Iowa Federation of Labor “Working Together for All Iowans” RUNNING FOR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICES WIN is a program of the Iowa Federation of Labor working with labor councils and our community allies 2017-2018 1 WORKING IOWA NEIGHBORS in your neighborhood We hope you will find the information in this booklet useful as you think about running for local office. It was created by the Iowa Federation of Labor for potential candidates working with a Working Iowa Neighbors (WIN) Committee. “The WIN Committee has been essential in The Iowa Federation of Labor, AFLCIO, established the WIN Program in 2011 to the progressive help make working families a priority for local and state elected officials. gains made in In the aftermath of the 2010 Election, members of the Iowa legislature went after Johnson County. education funding so they could instead hand out corporate property tax cuts and These natural allies other tax giveaways to large profitable businesses. In subsequent years, we have were always there, seen these attacks increase and the state’s budget suffer. This past legislative but we didn’t really session, some members declared war on working families, passing legislation that coordinate until the rolls back decades of progress. WIN Committee started meeting.” Workers, however, can come together to fight back against these attacks. WIN Rod Sullivan, Committees have already been established in several locations around the state, Johnson County and new ones are forming. WIN Committees focus on local elections such as city Supervisor council, school board, and college trustee elections in odd years and county races in even years. WIN also works together to build a “farm team” of experienced “Working with WIN candidates ready to run for higher office when the opportunity or need presents helped me connect itself. Below is a list of places where WIN Committees are already active. Let us with others who care know if you want to set up a WIN Committee in your area. about working families and better Contact Ben Murry ([email protected]) for information on Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Ft. understand how Dodge, Mason City, and Waterloo. important local Contact Tracy Leone ([email protected]) for information on Burlington, Clinton, Davenport, elections can be.” Dubuque, Iowa City, Lee County, and Muscatine. Maria Dickmann, Burlington: 2nd Monday of each month @ 6PM at IAM Iowa City: 3rd Tuesday of each month @ 6PM at the 1010 Hall: 16282 Highway 34, West Burlington. Iowa City Fed Hall: 940 S. Gilbert Court, Iowa City Cedar Rapids: 4th Monday of each month @ 6PM at Lee County: 4th Tuesday of each month @ 6PM at IBEW 405 Hall: 1211 Wiley Blvd SW, Cedar Rapids Keokuk Labor Temple: 301 Blondeau, Keokuk Clinton: 4th Monday of each month @ 6PM various Mason City: 4th Thursday of each month @ 6PM at locations North Iowa 9 Labor Temple: 510 S. Pennsylvania, Mason City (starting July/August 2017) Council Bluffs: @ IAFF 15 Hall: 1827 S. 8th Street, Council Bluffs / Dates & Times Vary Muscatine: 1st Tuesday of each month @ 6PM. Locations vary Davenport: 2nd Tuesday of each month @ 6PM at UFCW 431 Hall: 2411 W. Central Park Ave., Davenport Sioux City: 1st Monday of each month @ 6PM at UFCW 222: 3038 S. Lakeport, Sioux City Dubuque: 3rd Thursday of each month @ 6PM at ISEA Dubuque Regional Office: 3430 Dodge St. (lover level) Waterloo: 4th Wednesday of each month @ 6PM at UAW 838 Hall: 2615 Washington St., Waterloo Ft. Dodge: 1st Tuesday of each month @ UFCW 6 Hall: 15 N. 12th Street, Fort Dodge (starting July 2017) 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS CANDIDATE ASSESMENT .......................................................................... 4-5 YOU’VE DECIDED TO RUN, NOW WHAT? ................................................ 6-7 TARGETING ................................................................................................... 8 IDENTIFYING VOTERS .................................................................................. 9 EARLY VOTERS ........................................................................................... 10 MESSAGE DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................ 10 COMMUNICATIONS ...................................................................................... 11 VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT ..................................................................... 12 ENDORSEMENTS ........................................................................................ 12 FUNDRAISING ........................................................................................ 13-15 STEP BY STEP EVENT PLANNING ........................................................ 16-17 TYPES OF ELECTIONS .......................................................................... 18-20 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS .................................................................... 20 AM I ELIGIBLE TO RUN? ............................................................................. 21 CAN I GET WORK LEAVE TO SERVE? ....................................................... 21 NOMINATING PETITIONS FAQS ............................................................ 22-23 FILING DEADLINES ..................................................................................... 24 NEW VOTER ID LAW ................................................................................... 25 GLOSSARY OF ELECTION TERMS ....................................................... 26-34 IMPORTANT LINKS AND CONTACTS ......................................................... 35 CONTACT US ............................................................................................... 36 3 STEP 1: CANDIDATE ASSESSMENT SHOULD I RUN FOR OFFICE? There are many reasons to run for local political office. Some run because they want to contribute to their community. Others are dissatisfied with the incumbent. Some choose to run because of a single burning issue. Still others are recruited by friends and neighbors. Before making such a big commitment, answering the following questions can help decide if running is the right decision for you. PERSONAL STRENGTHS AND Are you financially secure enough to take time WEAKNESSES away from your job? Does your immediate family understand that Would you be willing to accept sometimes running for an elected office means you will be stinging criticism regarding the way you look, the spending many hours away from home? way you dress, and the way you talk? Do you have anything in your personal Have you voted in the past? If you are running for background (public records, credit reports, school board have you voted in these elections in financial obligations, business or employment the past? experience, etc.) that you would not want to be made public? Can you spend hours on the telephone begging friends for money? Do you have the physical stamina to go long hours with little sleep, often eating on the run, and Are you capable of developing two or three having your only exercise be walking door-to-door minute talks, summarizing your life experience, visiting voters at their home? your viewpoint on the major issues, and why you feel you are qualified for the office you are Are you willing to be interviewed at length by seeking? probing reporters who will ask questions you don’t want to be asked, and then find the quotes they How would you accept victory? Or defeat? use are not what you wanted to say? MONEY THE OPPOSITION How much money can you, your family, your How many opponents are there likely to be? closest friends, and your key supporters contribute to the campaign? Is the opponent an incumbent? What are additional potential sources of individual What are the personal/political strengths and contributions? weaknesses of your opponents? What organizations make political contributions, Have your opponents run before? What were and which are likely to contribute to your their campaign tactics? What were the results of campaign? their last election? 4 POLITICAL TRADITION What campaign activities are traditional or are expected by the electorate? What amount of money has been spent by both winning and losing candidates for this office in previous elections? LEGAL REQUIREMENTS What are the applicable election laws, including eligibility and filing requirements, finance laws, legal deadlines, and dates? (i.e. school employees earning over OPINION INFLUENCERS $2500/year are not eligible to serve on the What local issues have provoked debate or citizen reaction related school board that to this particular office? employs them. What other races or issues will be on the ballot? THE OFFICE Who are the key decision makers in the community, elected or Does this office hold the otherwise? potential to influence the kinds of changes that you What are the influential organizations? want to see? What kind of time What are the prevailing community media outlets? commitment will be necessary if you are elected? OTHER CONCERNS TIME What is your relationship to your community— length of residence, How many days are left association with community leaders, and friends from a cross until election day? section of the community? How many doors can you With what political issues or concerns are you identified? knock before election day? Can you speak audibly, concisely, and authoritatively in a public setting? How much time will you have for the campaign? Can you attract an appropriate number of volunteers and contributors? How much time can your core supporters give? Can you deal with today’s opponents in a way that will allow them to be allies