for city council
City council is a great place to implement change in your local community. But before you can make a meaningful impact on your town, you need to get elected first.
When you’re ready to promote your city council election campaign, start with eye-catching campaign posters, calculate your vote goal, engage with the voters in-person and on social media, and build the best team possible. With all your efforts working together, you’ll be sitting at the city council podium in no time!
