Geneva Full Day Training
How to win elections in Geneva, NYPatrick PC [email protected]
Schedule1. Volunteer Training (9-10am)
2. Power Mapping the Community (10-10:30am)3. Vote Yes- Developing and Delivering Effective Messaging (10:30-11:30am)4.Information Only Training- (11:30-12)
5. Digital Camping Strategies and Nation Builder to ID supporters (12-1)
About me and Everylibrary3
Libraryland Ecosystem
Building voter support for libraries
EveryLibrarys SuccessesBuilding voter support for libraries
Why Talk in Terms of Voters
98% of library funding comes from the local level and completely dependent on local ballot issues and local politics. Your local voters matter most. When votes are that important, why arent we talking about it?!?!6
First the Good News
Building voter support for libraries
Voter perceptions report From awareness to fundingPew report 2008
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The Numbers Are Great!Building voter support for libraries
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Civic Attitudes94% of Parents say libraries are important for their children. 79% say very important. 258% of Americans have a library card. 362% of card holders have visited the library in the last year at least once.42. Pew, May 20133 and 4. Harris Interactive | ALA, January 2011
Building voter support for libraries
Voter AttitudesNationwide, of all voters:
37% will Definitely vote yes for the library37% will Probably vote yes for the library
26% will Probably or Definitely vote no or may vote either way.
Building voter support for libraries
Party Affiliation Doesnt Matter
Building voter support for libraries
Library Card Stats Dont Matter
Building voter support for libraries
Library Use Doesnt Matter
Building voter support for libraries
What Does Matter
Building voter support for libraries
Today is the first day of your library campaign14
What do politicians respond to?
Building voter support for libraries
What can we get?
Building voter support for libraries
Which can we expect to get? People how do we get more people on our side?This is why I talk about library marketing in terms of community organizing and not in terms of sales. This doesnt follow a sales cycle this is about continued engagement in libraries a belief system
Same reason nobody messes with the police enough people believe that policeman save lives
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Ladder of Engagement
Building voter support for libraries
The Truth about Campaign Math
90% of the population could hate the library, but if mostly the 10% who love the library show up at the polls, you will win.Building voter support for libraries
This NEVER happens though.
Its about getting the most people to the polls as possible and more than the opposition. All of our strategy and tactics are about this simple idea. 18
Genevas Campaign Math
2344 total registered Voters, typically only about 20-30% of voters turn out for special elections which is 703 voters. To win with a margin of error of 10% you need 420 definite identified vote yes individuals.
Voter Files and Voter Scores
The new york voter file gives a lot of info about the voter. Phone numbers, addresses, names, sometimes email, but also vote history. Assign each voter a number 1-4 with likelyhood to vote. Target 4s first, then 3s, then 2s. The math with work that you count the 1s as 100% likely to vote, then the 2s as 75% likely to vote so you need 25% more yeses to get your voter total, the 3s as 50% likely to vote so you need 2xs as many 2s than 4s, etc20
Campaign TimelineSurfacingIntroduction of the Cause
CampaignMessaging and Voter ID and persuasion
GOTVVoter activationBuilding voter support for libraries
Campaign Structure
Building voter support for libraries
Campaign Goal
Get as many yes voters to SHOW UP at the polls as possible and as few no voters to show up at the polls as legally possibleBuilding voter support for libraries
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Campaign StrategyBuilding voter support for libraries
To understand the rules of the game and use those rules to get a checkmate24
Campaign TacticsBuilding voter support for libraries
The moves it takes to get that checkmate25
Campaign ThemeBuilding voter support for libraries
Campaign Messages
Building voter support for libraries
A campaign is all about getting the most messages out to the most right people.27
Other VocabularyPhonebankingCanvassingVoter UniversePolitical Landscape MemoNon-PartisanScriptsPolling OppositionIssue
PrecinctTurfsPolitical Action Committee (PAC)Voter FatigueDown Ballot initiativesVoter persuasionVoter IDTargeting
Building voter support for libraries
Nation Builder
Building voter support for libraries
Volunteer Roles1. Canvassing2. Phone Bank3. Deliver yard signs and bumper stickers4. Data Entry5. Writing copy for the campaign website6. Driving for the campaign7. Host a houseparty or fundraiser8. Identify Yes Voters9. Bring food10. Prepare mailers and flyers11. Give money and raise money12. Talk to people13. Get busy on the internet14. Drive voters to the polls15. Attend community eventsBuilding voter support for libraries
Volunteer Tasks
Building voter support for libraries
Identify Yes VotersBuilding voter support for libraries
Volunteers primary role ID yes voters and get them to show up32
- WellstoneBuilding voter support for libraries
A voter ID script is simply to identify who is supporting our campaign and what issues are most important to them. It tends to be a very brief script because the goal is to get through as many calls/doors as possible with accurate IDs.Voter ID scripts must have a direct ask to gauge the voters level of voting support for library.A voter ID script is usually done early in a campaign and followed by persuasion and GOTV contactsVoter ID Phone and Doors
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Voter ID Phone and DoorsWhen calling voters (as opposed to knocking on doors) there are two basic types of voter ID calls one where you identify who you are calling for and one that you do not, what we call a blind ID.
