Millions

at Stake

A Guide to Referendum Success

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Expectations�What do you want to learn today about referenda?

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Presenters

Janet Swiecichowski

APR, Fellow PRSA

janet@celpr.com

@jswitch

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Annette Eyman

APR

annette.eyman@PLCSchools.org�@AnnetteEyman

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Outline

Research

Planning

Citizens Committee

Implementation

Evaluation

Top Ten Tips From Award Winners

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What has changed from 2020?

• Election laws are changing! Meet with your elections commission.
• School Board Associations may publish timelines, training
• Mail-in and Early Voting
• Facebook Changes (will request your drivers license)
• Issues management - Economy, Civil Rights, Polarization, Pandemic

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No one-right-way to

win an election. �Do your research.”

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Tip 1:

All Politics is Local

Facilities study & campaign funded jointly by the �Board of Education and the �Board of County Commissioners, �at the request of the Superintendent

Current State

• Communication plan in place
• Support and trust with your community
• Makeup of your community
• How do they get information?
• Strategies to actively engage all demographics
• Social media strategy

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Love me suddenly doesn’t work!”

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– BRIAN WOODLAND, APR

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Pre-Election

Planning

• What are the election laws in my state/county?
• Research
• # of voters
• Voter turnout
• Past election results
• Early voting
• Pros/cons of general, primary, special, mail
• Timing of ballot language
• What kind of data can you receive?
• Think about Vote Yes Committee
• Determine decision making process
• Proposal Development

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Research

Qualitative

Quantitative

Proposal Development

Pre Election Planning

Current State of Communications

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What do you research?

• Messaging
• Level of Support for Proposal
• Hot Buttons
• Tax Tolerance

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Community Engagement

• One-way communication
• Communicating to
• Public hearing
• Influencing the �like-minded
• Products/ Propaganda

• Two-way communication
• Open discussion
• Community conversation
• Understanding those not �like-minded
• Process

What It Is!

What It Isn’t!

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Don’t

engage your community if you’re not listening

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Community Engagement Goals

To actively engage the community�in the decision-making process!

Focus Questions

Strengths of proposal

Concerns of proposal

Unanswered questions

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How do you engage your community?

• No one right way!
• Looks different depending on needs, makeup and level of trust in the community:
• Community forums
• Social media
• Small group presentations
• Feedback forms
• Survey data

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Community

Forums

• No Open Mic…
• Open to everyone
• Personally invite target audience
• Open presentation
• Small Group Sessions
• Trained moderators and recorders
• Other ideas:
• Carousel walk
• Large group processing at small tables
• Large group with feedback forms

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Small Group Presentations

Utilize feedback forms to collect consist information from numerous audiences

• Advisory groups
• Staff – Liaison lunches
• Parent groups (PTO and Booster Clubs)
• Key communicators
• Civic groups
• Retired Groups

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Other

Engagement

• Superintendent’s Coffees Website
• Allow for input �via surveys etc….
• Provide information – �ask triggering questions
• Respond to feedback

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• Social Media
• Know your platform for your community
• Have a social expert to help….
• Have established presence
• Consistency….. �Make it worth following
• Invite engagement

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Tip 2:

Market Your Engagement

make decisions �for their schools

COMMUNITIES

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Quantitative Data

Good Statistical Research Contracting with a Research Company

• Random Sample Phone
• Mail Surveys

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What do you do with data?

• Compile all of the input data
• Group into major themes
• Present complete report to BOE at a meeting
• Open to the public

• Share data with those in attendance
• Post the data on website
• Use the data to drive decisions

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Board Vote

• Ballot Language is Critical
• Keep it Simple
• Eliminate Legalese
• Unanimous Vote of BOE
• Be sure data is driving final decision

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Many elections are won or lost �on the day the Board approves the question.

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What is your Ballot Strategy?

• Special Elections - Presidential Election
• On or Off-year Election
• What Month?
• What else is on the Ballot?
• Early Voting - Mail-in Election -
• Resolution
• Ballot Language

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LA Unified: Nov. 2020 $7B Bond

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What research do you need �for your Election?

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�You have to have a plan that is �acceptable for the community; it can’t �be the superintendent’s pipedream.

