This is the completely revised, second edition of How to Run for Local Office. This new edition includes everything that made the first edition so popular, selling over 18,000 worldwide and used by dozens of universities and colleges, including Harvard, Oklahoma State University, Ohio State Univerisity, Indiana State Univerisity, Keene State College, Pennsylvania Fels Center of Government and even West Pointe Military Academy. How to Run for Local Office will take you step-by-step through the election process when running for political office. This book covers everything you need to know whether you are running for Alderman in a small community or running for Mayor in a city of over 100,000 population. It covers every aspect of putting a campaign together including making your decision to run or not, what you will face if you do, putting your team together including your inner circle and much more. This book will explain how to put your literature together, how to use it, how to distribute it and do it cost effectively. It will explain how to use campaign signs, where to place them, where not to place them, which ones are the best for you to use and how to put together your campaign lawn sign crews. This book will tell you how to prepare for debates, how to determine what public events to attend and which ones to avoid. It will explain how to do your door to door knocking and how to use your volunteers to maximize your efforts. It will explain how to set up your fundraising and what to expect. It will explain how to determine whose doors to knock on and which ones to avoid. It will explain how to maximize your campaign funds and save you more money than you would believe. This book will explain the use of the internet for your campaign and how to use GOTV. The original first edition of this title was 128 pages. This new edition has 304 pages but it includes some additional, completely new chapters not found in the original. The new Chapters are, Using Computers and the Internet, Just for Council Members-Township Trustees-Alderman, Etc., Just for Judges, Just for Mayors, Final Thoughts and Words of Wisdom. The book contains samples of letters to absentee voters, press releases, samples of postcard literature and sign up sheets that you can use for your campaign. Anyone who liked the first edition of this book, and over 18,000 people already did, will love this new edition.
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Review
I am writing to congratulate you on a fine book. Too often, good candidates and political activists have a hard time running for office because they can't find quality advice on running and winning local elections. Your book provides just such guidance. Keep up the good work! --Joe Garecht, President of Local Victory, Your guide to winning local elections.<br /><br />I purchased your book from a suggestion of my Congressman Asa Hutchinson. I ran for Russellville City Council, knowing nothing about even how a city was run. I won, beating my incumbent who had been in for 6 years. I didn't win by a landslide but it was a comfortable margin. Your book gave me the courage to face difficult things and to be able to go door-to-door and campaign in order to win this eleciton. I am ecstatic and I wanted to thank you for this wonderful book. Your book was so helpful. Thanks again! Sonja R. Brent, Russellville City Council Woman 1/03/01. I actually became aware of the book during my 1996 campaign. I credit the book with much of my victory. Jonathan Bruce, Manatee, Florida. I just finished reading your book, 'How to Run for Local Office.' First, I want to thank you for writing a book to help people who are interested in running for political office get the assistance they need to build a campaign framework. I read your book several times already...the last time with a highlighter in hand to note your 'Golden Nuggets! Ken Campbell, South Carolina. Your first book 'How to Run for Local Office' was my campaign bible and it worked great. I won an election for an open seat with 62% of the vote! Thank You! Gregory T. Helding. Racine, Wisconsin. I am an elected official and this book helped me a great deal in my campaign. I have since recommended it to several people. Gary Adams. I bought your book 'How to Run for Local Office,' thank you, thank you! I plan to run for County Clerk in the year 2002. I have never thought about running for a political office until this year and didn't really know how to start the process. Your book is informative and well written and will help me bypass so many mistakes. Mona Myers. I used this book in my last election and found it very helpful. Barry Law. Hutchison, kansas. --Letters and Reviews from readers.<br /><br />If you ever plan to run for any political office, this new revised edition of How to Run for Local Office is the first book you should buy. This new edition has everything in it that made the first edition such a huge sucess, selling over 18,000 copies worldwide, plus so much more. A must read! --MICHAEL J. REDDY, Immortal Investments Publishing.
