1. Facilitating A Successful Levy Campaign
Dave Kielmeyer
Vice President Funk Luetke Skunda Marketing

2. Agenda Current levy environment Early considerations Know your voter
Cultivate the “Grass tops”
Building an infrastructure
Implementing the campaign

3. Current Levy Environment
Skepticism is widespread
Economic times are tough
Growing number of tax issues
Local issues bear brunt of tax frustration
“No New Tax” attitude
New tax initiatives have low passage rate
Renewal and replacements more successful

4. Current Levy Environment
No one pays attention
Saturated lifestyle
Information overload

5. Current Levy Environment
The Good News
The public will accept a contract
Voter empathy for MRDD
Social service requests often more palatable
less money than “big-ticket” measures like schools

6. Early Considerations Business case
What do we want? What do we really need?
What is the public benefit?
Quantify the ask
Do the numbers add up?

7. Early Considerations The importance of research
What does the public think?
What does community leadership/political leadership think?

8. Know Your Voter – Secondary Research
Previous vote history
Who has supported us in the past
Who has voted against us in the past
General election vs. special/primary election
Absentee voters

9. Know Your Voter – Primary Research (Polling)
Who do we talk to? How?
Likely voters based on vote history
Random sample of at least 300
Phone survey

10. Know Your Voter – Primary Research (Polling)
What do we ask?
Attitudes about MRDD programs and services
Attitudes on board’s money management/fiscal responsibility
Message testing – would you be more likely to vote for if you knew…
Would they vote for levy
Amount of funding they would support -- New, Replacement, Renewal
Demographics – age, sex, race

11. Know Your Voter – Primary Research (Polling)
When do we Poll?
6 to 9 months prior to election to gather data to help make decision on feasibility of passage/what to request
“Tracker Poll” 2 to 4 weeks prior to election to see if anything has changed

12. Know Your Voter Election Environment Analyze the election cycle
Historically when have we been the most successful? Primary?, General Election?, Large Turnout?
Threats/opportunities
What else is on the ballot?
Optimize your turnout
Turnout the YES vote

13. Cultivate the Grass tops
Early, regular communications with:
County commissioners
Other local elected officials
Community leaders – business, service organizations, chamber, major employers etc.
Levy request must be politically palatable to leadership and voters

14. Building an Infrastructure
Leadership
Internal champion
External credibility
Financial point person

15. Building an Infrastructure
Winning with people
Building coalitions
Optimizing funding by Labor Day

16. Building an Infrastructure
Professional help
Research
Counsel
Campaign support
Criteria for selection

17. Building an Infrastructure
Pre-campaign support
Basic campaign case
Grass tops buy-in
Highly visible opportunities for public input
Raising awareness

18. Getting on the Ballot
Authorizing resolution must be passed by county commissioners
Deadline is 75 days before election
Know requirements and practices locally
Prepare all specifics of your request—amount of request, length of levy
Resources: Board of Elections, County Auditor

19. Implementing the Campaign
Theme
Peg to benefits
Keep it simple
Make it memorable

20. Implementing the Campaign
Strategic Plan
Voter targets
Tactical mix
Time line
Execution – who?

21. Implementing the Campaign
Direct Voter Contact
Absentee contact
Direct Mail
Speakers bureau
Phone
Events
Door-to-door
Poll greeters

22. Implementing the Campaign
Mass Media
Outdoor – signs vs. billboards
Radio
Print
Television

23. Implementing the Campaign
Free/earned media
Editor cultivation
Creative events
Case studies

24. Summary Assume voters will be ambivalent/skeptical/hostile
Find out where you stand
Get your act together
Pre-condition the grass tops
Make the campaign efficient
Enjoy your success