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Comprehensive Guide to Pledge Campaigns in Election Advocacy

Learn essential steps, strategies, and tactics for conducting effective pledge campaigns to influence elected officials and shape political debate during election cycles. This guide emphasizes grassroots lobbying, media outreach, and coalition building to raise awareness and drive real change.

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Comprehensive Guide to Pledge Campaigns in Election Advocacy

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

  2. 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.

  3. Elements of a Campaign • Professional Advocacy (Lobbying) • Grassroots Lobbying • Communications/New Media • Research

  4. 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

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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 • http://tinyurl.com/n56hl3

  8. 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

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  11. 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

  12. 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

  13. 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)

  14. 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

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