Organizing to Win: The Art & Science of Running for Office

Jimmy Tickey is a trusted political voice, providing guidance to local, state, and federal campaigns and political parties. An elected At-Large Member of the Democratic National Committee, Tickey has been elected as the Connecticut Democratic Party Vice Chair since 2022, leading training and mentoring efforts, and appears regularly on television on behalf of the Democratic Party. Tickey has run successfully for local office, where his electoral support broke records, and continues to be deeply involved in the Naugatuck Valley, and across the State of Connecticut. Organizing to Win: The Art & Science of Running for Office is Tickey's first book.

Learn more about Organizing to Win: The Art & Science of Running for Office - including free downloadable guides - by visiting OrganizingtoWin.com.

In this Note from the Author, Jimmy Tickey explains the idea behind Organizing to Win and the process he took for nearly two-years to research, write, and develop this how-to book, which responds to the idea: Imagine what our democracy could look like with a more engaged citizenry. Further, the author thanks those who helped to make this book - and audiobook - happen with personal acknowledgements.

Learn more about Organizing to Win: The Art & Science of Running for Office - including free downloadable guides - by visiting OrganizingtoWin.com.

Our government was first constituted with the words: We the people. One of the signers of the Declaration of Independence was one of the most influential citizens in our history, Benjamin Franklin. When he was asked what type of government the Constitutional Convention adopted, he said, “A republic, if you can keep it.” Our democracy needs care; it thrives when citizens participate, and it weakens when citizens don’t. When our democracy is ignored, or faced with threats, you must wonder if it can withstand such treatment since our institutions are only as strong as those individuals within them. If we are to strengthen democracy, we must participate, run for office, and step into leadership roles.

In this final chapter, we will take the long-view on American leadership, public service, and why you are needed right now in this space.

Learn more about Organizing to Win: The Art & Science of Running for Office - including free downloadable guides - by visiting OrganizingtoWin.com.

Running for public office is a lesson in listening and understanding those kitchen table conversations: voters’ fears, frustrations, needs and wants, and hopes for their future. Succeeding in public office means you can weave all that together and make government actually work for people, and improve working people’s livelihoods—increasing freedoms and economic opportunity—by making life better. 

In this thoughtful episode, we will dive into data showing where voters really are these days, and outline the 10 steps we taught you in this book to organize your community. When you do this, you won’t just be campaigning for office, you’ll be strengthening our democracy with each election. Doesn’t that give you hope?

Learn more about Organizing to Win: The Art & Science of Running for Office - including free downloadable guides - by visiting OrganizingtoWin.com.

You’ve been on a journey of running for, and winning, public office. The truth is, voters have been on a journey, too. From awareness about the election, to considerations for the candidates, and processing their beliefs, they made the decision to vote and participate in our democracy. Especially when most are elected for only two years, you’ll find that once you move through your first hundred days with your team, suddenly you are looking at your re-election. No two elections are the same. In fact, what has worked in the past may not be what works in the future. Can’t you feel things changing out there? 

In this episode we will dive deep into year-round organizing and how your campaign, or political party, can create an operation where teams are on the ground talking to voters year-round.  After we establish how to do this, we will share 30 ideas for reinvigorating your local campaign or political party.

Learn more about Organizing to Win: The Art & Science of Running for Office - including free downloadable guides - by visiting OrganizingtoWin.com.

Whether ​y​ou are a volunteer, intern, campaign manager, or a senior employee, the public views us all the same: staff. It’s similar to people not knowing what exactly each level of government does—local, county, state, and federal; official office or the campaign side. It’s as if anyone who does anything with politics works in one large building that has GOVERNMENT written on it, and everyone there is, you guessed it: staff. Titles are a funny thing in politics, but at the end of the day being a staffer is about making sure the candidate is successful. 

In this episode we discuss what it's like being a staffer in politics and government, and review 13 life lessons for those working in politics.​ This one's for you, staffer.

Learn more about Organizing to Win: The Art & Science of Running for Office - including free downloadable guides - by visiting OrganizingtoWin.com.

Campaigning and governing are codependent, and while one needs the other, they are very different efforts. Some people are excellent at campaigning—building coalitions, connecting with voters, and showing a vision for the future—but discover governing is not easy. Others would make a very able elected official but have not found their way out of a campaign successfully.​ Once that campaign concludes and you are elected, you will find you are now in a position to make life better for people in your district. 

In this episode we will review your first 100 days in office, and key tenets to guide you as you serve in office. From natural disasters to staying engaged with the public​ and forming your first team—we have you covered​ as you begin your journey of public service.

Learn more about Organizing to Win: The Art & Science of Running for Office - including free downloadable guides - by visiting OrganizingtoWin.com.

Whether ​y​ou are a volunteer, intern, campaign manager, or a senior employee, the public views us all the same: staff. It’s similar to people not knowing what exactly each level of government does—local, county, state, and federal; official office or the campaign side. It’s as if anyone who does anything with politics works in one large building that has GOVERNMENT written on it, and everyone there is, you guessed it: staff. Titles are a funny thing in politics, but at the end of the day being a staffer is about making sure the candidate is successful. 

In this episode we discuss what it's like being a staffer in politics and government, and review 13 life lessons for those working in politics.​ This one's for you, staffer.

Learn more about Organizing to Win: The Art & Science of Running for Office - including free downloadable guides - by visiting OrganizingtoWin.com.

We’ve come a long way from that first kitchen table conversation and those summer days of door knocking, securing your party nomination, and managing the chaos through the fall. All of your hard work and months of planning have culminated in this moment: Election Day. 

In this episode we will review how your team should design election day for the candidate and volunteers, as well as how to hold an election night gathering and preparations for a too-close-to-call race, a loss, and a win. Now that the campaign is over, we are done, right? We’ve yet begun to organize.

Learn more about Organizing to Win: The Art & Science of Running for Office - including free downloadable guides - by visiting OrganizingtoWin.com.

It’s time to Get Out The Vote (GOTV), the final mission of your campaign to bring your voters to the polls. Nowadays, you are not building for Election Day, but rather peaking just as early voting begins. Early voting is defined differently in each state, but the goal is to be ready in those final days of the campaign when people start early voting, mail-in voting, submitting overseas military ballots, or sending absentee ballots before Election Day. Depending on your state, you may receive a ballot (or absentee ballot application) by mail, reminding eligible voters that the time to cast a ballot has arrived. 

In this episode we will teach you how to create a GOTV universe, and bring your voters to the polls to win. We'll also cover all the ways you can contact voters in those final weeks of an election.

Learn more about Organizing to Win: The Art & Science of Running for Office - including free downloadable guides - by visiting OrganizingtoWin.com.