Blue Commonwealth - Democracy for America

Training Tuesday: The Numbers You Need To Win Your Election - Part 2

SumofChange — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:52:29 GMT

originally posted by Mitch Malasky at Sum of Change

This week, we are going to follow up on last week's post on the numbers you need to win your election. This week, we're looking at special circumstances and unique elections and how that may or may not effect how you set your numbers.
First, what happens if you are running in a multi-candidate race? A win number in a two candidate election is 50% +1, but when there are multiple candidates that number is going to change. That said, it's never a case of simple math - your win number in a three person election won't necessarily be 33.3% +1 - and you have to be wise in setting your goals. The second video is about how your numbers may change due to major national issues. The obvious issue of our day is healthcare, but from the war on terror to the economy, there are often major issues outside of your control as a a candidate which will alter the turnout for your election. The final video are some stories from our trainer, Kendra-Sue Derby, on how you should constantly be challenging your own numbers. A campaign should never be satisfied or static in their evaluation of the electorate, so it is important to keep changing and updating that number to maximize a campaigns effectiveness (hint: expected turnout almost never goes down).

--Turnout In A Multi Candidate Race

--How Do Your Turnout Estimate Based on Major National Issues

--Stories of Challenging Turnout Expectations

This slew of videos are from Democracy For America's Campaign Academy. This particular session was filmed at Gettysburg college in Gettysburg, PA. To find out more about Democracy For America's Campaign Academy, go to http://www.democracyforamerica...

To see more training videos, go to www.SumofChange.com/trainingtuesday

Training Tuesday: The Numbers You Need To Win Your Election - Part 1

SumofChange — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 19:56:42 GMT

originally posted by Mitch Malasky at Sum of Change

This week's Training Tuesday post revolves around a repeated mantra from Kendra-Sue Derby, this week's trainer- It's All About The Numbers. Before you start worrying about anything else in your campaign, you have to know how many votes you need to win. This seems relatively self-evident, but it is a number that often goes overlooked.
You first must set YOUR WIN NUMBER, the number of voters you will need to win. But how do you set this number and which past elections do you use as research? To be able to make sure this number as accurate as possible, you must be able to GET THE CURRENT NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS. The number of registered voters will change drastically from the beginning of your campaign to the end and you have to be on top of that number or risk losing all of those new voters. Your win number isn't only number you need and it is important to know that YOUR VOTE GOAL IS NOT YOUR WIN NUMBER. You win number is the minimum number of votes you need, but you have to determine how many votes you need to solidify a victory. Finally, you much POST YOUR NUMBERS so that those working in your support know the goal. If the candidate and the campaign manager are the only ones who know those numbers, then your campaign will probably struggle.

-- YOUR WIN NUMBER

-- GET THE CURRENT NUMBER OF REGISTERED VOTERS

-- YOUR VOTE GOAL IS NOT YOUR WIN NUMBER

-- POST YOUR NUMBERS

This slew of videos are from Democracy For America's Campaign Academy. These particular session was filmed in at Gettysburg college in Gettysburg, PA. To find out more about Democracy For America's Campaign Academy, go to http://www.democracyforamerica.com/training.

To see more training videos, go to www.SumofChange.com/trainingtuesday

Training Tuesday: GOTV

SumofChange — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 23:59:29 GMT

originally posted by Will Urquhart at Sum of Change

This week's Training Tuesday takes us back to Democracy for America's Campaign Academy in Gettysburg, PA 2009. For the last couple weeks we brought you lessons from the Organizing 2.0 conference, and we still have plenty more to come.

Anyways, first things first, a little history on the DFA campaign academy:

Now on to our lesson for the day. This weeks training is GOTV, or get out the vote. If you missed the training on vote goals and targeting, I suggest watching that lesson real quick.

Without further ado, we present a few quick lessons on GOTV:

Training Tuesday with the DFA: Fun Budget Tips

SumofChange — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 23:01:31 GMT

originally posted by Will Urquhart at Sum of Change

Last week, we covered the basics of managing and organizing a campaign budget. If you know little-to-nothing about campaign finance but would like to, or if you are just about to start putting together the budget for a campaign, you should definitely check out last week's Training Tuesday. Today is not for the basics. Instead, we are using this Training Tuesday to share with you four very important tips that will help you out along the way:

I hope you enjoyed those useful tips. Don't forget to check back next Tuesday at 6:00pm for another round of Training Tuesday when we will introduce our first round of panel videos from the Organizing 2.0 Conference in New York last Saturday. We posted clips from the opening and closing speeches of that conference.

