Introduction
Quick tips to think about in the lead-up to an election from a panel of political experts at the FWD+Organise Conference in 2024 in Naarm/Melbourne held by Australian Progress.
These tips were gathered by the Commons librarians from a panel of political experts in a breakout session called ‘What to do in the first 100 days: Building A Post-Election Gameplan’. The session was held in the lead-up to the Australian election, but the tips are applicable to any election. A list of resources under each tip has been added for you to explore further.
The panel included:
- Jo Scard (Fifty Acres)
- Maria Poulos (Australian Conservation Foundation)
- Andrew Hudson (Centre for Policy Development)
- Kirsty Albion (Australian Progress)
About the First 100 Days
The ‘first 100 days’ comes from when Franklin D. Roosevelt, the 32nd US President, was elected to power and he and his government made a phenomenal amount of change in a very short time including passing 76 pieces of legislation. For more see Why Do We Care About the First 100 Days? (David Roos, How Stuff Works, 26.4.2021).
Tips
Don’t wait for the election to be called – Start doing the work already!
The first 100 days of a new government is chaos! Don’t get obsessed with 100 days, focus on what you can do after the dust settles.
Start planning early, as by the time the election is called, the politicians will be too busy.
Have an adaptable strategy so you are ready whenever the election is called. Be nimble and be able to pivot quickly.
Start organising! Get communities involved now!
Make it easy for others to start being involved and have plans and systems in place for your communities and groups to start doing the work already, such as the ACF’s Community Hub for the Federal Election, which includes five actions people can do, training, and support.
Don’t forget to reach outside your bubbles.
See more:
- Elections and Activism: Campaign Skills
- Building Organising Leadership During Election Mobilisation
- Mobilizing for Change: An Election Campaign Guide for Single-issue Organizations
- Persuasive Conversation Campaigns Guide
- Deep Canvassing to Shift Hearts, Mind and Votes
Priorities
Be clear what your priorities are.
Have your lists of asks ready, such as the Australian Conservation Foundation’s National Agenda.
Focus on one or two things you can influence. What would you trade?
See more:
- How to cut the issue into bite sized chunks
- Choosing a Campaign Goal
- Choosing your Strategic Goal
- Tips for Policy Writing
Members of Parliament
Know who the leaders on your issues are.
Now is the time to have meetings with your Members of Parliament before election campaigning chaos.
Write to MPs and set up meetings now with the crossbench MPs.
Know who to engage with, whichever government is in power.
Meet the opposition now; they won’t want to meet with you after the election.
See more:
- Tips for meeting MPs (or asking your members to)
- How to Contact Australian Members of Parliament
- Set Up Letter Campaigns for Contacting Australian MPs on Action Network
- Lobbying Playbook: How to Guides, Stories and Examples
- Working with your Elected Representatives
- How to get your local MP to listen to your community: ACF Community Toolkit
- Lobbying and Advocacy: Start Here
Build Coalitions
Work in coalition with other groups that have similar asks.
Build networks and have monthly meetings. An example of this kind of work is the Places You Love Alliance.
See more:
- Organising Across Difference: Coalition Building to Win
- From Struggle to Victory: The Role of Civil Society in the Last French Election
- Coalition Building: Start Here
- How do you Build a Coalition despite Frictions?
- Spectrum of Allies
- Bill Moyer’s Movement Action Plan and Four Roles of Activism
- How to Build Networked Coalitions
Narrative and Messaging
Listen to the narratives and positioning of the major parties and have a plan of how to frame your narrative. e.g., ‘cost of living’, ‘working person’.
Build power by working with others and creating shared narratives.
Focus on your campaign messaging and get it right.
Don’t demonise political leaders – this is not helpful.
See more:
- Framing Issues for Social Justice Impact: Directory of Messaging Guides
- The Power of Story: The Story of Self, Us and Now
- Narrative Change Hub
- Lessons from European Election 2024: Toolkits for Organic Social Media
- Fighting Back Against Authoritarianism in Brazil
- Changing Beliefs Through Action at the Point of Assumption
- Campaign Research 101
- What we can Learn from the Marriage Equality Campaign
Trends
Look at societal trends, such as demographics that show who is voting is going to be different this time around. e.g. Federal election 2025 will be the first vote where Gen Z and Millennials outnumber Baby Boomers at the ballot box
Bridge the rural / urban divide and listen to rural communities.
What are you doing to focus on the hyperlocal?
See more:
- Rural and Remote Communities Climate Organizing Toolkit
- How Rural Organizing Can Build Power
- Community Mapping Introduction and Worksheet
- Digital Organising Tools to Reach and Recruit Supporters
- Navigating AI’s Role in Politics, Campaigns, and Advocacy: The TON Reading List
Pace Yourself
Pace yourself in the lead up to the election and then after.
See more:
- Campaign Wellbeing Bingo
- Activist Burnout Guide with Videos
- How Do We Keep Going? Activist Burnout and Personal Sustainability in Social Movements
- Personal Sustainability for Activists
- Wellbeing and Selfcare resources
After the Election
Keep chipping away, politics doesn’t stop. – Jo Scard
Keep going, whatever the outcome of the election – the work still needs to be done.
Be prepared to minimise the damage.
See more:
- Running Effective Campaign Debriefs
- Tips for Election Recovery
- How do we Encourage Activists to Celebrate Wins and come back from Losses?
- You’re not Failing, Social Change can Be Slow
- Reflections on Uncertain Times and Movement Moments
Explore Further
- Make the First 100 Days Count: Steps for Holding the New Government Accountable
- Elections and Activism: Campaign Skills
- Elections and Activism: Concepts and Tensions
- Elections and Activism: Case Studies
- Engaging in Elections and Building Community Power
- Building Organising Leadership During Election Mobilisation
- Mobilizing for Change: An Election Campaign Guide for Single-issue Organizations
- Building a Resiliency Network: A Toolkit for Building Community Resilience during a Contentious Election Cycle
- Deciding Whether To Do Electoral Organizing
- New to Activism, Organising and Campaigning? Start Here!
- Commons Librarians’ Recommended Resources for FWD+Organise 2024
- Other resources from FWD+Organise 2024