How Does Candidate Recruitment Happen?

Candidate Recruitment Doesn't Happen the Way You Think It Does… 

Candidate recruitment is an important practice, but contrary to the popular myth about how candidates are identified and supported, someone from the DNC does not appear on your doorstep one day out of the blue and proclaim that you should be the next state rep from Omaha. Good candidate recruitment takes interested parties, both on the candidate and organizational side, who care about their community and organizations and want to see real change.

Although there has been more organized focus over the years in candidate recruitment, most candidates who run for office are never formally recruited—they recruit themselves. They have experience and firmly believe that they can make real change in their community. Sure, legislative caucuses and interest groups try and get certain people to run, but this is mostly a chicken-and-egg process where folks are interested in good candidates and candidates are interested in running. 

Don’t wait to be recruited: Go to a training. Understand that you must make the decision to run as early as you can to plan your campaign. 

Understand the politics of your area: Local politics are not always as easy to understand as a surface-view may seem. Take time to get to know what it takes to move through local elections. Also, make sure you understand where local centers of power are and how to navigate them. 

Have a plan to recruit: If you are part of an organization that is interested in recruiting candidates for office, make sure you are on the lookout for folks who make a good elected leader. Building a list of potential candidates is a good long-term endeavor. Encourage those folks to go to training programs or create one for your organization. Successful candidate recruitment is a years-long effort that needs consistent care.

Find folks who care about your issue: Member events, fundraising lists, advisory committees, community forums, and event petitions can be great ways to find folks who care about your issue. Ongoing issue education is also a way for you to turn folks who are just learning about your issue into advocates. 

Define winnable districts: Not every district is winnable, and spending time running for a district you don’t have a chance in may not be the best option if there is a better district across the street or for a different office.

Should you run? Whether you are a candidate or an organization interested in politics, a drive to run is something that is built over time by the individual. Sure, training, resources, and engagement can help. The best candidates are those who have a personal conviction and drive to run. Organizations provide early training and outreach, but you cannot create the drive for public service—you must have that drive from within. There is good reason for this. Running for office is an entrepreneurial endeavor. You need to organize and get your resources together. Continuing beyond that, you need to have experiences that exude the confidence of your potential electorate.

Assessing viability: Smart candidates use the time before they run to assess their viability, the district and office they should run for, and what their resources will be. So, if you are thinking about running someday, don't wait for the phone to ring, and don't let someone tell you how great a candidate you would be, even though it is nice to hear. Do your homework and decide whether running for office and serving in office is really what you want to do.

Who makes the best candidates: Good candidates usually have strong community experience and are doing the job of an elected official even before they are elected. We see a lot of candidates who become appointed and elected as a second or third career. 

How early should organizations start recruiting candidates? The best candidate recruitment programs are consistent and years-long. They do not ebb and flow but keep going over a long period of time. A candidate recruitment program that operates only occasionally and when folks remember to do it will not be successful. Have a steady and focused program. 

Candidate recruitment basics: Don’t overpromise; be clear about what your support means and what it does not. Make sure you communicate with your members, board, and potential candidates what your program’s priorities are and what they are not. 

Define the difference between recruitment and endorsement: There is a big difference between recruiting and educating candidates for office and endorsing them. Make sure this difference is clear for your program. 

Consult with an election attorney and your board: Learn the legal dos and don’ts of candidate recruitment. Make sure you check back in with an attorney as your program evolves and changes.

Approach candidates who have run before: Past candidates can have a head start in running a defined audience, a public profile, a past donor base, and strong relationships.

Connect with appointed officials: Appointed officials have a public profile and can be great candidates for future office. 

What role should organizations play in assessing viability? Part of the recruitment process is a discussion about viability and what a candidate needs to do to increase their likelihood of winning in the future.

Define and assess the ongoing support candidates need: Training, mentorship, fundraising, and networking are just a few of the types of support that candidates need to run for office. Make sure you build a program that works within your resources to support your candidate’s needs.

Keep engaged with candidates who may run in the future: Build a program to stay in touch with candidates. Good candidate recruitment efforts are ongoing and do not stop. Continued communication can give potential candidates the support and confidence they need to build a potential run.

TL;DR: Running for office is challenging, and recruiting candidates to run for office takes time, focus, and planning. With time, you can make a big difference in your community. Remember:

• Keep engaged with candidates who may run in the future.

• Build relationships with past candidates and appointed officials.

• Start early and be consistent.

• Assess viability and have a plan to recruit.

• Track winnable districts.

• Learn the legal dos and don’ts of candidate recruitment.

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