Grassroots Campaign 101
The first question everybody is asking me is, “How do you expect to get elected if you aren’t accepting campaign contributions?”
To answer this, I should first revisit why I am not accepting campaign contributions. One of the problems we face is the lack of personal political involvement. People don’t go to precinct meetings of political parties. They don’t work actively for a campaign. If they do anything, they give money and then go vote. Giving money has become a substitute for civic engagement.
There is no way out of the present problems we face as a community unless large numbers of people get involved with their local government. I consider my campaign for Mayor to be a way for people to practice being involved with politics. The only way I can get elected is if people decide to take personal responsibility for getting me elected. That’s the plain and simple truth.
So what are some things that people can do to help my campaign?
1. Believe that this can be done. Municipal elections historically have low turnouts. A few thousand people committed to an idea can bring about real change.
2. Start creating the buzz. Tell people at work, family at home, people at church, friends at your favorite bar, the waitress at a restaurant – “Have you heard that that Bob Waldrop fellow is running for mayor?” People will ask some version of, “Who is Bob Waldrop and why is he running for mayor?” Your response should be something along the lines of, “Well I am glad you asked.” Then you can tell them about some of my ideas for local government, which are found on this website, and you can give them the website address.
3. Keep working on the buzz. Post comments/messages at Oklahoma -oriented blogs and message boards, Some lists of local blogs include http://www.blogoklahoma.com/ , http://okiedoke.com/blog/index.php , http://www.okiefunk.com/ .
4. More ways to create buzz. Write letters to the editor. The Oklahoman’s email address for letters is yourviews@oklahoman.com . Keep the letters strictly to a limit of 225 words or less and include your name, full mailing address, and phone number. Other local publications include the OK Gazette, Midcity Advocate http://www.midcityadvocate.com/ , the Black Chronicle, the Capitol Hill Beacon, and the Journal Record.
5. Make a list of friends, family, co-workers, and contact all of them on behalf of my campaign. Feel free to print any of the pages at the website to give to them. Call them on Election Day and remind them to go vote for me. Ask them to contact their friends, neighbors, and co-workers about my campaign. Remember “six degrees of separation?” which is the idea that everybody on earth can be connected to every other person via a chain with no more than 5 intermediaries? Well, I don’t know if it is true for the world, but it is certainly true for a smaller area like Oklahoma City.
6. We will eventually have a tool box of helpful items you can download, a template for a bumper sticker, a basic campaign brochure, stickers you can make. Make a home-made sign at put it in your yard!
7. Volunteer your special skills. James Branum is doing great work on this website, he can use help. Do you know how to create Podcasts? I’d like to add that to the website. An RSS feed is coming soon. Share your skills!
What’s the common denominator in all of these ideas? YOU, the person who looks back at you in mirror every day. If we are going to make a positive difference in Oklahoma City, there is no way to avoid your personal involvement. If Everybody thinks that Somebody is going to do this, then Nobody is going to do anything. And none of us are going to like what happens then. The local level is where your political efforts will give the greatest return. If we want to change things in Washington, we have to start right here in Oklahoma City. Do your part to make a positive future for yourself, your family, and everybody in this community.
Thanks to all those who are already working on this campaign! Sign up for the campaign discussion group and share your ideas and successes.
