Commonwealthy

Have you wondered what it takes to make sure that elections stay fair and honest? Today I am talking with John Fogarty, an election law attorney based in Chicago who has years of experience in this area. John is going to share with us practical election law insights for local candidates for public office. I am excited to have John join me on the podcast today because he is able to give us an inside look at what an election law attorney can do to help local political campaigns. John has some great advice for us today on how to make sure that our local elections stay fair and honest, and really represent the people’s choice for office! In this episode, you’ll learn: How to handle petition challenges- learn what you need to do, step by step, in order to challenge an opponent’s petition to get on the ballot What to look for on a petition when considering a challenge– learn what you need to look for in order to spot possible fraudulent signatures Why giving a concession speech doesn’t have to mean you are done-

My special guest today is Peter Anderson of Cobalt Media Group. They are a database house that has over 165 million voters on file! Talk about a lot of lists to buy! If you have ever been interested in how to use data for political campaigns, then this is the podcast for you! I am really excited to have Peter join me today to discuss all things data lists. Peter has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with us. Join us as we discuss how good data lists can help your political campaign for local office. In this episode, you’ll learn: Where data lists come from- learn how information is collected and compiled into lists for and by database houses How emails can help with your name recognition– learn why emails can help your campaign even if they get deleted What phone numbers can and can’t be include in robocalls- learn what phone numbers your robocalls will be able to dial and what needs to be skipped Why you want to make sure a list is cleaned regularly against FCOA - learn what FCOA is and why it

Today we celebrate Commonwealthy’s one year anniversary with a special podcast highlighting some of the top topics from last year as well as a special conversation with Tina Keats. The theme of this podcast, as well as Commonwealthy as a whole, is good advice for the new candidate. If you are thinking of running for local office, then this is a great episode for you! Join me as we look back on the first year of the Commonwealthy podcast and look ahead to the second year. Tina and I will share some great tidbits on what you need to make sure to do as your prepare to run in an election for local political office. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why it is important to start the campaign process early- learn why you never want to kick off your political campaign a few months before the election How getting to know your community will help your campaign– learn why it is important to put in the time getting to know the ins and outs of your town Why it is important to get to know your local political party- learn

In today’s world, branding is a big buzzword. How does branding fit into the world of political campaigns and activism? I have special guest Nicole Williams of Spark Freedom on today’s podcast to discuss branding for political candidates and activist organizations. She has lots of great ideas and information to share with you. If you are a political candidate or activist, or if you are working on a political campaign, then you need to hear what Nicole has to share with us. The information that she shares about branding will help bring your political campaign to the next level and help you win your local election! In this episode, you’ll learn: Why it is important to define your goal up front- learn how having a clear, measurable goal will help shape your branding How messaging is shaped by your end goal– learn how you can use your goal to define the message for your political campaign Why it is important to limit your key points- learn why you don’t want to have more than two or three key points for your en

Are you aware the vote fraud happens in this country on a regular basis? Today we are going to discuss different types of vote fraud to be on the lookout for. Hopefully you will never find yourself in a position where you need to cry out about ballot integrity. But if you do, this episode will help you know what to watch out for and what to do about. My hope is that this podcast will help you become aware of different types of vote fraud so that you can be an activist for integrity in our local elections! Let’s work together to make sure that everyone’s vote counts. In this episode, you’ll learn: What different way people commit vote fraud- learn different techniques that have been used to add extra votes to a particular side When and where voting fraud might occur– learn what situations you need to be especially mindful of voting fraud How you can guard your election from vote fraud- learn what you can do to make sure there is integrity in the election Why there is little you can do after the votes are cou

In a special edition of the Commonwealthy podcast, today’s podcast is a speech I gave at the American Majority CPAC 2016 conference. I gave some great tips on using public speaking to win support that I wanted to share with you. As a future candidate for local political office or an activist, there is a lot of useful information for you in this episode. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why public speaking is important- learn why it is important for you to become comfortable with public speaking How to get comfortable with public speaking – learn an important tip to be able to speak in front of a crowd with ease What the basic elements of a good speech are- learn what elements every speech needs to have in it Why you need a call to action in every speech- learn why it is important to include a call to action and what it can be How to connect with the audience- learn tips on how you can make sure you are connecting with the audience while you are speaking Where you can practice speaking- learn different places

There are exciting things happening in the realm of voter analytics. Today I am going to privy you to my conversation with Brittany Kraiser of Cambridge Analytics as we discuss what is possible with analytics now and how it can be a game changer in political campaigns. If you are wondering what it would take to bring your political campaign for local office to the next level, this podcast is for you! Voter analytics like what is done by Cambridge Analytics is at the cutting edge of political campaigns. Find out how easy it is to incorporate this science into your local election. In this episode, you’ll learn: What a super sample is- learn how a super sample is taken and how it provides accurate data for political campaigns How OCEAN scores can help with messaging – learn what OCEAN scores are and how it can help with campaign messaging How voter analytics help with digital campaigns- learn how voter analytics can help set up a good digital campaign for local office How psychology plays into voter analytics-