Training Tuesday with the DFA: The Big Scary Budget

SumofChange — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:33:47 GMT

Originally posted by Will Urquhart (Rusty5329) at Sum of Change. Please check out the new comment widget from Ameritocracy that we just recently installed at the bottom of every page at Sum of Change

Every political campaign and organization must spend money to maintain serious levels of activity. Increasingly, campaigns must raise significant amounts of money to become and remain competitive. Although we can protest the growing costs of campaigning, the reality for any campaign is that without these funds, there can be no staff, no office, no phones, no computers, no signs, no media coverage - no campaign.
-From the Democracy for America Campaign Academy Training Manual

Consider the list of things you need to run a campaign. The quote above touched on some of them. From a birds eye view, a full campaign budget is alike to a vast stretch of canyons, almost too much to take in at once. In these videos, Selene Hoffer-Shall will share some insight on how to break the budget down and make it manageable. Selene's advice comes from experience:

A former crisis counselor, Selene joined the Dean for America Operations Team in 2003, helping to compile the largest FEC reports in Presidential Campaign History. Selene was one of the 12 original staffers of Democracy for America working as the assistant to the Finance Director. She left DFA to become Finance Director for Peter Welch in his successful race for Congress in a race where she broke all previous fundraising records for the district. Following the 2006 election, Selene worked in San Antonio, TX as the Finance Director for Ciro Rodriguez in the TX-23 run-off election, raising over $600,000 in less than three weeks to successfully oust an 7-term Republican incumbent. Selene currently works as freelance finance consultant.

We join the training just after the group compiled an enormous list of what you need to run a campaign. In this first video, the group takes a large weight off the back of campaign finance directors by establishing what things can be donated:

After you have built the list of thins you can get contributed, you are, sadly, still left with a lot of money to raise. You will need a plan to raise this money, and no, you cannot rely on your opponent to make a fool of himself and raise you one million dollars. But there are tested strategies at your disposal to raise funds. In this next video, Selene breaks down some metrics for us:

So now you have your big scary list of things you need, and you have a reasonable basis to understand the tactics you are going to use to get all this stuff. Now it is time to set your benchmarks:

With benchmarks in front of you, this next video will go over meeting your first month goal:

That is all for today. Next week we will have round two of The Big Scary Budget, where Selene will talk about your campaign's three budgets, the importance of the Union Bug, and more! So check back next Tuesday at 6:00pm (Eastern Standard Time) or sign up to receive email alerts from Sum of Change.

Training Tuesday: Voter Contact Methods

SumofChange — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:04:17 GMT

Originally posted by Mitch Malasky at Sum of Change

Reaching your potential voters is (obviously) vitally important to any campaign. But what is the best way to reach this crucial audience? This week, Kendra Sue Derby from Democracy for America's Campaign Academy is going to speak about four methods of reaching voters, some of which you should try and some you should avoid. First, she'll talk about direct voter contact, such as canvassing (which she favors) and mailings, which allow to personally speak with, and listen to, your potential voters. Next, she'll talk about online resources, such as websites, Facebook, youtube, blogs, etc, which can be great for your supporters, but might not sway the opinion of an undecided. The last two videos are about items that some volunteers love, but aren't going to win you any elections, lawn signs and chum (promotional items such as hats, frisbees, wooden nickels, and anything else you can print you name on).
--Canvasing and Mail

--Online Resources

--Yard Signs

--Chum

Learn more about Democracy For America's Campaign Academy:www.DemocracyForAmerica.com/Training

See more 'Training Tuesday' entries:www.SumofChange.com/campaignacademy

Training Tuesday with the DFA: Email 2.0

SumofChange — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:44:45 GMT

originally posted by Will Urquhart at Sum of Change

Thanks go out to janefordean for pointing out that today is Howard Dean's birthday! Happy birthday Howard Dean!

No, I don't have some magical new email program for you, but I do have round two of our coverage from the Democracy for America Campaign Academy training on 'The Art of Email Engagement.' Last week we went over the Do's and Don'ts of emails, today we bring you 4 examples of good emails.

That's all we have for the Art of Email Engagement, please check back next Tuesday at 6:00pm for our next round of Training Tuesdays with the DFA when we will go over fundraising and making the ask.

DFA Training: Night School and Weekend Academies

Elaine in Roanoke — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:42:09 GMT

I noticed in the comments regarding DFA training, in effective email in campaigns, that there were people interested in DFA training.

Here is a brief summary of what DFA offers and how to get the help:

Democracy for America conducts ongoing training in politics. In addition to training academies held at various locations each year, DFA also conducts "Night School" online.

