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Your Road to Office

Running for office lets you shape the decisions that affect your community. Work through the checklist below — your progress saves automatically, so you can pick up right where you left off.

0 of 21 steps complete

Step 1 of 6

Know the Requirements

Make sure you're eligible and understand where and how to file your paperwork.

Confirm you're an eligible elector — U.S. citizen, Iowa resident, at least 18, with voting rights intact
Verify you actually reside in the city, ward, or district (a PO box or property alone doesn't count)
Decide how you'll run: party candidate, non-party political organization, independent, or write-in
Plan to file your Affidavit of Candidacy and Nomination Petitions together — one without the other is rejected
Know where to file: the county auditor for county offices, the Iowa Secretary of State for state and federal
Confirm you're not seeking or holding another office at the same level of government

Iowa Candidate Guide ↗

Tips & Details

File your Affidavit of Candidacy with your Nomination Petitions — both must be filed together or both are rejected.
County offices file with the county auditor; federal and state offices file with the Iowa Secretary of State.
Iowa law prohibits running for or holding more than one office at the same level of government.

Step 2 of 6

Build Your Brand

A recognizable identity helps voters remember your name and connect with your campaign.

Logo

Your logo is the visual shorthand for your campaign — it builds recognition and trust at a glance. Keep it clean, lead with your name and office, and reuse it everywhere.

Website

Your site is the hub voters trust for real information — bio, platform, how to give, how to help, and how to reach you. Make it clear and easy to navigate.

Design a logo featuring your name and the office you seek (add a website URL or QR code if you can)
Register a short, clear domain — a mix of your name and the office works best
Build a website with your bio, platform, a way to donate, a way to volunteer, and contact info

Tips & Details

Keep your website URL clear and as short as possible — a mixture of name and office works well.
If no domains are available, consider adding words like “Elect” or “Vote.” Using the election year works, but you’ll need a new URL next time.
Domain registrars: NameCheap.com, HostGator.com.
DIY website builders with hosting: SquareSpace, GoDaddy, Wix, Webflow. Advanced: Elementor, WPBakery, BeaverBuilder (requires a web host).

Step 3 of 6

Set Up Fundraising

Contributions fuel your campaign — but Iowa requires careful record-keeping and reporting.

Choose an online donation platform (ActBlue for Democrats; numero.ai or DemocracyEngine for nonpartisan races)
Form a committee and file a Statement of Organization (DR-1) within 10 days of passing $1,000 in activity
Deposit every contribution into your committee account within seven days of receiving it
Calendar your DR-2 disclosure report due dates — late reports carry civil and criminal penalties

ActBlue ↗Iowa Ethics Board ↗

Tips & Details

We highly recommend ActBlue — a Democrat-only platform for online donations. For nonpartisan offices: numero.ai or DemocracyEngine.com.
The candidate is responsible for filing campaign disclosure reports (DR-2 and appropriate schedules) on or before the due dates in Code Section 68A.402(3).
Reports must be filed with the IECDB office by 4:30 p.m. on the due date. Civil and criminal penalties may apply to late filings.

Step 4 of 6

Get Your Materials Ready

Signs and literature build name recognition and give voters something tangible to remember.

Yard Signs

Highly visible symbols of support that build name recognition and momentum. Place them widely to signal the community is behind you.

Literature

A tangible reminder voters keep. Include your name, office, logo, and contact — plus a short bio, voting dates, and endorsements when you can.

Order yard signs from a union print shop — about 3 ft wide by 2 ft tall, printed on both sides
Create pass-card literature: your name, office, logo, and contact info at minimum
Add the union “bug” to your materials to show support for worker rights (optional but encouraged)

Tips & Details

We recommend purchasing signs from a union print shop.
Ideal sign size: 3 feet wide, 2 feet tall, printed on both sides.
While not required, adding the union “bug” to your yard sign is a good way to show your support for worker rights.

Step 5 of 6

Connect With Voters

Direct, personal outreach is what wins local races — and the data you collect is just as valuable.

Door Knocking

Face-to-face conversations persuade undecided voters and surface the issues that matter. Track what you learn at every door — those datapoints add up to thousands of votes.

Phone Banking

Reach a large number of voters quickly with a personal, real-time conversation. Great for spreading your message and identifying supporters.

Plan door-to-door canvassing and track every conversation — who you met, their issues, and their support level
Set up phone banking (OpenVPB if you're party-endorsed; use Google Voice to protect volunteers' numbers)
Write a simple script: your name, office, why to support you, endorsements, when voting starts, and your website

OpenVPB ↗

Tips & Details

If endorsed by the Scott County Democratic Central Committee or Iowa Democratic Party, use the party-preferred platform, OpenVPB.
Use free Google Voice numbers to keep volunteers' personal phone numbers private.
Keep your script simple: candidate name, office, why they should support you, endorsements, when voting starts, and your website.
Early in the campaign, don't leave voicemails — aim for direct engagement with voters.

Step 6 of 6

Stay Legal

Proper disclaimers keep your campaign compliant with Iowa election rules.

Add a “Paid for and authorized by [committee name]” disclaimer to your website, ads, and literature
Review the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board rules for complete, up-to-date compliance guidance

Iowa Elections & Voting ↗

Tips & Details

Your disclaimer should resemble: “Paid for and authorized by [committee name].”
This isn't definitive guidance — review the Iowa Ethics & Campaign Disclosure Board rules for the complete requirements.

You're ready to run! 🎉

You've worked through every step. The Scott County Democratic Party is here to help you file and launch.

Get Help Filing

Get In Touch

Have Questions Along the Way?

The Scott County Democratic Party is here to help you file, launch, and run a winning campaign — every step of the way. Stop by the office or reach out any time.

1203 Jersey Ridge Rd, Suite 7, Davenport, IA 52803

563-324-7699

info@scottcountydems.org