Choosing the Right Political Office to Run For

Running for office is one of the best ways to make a difference in your community. Rolling up your sleeves and putting yourself out there as a candidate is the first step! If you're here, you’ve already asked yourself, “Should I run for office?” Now begins the actual process of choosing an office to run for. Consider which office is right for you, and why that one piques your interest in particular.

Align Your “Why” with the “What”

The elected office you choose can serve your passion, skillset, and experience all at the same time. Each candidate starts at their “why” statement and ends at identifying which political office to run for. Checking the responsibilities and seeing at what level that position lies will be key in your selection process. Will you have the ability to enact the specific changes you want to see in your community?

Running for office can be a long, and oftentimes, exhausting journey. At a certain point, you will have walked tens, if not hundreds, of miles around your community. Your campaign will have asked thousands of people for their support through their vote, time, or donation. 

When exhaustion hits, stay centered in your mission. Remembering your reason for running and what you’re hoping to do when you win is the best way to get through difficult moments.

Your “why” should be at the forefront of your decision. It’s the fire in your belly that keeps you moving. So, run for a position that allows you to work tirelessly on the issues that matter to you. Through your work, you’re developing a stronger, healthier community for you and your loved ones. It’ll make those early mornings and late nights worth it.

Find Your Key Issue

At any given time, politicians at many levels are working on the same issue to spark change. For example, if you’re motivated to increase the budget of your local public school district, you might want to run for city council versus state legislature. 

You can do impactful work at the local level, so definitely don't count out those down-ballot seats. Those offices can be as powerful, so research all your options.

Expressing your campaign’s core message connects you, as the candidate, directly to the issues. Using your personal story to guide your campaign crystallizes who you are as a leader. It also conveys why you are the right candidate to run for that office in particular. 

For a deeper dive into how to develop this messaging, the course Crafting Your Message can help. You’ll learn how to stay on message, tell compelling stories, and communicate with any audience.

Compare Offices

Now that you’ve identified the issues you want to work on, pinpoint what elected office addresses the problem. What are the policies mandating a certain issue, and who develops those for your city, county, or state? 

As you research, you might find that some elected officials took stances or helped enforce policies that held up progress. If you, at any point, question or do not approve of those actions, run for office and replace them.

Keep digging and find out:

• When is that position up for election next?
• Are you eligible to run for it?
• Is the incumbent running again, or will it be an open seat?
• Will you be battling another Democrat (the incumbent or others already eyeing the seat) in a primary, or are you likely to be the only Democrat in the race?

We have some resources to help you with this part of the process. One of which is our chart below! Another resource from Nation Builder allows you to enter your address to see a list of offices in your area. (Note: This may not be an exhaustive list, so we recommend doing your own research alongside offices in your area!)

Remember, no chart answers which political office you should run for. These serve as a guide in your decision-making. And, don’t fret. It may take you a few weeks to decide. Know that a decision as big as this deserves a lot of thought behind it.

Consider Constraints

Chances are, you aren’t a career politician with unlimited time and money to spend on your campaign. Most people who run for office have plenty of other important commitments, like family and jobs.

It’s important to consider your constraints—both time and financial—in your decision of which political office to run for. Some of the largest considerations come in the form of:

• Time Commitments: How much time can you all dedicate to the campaign and if you’re elected? Does that specific elected body (like a state legislature) meet year-round or only during a few months of the year?
• Geography: Will this position require a lot of traveling, how will that affect your life and family?  
• Finances: Will this campaign and/or position negatively affect your income, and how will you make up this income?
• Public Access: Are you and your family willing to be the subject of public attention?
• Family Dynamic: Are your loved ones willing to get involved with your race and how will your family respond to the pressures of running?

Remember, we’re only human. Recognizing these limits is never a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of proactive, responsible planning on your part. This also by no means indicates that busy people can’t run for office. 

Every office comes with its own unique set of commitments. So, you should consider what you’re willing and able to give to a position. So, if you have limited time, you might not want to launch a Congressional campaign—nearly a full-time job.

As U.S. Senator Dick Durbin once highlighted, running for a part-time office can often be the best option for you…

Even if the answers to some of those questions are difficult, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t run for that office. Look at Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 28-year-old Democrat who beat and unseated the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives in New York’s 2018 primary election. It can be done.

The Time Is Now

Maybe you’re passionate about education. Your local School Board would be a perfect office for you to consider. Perhaps you want safer, calmer streets and more bike lanes in your neighborhood. . Your City Council or county commission would be a great place to affect those types of changes. What matters is that you’re ready, willing, and capable of making the change you want to see. 

Public service is all about motivated individuals who choose to use their skills and passions to enact change in their communities. You are one of those individuals. So run for a position where you can pursue your passion, strengthen our democracy, and build stronger, healthier, and progressive communities! Get started today.