Common Cause International a project of the Common Cause Education Fund a project of the Common Cause Education Fund Lauren Coletta Guwahati, India September 8, 2009

Basic Strategic Assumptions  Elected officials want the voters approval.  Elected officials want to be re-elected.  Elected officials want to do the "right" thing.  Elected officials are human beings.  Each elected official has a unique political reality.  Elected officials are vulnerable to public pressure.

Elements of a Campaign  Professional Advocacy (Lobbying)  Grassroots Lobbying  Communications/New Media  Research

Raising the Visibility of an Issue inside an Election Campaign  Pledge Campaigns  Outreach to elected officials and parties to adopt your issue  Research/Public Education "Bird Dogging"  Sponsoring Candidate Forums  Earned and Paid Media Strategies

Pledge Campaigns and Campaign Promises  A pledge campaign, is a campaign implemented by a civil society group(s) designed to rally support for ideas and issues they favor.  A pledge campaign begins early in an election cycle, lasts throughout that cycle and well into the legislative session.  A good pledge campaign employs all aspect of a robust advocacy campaign.

Step 1: Agree on basic principles of your pledge campaign  Internal agreement within the organization.  Agreement among coalition partners and allies.  Agreement and consultation with elected officials who share your goals.  Creation of a Comprehensive Campaign Strategy at the beginning of the process.

Step 2: Pledge Language  Considerations in framing the pledge language:  The pledge should focus on a narrow set of issues, preferably not more than three.  The pledge should not be written in highly detailed language.  The pledge needs to have enough detail to encompass the basic principles of the issue you are working on.  Example Pledge from Common Cause Campaign Fair Elections Pledge, Obama Fair Elections Pledge, Obama

Step 3. Logistics of a pledge campaign  Create Database of Incumbents and Challengers  Identify targets set goals for signatures  Determine timing issues for launch  Number of sign-ons  Type of sign -ons  Existing media hooks, election timeline, election events

A Word About Targeting  Identify supporters and make a plan with them to prominently feature your issue in their platform.  Identify potential supporters and make a plan to get them to sign on.  Decide whether and how much time to spend on those candidates that oppose your views.

Make a Target Chart Make a Target Chart  "Ones" are your friends and should be involved in and aware of your strategies.  "Twos" are likely allies, determine how you will bring them closer to your issue.  "Threes" are fence sitters, much of your time will be spent on winning them to your side.  "Fours" are possible but unlikely to agree with you.  "Fives" are people you might want to spend time thinking about how to back them down from their opposition or take away their arguments.

Managing the Campaign  Internal process to manage and publicize sign-ons.  Calendar of all relevant campaign events and deadlines  Paid and Earned Media Strategy  General Timing for Launch  Website and other New Media Strategies

Keeping up the Momentum  Monitor number of pledge signers  Thank Signers, devise ways to light a fire under those who have still not signed.  Look for ways to insert your pledge campaign into the political debate and the media

How????  Take out ads challenging candidates to sign (Iowa, New Hampshire examples)  Create a website that projects the currents status of the campaign and enables activists to participate.  Release Studies and reports at strategic moments in the campaign.  Look at the news cycle for ways to insert yourself in the debate (Enron example)

After the Election  Now the real work starts  Bed Check, use pledge campaign of a barometer of your support  Introduction of actual legislation  Co-sponsor campaign  Strategize to hold “pledgers” accountable (Melissa Hart example)  Publicize results to your members