Campaign Plan

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Campaign Plan Strategy
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What are Elections

• Reveals society mindset
• Outlet for civil conflict
• Confer political legitimacy
• Decision making mechanism
• Choose leaders / representatives
• Choose policy
• Illusion of public participation
• Citizens co-responsible for decisions
• Accountability

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Electoral requirements

• Regular
• Meaningful choices
• Freedom to field candidates
• Universal Suffrage
• Equality of votes
• Secret Ballot
• Neutral Effective Admin of elections

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Elections Their Issues

• Structural
• Infrastructural deficiencies roads
• Lack of resources
• Urban / rural divide

• Procedural
• Not Transparent
• Unpredictable rules
• Violent Political environment
• Not free or fair access to media, information
  institutional support

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Elections Their Issues

• Societal
• Inequality poverty
• Education
• Ethnicity, racism
• Gender

• Political
• Weak state capacity
• No Democratic culture
• Selfish leadership
• NO ELECTORAL STRATEGY
• ALL PARTIES THE SAME
• No Constitutional control
• Weak civil society

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OK, So what are they really?

• Marketing Exercises
• Tell you one of two things
• If you vote for me
• Youll find true love, fulfillment, prosperity
• If you dont youll !

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The Scoop on Elections

• Elections are really about
• Drawing your attention to something
• Telling you whose to blame for it

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How do we do it?

• Polling
• What issues are important to people
• Have you ever been asked what matters to you? You
  are voters, right? You are registered, right? You
  do vote, right?
• Message / Slogan
• Rallies Meetings
• Media
• GOTV

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Resources of a Campaign

• Time
• Most essential commodity
• Finite, cannot be created or regained once lost
• Money
• Limited
• People
• Less limited, Coordination
• Ideas
• Unlimited, if encouraged

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Key Elements of a Campaign

• Viable Party, Issue Purpose
• Effective Organization
• Adequate Finance
• Convincing Contrast
• Meaningful Base of Support

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Components of a Campaign Plan

• Vision of the Campaign
• Political Demographic Profile
• Assumptions
• Strategy
• Theme Message
• Tactics
• Time Line
• Measurable Results
• Budget
• Finance Plan
• Cash Flow
• Master Schedule

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Planning for Victory

• A Written Campaign Plan is a Must!
• Often neglected
• Think they can keep it all in their heads
• DONT Doubt the need for a plan!
• WHY?
• Any business, organization, and sport/game has a
  plan of attack
• Helps you avoid wasting time, money and people
• Keeps agreement within the campaign organization
• Accountability for all within the campaign,
  measures progress
• Campaign blueprint- outlines priorities
  identifies new opportunities
• A PLAN IS NOT A PLAN UNTIL IT IS WRITTEN DOWN!

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Who should Write a Plan?

• Writing a plan alone means implementing it alone!
• Team Sport
• Campaign Manager, Finance Director, Consultant,
  Field Communication Staff, Senior Executive
  Members
• Depending on the campaign, plan may be short
  simple or detailed sophisticated

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Components I

• Vision
• Setting ambitious BUT realistic goals that
  consider available resources (i.e. time, money,
  people, ideas)
• These goals will help measure your success
  regularly
• Political Demographic Profile
• District summaries voting preferences of area
• Includes election history, registration, part
  affiliation, status of elected officials

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District Profile I

• Answer the following questions
• Population Urban / rural / suburban /
  retirement communities?
• Economic state of the area
• One industry or business?
• Dual-income families?
• Income Levels?
• Private Schools?
• Current unemployment rate?
• Religious or Ethnic make-up
• Party Registration
• Who is undecided? How big is this group?

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District Profile II

• How to use this information?
• Find the swing voters target them with most of
  your resources
• Your Base will be with you no matter what

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Targeting using the Numbers

• Premise people who think vote alike live near
  each other
• You want to spend more time in high-support, low
  turnout areas swing areas
• SINNERS, SAINTS, SAVEABLES
• SINNERS will never vote for you, even if you
  give them 1 million
• SAINTS will vote for you regardless
• SAVEABLES Swing undecided
• These trends help formulate the campaign theme
  and message

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Targeting using the Numbers II

• Electoral Commission
• Preferably take the same race go back 4 or 5
  cycles
• Look for the best results (from your Party)
• Look for the worst results (from you Party)
• What you want is
• How many people will vote in the election?
• What is the partisan support?
• Volatility of voters in district.

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Targeting a.k.a. Electoral Math

• Total Votes calculate all votes cast
• Turnout Total Votes Cast / Total Register
  Voters on Election Day (EC calculates for you)
• Votes needed to win e.g. Total projected Voters x
  .50 1 (depends on number)
• Swing Factor Strong Party outcome (percent)
  Weak Party outcome (percent)
• Base Vote the worst your party will do in an
  area

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Components II

• Agree on a set of Assumptions
• Aids decision-making process during campaign
• If assumptions are wrong, see it as a signal that
  perhaps a strategic / tactical shift needed
• Look at the Following
• What is the national / provincial climate?
• How strong is your opponent / other candidates?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses? Give 5
  reasons for each.

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Components III

• Strategy
• Answer these questions
• WHO IS GOING TO VOTE FOR ME WHY?
• HOW WILL I REACH THEM?
• Most of this information is in the District
  Profile

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What is Strategy?

• Definition-
• What we need to do to win?
• Objective-
• Keep it S.M.A.R.T.

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S.M.A..

• Specific Be precise about what you are
  going to achieve
• Measurable Quantify your objectives
• Achievable Are you attempting too much?

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...R.T.

• Resourced Do you have enough Resources?
  (people, money, machines, materials, minutes)
• Timed The date for completion

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Components IV

• Tactics
• Media Plan paid, earned, press operation, web
  technology
• Research Plan Opposition, Issue, Survey Focus
  groups
• Organization / Field Operations Plan Targeting,
  Scheduling, Coalition building, Voter contact,
  Surrogates, Field Offices, County Coordinators,
  GOTV
• Timeline
• Track Mailings, fundraisers, rallies etc
• Coordinate staff-intensive or expensive projects
  like fundraising field events

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Components V

• Theme Message
• What your campaign stands for, plans for the
  future
• Persuade voters you have THE BEST PLANS FOR THE
  FUTURE
• Clear, Short, Simple, Memorable

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Components VI

• Measurable Results
• Check on where you are frequently to avoid
  Election Day surprises
• Example Increase in support through polling
• Check on fundraising goals mailings etc
• Budget / Fundraising Plan
• Paid Media
• Staff / Consultants / Taxes / Office expenditure
• Travel
• Voter Contact / Mail / Web outreach programs
• GOTV
• Fundraising Goals
• Cash Flow
• Master Schedule