5 Things Your Campaign Calendar Must Include

These are tips from our New Leaders Project. Learn more about the New Leaders Project here!

If you are new to campaigns or running for office for the first time, here are some suggestions for putting together one of the foundational tools of your campaign: your calendar.

Get a giant calendar that covers the length of your campaign, and create a kind of “Command Central” in your campaign office- a place where all of the important details are visible, constantly updated, and can serve as motivation to staff, volunteers, etc. Here are some things you should put there:

• Election Day! Circle the big day in red, and keep an accurate countdown to Election Day. This is good motivation for all involved. Include your vote goal.
• Legal Deadlines: Include filing deadlines, financial reports, etc.
• Goals: Set goals for number of doors knocked, number of signs out, money raised, and so on. When you meet your goal, highlight it!
• Events: This includes parades, community meetings, farmers markets, and county fairs… anything in your district where you or volunteers should be meeting voters. Put them on the calendar, but always prioritize with your resources.
• Sample Campaign Calendar: You can find a sample campaign calendar in American Majority’s Campaign Manual

New Resources

We’ve added a few things to our Campaign Resources pages lately. Look for our Basic Website Checklist, Get Found- A Guide to SEO, and Email Fundraising Tips for Campaigns.

If you aren’t running for office this year, I hope you find a solid local candidate to volunteer for- volunteers are the lifeblood of campaigns!