Policy Templates: Themes & Issues

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Leading Policy Themes Template

Leading Policy Themes Template

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Policy topic research template

Summary

Sample template for mapping campaign policy themes and researching key issues.

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More Information

Communications and policy provide the "content" for a campaign. Policy focuses on what the candidate stands for and what he or she is promising to do if elected.

A thoughtful, well-researched policy agenda that resonates with the local community can help show seriousness and provide voters with a clearer picture of what they are choosing.

The core policy document of a campaign is a platform: an expression of the candidate's policy commitments or promises. The use and nature of policy platforms within municipal and school board campaigns varies. Some candidates do not use a platform at all. For others, the platform consists or a few bullet points or sentences on a piece of campaign literature or website. Still others produce more detailed platform documents outlining specific policy proposals and themes. Policy is most important for campaigns that wish to issue a more detailed platform. But even where the platform is minimal or non-existent, there is still a role for policy. This can include developing responses to candidate surveys, helping to prepare the candidate for debates, developing responses to local issues that the candidate can use during conversations at the door, and responding to inquiries from constituents / voters.

This resource provides a template for outlining leading policy themes.