I am writing to congratulate you on a fine book. Too often, good candidates and political activists have a hard time running for office because they can't find quality advice on running and winning local elections. Your book provides just such guidance. Keep up the good work! --Joe Garecht, President of Local Victory, Your guide to winning local elections.
I purchased your book from a suggestion of my Congressman Asa Hutchinson. I ran for Russellville City Council, knowing nothing about even how a city was run. I won, beating my incumbent who had been in for 6 years. I didn't win by a landslide but it was a comfortable margin. Your book gave me the courage to face difficult things and to be able to go door-to-door and campaign in order to win this eleciton. I am ecstatic and I wanted to thank you for this wonderful book. Your book was so helpful. Thanks again! Sonja R. Brent, Russellville City Council Woman 1/03/01. I actually became aware of the book during my 1996 campaign. I credit the book with much of my victory. Jonathan Bruce, Manatee, Florida. I just finished reading your book, 'How to Run for Local Office.' First, I want to thank you for writing a book to help people who are interested in running for political office get the assistance they need to build a campaign framework. I read your book several times already...the last time with a highlighter in hand to note your 'Golden Nuggets! Ken Campbell, South Carolina. Your first book 'How to Run for Local Office' was my campaign bible and it worked great. I won an election for an open seat with 62% of the vote! Thank You! Gregory T. Helding. Racine, Wisconsin. I am an elected official and this book helped me a great deal in my campaign. I have since recommended it to several people. Gary Adams. I bought your book 'How to Run for Local Office,' thank you, thank you! I plan to run for County Clerk in the year 2002. I have never thought about running for a political office until this year and didn't really know how to start the process. Your book is informative and well written and will help me bypass so many mistakes. Mona Myers. I used this book in my last election and found it very helpful. Barry Law. Hutchison, kansas. --Letters and Reviews from readers.
I am writing to congratulate you on a fine book. Too often, good candidates and political activists have a hard time running for office because they can't find quality advice on running and winning local elections. Your book provides just such guidance. Keep up the good work! --Joe Garecht, President of Local Victory, Your guide to winning local elections.
I purchased your book from a suggestion of my Congressman Asa Hutchinson. I ran for Russellville City Council, knowing nothing about even how a city was run. I won, beating my incumbent who had been in for 6 years. I didn't win by a landslide but it was a comfortable margin. Your book gave me the courage to face difficult things and to be able to go door-to-door and campaign in order to win this eleciton. I am ecstatic and I wanted to thank you for this wonderful book. Your book was so helpful. Thanks again! Sonja R. Brent, Russellville City Council Woman 1/03/01. I actually became aware of the book during my 1996 campaign. I credit the book with much of my victory. Jonathan Bruce, Manatee, Florida. I just finished reading your book, 'How to Run for Local Office.' First, I want to thank you for writing a book to help people who are interested in running for political office get the assistance they need to build a campaign framework. I read your book several times already...the last time with a highlighter in hand to note your 'Golden Nuggets! Ken Campbell, South Carolina. Your first book 'How to Run for Local Office' was my campaign bible and it worked great. I won an election for an open seat with 62% of the vote! Thank You! Gregory T. Helding. Racine, Wisconsin. I am an elected official and this book helped me a great deal in my campaign. I have since recommended it to several people. Gary Adams. I bought your book 'How to Run for Local Office,' thank you, thank you! I plan to run for County Clerk in the year 2002. I have never thought about running for a political office until this year and didn't really know how to start the process. Your book is informative and well written and will help me bypass so many mistakes. Mona Myers. I used this book in my last election and found it very helpful. Barry Law. Hutchison, kansas. --Letters and Reviews from readers.
