How to Announce Your Run for Office

Best practices for officially making your campaign public.

Once you have made the decision to run and assembled your team, it’s time to announce your campaign to the community.

Our first bit of advice is to make sure that you and your team are prepared to spread the word. It’s better to delay your campaign’s launch by a week than to send it before you have everything ready to go. Actually set up a planning meeting for your amplification efforts. Among other priorities, you should make sure you have already informed your boss, immediate family, and inner circle.

For more steps on how to prepare your campaign before launch, check out the free courses at Campaign Academy to learn the step-by-step process of running for local office.

Once you’re sure your prep work is all done, it’s time to officially launch, announce your campaign to news outlets, and spread the word to your network.

It’s a good idea to schedule your campaign launch date in advance. This will allow your team to prepare for the announcement and share with their networks as well!

Send a Strong Announcement Email

The first thing you’ll want to do is send out an email announcing your campaign. This will inform your extended family, friends, and other contacts about your run for office. It will also tell them why you chose to run for office.

Here are some key pieces to include:

• Why you are running
• What you hope to accomplish once in office → Explain your platform, vision, and goals
• Why you are ready to tackle this challenge → List out your qualifications and experience
• Link to campaign website → Make it easy for people to find out more about your campaign
• Invite to your kick-off event if you’re having one
• How the recipient can help → Ask for donations, social media follows, or volunteers

Take your time with this kickoff email. Read it, re-read it, ask your grandma to read it. Do whatever you need to do to feel 100% confident in your message.

Tips for email:

• Send it from a professional campaign email with your campaign’s name in the domain (i.e., not a personal Gmail address). When an email seems like it’s coming from a legit campaign, it makes a bigger impact. Check out Campaign Academy for tips on how to set up your campaign domain.
• If you’re ready for a supporter management and outreach tool that can help you build and send emails — as well as phone banking, text banking, door-to-door canvassing, and more — then consider using Universe. Universe can help you send out your emails and then follow up with your voters and supporters via text, postcard, phone call, and more afterwards, starting at only $120 a month. Get started here!

Write a Press Announcement

Your press announcement will be very similar to your announcement email, with just a few major differences.

For the press announcement, make sure to:

• Take out the “how the recipient can help” section and kickoff event invitation
• Add a contact line with your campaign email and phone number for press to reach you

Once you’ve published your press release, here are the best ways to distribute it:

• Create a PDF of the announcement
• Add the announcement to your website
• Post the announcement on your social media channels
• Send the announcement in an email
• Send your press announcement to local newspapers and publications. Local newspapers often have a press page with instructions on how to submit tips or a pressroom email you can send information directly to
• Send your announcement to local community organizations and political clubs
• Consider submitting your release to press release distribution services. There are paid services, like the well-known prnewswire.com, that have multiple distribution packages and often charge by word count, and free/freemium services like prlog.org that increase visibility through user interactions. Both help increase your online searchability. Paid services might increase your ability to be picked up by journalists

Call Your Network

Set aside two or three days after you announce. You can use these days to call, text, and communicate with everyone in your contact list. When you speak to our contacts, always ask them to be a part of the campaign — whether it’s as a volunteer, a donor, or just an ear to listen. They may not be able to make a solid commitment right away, but you’ll never know if you don’t ask!

Host A Launch Event

Hosting an event can sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be complicated! Whatever you decide to do, make this kickoff event your own. Some of the campaign nitty-gritty is essential — but the venue, entertainment, and overall vibe should represent YOU.

This does not have to be some stuffy elbow-rubbing event. It should feel true to your message and the community that you want to serve.

Event planning steps:

1. Choose a venue → a locally owned restaurant, a park, a community center, or someone’s backyard are all great places to consider.
2. Choose a date and time
3. Set up a volunteer sign-up sheet. This should include name, phone number, email address, etc. Better yet, set up an iPad or laptop so people can sign up online!
4. Provide donation envelopes
5. Swag or Swag Sign Ups → If you’re really on the ball, get some swag like yard signs, shirts, etc. OR have a sign up sheet for people who want yard signs once they’re produced
6. Give a speech and/or invite advocates to give endorsements. Do you have any connections to prominent members of the community who are ready to endorse you? Ask them to say a few words on your behalf.
7. Consider catering options, entertainment, decorations, and all the usual party planning tasks

Once the word is officially out, it’s time to really get going!

Don’t worry, we’ve got your back. Our free courses at Campaign Academy can teach you how to successfully put in the work for your election. We’ll take you through the rest of the steps, from hosting your first phone bank to GOTV!

Learn to run for free with Campaign Academy.