You made it through your political campaign for local office and the Election Day. Now what should you expect? Join me for today’s podcast as I walk you through what you need to know and be prepared to do for election night and the morning after the election. Win, lose, or draw, there are certain things that you will need to be prepared ahead of time to do and say so that you position yourself well for any future campaigns. I am excited to share these inside tips with you today on the podcast. In this episode, you’ll learn: What to do for your election night party- learn where to hold your party, who to invite, and what to serve Why you shouldn’t spend all your campaign money – learn why it is important to leave money in the account for when the election is over How to set up a war room- learn what needs to be in your war room so you can track results as they are reported When to consider a recount- learn how close a race for local office should be for you to consider a recount Why you should have a victor

Have you been wondering what to expect for Election Day? What should you be doing now to make sure that you are ready for the big day? Join me today as we walk through a step by step timeline for what you and your volunteers should be doing on Election Day in your local political campaign. I am excited to be able to walk you through the big day, the Super Bowl of local politics, so that you are prepared with the right people and supplies to launch your campaign for local office into victory! No matter what local political office you are running for or political campaign you are helping, this is a podcast that will make sure you are prepared for the big Election Day! In this episode, you’ll learn: When your volunteers need to arrive- learn what volunteers need to be where and at what time so they are in the right place at the right time What to do about putting up yard signs – learn where to put up yard signs on Election Day to help people remember who to vote for Why you need a receptionist and campaign ho

Two key roles that every campaign needs to be made aware of for election day are election judges and poll watchers. The jobs, roles and purpose of election judges and poll watchers are described and explained. Vital to honest elections and an effective Get Out the Vote plan every candidate and campaign staffer needs to understand how to find, recruit and use election judges and poll watchers effectively. I came back from CPAC with an idea on how to use FOIA (the Freedom of Information Act) in a campaign. That tip first and then a thorough explanation of why a campaign needs election judges and poll watchers. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why election judges and poll watchers are necessary in a campaign- learn the importance of the people working the polls to your campaign What the job of an election judge is- learn what an election judges duties are How can you get election judges help you with your poll watching– learn how to ask an election judge to volunteer for your campaign as a poll watcher Why are el

Kristina Keats and I talk about Get Out the Vote (GOTV) ideas for early voting, absentee voting, along with election day strategies. These key phases in the Get Out the Vote process each needed further discussion. Although we touched on them in our previous podcast on Get Out the Vote in a Political Campaign Commonwealthy #42, it is important that the candidate and campaign staff fully realize the details and differences in each type of voting. Because Voter ID and GOTV are key to a winning campaign, we thought we would take more time to truly give our candidates and their staffs and even clearer picture of what needs to happen. In this episode, you’ll learn: Who are you targeting first for early voting- learn how to choose what voters to get to the polls first Who should be using absentee ballots- learn when to use absentee ballots and when to encourage early voting Why you should be mindful of the possibilities for vote fraud in absentee ballots- learn my horror story about absentee ballots Why early votin

I am so excited to finally have Jason A. Hart on the podcast to explain how to use FOIA. Every political activist should understand the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Jason is an Ohio based reporter who will give you the basics. It is essential that activists, candidates and concerned citizens keep tabs on their governing bodies. Both elected, as well as those who are employed by the taxpayers, need to be reminded that those they work for are watching. FOIA is key in finding out what government is doing and where the money is going. The world needs many more citizens requesting information, and voters demanding that the information be shared in a timely and forthright manner. Even if you don’t plan to immediately make any FOIA requests, you need to understand the right and the process. Unfortunately most people have never even heard of FOIA let alone used it. Jason makes it simple in today’s interview. In this episode, you’ll learn: What the Freedom of Information Act is- learn about FOIA and what is it

Even after spending so much time in politics, I am still reminded of a thing or two! In this podcast, I am going to share with you a couple of political campaign lessons that I have learned (or relearned as the case may be) that will help you in your own local election campaign. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why having a strong ground game is important- learn how voter id and get out the vote can be the key to victory How coalitions can help your political campaign - learn why coalitions are important and how to build them Why having fun matters even in politics- learn why keeping a fun atmosphere around your political campaign will help you in the end How to keep a fun environment in a political campaign- learn what specific things you can do to help your volunteers having fun What to say to people who complain about you- learn how to handle people who are constant complainers How to get an opponent kicked off the ballot during the petition stage- learn when to protest a petition and how to do it well Wha

