So you’re ready to run! Well, run for what exactly?
Choosing which office to run for is a personal decision that is different for everyone. When deciding which seat is the best fit for you, it can help to keep these questions and considerations in mind.
- What issues do you care about, and where do those issues get legislated?
- Where do political opportunities exist?
- Who is currently in the office and are they seeking re-election?
- Know your district inside and out.
- What are the qualifications for the position? Find requirements and filing deadlines here.
To further consider how the office fits in with your career, family, and the demands of the position check out the lesson on How does a run fit into your real life?
Lauren Harper, Founder and CEO of CityBright, LLC, discusses knowing your district and choosing your office.
(10 minute watch)
LEVELS OF OFFICE
Learn more about local, state and federal level offices.
TIP: SC WIL offers individual “Opportunity Seats” consultations to help woman candidates identify which offices are most likely to be winnable based on historical election data. Contact us at opportunity@scwomenlead.net to schedule an individual consultation on your district.
Exercise:
Use this Researching Your District guide to help you gain a deeper understanding of the district you are running in. This will assist in developing your campaign strategy and maximize your resources.
Additional Resources:
- What Office Should I Run For– This guide from Vote Run Lead will help you answer some critical questions and zone in on the right office you should run for.
- SCVotes– Find information for candidates.
- Voter Gravity– Brings together the latest technology in big data and analytics to help campaigns and political organizations of every size.
- Dave’s Redistricting– Empowers citizens to advocate for fair and transparent redistricting and create, analyze, and share district maps
- Census.gov Quick Facts– QuickFacts provides statistics for all states and counties, and for cities and towns with a population of 5,000 or more.