Five Common Mistakes Campaigns Make Early in the Election Cycle

It’s that time of year! California is less than one year out from the 2024 March primary and candidates have already or are preparing to launch their campaigns. As a political consultant and operative, I’ve seen campaigns make some critical mistakes in the beginning of the cycle. So make sure you do not make these five common mistakes between now and Election Day:

1) Spend too much, too fast.

This is by far one of the most common mistakes I see candidates make. As soon as they launch, candidates want full-time staff, yard signs and t-shirts with their names, and fancy websites that cost over $4,000. Generally speaking, all you need to pay for in the first 4–6 months is a professional treasurer (more on this in #3), basic communications like website and emails, and a fundraiser if you don’t think you can fundraise alone (or if you are in a state or federal race). Everything else can wait several months and can be handled by friends, family, and dedicated volunteers.

2) Not prioritizing fundraising.

This goes hand-in-hand with #1. You definitely don’t want to be spending money, but that won’t be an issue if you’re not raising any (unless you plan on going into debt). Depending on the timeline, candidates should spend the first 3–6 months of their campaigns fundraising about 70% of the time. The other 30% should be spent on securing early endorsements from key organizations and individuals. Hitting your fundraising goal early will allow you to spend the majority of your funds on voter communications and focus on the important things closer to Election Day.

3) Fail to hire a professional treasurer.

Something you definitely want to spend money on is a professional campaign treasurer. They will file the right paperwork, report donations properly and on time, and keep you and your team from paying frivolous fees for avoidable mistakes.

4) Underestimate the importance of a clear campaign message.

This one is clear. Make sure you know why you are running and stay on message.

5) Go off course and ignore the campaign plan.

This is similar to #4, but I’ve noticed it tends to be harder for candidates to follow. Once you create your campaign plan with your advisor(s), it is important to stick to it. Barring significant campaign or political changes, sticking to your campaign plan will keep you from getting distracted by the shiny things on the campaign trail. It is your job to say yes to the things that align with your message and your plan, and no to everything else.

Time and money are precious for the next year. Spend both of them well.

This piece was written by: Mari Latibashvili at Evinco Strategies.

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