About the Author
Robert J. Thomas began his career in politics by accident. He began working for the City of Westland, Michigan in 1970 as a municipal worker at the Department of Public Service. Over his twenty years at the Department of Public Service, he held practically every job position available there from animal control to street plowing. He was heavily involved in the union, rising in the ranks from Union Stewart to Union President of AFSCME Local 1602. He negotiated contracts with several city administrations and during that time he slowly got involved in the political arena. In June of 1986, just six months into the city's newest mayor's four year term, Robert decided to run for the office of mayor in the election in 1989. He was given absolutely no chance of winning and was the underdog of a lifetime. He ran against one of the most powerful political machines in the history of Westland and even though he was outspent five to one and had one tenth the volunteers of his opponent, he won that first election for mayor by 200 votes. This was his first public election and he won it against all odds. Robert went on to win his first and second reelections for mayor by record landslides in his city. Robert has been involved in five elections personally, winning three out of the five. He had been involved in dozens of other campaigns and has advised hundreds of candidates around the country. In October of 2006, he was hired to speak at a session for the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association. The A.U.M.A. was founded in 1905 and they represent Alberta, Canada's 284 urban municipalities including cities, towns, villages and other specialized municipalities. Robert was the only American on the seven-member panel. He received the most questions, and spoke the longest. One of the comments at the end of the session came from an attendee of the session and his comment was, I was surprised to come to this event and discover that I learned more about running a local campaign from the only American on the panel. Robert is retired now and continues to write. He has written another political book titled How to Stay in Public Office which is available on Amazon.com. He has written three western novels and continues to advise political campaigns and candidates around the country.
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More About the Author
Robert J. Thomas began working as a meter reader at the City of Westland, Michigan, in September of 1970. He continued working there for 20 years literally holding every position possible from being the dog warden to cleaning sanitary sewers. He was heavily involved in the union for the Department of Public Service. He started out as a Union Stewart and worked his way up to being President of A.F.S.C.M.E. Local 1602.
Robert represented employees in binding arbitration and negotiated contracts with the city administration. The employees that Robert represented were virtually located in every department within the city, which gave Robert an insight into every operation of the city. He steadily became disenchanted with the city and how it operated. That is when he began to think the impossible.
He decided that the only way to really make a change in the city's direction was to be at the top and that meant only one thing, he would have to run for the Office of Mayor. The day he announced his intentions to run for Mayor, he was a sanitary sewer worker with absolutely no political background or experience and no money or support from any group or organization in the city. Yet, there he was, standing in front of a few local news reporters announcing that he was going to run for the top political position in the city. Overnight, Robert literally went from holding a two-inch sanitary sewer hose during the day to handing out political flyers and knocking on doors in the evening, asking people to vote for him for mayor.
He was laughed at by the newspapers. He was laughed at by the political pundits who all supported the incumbent mayor. The incumbent mayor had over $100,000 to spend on the campaign and Robert had to sell a car to raise his first $5,000. For every volunteer Robert had, the incumbent mayor had ten. The incumbent mayor had the endorsement of every group and organization in the community except two. Robert had the endorsement of his local union as well as the Westland Police Union. This was surely a battle of David versus Goliath!
Robert is always a person who thinks outside the box. He put together a campaign strategy that no one thought could be won. On Primary Election Day, he won the second spot by a mere 26 votes! Robert received less than 20 percent of the overall vote count, but that did not deter him. He continued working tirelessly and using some strategies and techniques that no one had ever seen in Westland politics before.
When all the votes were counted on the day of the General Election, Robert had won the mayoral election by a mere 200 votes and everyone was shocked; except Robert. Four years later, Robert won his first reelection by a record landslide in the city, receiving over 66% of the vote. His third reelection campaign was another landslide and record breaker for the city. Robert was Mayor for twelve consecutive years and retired in 2002.
While he was Mayor he wrote his first book titled, "How to Run for Local Office," which has now sold over 20,000 copies worldwide. This book includes all the tips, techniques and strategies that Robert used to win that first campaign against all odds. Robert has since written five other books including a series of three western novels based on the character, Jess Williams. He has recently finished the new second edition of "How to Run for Local Office," and is currently working on the fourth book in the series of western novels. He has written a science fiction novel, which he has not yet published. He now lives in Michigan with his lovely wife, Jill.