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Planning

• Specific Objectives
• Audiences
• Geographic
• With or Without Children
• Employees
• Opinion Leaders, Elected Officials
• Strategies
• Tactics/ Tools / Materials / Budget
• Timeline and Responsibility

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Five things all districts must have

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Research

Channels to reach targeted audiences

Network of opinion leaders

Internal audience (people trust people, not systems)

�Working with principals; front office staff and custodial team

Key messages - pillars

�Positive/intellectual campaign: Talking about success and focus on kids and learning

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Building your team

• Role of District comms and superintendent - Strategy team
• Citizens Committee
• Role of Staff-Teachers
• Role of Board
• Role of Parent-Teacher groups
• Caution: use of school resources is illegal for advocacy

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Planning

• Strategies
• Messaging – Storytelling
• Advocacy vs Information�(you have to talk about it)
• Message Framing
• Pre-empt the Opposition
• 30-3-30 Rule
• 1-Min Video (150 words)

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Tip 3:

Focus on Kids and the Future

Face-to-face

Digital Media

Media Relations

Internal Comms

Third-party Endorsements

Rapid Response to Rumors

Website Strategy

Get Out the Vote

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Tip 4:

Information vs Advocacy

�If your citizen’s committee is working on the what is needed and why,� then district hasn’t done its job.

Advocacy needs to focus on GOTV

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Tip 5:

District and Citizens Aligned

Questions to Answer

• What are you proud of? What can people support?
• How do you measure success?
• What are your outcomes?
• What challenges do you face?
• Why invest in our schools?
• How will funds be spent?
• What happens if voters don’t approve it?
• How much will it cost me?
• Where can I get more information?

TODD RAPP, RAPP STRATEGIES (MN)

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Tip 6:

Brand it. Keep it Simple.

Tip 7:

Make it Visual

Tip 8:

Focus on Early Voting Mail-In Ballots

Rapid Response

• Issues Anticipation
• Research
• Growing FAQ for Volunteers
• Rapid Response to Issues
• Questions & Clarification
• Lit Drops or Social
• Do you engage on Social?
• Social Guidelines (politics)
• Community Pages
• Don’t argue with No Voters.
• Engage respected community leaders to respond (letters, posts)

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School Districts

have the right and more importantly the responsibility to share information and demonstrate a compelling need.

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Tip 9:

Active Citizens’ Campaign

Guilford County Schools

Committee

Roles

Bloomington Public Schools (MN)

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What are the top 3 things you need to work on for your plan?

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Implement

• Tools & Tactics
• Task list and timeline
• Who is responsible
• Continuous monitoring
• Social media &
• web measurement
• Feedback loops

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Tools and Tactics

Prioritize your tools and tactics

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• Talking points
• Graphics
• Website
• Volunteer packet
• Principal’s Tool Kit
• Presentation deck
• Shared drive (for materials)
• Video
• Social
• Feedback loop
• Local Media

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Spring Branch ISD (TX)

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Implement

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Websites

Keep it within your domain

Use a vanity URL and redirect

Watch and monitor traffic �& search activity

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Graphics and symbols

Brevard County Schools (FL)

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Social Media

• Social Media Strategy - Messaging and Graphics
• Own the Narrative - Information Easily Found on Your Channels
• Prepare Social Media Response Guidelines
• Know Your Local Social Media Landscape
• Activate Your Key Communicators
• If You Engage: Two Volley Limit

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Guilford County

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Kent ISD (MI)

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What part could Key Communicators play in your social media strategy?

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Cautiously

Optimistic

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Elections during COVID

• Shifted from in-person strategies to MORE direct mail, video, social, phone calls
• Increased touch-points and repetition
• Focus on HOW to vote safely
• Daily virtual calls with communications team & volunteers
• Won by 5 votes

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Parents of school-age children

are most likely to support

and least likely to make time to vote.

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Tip 10:

Celebrate!

Evaluation

• Results
• Voter Turnout
• Early Voters
• Precinct & Demographics
• Debrief with Committee
• Tactics Prioritization
• Post Election Survey
• Follow-up and Next Steps

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Bloomington Public Schools, MN 2013

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Quantitative Research

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Post Election Survey

What do you ask?

• Are you aware?
• How did you hear?
• How do you prefer to hear?
• Focus?
• Open ended?

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The day after your election

is the day you start working on your next referendum.

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What are the top 5 things you can use �from today?

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NSPRA Resources

• NSPRA Benchmarking Rubrics for School Communication
• NSPRA Election Success
• Millions at Stake: Referendum Success
• Guide to School Surveys

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https://qrgo.page.link/qPUoF

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Q & A

Annette Eyman, APR�Papillion La Vista Community Schools

Director of Communications�annette.eyman@PLCSchools.org

402-537-6209

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Janet Swiecichowski, APR�CEL Marketing PR Design

Vice President�Janet@celpr.com

763-559-6058

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