Identify the right elected officials for your advocacy needs

Identifying the right elected officials is the first step in moves management for government relations. You want to target elected officials who can get the best results for your organization. Once you identify the government entities you need to reach, there are two types of officials to identify: champions and decision-makers. 

First, determine the governing body you need to reach. Do you need funding from a county commission? An ordinance changed with the city council? Approval from a state licensing board? State statute changed by the legislature? Among the members of that body, list those who can become champions and list the decision-makers.

Champions are officials who have an already-existing affinity for your organization. Always start with elected officials who represent your organization’s district and your own district -- your councilman, commissioner, legislator, and Congressman.

Other champions can come from personal connections to your organization or cause. A little research through the Web and your internal files should yield a lot of information on elected officials. They may include:

• Donors to your organization or peer groups
• Alumni or former participants in your programs
• Outspoken advocates for your general cause
• Survivors of a disease that you research
• Officials who work in (or are retired from) your field

Decision-makers are self-explanatory; they’re the folks who decide if your proposals sink or swim. They include:

• Top leaders (mayors, commission chairmen, governors, lieutenant governors, Senate presidents pro tem, House speakers)
• Secondary leaders (mayors pro tem, majority and minority leaders, rules chairmen)
• Committee chairmen for your issue

Champions can be cultivated to introduce legislation or action on your behalf and can be cultivated as a surrogate to the decision-makers. Sometimes, your champions are also-decision makers, and that makes this process much easier.

One note: Take a multi-partisan approach to identifying elected officials to target. With few exceptions, most organizations can find support from legislators of all parties, which can come in handy in case of a sudden change of majority. Remember the adage: “There are no permanent friends, no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.” 

The next post will give share how you can cultivate relationships with both champions and decision-makers once you’ve identified them.