Tips For Launching A Political Career As A Person With A Disability
An estimated 10.3 percent of elected officials in the United States have a disability, according to News Wise. While it’s great that there is representation, there’s room for improvement when it comes to these statistics — especially when you consider the fact that the overall disability rate in the U.S. adult population is about 15 percent. If you have a disability and want to run for political office, you can help close this gap.
Blogy Bay shares the following insight on how persons with disabilities can get involved by launching their own political campaigns.
Find a fitting position to run for.
Most people start their political careers at the local level. From joining school boards to sitting on city councils, there are many ways to enact change in your immediate community. The website Run For Office contains a database of more than 150,000 elected offices across the country. Use this platform to browse for a fitting position in your area.
Build a team to support your campaign.
Having a strong team to support your political campaign can improve your odds of success. You don’t necessarily need a huge staff to support a small local campaign. A campaign manager and finance director are usually the bare minimum and can ensure that your campaign is appropriately strategized and on budget.
Leading a team to help with your campaign can be approached like running your own business. If you need to either brush up on your leadership and business management skills or wrap up your education, consider taking online business courses. Earning a degree like an MBA adds to your credibility, and doing so online allows you to continue pursuing public office, as coursework is completed at your pace and wherever you choose.
Learn about issues in your community.
Understanding the issues impacting your community will help you formulate your campaign messages. Political engagement is the first step to understanding the issues. Pew Research Center highlights some ways you can get politically active in your community, such as attending local government meetings or contacting currently elected officials.
Attend local events in person.
Beyond political events, look for general community events you can take part in to connect with the public. LifeWire offers a list of apps that can help you identify useful occasions, including Eventbrite and Facebook Events. From protests to charity galas and volunteer initiatives, local events are a great way to meet area voters, learn what matters to them, and boost your profile as a politician.
Create a website to promote your run for office.
Your website is a great way to share information about your political campaign and introduce yourself as a candidate to the public. You can find cost-efficient graphic designers to help create a stunning platform online. Simply browse experts via criteria like delivery time, reviews, and cost to find the one that best fits your needs. In general, expect to pay graphic design rates of about $23 per hour depending on how experienced the individual is.
Get active on social media.
Once your website is up, you can use social media to promote it. Social media is also a great way to get engaged digitally with the community. This can be especially useful for candidates with physical disabilities that may impede mobility. Social Media Today provides a comprehensive guide to using social media for politicians. For example, they recommend engaging in conversation with your constituents. Don’t just post to promote — get engaged.
Even if you don’t win your campaign, simply by running for office as a person with a disability, you are making a difference in terms of visibility and representation. The above pointers can help you structure a successful campaign and improve your odds of success.
