Managing Election Campaigns

This was originally intended to be a six-week class. However, we've had new people join us along the way and the perspectives they have brought have been very valuable. I am really pleased that there was such an international group for this conversation.

I'd like to offer you the opportunity to try to develop the ideas we've talked about by developing a sample campaign strategic plan that answers the following questions:

1. How will the candidate's biography interact with the campaign - media, budget, etc...?
2. Who are your target voters? How many do you need (percentage of registrants/absolute numbers) to win? What is your target for voter identification? (How many voters will prior to election day commit to supporting your candidate?
3. How will you contact voters? (door-to-door, phone, mail, internet) For each mechanism, how many votes will you yield toward voter identification?
4. How much money do you need for your effort? (Staff, phone bills, campaign headquarters, mail, printing, house signs, volunteer support, food, cost of fundraisers)? How will you raise that money? (house parties, family, friends, website, organizational endorsements, etc...)
5. How will you get volunteers (phone, house parties, oganizational endorsements)? How will you use volunteers for maxiumum effectiveness (voter contact, GOTV). What is your schedule for voter activity between now and election day?

Then, think about the ethical issues we've raised?

1. What are your long-term vs. short-term goals? Do your short-term goals (getting a single candidate elected) conflict with your long-term goals (issues, better citizenship)?
2. Does the tactic of voter identification conflict with the goal of universal involvement, eg. ignoring unlikely voters)?

Then, think about the international dimension?

1. How do elections and the rules under which elections are fought reflect the goals of democracy?
2. Is obligatory voting better than voluntary voting?
3. Do some countries have stronger democracies because there is a smaller ethnic component to voting? 

And, as always, add your own questions to these. Let's try to wrap up the formal class by this coming weekend (unless I hear otherwise). And thanks to everyone.