There is no right or wrong approach, although the resulting data is very different. Identified ID calls tend to skew the data by as much as 15- 20%; Blind IDs tend to be more accurate but it is also harder to roll into a persuasion conversation if you find an undecided voter. If Election Day is less than 6 months away, it is common for the script to be an ID/Persuasion script, which has the ID question and then moves directly to persuasion for the undecided so as not to miss an opportunity to persuade
Hello, may I please speak with (name of the voter on the list)?
My name is (name of volunteer), and Im a volunteer walking/calling on behalf of the campaign for the Geneva Library. Were surveying voters tonight about this issue.
[If they hesitate or say they are busy remind them that you have only two questions and it will take less than a minute.]
What are two issues that you are basing your decision on to vote in this election? [Take down the answer/issues for future contacts]
If the election for [X] were held today, would you vote yes or no for the library?
Building voter support for libraries
Sample Voter ID Script
Practice this35
If not supporting the library: Thank you very much for your time, have a good day.
If undecided: Well I hope youll consider voting yes the Geneva Library is (talk about why you are voting yes for the library)
If supporting the Library strongly: (they give some indication they are enthusiastically voting) Thats wonderful can we count on you to volunteer for us as well?
If yes, take their information, and ask them if they will volunteer and make sure the campaign gets back to them quickly.
If no, Thanks so much for your support and your time. Dont forget to vote for the library on Election Day. Have a good day. Building voter support for libraries
Voter ID Script
Persuasion ScriptA persuasion script is usually used when re-contacting an already IDd undecided voter.For example, you may be contacting a voter who was previously IDd as undecided on the race and who has education as their number one issue.A persuasion script is usually longer and attempts to engage the voter in a conversation about an issue that is important to them.For example, the voter IDd as undecided and having education as their most important issue would get a "persuasion call" about the library and education.A persuasion script is usually used after the Voter ID and typically stops within a week before the election.
Sample Persuasion ScriptHi, This is ___(your first name)____, is ____(first name)___ available?I'm a volunteer with the Campaign for the Geneva Library and were talking to our neighbors about the library.Are you familiar with our library campaign?If yes they familiar-Are you planning on voting for the Geneva Library in November?If yes,Ask them to volunteer and thank them and say goodbyeIf no or undecidedAsk them what their concerns are and try to address them.If still no, Thank them for their time.
Other ScriptsFundraising ScriptsEndorsement ScriptsGOTV ScriptsBuilding voter support for libraries
Bring the Data HomeBuilding voter support for libraries
You need to know who will vote yes, who will vote no, if you can know why then know why, who would like a sign, who to mail or phone call, whos been contacted and how, what their response was, etc40
Writing for the CampaignKnow the publication and its readersStay on messageStay on one messageCreate Immediacy (why publish this now?)Dont make personal attacksSpel ChekeSubmit using their guidelines
Building voter support for libraries
Draft a sample41
Speaking about the CampaignStay on messageStay on one messageState the factsAppeal to emotion (not data)Dont make personal attacksStay positiveBuilding voter support for libraries
Being an advocate for the library and the campaign is important and knowing how to talk about it is very important.42
Handling Opposition
Yes and examples, never directly engage, always smile and remain positive-
Youre right, we have google. And the library has so much more, we offer in-person classes, after school tutoring, and information from the deep and unsearchable web
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Power Mapping ExercisePower mapping is a visual tool used by social advocates to identify the best individuals to target to promote social change. The role of relationships and networks is very important when advocates seek change in a social justice issue.
