Exploring the Significance of Municipal and Special Elections
Most people associate election season with the presidential race in November, but did you know that there are also many municipal and special elections held outside of the general election season?
In the years between presidential elections, people especially tend to overlook the importance of municipal elections, which have the power to impact communities more directly than a national race ever could. These are the elections that determine who will be making decisions on local issues such as taxes, public safety, education, zoning regulations, and other matters that directly affect our daily lives.
Special elections on the municipal level are even more overlooked, as they are held to fill vacant seats during the time period between general and primary elections. These can happen at any level of government and for various reasons (including resignation, removal of an officeholder or even death), but they’re often overlooked by the public due to lack of publicity and media coverage. To combat this lack of coverage, independent expenditure campaigns are a great tool to spread the word about upcoming special elections, especially on the municipal level.
This March, Sinclair Public Affairs worked alongside our client, the South Carolina Association of REALTORS®, to facilitate a successful independent expenditure campaign on behalf of candidate Peter Brown, running in a special election for Columbia City Council. If you’re not sure what independent expenditure campaigns are, check out Sinclair PA’s 2022 Independent Expenditure Campaign overview blog.
This independent expenditure campaign consisted of a mix of targeted direct mail and P2P texting communications. The South Carolina Association of REALTORS® chose to endorse Peter Brown because his campaign platform supported issues important to the real estates industry, such as property rights protection and affordable housing access.
Direct Mail:
Text Screenshots:
These communications resulted in a win for candidate Peter Brown, and were essential in generating public awareness, as well as a historic 17% voter turnout – a number that usually doesn’t exceed 5% for a special election!
If you’re looking for a partner to help you facilitate honest and influential independent expenditure campaigns, look no further than Sinclair Public Affairs. Our team is dedicated to providing expert guidance and support every step of the way – reach out to us today and discover how we can help you achieve your campaign goals.
