A set of resources for people keen to stand in local body elections. 

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This online kit is offered to anyone interested in getting elected to local government. Please email manu[at]ahi.co.nz for the password to access these pages.

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General reflections on some of my recent election campaign experiences.

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Kete 1 (Download): Deciding whether or not to stand. Clarifying reasons for and against the decision; exploring risks and opportunities; understanding the role, responsibilities, limitations, structure and functions of local government; distinctions between governance, management and operations.

Kete 2 (Download): Four Essentials. Four things that if they are present, almost guarantee you will be elected.

Kete 3 (Download): The First 22 Steps Every Smart Candidate Should Take. A checklist of recommended actions to complete before announcing your candidacy.

Kete 4 (Download):  Social Media Tips for Candidates. 10 things you should do with Facebook to maximise impact.

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Kete 5: Establishing a support base. Recruiting friends and supporters to assist with the campaign. Five team members every campaign needs.

Kete 6: Mapping the campaign. Developing a tentative timeline from now to election day including major milestones and scaffolding actions.

Kete 7: Establishing a platform. Identifying key issues, testing positions and refining goals.

Kete 8: Developing a public profile. Current profile assessment, ideal candidate profile and profile management planning. Where do I stand on the political spectrum?

Kete 9: Fundraising plan. Establishing a budget and identifying potential sources of income.

Kete 10: Dealing with distractions. Managing personal and public challenges, recovering from PR disasters.

Kete 11: Setting the agenda. Gaining positive attention and articulating a coherent vision.

Kete 12: On the ground campaigning. Public meetings, door-to-door canvassing, posters, advertising, social-media, websites, emails, flyers & leaflets.

Kete 13: Building a movement. Utilising networks, experts and public momentum – before, during and after the campaign.

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INCREASING VOTER TURNOUT:

A project in 2010 put a huge effort into raising Māori voting in the Gisborne local body elections. The primary approach was three face to face visits to every home in four neighbourhoods to check they (a) were enrolled, (b) knew there was an election coming up, (c) had good information about the candidates, (d) checked if they’d received papers and (e) voted. We only increased the turnout by between 3 and 6 percent in the four neighbourhoods – which was still higher than the overall regional increase of 2.9% but disappointing considering how much time, effort and money went into the campaign to try and increase participation.

The learnings from that project are in this report: Gisborne Voter Participation Project 2010 Evaluation Report

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For more information please contact Manu Caddie: manu[at]ahi.co.nz /  0274202957