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HOSTING A CANDIDATE FORUM And building political clout for your nonprofit

HOSTING A CANDIDATE FORUM And building political clout for your nonprofit. Presented by. Today’s presenters. Who. George Pillsbury Director Nonprofit VOTE. Cheryl Crawford Deputy Director MassVOTE. Why host a candidate forum.

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HOSTING A CANDIDATE FORUM And building political clout for your nonprofit

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  1. HOSTING A CANDIDATE FORUMAnd building political clout for your nonprofit Presented by

  2. Today’s presenters Who George Pillsbury Director Nonprofit VOTE Cheryl Crawford Deputy Director MassVOTE

  3. Why host a candidate forum • Get your issues in front of the candidates/future office holders • Provide an opportunity for voters to learn about and meet the candidates • Build relationships with the candidates • Be a player, become known as an organization connected to politics Why

  4. The Big Three • Collaborating with partners • Organizing the forum • Staying Nonpartisan The Big Three

  5. COLLABORATING WITH PARTNERS • Challenges • Benefits Collabor-ating

  6. Challenges • Coordinating meetings • Maintaining communication • Sharing the work – one group takes the lead Collabor-ating

  7. Benefits Having co-sponsors – • Increases the likelihood that candidates will participate • Can mean a larger audience turnout • Strengthens relationships for future work Collabor-ating

  8. organizing GETTING STARTED RECRUITING CANDIDATES CHOOSING A FORMAT TURNING OUT YOUR AUDIENCE PUBLICITY

  9. Getting Started • Starting early – about 4 months out • Having a plan – date, place • Targeting your audience Organizing

  10. Recruiting candidates Candidates want - • A large audience • A guarantee of neutrality • Well known and respected sponsors and partners • Time at the forum to meet with the audience informally Organizing

  11. Choosing a Format • Equal Time Q&A • Candidate Debate • Town Meeting Q&A Organizing

  12. Turning out your audience • Planning early and starting early • Targeting your audience • Making it personal Don’t let this happen to you! Organizing

  13. Publicity • Using all your communications vehicles • Recruiting a media partner • Getting a well known moderator Organizing

  14. Staying nonpartisan Guidelines for Candidate Forums THE BASICS INVITING CANDIDATES CANCELLATIONS DURING THE FORUM

  15. The basics • Cover a range of issues or topics within your own issue area • Provide equal time for the candidates during the forum • No “litmus test” questions Stay Nonpartisan

  16. Inviting Candidates • Ask all viable candidates to attend • Follow up • Must have at least 2 candidates to have a “forum” Stay Nonpartisan

  17. cancellations • For last minute cancellations, either cancel or change from a forum to a candidate appearance • No politicking or fundraising • Announce that appearance is not an endorsement Stay Nonpartisan

  18. During the Forum • Maintain a nonpartisan atmosphere in the hall • No leading or biased questions • Allow candidates to meet voters after the forum and allow literature outside the hall Stay Nonpartisan

  19. Checklist on a timeline 4 Months to Go – Making a Plan 3 Months to Go 2 Months to Go 1 Month to Go On the Big Day

  20. 4 months to go – making a plan • Identify co-sponsors! • Set a date, time and place for the forum • Develop your budget and stick to it! Timeline

  21. 3 Months to Go • Invite all candidates • Bookend invitations with phone calls • Emphasize your nonpartisan mission • Maintain good contact throughout the process • Initiate contact with the media • Make a list of media outlets • Send out an advisory • Designate a media liaison Timeline

  22. 2 months to go • Recruit volunteers! • Select a moderator • Follow up with your candidates • Strategize on turning out your audience Timeline

  23. 1 Month to Go • Final confirmation of candidates • Reconfirm site arrangements • Assign staff duties • Reconfirm volunteers • Distribute promotional materials • Contact media to promote coverage • Reconfirm moderator Timeline

  24. On the big day • Set up at forum facility • Have staff greet the candidates • Welcome and Thanks-yous • Review the ground rules • Informal Q&A after the forum Timeline

  25. AND FOR MORE…. Timeline More ways to engage candidates • Candidate Appearances at Your Event • Elected Official… or a Candidate? • Share Your Research

  26. Resources www.nonprofitvote.org/work-with-candidates.html • For more information on: • A Nonprofit’s Guide to Hosting a Candidate Forum (Eng. And Sp.) • Checklist on a Timeline Factsheet • This presentation and our online narrated candidate forum training Resources

  27. Contact information • George Pillsbury • gpillsbury@nonprofitvote.org • 617-357-8683 • Cheryl Crawford • ccrawford@massvote.org • 617-542-8683 ext. 211 Contact

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