Power Mapping Exercise45
Developing/Delivering Messaging
Campaign ThemeBuilding voter support for libraries
What is the librarys vision statement? Mission statement?47
Consistent!
Message creation (not in a vacuum) based on data, polling, etc
Specific to your community
Specific to who youre talking to
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What will you be messagingBuilding voter support for libraries
Libraries are NOT all things to all peopleMessaging doesnt mean, and wont work, if youre talking about getting people to check out more DVDs. Its about creating an identity with people. How do they view themselves in the context of the library. It doesnt matter if they actually use the library, it matters if the believe in the library
Messaging is used to tell good stories about the library, and its used to counter opposition or get out ahead of opposition.
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Building voter support for libraries
Dont change what the library does, change the way you talk about it.
Tea Party ExampleInstead of the library being a social welfare organization for the homeless hungry ill-educated, etc It can be talked about as an economic development organization for local businesses, a service for improving large corporations, the entrepreneurs, the savior of the American dream and liberty
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Targeting your messageBuilding voter support for libraries
Your data will tell you how to target your message - Who is using your library, where do they live, what kinds of people are they, who isnt using your library and why? Know your audience and speak to your audience on their terms
Targeting your message 51
Align your message with users and non-usersBuilding voter support for libraries
To Library Users: As you know...
To Non-Users: As you can imagine...
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Align your message with the goals of the local politicians
What was/is their platform? How does the library help them achieve that?Have politicians in for storytimes, create Talk about Rivkah getting local politicians involved in the library
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Align your message with the goals of the influencers
The wealthy, the powerful, Local businesses etcTell the oakland/chlorox story
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Build Coalitions
Who else in the community has the same goals as you? ID them and ask them to join up!
EXERCISE- Who are some local potential coalition parters55
Its a numbers game
It matters how many times people see your message before they believe itHow much other noise is there out there? How do you get in with all that clutter?56
What we say about ourselvesWhat they say about themselvesWhat we say about themWhat they say about us
Message box exercise57
ProactiveWhats great about the library is that if offers so much more! we offer in-person classes, after school tutoring, and information from the deep and unsearchable web
OppositionYoure right, we have google. And the library has so much more, we offer in-person classes, after school tutoring, and information from the deep and unsearchable web
Create a 27-9-3 message for a specific person or organization58
Handling Opposition
Yes and examples, never directly engage, always smile and remain positive59
Surfacing/Info Only CampaignsBuilding voter support for libraries
Use your data for the Surfacing phase of a campaign What happens during the surfacing phase- The book analogy - Introducing yourself, gathering information about your supporters and opposition, data collection, setting yourself up as the expert (Rick Perry wearing the glasses/boots), developing your message and you image
Surfacing is what you are you doing from today until the day your campaign starts. Could be 5 months from now, could be 50 years from now.Use messaging to frame the library as a community need
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Building voter support for libraries
Building voter support for libraries
Face-To-FaceBuilding voter support for libraries
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What doesnt work
Building voter support for libraries
What can you start doing now?
Building voter support for libraries
Start collecting email addresses every program, every opportunity, eventbrite, etc..Start paying for FB adsGet librarians out of the libraryCustomer service trainingMessage practice (role playing)
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After your message is out
Its an amazing thing when people believe in YOU!! They will fight for you. Give them a position on the field when they are needed.People will rally around your cause!Ask for grants, funding, etcAsk them to talk to city council for you, write letters, etcLetter writing partiesSign petitions
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Patrick PC [email protected] to win elections in Geneva, NY