Do not underestimate the power of local endorsements to help your campaign.
Every candidate wants their local police, fire, mayor, sheriff, etc. to endorse their campaign.
But endorsements from regular people matter too.
You want endorsements from regular people that go to work every day and pay taxes.
I am talking about Mr. and Mr. Jones or Mr. and Mrs. Garcia, or Mr. and Mrs. Woo.
The surname does not matter here. What matters is that they support your campaign and that you use their support effectively.
Why Local Endorsements Matter
We are all tribal as I stated in my article How to Get More Votes With Yard Signs.
Neighborhoods and communities are essential tribes.
Think in terms of ethnicity and gender as well when you seek out local endorsements.
People look to friends, neighbors, and other people close to them to make political decisions in the final days of a campaign.
Presenting voters in each neighborhood or precinct in your district with relevant local endorsements will give you legitimacy and help sway undecided voters in your direction.
Local Endorsements and Winning One Street at a Time
It’s all about location, location, location.
If you get a local person that endorses you, with few exceptions, use that endorsement on that street, in that neighborhood or precinct.
Think in terms of the relevant geographical area when using these types of endorsements.
Do not get one local endorsement of someone on a given street and use all over your district, town, or city unless there is a strong connection.
You want the endorsement of people who will let you use their name, a photo, and a statement publicly.
You want to use these endorsements on local mail pieces, letters, even robocalls and emails.
Voters may or may not know them but they will recognize where they live and that they are a neighbor if used in their respective neighborhoods.
Getting Local Endorsements
Get local endorsements through friends, community meetings, and events.
You can obtain local endorsements by hosting coffees and through various civic engagements that you may participate in.
But one of the best ways to get local endorsements in needed neighborhoods is just by going door to door.
Start walking precincts early, way early, and build a relationship with people that you hit if off.
Carry endorsement cards and always be ready to ask for someone’s endorsement. Make sure they complete the card and give it back to you.
Targeting Local Endorsements
Targeting your local endorsements is easy.
Look for neighborhood leaders or regular folks who will support you and that live in a specific area you need to win.
As stated above, location matters. Make sure you target those precincts where you are solid and have a strong base.
Do this because you do not want your opponents cutting into your base.
If your opponent is successful in gaining traction inside your base you are going to be in trouble
Look for those swing precincts, the ones that can go either way, where you could win if you really worked hard.
These are generally places where you have a large number of undecided voters who through the proper amount of social influence and hard work you may be able to swing your way.
Work your opponent’s base and start picking up endorsements in your opponents own back yard to cut into their base.
While you are at it get some signs up there as well. Preferably one right across the street from their house and one on each side of their house. These have an added benefit.
It drives candidates crazy, demoralizes their campaign, and is a good way to get them off their campaign message.
When that happens, they focus their energy and effort into areas that don’t really matter to them.
In conclusion, start working early and work hard meeting people and building local support. It will pay off big on Election Day.
Paul Arney contributed this article. Paul is a Polie Aware winning political consultant with experience in local, state, and federal elections.
Paul’s also a pretty funny guy. But funny how? Well he’s not a clown here to amuse you.