Ward 5 city councilor - Raj Dhaliwal

Not to be negative but, winning a political race isn’t possible for everyone!

What is possible is that you give yourself the best chance. It’s like the Olympics; there is only one first place in many races, but getting there can be an achievement in itself, says the Ward 5 city councilor. So how are you meant to prepare? What can give and your team the edge?

People campaign differently in every country, and there is something to be learned during each political race. So here are the compiled list of 5 campaign strategies by the Ward 5 city councilor to help give you a fighting chance in any political race and win elections.

Vote Goal

Let’s start with the basics! Calculating how many votes you need to win your election is where everyone should start. If you are in a multi-candidate race, you must consider that and know that your goal may be less than 50% of the votes cast.

Connect with voters by telling Your story

Politics has always been personality first, policy second. So they need candidates who aren’t afraid to step up and share who they are with the voters, says Ward 5 city councilor.

Many voters won’t be interested in turning out to vote unless they are invested in a candidate’s character. It’s shallow; it’s reality. If the voters can’t feel connected with their representatives, they won’t feel obligated to vote for them.

Manage your budget

As part of a good campaign organization, you always like to explore where money will be spent; it helps to factor in where your money will be coming from and where it will be going. Simple cash flow will help you begin this process.

Application fees need to be considered, promotional materials, fuel costs, office rent, staff wages, expenses, catering costs for events, a clothes bursary, advertising, and even purchasing voter lists. All of these may be necessary costs for your campaign.

Having such high spending requires you to be creative with how you may bring in different income streams.

Have a solid social media game

Social media and politics work together to disseminate political messaging to voters, says Ward 5 city councilor. It has gone so far as to create a whole new slate of roles in political organizations. You now see hundreds of eager, astute and creative individuals sitting at desks across the globe tweeting, analyzing data and creating videos, all with audience-specific content in mind.

Get out and start being seen.

Efficiency and visibility are paramount when it comes to any political campaign. Unfortunately, some politicians pin their hopes of victory on the door-to-door canvassing aspect of their campaign. However, conversation with your constituents is essential because it opens up a platform for debate and feedback, which in essence, is what politics encapsulates.

Everyone preaches about door knocking and being front-facing because there’s no substitution for conversation.

You now have serious strategies for your next campaign, says Ward 5 city councilor; you may also have learned something about yourself which will help you have a stronger mandate in the future. The good thing about politics and organizing is that there will always be a cause worth fighting for.