Now You've Won! - Now What?
The campaign was demanding, but it paid off on Election Day. The voters chose you and your good ideas for improving the community. You will soon to take the oath of office, so these are your marching orders:
Wrap Up Your Campaign
As you prepare to take office, you must also wind down your campaign. Pick up your signs. Close your campaign office. Arrange to pay any outstanding campaign debts. Thank all those who helped in your victory. With Chapter 46 of Down-Ballot Winner as your guide, wrap up your campaign in the best, most honorable way. Not only is it right, it can pay off later should you run for re-election. Now is the time to analyze your campaign for ways to improve if you run again as discussed in Chapter 48.
Practice Humility
A win this time never implies a win the next, so never let it go to your head. Real winners are elected officials who avoid arrogance, know that the rules apply to them as well as everyone else. You got where you are because of how you presented yourself and what you promised.
From day one of your term onward, fulfill the trust voters placed in you. Follow through on your campaign promises while giving your very best to the community. Never think that you know it all just because you hold elected office. Your community is served better when you are humble.
Assume the role of rational, supportive office holder, a leader. Keep pride over your victory to yourself. You won, and now it is time to govern. Begin by reaching out to everyone in an effort to heal from the recent election.
Thank all who supported you and your campaign. Pay your debts. Keep your Website active and post positive comments on it. Whether you run again or decide against it, maintaining strong connections keeps options open.
Heal Wounds
In your opinion, you ran a compelling, upbeat issues-oriented race. Others disagree. You know which individuals and interest groups may still feel hurt by you during your campaign. Now is the time to reach out to them and continue to do so while in office. Many who opposed you will never support you, but show them that you are reasonable nevertheless. Mend fences. Find common ground. Ask their opinions on how the community can be best served. Indicate that your door is always open. Your job as an elected official is made easier when you take that stance. Who knows? Some may decide to back you in a bid for re-election.
Learn from Now and Then
Learn how the meetings work before you take office so that you are prepared. Meet with each member of the school board, city or county council or utility district you will join and ask these questions:
What key issues will be tackled next year? In the next four years?
What is your take on recent controversial policy decisions?
What are the rules of meeting decorum?
What informal policies help the board maintain trust among the group?
How do you respond to new information?
How do you prefer to be addressed in public?
Are there other issues I should know about?
Know that there are official and unofficial operating rules. Learn the norms of the elected body. A foundational norm for all policy-making bodies is trust among members. For example, members of city council in Bothell, Washington imposed a No Surprises Rule whereby new or critical material would not be brought forward during a public meeting by members or staff. Another is that members and staff are not to advance their personal agendas by first going to the media in an effort to sway policy making their way.
Another source for information is former members of the board or council you will join. They can be a wealth of intelligence about recent battles and how they were resolved. Former members can also advise you on how decisions are made and how a majority consensus is achieved. And they can alert you to any idiosyncrasies of certain members and suggest how best to work with them.
Before you are sworn in, attend the meetings. Always be respectful and a good listener, for the others know more about the council, commission, or board than you do right now. Then when you are sworn in, you are prepared.
Go to the Top
Whether superintendent of public schools, clerk of the commissioner’s court, or city manager, each is a key administrative officer with one mission: To do the best job representing the district’s, city’s or county’s interests. Meeting you is a high priority because his or her continued employment very well hinges on the approval of a majority of the board. Therefore, administrative officers want to stay on good terms with every elected member of their council, board or commission.
Contact the State Association
All local governments belong to associations which provide tutorials with what newly-elected officials must know to be effective members of their governing bodies. Association Websites offer many informational documents to download and read before taking office. And many offer on-line and in-person training sessions early each calendar year for the newly elected. Take advantage of as many as you can as early as you can so that when you take office and make your public debut, you exhibit the confidence of a pro.
Seek Out Fellow Up-ballot Winners
If you won a race for state representative or senator, take advantage of the wealth of information offered by your party’s majority or minority leaders. Learn the rules early from current and past party leaders. And as for lobbyists, expect to be in the loop soon as they line up early to meet with you.
Reach Out to Reporters
It is common for the same reporter who covered your campaign to have the city, county, state legislature, and/or school board beat. Whether the reporter favored you, was neutral or even opposed you, consider him or her a potential ally now, one who may write favorable stories about you. Work to build a positive relationship by asking the reporter’s advice on potentially significant topics and possible sleepers.
Know Robert’s Rules of Order
The elected body you will join uses specific operating rules. For most it is Robert’s Rules of Order which defines every facet of meeting conduct: When, how, what may be discussed; what it takes to approve policy; who can speak and when. Ask members of the body you will join how they apply Robert’s Rules. Borrow a copy from your library and review it before your first meeting. Though seldom is someone expected to be versed on every nuance of running a meeting, it never hurts to have a good general understanding of Robert’s Rules of Order. You never know when you might need it to prevent a rogue member of your council or commission from attempting a quick and dirty parliamentary move.
Learn About and Honor Open Meetings Requirements
In efforts to keep a majority of members of any board from meeting in private and deciding on policy, most states and some local jurisdictions impose open meetings laws. Fundamental to most of them is that a majority of an elected governmental board cannot meet in private for any purpose. Limited exceptions are pending litigation, and personnel and/or real estate matters. Each state’s requirements are unique, and about the time you take the oath of office, you will be told what pertains to your jurisdiction.
Sample Open Public Meetings Act
Washington Municipal Research Center and Services defines the Washington State Open Public Meetings Act to: “require that all meetings of governing bodies of public agencies, including cities and counties, be open and accessible to the public. A meeting generally includes any situation in which a majority of a city council, board of county commissioners, or other governing body (including certain kinds of committees) meets and discusses the business of that body. In order to be valid, ordinances, resolutions, rules, regulations, orders, and directives must be adopted at public meetings. The Act contains specific provisions regarding: regular and special meetings; executive sessions; types of notice that must be given for meetings; conduct of meetings; and penalties and remedies for violation of the Act.”
The Take Away
Each path traveled by an elected office holder is unique, so consider this chapter a general guide to help you prepare for and travel yours. All the best to you as you serve your community.
