What Are You Trying to Accomplish?
You do not need to pursue every goal. In fact, we recommend selecting one or two priority goals to anchor your engagement. Your choice should reflect where your organization has the strongest assets — relationships, communications capacity, or an engaged base of supporters.
Bottom line: you should always talk about your issue during the election cycle, but it’s even more effective when candidates talk about your issues. It serves to elevate the issue in the election narrative, thereby increasing your leverage to drive policy action when candidates are in office.
Those goals may include:
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- Communications: Elevate prenatal-to-three (PN-3) priorities as a visible and credible campaign issue so that supporting infants, toddlers, and families becomes part of the public conversation statewide.
- This goal is a strong fit if your organization has:
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- Communications staff or media relationships
- Strong storytellers or compelling local examples
- Digital reach or newsletter capacity
- Partners who can amplify messages consistently
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- Success looks like:
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- PN-3 priorities appearing in earned media and digital conversations
- Candidates are talking publicly about their PN-3 position and plans
- Early childhood is framed as mainstream, widely relevant, and tied to shared values
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- Policy: Build trusted relationships with gubernatorial candidates and campaign staff so PN-3 priorities are understood, taken seriously, and positioned for action during transition and governing.
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- This goal is a strong fit if your organization has:
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- Existing relationships with (either at your organization or coalition partners) with decision-makers
- Policy expertise or strong briefing materials
- Capacity for ongoing outreach and follow-up to all candidates
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- Success looks like:
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- Campaign staff know who you are and what you represent
- PN-3 priorities are discussed in policy conversations
- Candidates understand implementation realities and community needs
- There is a clear pathway for post-election engagement
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- Mobilization: Demonstrate broad, visible community support for policies that benefit infants, toddlers, and families during the gubernatorial race.
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- This goal is a strong fit if your organization has:
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- Engaged parents, providers, or community members
- Volunteers willing to show up and ask questions
- Partners who can coordinate visible participation
- Ability to organize turnout, story-sharing, or public engagement
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- Success looks like:
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- Candidates regularly hear from families and providers in public settings
- PN-3 priorities show up consistently at town halls and forums
- Community voices reinforce that early childhood matters statewide
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To determine which goal to prioritize, ask:
- Where do we already have influence?
- What is most missing in this race?
- Where do we have sustained capacity?
- What aligns with our longer-term goals?
- What would meaningfully move the needle in our state?