Night School online allows anyone to learn the skills to win elections from their own home. Each session is an interactive conference call and web presentation where trainees participate and ask questions. The session features expert trainers, topics range from Volunteer Recruitment to Framing a Message to Fundraising to Online Media.

Each session lasts just an hour, is packed with important skills and is completely free. Also, past presentations can be purchased on DVD at the Training Store. https://democracyforamerica.co...

For example, the latest DVD, priced at $30, focuses on some of the ways to build and strengthen local institutions between election cycles. Guest trainers include experienced campaign managers, county party chairs and labor organizers from across the country. Topics: Shutting Down a Campaign; Building a Better County Party; Citizen Lobbying.
So, if you want to learn or review topics like increasing voter turnout, recruiting volunteers, canvassing & phonebanking, online organizing, writing a field plan, etc., there is help at the DFA training school.

If a locality wants to have a training academy, please note that DFA will only hold up to 20 weekend training sessions in 2010. So, those interested in hosting one should get in their request early. The best way to determine if you feel your locality could hold a successful training academy, information is at: http://democracyforamerica.com...

Training Tuesday with the DFA: The Art of Email Engagement

SumofChange — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:56:08 GMT

originally posted by Will Urquhart (Rusty5329) at Sum of Change

"Successful emails will build your online community, increase activism, and raise you money. It is also the fastest most accessible way to send your message out to supporters... Compared to the other online strategies, email is by far the most effective strategy to inspire action and raise money."
-from Democracy for America's Campaign Academy Training Manual

The Art of Email Engagement: In the last five or ten years, email has exploded as a campaign strategy and, without question, Democracy for America (DFA) has led the way on running effective email programs. We were fortunate enough to get to sit in on a DFA Campaign Academy training on the art of email engagement. Today, we bring you the top five email Do's and Don'ts according to Matt Blizek:

Do's Part 1:

Do's Part 2:

For those of you wondering about Zephyr Teachout's other best practices and tips for emails we turn to page 139 of the training manual (You don't have a training manual? Well you'll have to attend a training next year):

Zephyr Teachout's Tips and Best Practices for Emails
• Draft drunk, edit sober.
• Aim for the amazing. Shoot for the moon, and if some fall flat, so be it.
• Tell a story! Each email is a short story with a moral.
• Think in images! Plunge people into a world. Make your message visceral.
• Read your emails out loud to someone before sending them. Reading out loud will force the cadence.
• Experiment! Be willing to try new stuff and fail. It's a relationship - push the limits.
• Involve a short-term narrative. i.e., a 5 email series in which something from the last email is always engaged - this is a serial publication, and a connection from one email to the next - storytelling over time - is one of your strongest suits for establishing a connection.
• Imagine yourself writing TO someone at all times. Never address a crowd - address a member of the crowd. If you wouldn't send this email to a friend, why not?
• Length doesn't matter - should fit the purpose of the email. That said, when in doubt, be very short.
• Use short punchy paragraphs.
• Link early and often. The same link over and over. In this way it is like a poem or song with a refrain.
• Write for a 7th grade reading level - people read fast online. It will improve your writing, making you less abstract, more concrete, and with fewer clauses.

And last, but certainly not least, the Don'ts:

That's all for this week. Next week we'll have a second round of videos from the Art of Email Engagement, just check back at the Sum of Change Training Tuesday web page at 6:00pm next Tuesday! Oh, and speaking of emails, you can always sign up to receive email updates from Sum of Change!

Training Tuesday with the DFA: Recruiting Volunteers

Rusty5329 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:05:12 GMT

originally posted by Mitch Malasky at Sum of Change

This week, Training Tuesday will focus on another very important constituency: volunteers. As an organizer, building a strong volunteer base is your most important responsibility. The quality and quantity of the effort you get from your volunteers can make or break a campaign. They not only are giving you work for free (but don't tell them this!! See 'seizing an opportunity' below) but they are your direct representative to your most important constituency: voters. So their work is not only necessary, it must be done to a high standard and you must take it upon yourself to insure they are up to the task. From the Democracy for America (DFA) training manual:

You are a leader. Your job is to get your staff and volunteers to follow you. You set the tone. An energetic and enthusiastic leader will beget a focused and motivated volunteer base."

Our videos today will cover some of the basics of recruiting volunteers and building a lasting network. The DFA is truly an authority on this subject, so without further ado...
--Be Happy When You Ask For Volunteers

--Volunteers Are Seizing an Opportunity, Not Doing You a Favor

--The Volunteer Ask and the 5 Cs

That's all for this week. Don't forget to check back at the Sum of Change Training Tuesday page next week at 6:00pm for Matt Blizek's tips on how to run an effective email program!

