HOW TO WIN A HIGH SCHOOL ELECTION
ISBN # 0-9667824-1-0
COPYRIGHT BY JEFF MARX
All quotes contained herein are copyright protected by their respective authors and are included here pursuant to express permission from each author.
No part of this book may be quoted or reproduced in any fashion whatsoever, in any medium, without advance written permission from the publisher. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. www.schoolelection.com
The Right Attitude
The number one most important thing you need to win a high school election is the right attitude.
That doesn't mean "think positive, gray skies are gonna clear up, the sun'll come out tomorrow, look on the bright side and pretend everything's Marsha Brady" -- it doesn't mean be fake-cheery and annoyingly-peppy -- it means be the right kind of person.
Elections are not like blind computer-graded tests where everyone is treated equally. Students vote for who they like, not necessarily who they think is best-qualified. The students who you think are most "popular" may not necessarily be the best liked. If they're snotty and disliked, your class may in fact be happy to vote against them.
Everyone has natural enemies -- you can't please everyone -- but for the most part, your attitude about the election, and your attitude in general (the way you treat people) is the biggest reason your peers will want to vote for you or against you.
A humble, friendly, fun, positive attitude will make people like you and want to vote for you. On the other hand, a stuck-up and self-concerned attitude will create enemies and resentment, and definitely lose votes for you.
Keep in mind that an attitude is something you carry with you at all times. It will come through to everyone around you in your speech, your campaigning, and your posters. It is the kind of person you should choose to be, not something you can act like.
Be a friendly, approachable, nice, easy-to-be-around kind of person (the kind of person who smiles a lot and is genuinely glad to talk to everyone), and you'll have a much easier time getting people to support you.
Elections aren't about posters, they're about PEOPLE.
Smile. Talk to people. You don't have to already be "friends" with people to be friendly with them.
Don't look at campaigning as something you've "got" to do -- look at it as something you "get" to do -- use it as an opportunity to have some fun, and as a reason to push yourself to be a little more outgoing than usual.
The number one piece of advice repeated over and over and over by more than 1,000 students about how to win a high school election was this: BE YOURSELF!
DON'T turn into Mr. or Ms. Slick Willie at election time. Don't plastic-smile and kiss babies. Don't pretend you're perfect. Don't try to be someone you're not.
Be relaxed! Be friendly! Just talk to people!
Above all, be yourself. There's nothing more appealing than someone who is natural and who doesn't put up a false front.
Your classmates have to want to vote for you. They will want to vote for you if they like you. They will like you if you have a positive, easygoing, accessible, friendly, and genuine attitude.
Honestly, who would really vote for the prom queen when she won't give you the time of day? Relax and be yourself, promote your ideas, and be friendly to everyone. Have a very approachable attitude.
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Lori MacEachern
Voter
Falmouth, Massachusetts
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Be yourself -- don't be fake, because people can ALWAYS pick up on it. It's annoying when candidates come around and pretend to be your friend just because they want your vote... Be real and you WILL be elected.
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Melissa Lynn
Student Council Representative
Jackson, Michigan
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Be sincere. Say things that YOU are really convicted about. Don't merely try to say what you think everyone else wants to hear. I can pick out phonies when they say things I've heard a thousand times before, or when their tone of voice sounds like they're reading off a speech their mommy wrote for them. When you are truly speaking from your heart about things you want to see happen and a difference you want to make, you will capture the voters' respect.
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Jennifer Tiffan
Club President
Mesa, Arizona
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Props and handouts and even a ton of posters don't matter. What does matter is meeting as many people as possible and remembering their names. Be personable. Shake hands. Give thanks to your supporters and volunteers in your campaign speech. Don't waste time listing your credentials. In most elections, all credentials are impeccable, and it just becomes a mess of organizations and awards no one remembers. What matters is the people.
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Chad Silker
Student Body President
Rochester, Minnesota
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Be nice to everyone. Most people don't even care who gets elected. But if people see your name on that voting slip and they think, "Hey, I remember that person, he/she was really nice," they will most likely check your name before the others.
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Melissa Lewis
Voter
Philo, Ohio
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Goals, platforms, etc. aren't very important. Let's face it, most of that stuff never comes true anyway and all the students know it. Instead, just try to be someone the students as a whole can relate to. People are much more apt to vote for friends than for politicians.
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Josh Bean
Voter
Colorado Springs, Colorado
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Real people get real votes. That is why the underdogs are sometimes able to win against the most popular kids in their schools. A relationship with the people and building the campaign from the roots up make all the difference.
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Emiley L. Erb
Voter
Chesapeake, Virginia
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Even if you are scared out of your wits, have an attitude of confidence -- but not arrogance -- people notice the difference.
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Shannon Hinkle
Class President
Clarksville, Indiana
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Don't say things like "When I am elected..." This tells people that you are too sure of yourself. You should say, "If I am elected..." This sounds a lot better, and it tells people that you hope to be elected, and that you're asking them to vote for you, not that you are already sure you'll win.
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Travis S. Rice
Student Council Vice-President
Davie, Florida
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Nothing astonishes men more than common sense and fair dealing.
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