1. Preface

2. Why This Book (The Author's Story)

3. Should You Run?

• You don't need to be popular to win a school election.
• Students get tired of seeing the same people always win.
• You absolutely can't win if you don't try.

• BE YOURSELF! Be honest, be sincere, be genuine.
• Be a friendly "people person" and talk to everyone.
• Start as EARLY as possible!
• Strive to be a peer, not a politician.
• Don't try to make your opponents look bad. It just makes you look like a jerk.
• Be confident and positive, but don't get cocky or arrogant.

• Don't be overly serious.
• You're not being graded. Remember why you're there and who you're talking to.
• Don't expect your speech to miraculously come together while you're up there. Prepare and practice it beforehand!
• To be comfortable and natural while speaking in front of an audience, just speak from the heart about what you're saying, and don't worry about speaking "correctly."
• Some ways to be more comfortable while giving a speech
• The confidence you demonstrate while you're speaking is just as important as what you're saying.
• Don't list everything you've ever done -- nobody cares. Keep it SHORT, or you'll lose your audience.
• Talk about real issues and what you plan to do for the school.
• But don't promise something you can't deliver.
• Most campaign speeches are boring. Make yours fun!
• There's a difference between being funny and being stupid. Don't make your whole campaign into a joke, and don't do something you'll be embarrassed if people remember.
  
  
• IDEAS FOR SPEECHES

• It's the STUDENTS who will be voting. Go meet them!
• You don't have to be friends with everyone to be friendly.
• Be aware of what voters want. Ask them. Listen to them.
• Not everyone votes. Go after the ones who don't. If you ask them to vote, you're asking them to do you a favor.
• Get people involved in helping your campaign.

• Nobody ever votes for a name they don't recognize. Posters should remind everyone that you're running.
• Post interesting things in clever places.
• Get your poster noticed from among the sea of posters.
• Miscellaneous
  
  
• IDEAS FOR POSTERS

• What can you hand out?
• Bribery
• Giving stuff away doesn't guarantee votes.
• Beware: attempting to bribe voters can backfire.