Training Tuesday with the DFA: 'Your Field Plan: Vote Goals, Targeting, and Field Strategy'

Rusty5329 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:39:38 GMT

originally posted by Mitch Malasky at Sum of Change

This week, we have a few clips from another session at Democracy For America (DFA) Campaign Academy's 'Grassroots Campaign Training' held September 26th and 27th at Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, PA. This session, called 'Your Field Plan: Vote Goals, Targeting, and Field Strategy', explains how a campaign can best prepare their own operation for electoral success by creating a specific and detailed field plan.
According to DFA:

The field plan is the campaign's blueprint for victory. The field plan is the series of strategies and tactics a campaign uses to gather the necessary votes to win an election. The media plan, the finance plan, and all the campaign's administrative capacity serves one goal: support an operation capable of gathering the number of votes necessary to win the campaign. The field plan is that operation.

To this end, we have three clips for you. In the first, our new trainer, Kendra-Sue Derby, a longtime progressive campaign manager and advisor, explains how it is 'All About the Numbers'. As obvious as it sounds, the best way to win a campaign is to have the most voters, so keeping a plan of every voter and voting district and working off of that plan is the best way to win your campaign. In the next two videos, Kendra-Sue discusses some specific of how to best implement your plan by 'Targeting Your Voters'. In part one she outlines how a campaign should classify different kinds of potential voters while in part two she goes into how to approach, or not approach, each group...

For more information about the DFA Campaign Academy trainings, go to http://www.democracyforamerica.com/training. Unfortunately, the 2009 training season has ended, but you can contact DFA about having one in your area in 2010.

Please check out our Training Tuesday page for more Campaign Academy content, and come back every Tuesday @ 6:00 for more Training Tuesday videos.

Face-to-Face Encouragement: VOP at the Metro wth Rep Connoly Cutout

Rusty5329 — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:42:46 GMT

Originally posted by Mitch Malasky at Sum of Change

Last week, the Virginia Organizing Project (VOP) and Democracy for America (DFA) took to the metro with Representative Gerry Connelly, well, a cutout of him anyway. Volunteers asked passing metro riders if they would like to take a picture with the cutout for fun, and make a call to Representative Connolly and Senator Warner in support of a public option and a health care reform bill. The event made for some great hangin-with-Connolly interviews (with some unexpected street-side musical accompaniment)...

The cutout, albeit fun to pose with, was there to send a very serious message to the Representative and other elected officials who are waffling on their support for a Public Option backed health care reform bill. It was an expression of frustration on the part of the DFA and VOP that Rep. Connolly appears to listen mostly to wealthy industry lobbyists, while ordinary citizens are forced to settle for a cutout. They feel that it is too important of an issue for a representative of the people to passivly decide upon and they want their congressmen to take an active role in ensuring its swift passage. This debate has gone on for an exceedingly long amount of time, but as the fight to pass a health care reform bill finally near the finish line, the DFA and VOP appear strong in their resolve to ensure a passage of a healthcare reform bill with a public option.

VOP uploaded a bunch of their pictures from the afternoon to their Flickr site, which we have included below...

Training Tuesday: Online Organizing DFA Style

Rusty5329 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:57:52 GMT

originally posted at Sum of Change

Matt Blizek, of Democracy for America (DFA), was kind enough to allow Sum of Change to bring a camera to the recent DFA Campaign Academy in Gettysburg, PA. The Campaign Academy was founded in 2004, and serves to "focus, network, and train grassroots activists in the skills and strategies to take back our country," We will be bringing you highlights from different panels for the next several Tuesdays, but for this first Training Tuesday we have something special. This is the only training session that we will be airing in full. We will still bring you highlights from many other trainings, but if you would like to see more of them in full, you will have to attend a DFA Campaign Academy.
Online organizing has sent shock waves through the political community over the last five years. And DFA was on the front lines throughout. So, without further ado, I present to you, Matt Blizek and Online Organizing:

This first video is the entire panel, it is an hour long but definitely worth the watch if you are doing any online organizing:

From the highlight reel, let's start with Matt's story about his first political contribution:

Matt Blizek on online message delivery:

Here, Matt talks a little bit about the national reach of the internet:

We'll be releasing more videos from DFA's Campaign Academy every Tuesday for the next several weeks at Sum of Change. Check back Tuesday at 6:00pm for the next installment. You can also sign up to get an email alert when we release new Sum of Change videos. And please look into DFA's Campaign Academy.