If you’re thinking at all seriously about running for office, don’t overlook getting on the ballot as “just a formality.”
If you don’t get it right you won’t get off the launchpad.
And as important and foundational as it is, even seasoned incumbents sometimes fail at this.
The most important rule for getting on the ballot is to check on local specifics. Different jurisdictions may have different signature requirements. Do this early in the process. Ask your local elections official (normally your city’s City Clerk) how to get on the ballot for the office which interests you. Ask about deadlines, signature requirements, and filing fees.
In general, you get on the ballot by turning in signatures on petition forms, but even this apparently simple process conceals a lot of variety and complexity.
Have the Correct Tactics for Collecting Signatures
The good news is that getting signatures is relatively easy, particularly just “to get on the ballot.” People are typically quite willing to sign their name for this purpose. The tricky part is that getting your petitions accepted always involves more than just a number of signatures.
Are the signers registered voters? More specifically, are the registered in the right place?
In some partisan races there are party registration requirements for people who sign; did you meet those?
When getting petition signatures, it’s best to combine generous allowance for error with double-checking everything.
Try to get more signatures than you need, because a 100% validation rate is rare. This means you have to allow yourself enough time to collect signatures. Realizing you are one signature short two minutes before the deadline is the same as having none.
Also consider using only part of each petition form, so that fewer will be lost in case something is wrong which invalidates the entire form.
Even if you only need a modest number of valid signatures, consider collecting a lot not just as a precaution but to begin active campaigning. Get a list of registered voters (in the area which could vote for you) and knock on their doors.
You may also want to ask supporters for help even if you can get enough signatures on your own. Some candidates hold events around the signature gathering process. For example, a “sip and sign” party at a local bar or restaurant is a good way to let your supporters know you’re entering the race and alerting them to the upcoming campaign.
Once you have plenty of signatures, get organized before you turn them in. Attempt to confirm how many of your signatures are valid.
Also, in some cases there is a limit to how many signatures you can turn in, in which case you should pick and choose from among your petition forms to include those with the highest percentage of confirmed signatures.
Think About Campaign Strategy Before You Start
When and how to turn in signatures also raises issues of strategy. While it isn’t by any means always a concern, you should at least be aware that there can be advantages (as well as disadvantages) to delaying general notice that you’re running for office.
In the simplest scenario, you may have the potential to appear on a ballot with only weak or even no opposition, but that may depend on keeping your intentions quiet until just before the filing deadline.
If you have the option of formally taking out (or “pulling”) petitions under your own name, or simply getting blank forms from elections officials (“pulling blind”), you have some ability to keep things quiet. If you don’t need to file many signatures, it’s possible to collect them without word getting around.
The moment that you’re in the board of elections records, either for pulling or filing petitions, there’s a very good chance someone will check them soon after and know about it.
You should keep an eye on the same thing to get an idea of who else is in the field and who your competitors might be.
The detailed ins and outs of whether there is more value for you in keeping your campaign quiet for any length of time, or in seeking as much attention as possible from the very start, can be complex and depend enormously on your specific circumstances. But whichever course is best, and whichever course you take with petitions, much of the same guiding policy will apply.
Bottom line: Learn the specific requirements early, try to meet and exceed those requirements, and check all your paperwork before you turn it in.
Are you getting started with your campaign or thinking about running?
At ElectionContender.com we can help. We turn aspiring candidates into serious contenders.