Are you curious about how precinct work fits into field operations and your overall local political campaign strategy? What are you supposed to do with all of those numbers that you collect from previous elections anyway? How could they possibly help you in your current campaign for local office? Today I am going to cover how precinct work can help you be successful in your race for local political office. Join me as we go step by step through how to analyze past precinct results and use those results to come up with a good campaign strategy to help you win! In this episode, you’ll learn: What voter data to collect- learn what you should be looking for in past election results and how to get it How to analyze precinct results- learn what to look for as you examine past election results in different precincts How to build your campaign strategy around precinct results- learn how to use the past precinct results in order to plan your campaign strategy Why you would start your field operations in precincts th

If you have listened to the Commonwealthy podcast before, then you know I am passionate about helping people run for local political offices. But why? Today I am going to cover why it is so important for people like yourself to set up and run in local political campaigns. I am also going to cover the three essential elements in a political campaign. If you find yourself overwhelmed by everything that needs to be done to run for local office, then this is the podcast for you! I will boil it down to the basic core of how to get started in a political campaign. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why you should run for local office- learn the importance of having good people with common sense running for local political offices How local offices impact us compared to federal offices- learn the role that local political offices play in our society as compared to national politics Why messaging matters - learn why you need to know what you believe before you start your political campaign How to look at rejection as

You have done all of this hard work collecting information in your database about who is voting for you. Now what do you do with it? In today’s podcast, Tina joins me to lay a foundation on Get Out the Vote. If you really want to win your local election, then you need to learn how to have a successful Get Out the Vote plan! I am excited to begin to cover this essential topic with Tina. We have seen over and over that Get Out the Vote is the key to victory in many local political campaigns. Today we will share our experiences with you and help you achieve victory of your own! Join us today as we discuss Get Out the Vote for political campaigns. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why you need to plan for Get Out the Vote- learn the importance of having a good Get Out the Vote plan for your local political campaign What field operations are- learn what role field operations play in preparing for a successful Get Out the Vote push Why money alone doesn’t win elections - learn what role finances play in campaigns, a

Paul Miller joins me back on the podcast today for a fun look at what many first time candidates do wrong. If you want to make sure that you spend your time wisely and don’t make the mistakes that many first time candidates make, then make sure to listen to Many Local Candidates Have Delusional Ideas! We will cover all the basics of what not to do for you. I am excited to have Paul back on the podcast today as we share our experiences in working with and observing first time candidates over the last two decades together. Paul is a good friend of mine, but also a political and media consultant with The Paulie Group. Together, we’ve got a wealth of knowledge to share with you, as well as lots of laughs! In this episode, you’ll learn: Why you need to be careful about the events you attend- learn why you don’t need to commit to attend every event for your party What you need to do instead of just sending emails- learn what will get people to actually volunteer for and donate to your campaign Why social media do

In the second part of our two part series on negatives in political campaigns, Tina and I discuss how to respond when you are attacked. Negative political attacks are just a part of politics. If you are going to be running for local office, then you need to be prepared with the knowledge of how to respond in a way that helps your campaign and hurts your candidates. I am excited to have Tina back on the podcast today as we finish up our series. We both have had a lot of experience with successfully responding to negative campaign attacks. We share some of our best tips on how to diffuse a situation before it ruins your run for office. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why defending yourself from negative political attacks is challenging- learn why it can be difficult to prove that negative attacks are lies What you can do to prove the truth- learn different approaches to proving the negative attacks are not factual How early voting is helping attacked candidates - learn how early voting can help you defend your

Tina joins me on the podcast today as we cover an important part of any political campaign: negatives! So many first time candidates are determined to not have a negative campaign. In doing so, they miss out on an opportunity to educate the voters on the relative truths about their opponent. Don’t let this happen to you! I am excited to have Tina with me for this episode as we show you that truthful facts aren’t negatives! We will give essential tips on how to make sure that you fulfill your moral obligation to bring truths to light while staying out of a negative smear campaign. You can do both- and after this podcast, you will know how! In this episode, you’ll learn: Why truthful facts aren’t negatives- learn the importance of telling the truth about your opponent even if they are not positive facts What type of truths you should share- learn the importance of only sharing relative truths to the campaign Why you should have original documents to back you up- learn the types of files or media stories that

As we wrap up 2015 and look forward to a clean slate in 2016, are you thinking about making New Year’s resolutions? What if you could make seven easy resolutions that would help change your life for the better AND set yourself up to be a candidate in the future? Join me on the podcast today as we cover these easy changes you can make to help prepare yourself for a future political campaign for local office.  Start the year off setting yourself up to be a candidate. In this episode, you’ll learn:    Why you should be involved in your community- learn the importance of being involved and where to start looking for a place to get hooked up What type of political organization you should join- learn what political group would serve you the best to be a part of and where to find them Why your involvement in political organizations is crucial- learn why this step helps set you up for future political success What steps to take to build a web presence now- learn what you can do to build an online community a