Running for Office With a Disability
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two people shaking hands with blue box underneath with white text “Running for office with a disability. guest post by ed carter, able futures
Running for Office With a Disability
Today is an exciting day on the WSB blog! Today we have our first guest post. Today’s blog post is written by Ed Carter of Able Futures.
A little bit about Ed Carter
Ed Carter thinks everyone, regardless of abilities, deserves the opportunity to serve according to the abilities that are innately in them. The future is made and each of us has the chance to make it better than today. Ed created Able Futures to help people with disabilities prepare for a secure and stable financial future.
The following post is by Ed Carter on running for office with a disability:
If you’re looking for ways to better connect with your world, running for a local or state office is a great way to start. Getting involved in your community helps you keep tabs on what’s going on around you while tapping into your inner passions. Plus, if you are a person with disabilities, it’s an excellent opportunity to raise awareness and teach that our differences do not separate us, but instead are what form our world.
The Early Stages
Chances are, you won’t get very far if you just decide to run for an office without preparation. And even if you do decide to throw in your proverbial hat, your chances of success without a little forward-thinking are slim.
Unless you’ve been around politics as a volunteer or community organizer, you likely don’t even know where to start. Fortunately, as Kiplinger explains, first-time candidates have access to many community resources. Political boot camps are an example. During these programs, you’ll learn the basics, such as how to target voters and assemble your team. You can also take advantage of career training opportunities that can help you master things like Microsoft Office and customer service.
What Team?
We mentioned learning how to assemble a team moments ago, and it’s important to know what that might look like. There are a few different people that you need in your corner, starting with a campaign manager. This person will need to be trustworthy, have leadership qualities, and must understand how to steer your campaign.
Depending on the office for which you are running, you may also need someone to handle finances and work as a volunteer coordinator. Even if you’re only running for a small, local office, you’ll also want to hire a social media marketing consultant to help you accurately convey your message across different platforms—and do so with accessibility in mind. You can network to fill any of these roles, or you can take to sites like Upwork to find a freelance professional with expertise in your particular area of need.
Ground Game
When you have your team together, it’s time to work on your campaign strategy. This should include, above all things, what’s known as a ground game. This is essentially how you get out and physically interact with the voters. Vox explains that, sadly, voters aren’t seeing enough of this grassroots-style interaction. You can use your ground game to get your name, face, and cause in front of the people that matter, and then your social media manager can use that to your advantage to bring even more attention to the campaign.
Little Reminders
If executed well, your campaign will leave a mark on voters. But you’ll also want to leave them with a physical reminder of your time together. This is especially important when you’re running as a person with disabilities so that your strengths significantly overshadow any potential perceived weaknesses. Flyers, buttons, T-shirts, and other trinkets with a great political slogan, along with your name and voting date, can help.
Cash Crunch
If you provide promotional materials, you will either have to pay out-of-pocket or raise money. When you do the latter, you must proceed as ethically as possible. During any political fundraising event, maintain honesty, financial transparency, and respect for your donors as well as the general public. You may also contact your party’s local headquarters to find out if there are any specific rules or regulations that you must follow, such as special accounting practices.
When you are passionate about a cause, the best way to get results is to take action—and there are few better ways to take action than to run for an office. Whether you’re an advocate for the rights of people with disabilities or simply want to make your home town a better place, running for public office can give you the boost you need to better your world. But remember, preparation is the key, and the actions you take now and the team you put together will direct your success.
Thanks so much to Ed Carter for the guest blog post! Check out Ed’s work at Able Futures!
If you are interested in guest blogging for WSB or have any topics you would like us to cover, please contact Lee Rogers at lrogers@wsblind.org or 501-664-7100