Welcome to Nuts & Bolts, a guide to Democratic campaigns. I’ve helped write this weekly series for years, using information from campaign managers, finance directors, field directors, trainers, and staff, while responding to questions from Daily Kos Community and staff members, and addressing issues sent to me via Daily Kos’ Kosmail messaging platform.
In the heat of a campaign, it is easy to lose track of everything that is being done for you. Wait, did you just drive through a Culver’s on your way to a town meeting 50 miles away? Use your own personal credit card for gas and now you need to be reimbursed? A staff member quit and you lost track of their hours? All of these things can happen, in campaigns big or small. But it’s easy to have these little problems turn into big problems if they aren’t acknowledged and then rectified to show that you are making every effort at clean campaign reports.
Otherwise, Republicans will make false equivalencies with their dark money, and many Democratic donors, especially those who don’t have a lot to give, will question where they should send their money instead. So this week, let’s talk about clean campaign finance reports!
Keeping track of payroll is job #1
No other item comes even close to this expense, which needs to be clearly documented, managed, and so clear that it is unquestionable. If you are paying staff, follow clean rules: Make sure no one can claim they were not paid so that staff who are in your service feel that they are treated well, and always document their hours and pay. Never let a member of your staff leave able to say that they were unpaid for their time working for you, or that they received less than what they were owed. These stories spread fast—and there is very little that hurts your campaign like stories painting you as a bad boss.
If you stay on top of your payroll, your reports also get easier. It keeps you aware of what costs you have in consultants, direct employees, and any other expenses, so you can keep a comparison going. If the overwhelming majority of your money is going into consultants, as an example, then you aren’t spending enough in communications and efforts to reach voters.
Keep track of payroll, and the rest of your campaign budget will begin to make sense.
Avoid undocumented expenses
Most states allow for a level of undocumented expenses. These are expenses, often below $50 or $25, that do not have a receipt you can turn in but are in support of a campaign. Frequently, this is a forgotten or lost meal receipt, or buying a cash item at a county fair or parade, for instance.
Undocumented expenses are too-often linked with forgetfulness: We know this was a campaign expense, but what was it exactly? This happens to the even the best-run campaigns. Yet the better your campaign is run, the fewer of these expenses you’ll have. That shows your donor base that you are paying close attention and making the best use of the money they donate to the campaign. Every office you run for requires some fiscal sense. If your campaign doesn’t keep adequate track of expenses, this paints a bad picture of the quality of the campaign you are running.
Win or lose, your campaign finance report is public, and speaks volumes about your future
Winning cures a lot of ills. If your campaign finance report is a mess, it will definitely help if you still win. Still, winning with a messy campaign finance report can also make you a target for a Democratic primary challenge or a Republican challenger who might see you as vulnerable during the next cycle.
I often spend weeks going through finance reports, and I dearly miss two of my friends from decades ago, both of whom would share with me their thoughts on finance reports in other states—what they saw and who did things well, and where things went off of the rails.
These reports made us break out yellow highlighters, and recognize where there were opportunities. For the last 10 years, I’ve taken time to look back at past campaigns and identify opportunities for new candidates—because they are running against candidates who showed they don’t manage finances well.
Nothing is secret
Your campaign finance report is not a secret: It is public record. Anyone can view it, and a lot of people you don’t know and will never meet will look into it. Am I the only one who spends some time going through the finance report of local elected officials in Joplin, Missouri, or Leavenworth, Kansas, or Cedar Rapids, Iowa? I know for a fact that I’m not.
This is what you face as a candidate. Your campaign finance report will color the way people see you after the campaign. It tells a lot of stories: about the people you associate with, the way you spend money, donors’ bang-for-the-buck, and the returns you receive. It shines light on your ability to raise money, and it shows where you prioritized expenditures: Were you focused on what it took to win?
Make sure the stories your campaign finance report tells will show you are detail-oriented. It will pay you back later.