How to build a campaign budget for a local race

A campaign budget is not a guess about what races cost. It's a list of the things you plan to do, with a price next to each one. When you build it that way, the total stops being a scary mystery and becomes a number you can explain to a donor, a spouse or yourself at two in the morning.

You'll hear people say a county race "costs" some round figure. Ignore it. A race for soil and water board in a rural county and a race for city council in a growing suburb have almost nothing in common. Your district, your filing fee, your opponents and your own strengths will set your number. This guide walks you through finding it.

Start with your plan, not your money

A budget follows the plan. Before you price anything, write down in plain words how you intend to reach voters. For example: knock on doors in the precincts with the most likely voters, put up yard signs on main roads, send one mailer before early voting, and keep a simple website with your bio and positions.

Each sentence in that plan turns into one or more budget lines. If something isn't in your plan, it doesn't belong in your budget yet. That keeps you from buying things because another candidate did.

A few questions help shape the plan:

• How many registered voters live in your district, and how many usually vote in this election? Your election office or voter registration office can tell you.
• How spread out is the district? Door knocking works differently in a neighborhood than on county roads.
• Is there a primary, a general election or both? Each one stretches your timeline.
• What do you already have? A truck, a laptop, a printer and a friend who takes good photos are all real savings.

List every line item

Now turn the plan into a list. Most local campaign budgets fall into the same handful of groups. Use them as a starting checklist and cross off whatever doesn't apply to you.

Don't skip the small stuff. Clipboards, pens, printer ink and stamps feel minor, but they add up over several months. Put them on the list so they don't surprise you.

Price each line with real quotes

This is the step that makes your budget trustworthy. For every line, get an actual price from an actual vendor. Call the print shop. Ask your election office for the exact filing fee. Look up postage rates. Check the price of the domain you want.

Write down where each number came from. "Yard signs, 18x24, two-sided, quote from Main Street Print, good through June" is far more useful than "signs." If a number is a rough estimate, mark it as one and replace it with a quote as soon as you can.

A few pricing habits that help:

• Get at least two quotes for big items like signs and mailers.
• Ask whether the price includes setup, design, tax and delivery.
• Ask how long the quote is good for, since prices can change before you order.
• Price mail by the number of households you actually plan to reach, not the whole county.
• Remember that online donation services usually keep a percentage of each gift. Budget for it.

Add a contingency cushion

Things go wrong. Signs get stolen or run over. A printer raises prices. A race you expected to win outright goes to a runoff. A cushion keeps one surprise from wrecking the rest of your plan.

Set aside a percentage of your total as its own contingency line. Our budget builder suggests a cushion of 10 to 15 percent as a starting point. Pick a figure that matches how uncertain your quotes are. If most of your numbers are firm, a smaller cushion is fine. If you're still estimating, go higher.

Turn the total into a fundraising target

Once you have a total, work backward from the date you need the money. Signs and mail usually have to be paid for before early voting starts, not on Election Day. So your real deadline is earlier than it looks.

1. Add up every line item plus your contingency.
2. Subtract any money you've already raised or plan to put in yourself.
3. Count the months between now and your biggest payment dates.
4. Divide what's left by those months to get a monthly fundraising target.

That monthly figure is what you take into donor calls and fundraising events. Our guide on raising your first dollars explains how to start.

Know what campaign money can pay for

Your budget should only include expenses your state allows. Most states bar candidates from using campaign funds for personal costs. Some go further and name specific items.

For example, the South Carolina State Ethics Commission says campaign spending must relate to the campaign or the office, prohibits use of campaign funds for personal expenses, and says campaign funds may not be used to buy gas. Candidates who want travel reimbursement keep a mileage log instead. In Texas, the Texas Ethics Commission explains that converting political contributions to personal use is prohibited.

Your state's rules may look different. Before you finalize your budget, read the candidate guide from your state ethics commission or election office, and call them with any line you're unsure about.

Use the budget every week

A budget that lives in a drawer doesn't help. Put two columns next to each line: what you planned and what you actually spent. Update it each week when you reconcile your campaign bank account. That habit also makes your campaign finance reports much easier, because the numbers are already organized.

When you overspend on one line, decide right away where the money will come from. Either raise more or cut something else. Small decisions made early are far easier than big ones made in the last two weeks.

Ready to build yours? The free campaign budget builder lists the common line items, lets you add your own, adds a contingency cushion and shows a monthly fundraising target. Your numbers stay in your browser, and you can export them to a spreadsheet. Pair it with the habits in campaign recordkeeping basics and you'll always know where your money stands.

Common questions

How much does it cost to run for local office?

There is no honest single answer. It depends on your district's size, how many voters you need to reach, how competitive the race is and what your filing fee is. The reliable way to find your number is to list every expense and price each one with a real quote.

Should I build my budget before I start fundraising?

Yes. A budget tells you how much to ask for and by when. Without one, you tend to raise whatever comes in and spend it on whatever feels urgent.

Can I count my own money in the budget?

Yes. In many states your own money still has to go through the campaign bank account and be reported, so check your state's rules before you spend.

What if I can't raise enough to cover my whole budget?

Rank your line items so you know what to cut first. Decide in advance which items are essential and which are nice to have.

Sources

• South Carolina State Ethics Commission: Campaigns
• Texas Ethics Commission: Campaign Finance Guide for Candidates and Officeholders Who File with Local Filing Authorities

Rules change. Always confirm with your own state and local election offices.

Related guides

• Campaign budget builder
• Raising your first campaign dollars
• Campaign recordkeeping basics
• Filing fees and petition signatures