Robert represented employees in binding arbitration and negotiated contracts with the city administration. The employees that Robert represented were virtually located in every department within the city, which gave Robert an insight into every operation of the city. He steadily became disenchanted with the city and how it operated. That is when he began to think the impossible.
He decided that the only way to really make a change in the city's direction was to be at the top and that meant only one thing, he would have to run for the Office of Mayor. The day he announced his intentions to run for Mayor, he was a sanitary sewer worker with absolutely no political background or experience and no money or support from any group or organization in the city. Yet, there he was, standing in front of a few local news reporters announcing that he was going to run for the top political position in the city. Overnight, Robert literally went from holding a two-inch sanitary sewer hose during the day to handing out political flyers and knocking on doors in the evening, asking people to vote for him for mayor.
He was laughed at by the newspapers. He was laughed at by the political pundits who all supported the incumbent mayor. The incumbent mayor had over $100,000 to spend on the campaign and Robert had to sell a car to raise his first $5,000. For every volunteer Robert had, the incumbent mayor had ten. The incumbent mayor had the endorsement of every group and organization in the community except two. Robert had the endorsement of his local union as well as the Westland Police Union. This was surely a battle of David versus Goliath!
Robert is always a person who thinks outside the box. He put together a campaign strategy that no one thought could be won. On Primary Election Day, he won the second spot by a mere 26 votes! Robert received less than 20 percent of the overall vote count, but that did not deter him. He continued working tirelessly and using some strategies and techniques that no one had ever seen in Westland politics before.
When all the votes were counted on the day of the General Election, Robert had won the mayoral election by a mere 200 votes and everyone was shocked; except Robert. Four years later, Robert won his first reelection by a record landslide in the city, receiving over 66% of the vote. His third reelection campaign was another landslide and record breaker for the city. Robert was Mayor for twelve consecutive years and retired in 2002.
While he was Mayor he wrote his first book titled, "How to Run for Local Office," which has now sold over 20,000 copies worldwide. This book includes all the tips, techniques and strategies that Robert used to win that first campaign against all odds. Robert has since written five other books including a series of three western novels based on the character, Jess Williams. He has recently finished the new second edition of "How to Run for Local Office," and is currently working on the fourth book in the series of western novels. He has written a science fiction novel, which he has not yet published. He now lives in Michigan with his lovely wife, Jill.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The best one yet!,
This review is from: How to Run for Local Office, Revised-second edition, 2008. An extensive step-by-step guide to help you win your election, along with valuable advice for you after you take office. (Paperback)
I bought this book because I want to run for a township trustee's position. I found the advice so dead on and so informative, I had to actually change my campaign plan. After reading this book, I realized that I would have made some big mistakes in my campaign. I would have wasted a lot of money amd a lot of hours of hard work and it would have decreased my odds of winning. Now, with this campaign bible in my hands, I will avoid those mistakes and I know that I will have a much better shot at winning my election. And, if I win, there is a lot of advice to elected officials that will keep me from making some of the mistakes that many newly elected officials usually make. If you are going to run, do not do it without reading this book first!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I highly recommend this book!!!,
This review is from: How to Run for Local Office, Revised-second edition, 2008. An extensive step-by-step guide to help you win your election, along with valuable advice for you after you take office. (Paperback)
I bought this author's first book on the subject and won a seat on the school board. Now I have purchased this new second edition and will use it for a run for a council seat in 2009. The first edition was great, but this second edition has so much more information in it.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Must Have!,
This review is from: How to Run for Local Office, Revised-second edition, 2008. An extensive step-by-step guide to help you win your election, along with valuable advice for you after you take office. (Paperback)
"Love the book! It has everything in it I need to know to put together a great campaign strategy for a future run for a city council seat. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it also had tons of advice for a candidate after they win. I even found a separate chapter dedicated to candidates who run and win legislative seats like council, township trustee, etc. If you plan on running for political office, you will find this book very helpful.
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