Give a sigh in the knowledge a voter does not know every issue needing to be considered… so neither do you. Although, don’t forget you have multiple voters and therefore multiple issues with an importance to each of them individually.
So before the first debate, consider a few things:
1. Choose the Most Important. You can’t know every issue important to thousands of voters. You can pick three or four of the most important you will be able to influence when you win – remembering voters are issue-driven.
2. Issues Identified. With the issues identified, develop a message with solutions to all. As part of each message identify anything you will be able to improve. In fact, with each issue a solution needs to be part of every stump speech or sound bite you’ll face as you campaign.
3. How to Choose. Determining the issues to use in the campaign can be by following media in your area including social media and what is posted or “trending.” If the issues involve tax base, budgets needing to be voted upon, or funding – plan on attending city council, school board, commission, and legislative hearings where you can network and be seen.
4. Coffee and Pie. How do you issue-campaign? Go to the local greasy spoon and enjoy a pie and coffee with the voters. Find yourself at community fairs, church fundraisers, school events – talk and network with as many voters as you can.
5. Confidence to Take on Those Issues. Make sure you are speaking with confidence about their concerns. Speak as though you will make changes to the issues ID’d. Voters have to believe you’ve the confidence to solve or change the issue driving them to vote.
6. Packaging the Issues. Voters have to be moved from being “issue driven” to “candidate driven.” The packaging of those three or four issues can accomplish that and win the election. Voters want to see someone confident in themselves and personable. Someone they see and believe can be the leader to make their lives better. As a candidate the voter will judge you by knowledge of issues, your stand and how a vote for you is going to change the direction of their lives.