Just like the practitioners who went to bed last night without a clear winner in their contests, I’ve been through quite a few races that were too-close-to-call after Election Day.
The situation is this: You’ve been promising your exhausted team they were almost done and could get some much needed rest for a while now, but suddenly you’re facing a possibly week-long extension counting provisional ballots and maybe even a recount. It’s frustrating, and you’ve got to shift gears fast.
The two absolute musts here are staying positive and getting organized. Your team will take their cues from you, and if you fall apart, they will too.
Set up a central tracking system (Google Docs, Smartsheets, etc.) for ballot counts and keeping tabs on which staff and volunteers you can pull back in.
Speak to everyone you can, and get a feel for their energy level. Some will be too exhausted to go on, but others will be energized by the new challenge.
Speaking of staff, one of the rookie mistakes I see a lot of on campaigns is writing contracts that end right after Election Day, which leaves you in a position of needing to make some awkward phone calls. Be ready to have frank conversations about extending their time, and be clear about the new timeline and any additional compensation you’re offering.
Here’s a list of things to consider/keep in mind during this process:
- Call your lawyer immediately: Hopefully you have one on retainer. Sometimes the state or county party will provide one, but not always
- Document everything: Every ballot count update, every conversation with election officials, every shift you’ll need to fill with poll watchers, and keep detailed records of any voting irregularities.
- Track every ballot still out: Provisionals, late-arriving mail-ins if applicable, and set up a daily stats reporting system – something easy to send out to your stakeholders at the end of the day.
- Fire up your fundraising: Contact donors who you might be able to tap to help pay for the overtime.
- Get to scheduling: Create a calendar & start filling shifts for ballot observation – people can’t work 16-hour days — especially in overtime of the cycle.
- Keep your kitchen cabinet together: Set up regular check-ins with your team, party leadership, and lawyers so that you’re able to adapt your strategy to the changing circumstances.
Caitlin Huxley is a certified project manager and has managed campaigns since 2010. She is the author of Ancient Wisdom for Modern Campaigns: Lessons from Sun Tzu’s Art of War.
