Running for Office
Your Winnebago County Democratic Party (WCDP) wants to help like-minded candidates to run for office. Please contact us if you are interested in running. The WCDP has many resources available for candidates. Please call or email Jef Hall if you are interested in running: 920.203.6883 or jef@jefhall.com.
Step 1: Fill out and file your Declaration of Candidacy
This is filed in the office overseeing the election:
City Council, Mayor is filed with the City Clerk
Town Board is filed with the Town Clerk
School Board candidates file in the School District offices
County Board Candidates file with the County Clerk at the courthouse in Oshkosh
You should file your Declaration of candidacy before you begin collecting signatures
Town Board is filed with the Town Clerk
School Board candidates file in the School District offices
County Board Candidates file with the County Clerk at the courthouse in Oshkosh
You should file your Declaration of candidacy before you begin collecting signatures
Step 2: Collect Signatures
The amount of signatures needed for ballot access varies based on the office and the population covered by the position.
- Most City Council, School Board, Mayoral, Judge offices require 200 signatures turned in. You can turn in as many as 400 valid signatures. It is recommended you get as many as you are able to.
- County Board seats require 50 signatures and you can turn in as many as 200.
- If you contact the clerk or office in charge of the election, they can answer any specifics for you.
Signature Collection Process:
- You can start getting signatures on December 1, 2009, and the completed signature sheets need to be into the clerks by 5:00 PM January 5th.
Some details you must observe in your signature collection efforts:
- You MUST have the year in date field on every line
- Every line MUST be signed by the voter (you can fill in the address for them)
- The Voter may only sign one paper per office per vote ‘castable’ – this means that if there are 3 seats up at large, the voter may sign 3 signature forms. If it is for a single seat, such as the County Board, the voter may only sign one signature form.
- It helps to get your sheets in earlier, with more signatures.
- As much as possible, get the signatures yourself, because only the person who got the signature can change the form
- Others may gather the signatures for you, but make sure you check them over before they leave so they can make any changes needed.
Your Winnebago County Democratic Party will help you fill it out all forms correctly and help check before submission
Step 3: Campaign Finance
Open a separate account for political money, no matter how much you plan to spend
- If you plan on raising/spending more than $1,000 you must report your contributions and expenditures.
- If you raise or spend under $1,000, you are not required to report, however you will still need to keep records.
- There are limits to the individual contributions you are allowed to accept. These are related to the size of the voting district population in which you are running.
- If there are less than 25,000 in the voting district, you may accept $250 max from an individual and $200 from a PAC (Political Action Committee)
- If there are greater than 25,000 people in the district, you may accept $.01/person in individual contributions and $.0075/person in PAC contributions.
- Example, if Oshkosh has 65,000 people, then you may receive a max contribution of $650/individual and $487.50/PAC
- The Clerk of the jurisdiction will be able to answer any specific questions on limits.
- If you raise or spend over $1,000, you will need to submit reports several times
- February 1
- February 8
- March 29
- July 20
You will need to fill out a CAMPAIGN REGISTRATION STATEMENT (pdf) no matter your fund raising intent. This is also turned intothe jurisdictional clerk.
- If you are not going to raise or spend over $1,000, you need to fill in this form (pdf) and fill out all parts, including the “EXEMPTION FROM FILING CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS” section.
- If you are planning on raising or spending more than $1,000, fill out the form but leave the “EXEMPTION FROM FILING CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORTS” section blank.
The Winnebago County Democratic Party will help you with finance report questions, and help you with a potential candidate budget. Please contact us!
Get a Treasurer! It helps to have someone looking at the money while you campaign.
Step 4: Campaign Plan
You should always know how many votes you will need to win. This depends on district size, voter turnout and type of election.
In a head-to-head race, such as County Board or Aldermanic Districts, you need 50%+1 of the anticipated votes.
In a multi-vote race such as Oshkosh City Council or many school boards, it gets tricky
In a multi-vote race such as Oshkosh City Council or many school boards, it gets tricky
Either way, you should have a target number of the votes that you need to win.
The WCDP will help you come up with this target as well as your individual campaign plan, contact us today!
The WCDP will help you come up with this target as well as your individual campaign plan, contact us today!
How do you want to campaign?
Doors, Doors, Doors, Doors!
· Nothing tops knocking on voter's doors.
· Make a card/handout to give to every voter, or to leave in the door if the voter is not there.
No matter what your individual resources are, you should be ready to do doors. The WCDP can help you prepare to be ready to talk to voters.
Mailings - Can be expensive depending on district size
· Postage, using the WCDP bulk mail permit is $0.21/piece. Party members and endorsed candidates can use our bulk mail permit.
· Mailing is more efficient than lit-dropping. And it is most effective close to election if limited budget.
The WCDP can help you select mailing lists and targets.
Lit Drops
· The WCDP organizes 2 lit drops (before the primary and before the general election) for endorsed candidates and members.
· Lit drops are much less expensive than mailing, and is an easy way to get info out before election
Website
· A simple, inexpensive website or blog is a must-have now.
· A simple Facebook strategy can be helpful as well.
· You should not spend too much time on this, doors and other direct voter contact measures will work much better.
The WCDP can help you put a simple web presence together.
Signs
Signs
· Signs should be a simple, one-color design.
· After you order them, have a volunteer staple and place them in locations that you secure from direct voter contact.
Forums/Newspaper Interviews & Blogs
· As a candidate, make sure you are informed on issues for the office you are running. First, study the budget of the organization.
· Make sure you are able to answer the following questions:
· “Why do you want to run?”
· What do you hope to accomplish?
· What differentiates you from the incumbent or other candidates?
· Speak your mind simply, in a form that is easy to understand
· Don’t get involved in anonymous blog ‘flames’ and discussions
· Most of all, be polite and firm. Humor is always a great tool to get your message across.
Step 5: The Winnebago County Democratic Party Endorsement Process
There are no definite rules, to the endorsement, just traditions:
- The WCDP recognizes Robert Rules of Order for Meetings.
- We will not endorse a non-party member against a party member.
- Only party members can use certain WCDP resources.
- We will endorse a non-party member that agrees with our principles, as voted and discussed at a membership meeting.
- The WCDP will only facilitate electoral processes for endorsed candidates, however individual members may do as they wish.
Candidates are welcome at any general party meeting to request endorsement or just present to membership.
- All candidate speakers must be prepared to take questions from membership.
- We often organize forums, all candidates endorsed or not will be invited to these.
The Winnebago County Democratic Party Mission Statement:
The Winnebago County Democratic Party is committed to seeking out and helping to elect Democrats to office at all levels of government, working to have Democrats appointed to boards and commissions at all levels of government, developing and working for the adoption of progressive positions on political and public policy issues, and working to keep our organization vibrant and in touch with its members and the community as a whole. At a minimum, we need every Democratic-minded person's membership.
