Candidate Endorsement Application

Candidate Endorsement Application Form

Unless otherwise noted, the information contained in this application could be shared publicly or with partners. All responses are required, unless noted otherwise.

If you have any questions as you’re filling this out feel free to reach out to us by email at endorsements@runforsomething.net
Alumni Incumbent Endorsement Application Form

This form is ONLY for use by a Run for Something alum who won election as an RFS-endorsed candidate, and is now running for re-election to the same seat for the first time as an incumbent.

If this does not describe you, please use our main candidate endorsement application. If you have any questions about your eligibility, please email ben@runforsomething.net.
RFS Qualifications
Your Name*
Enter your name as it will appear on the ballot and how you want RFS to refer to you in public facing materials (website, press releases, etc.)
Prefix First Middle Last Suffix
Office Level*
What type of office are you running for? RFS is not endorsing candidates running for US Congress, President, or statewide elections, (i.e., Governor).
- State Legislature (State Assembly, State House or State Senate)
- Municipal (Mayor, City Council, County Council, etc.)
- Education (School Board, State Board of Education, etc.)
- Law Enforcement (District Attorney, Judge, Sheriff, etc.)
Office State*
Office Location*
What is the location (city, county, etc) of this office?

For example: enter “Pawnee” if you are running for the Department of Parks & Recreation, “Bernalillo County ” if you are running for Sheriff; “Saint Sebastian-Santa Barbara” if you are running for School Board.
Office Title*
What is the name of this office?
- State House/State Assembly (Representative/Delegate/Assemblymember)
- State Senate (Senator)
- City Council (City Council member/Alderperson/Commissioner/Freeholder/Trustee)
- Clerk/Recorder/Assessor
- Community College Board
- County Board (Commissioner/Selectperson/Supervisor/Legislator)
- District Attorney/Prosecuting Attorney
- Justice of the Peace/Judge
- Mayor
- School Board/Board of Education (Board Member/Trustee)
- Sheriff
Office District
Does this office have a district designation?
If your position has no district (i.e., Mayor), please leave blank.
Your Birthdate*
Will your name appear on the ballot (1) as a Democrat OR (2) as a candidate in a nonpartisan race?*
RFS is only endorsing candidates on the ballot as Democrats, or in the case of nonpartisan elections, candidates running in support of values of the Democratic Party. RFS will not endorse third party or write-in candidates.
- Yes
- No
Have you opened a campaign bank account and started raising money?*
If not, it’s likely too early to apply for endorsement and we’d like you to apply later in the campaign cycle.
- Yes
- No
Is this the first, second, or third time you are running for elected office?*
If you have run for office more than three times and/or are running for re-election to the same seat, RFS is not able to endorse your campaign. RFS prioritizes endorsements for first time candidates.
- Yes
- No
Prior Campaign Details
If you have run for office before, please list the office(s) and date(s) your name appeared on the ballot. If not, enter N/A.
Prior Elected*
Have you been elected to public office in the past?
- Yes
- No
Prior Elected Office Details
If yes, please list the office you have been elected to and the dates you served.
Contact Information
Email*
Enter the email address we should use to contact you regarding your endorsement.
Phone*
Note: RFS may contact you by peer-to-peer texting at this number for endorsement related communications.
Text Messages*
I’D LIKE TO RECEIVE PERIODIC TEXTS FROM RUN FOR SOMETHING. MSG&DATA RATES MAY APPLY.
Your Location*
City State ZIP Code
Campaign Website URL
Enter the full URL address for your Campaign’s website.
Campaign Facebook Account
Enter the full URL address for your Campaign’s FB account.
Campaign Twitter Account
Enter the full URL address for your Campaign’s Twitter account.
Campaign Instagram Account
Enter the full URL address for your Campaign’s IG account.
Other Campaign Accounts
Please list any other accounts or websites your campaign maintains (ie, tumblr, youtube, snapchat, TikTok, etc.). If none, please enter “n/a”.
Personal Online Social Media Accounts*
Please list links to all social media accounts or websites that you actively use or have used in the past for personal usage, including, but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, etc. RFS will conduct an online review of your presence as part of a background vetting.
About Your Election
When is the PRIMARY election?
If you are running unopposed, please still enter the date of the Primary. If there is no primary, or it has already occurred, please leave this question blank.
When is the GENERAL election?*
Runoff election
If applicable, are there any runoff election dates related to your campaign? When is the runoff and what are the local rules for runoff elections?
What date did you file?
If you have not filed to run for office yet, please leave this question blank.
Are you officially on the ballot?*
If yes, please provide proof by listing links to any newspaper article, statement on election board website, etc. If no, please explain the timeline and your plan to appear on the ballot.
Who are you running against?*
Please provide full name and party identification for all of your opponents, and note if the incumbent is running. If applicable, identify your primary opponents and any declared Republicans/other candidates who have declared for the general election.
Are you running for an office with multiple representatives?*
For instance, a City Council, At-Large position where three people will be elected on the ballot for the same position.
Incumbent Party Affiliation
For the individual currently in this office, which political party do they identify as on the ballot?
- Democrat
- Republican
- Independent or Third Party
- Nonpartisan Office
Are you challenging an incumbent Democrat?*
If you are challenging an incumbent Democrat, why?
If the current officeholder is a Democrat and they are running for re-election, please explain (1) what policies and decisions they have made and/or (2) community interactions they have had that you disagree with and how you would respond differently.
What is the name of the committee you have filed with the election authority?*
Not sure what this is? Consult the RFS State Guides https://runforsomething.net/state-guides/
What is the population of the area you would be representing?*
(i.e., How many people live in your district?)
District Type
How would you describe your district? (select all that apply)
About Your Campaign
Please list all (paid or volunteer) staff and consultants (include job title)*
Staff Contact Name*
Who should we contact on your staff (paid or volunteer) for RFS updates? (if the candidate is the only contact, then enter “n/a” for the following question)
Staff Contact Title
(If the candidate is the only contact, then enter “n/a”)
Staff Contact Email
(If the candidate is the only contact, then leave blank)
Staff Contact Phone
(If the candidate is the only contact, then leave blank)
What is your win number in the general election?*
What is your win number (or, how many votes do you need to win in the primary and/or general elections)? Please be specific. It may be helpful to explain how you calculated this number based on past voter turnout. If you need help, click here and register to take the NDTC’s free “CALCULATING YOUR VOTE GOAL” training session.

**This information will not be disclosed to partners.
How do you plan on achieving that win number? What is your campaign plan?*
Please note your mix between volunteer-based voter contact, paid voter contact, and media mix (digital, earned media, and paid media). If you need help developing a campaign plan, check out this NDTC template: https://traindemocrats.org/campaign-plan/

**This information will not be disclosed to partners.
What is your overall campaign budget?*
What is your plan to raise this amount of money? What are your spending priorities? How did you develop your campaign budget? Please be specific.

**This information will not be disclosed to partners.
How much money have you raised to date?*
Please be specific. This information will NOT be disclosed to partners.
Please list recent/relevant press coverage.*
Please include links.
If you have been endorsed by other organizations or individuals, please list them here.*
If not, enter “n/a”
Do you have access to the voter file through one of these tools?*
Your "Why" and Your Community
Why are YOU the right person to represent your community and why is now the time to do it?*
Be specific and tell us your story.
How long have you lived where you are running?*
Why are you running in this community?*
What does this community mean to you? And what impact do you want to have by running for office?
Select UP TO THREE of the biggest issues in your community that you want to address as an elected official.*
For these issues, describe how they affect your community and how you plan on addressing those issues once elected.*
Be as specific as possible.
What community groups or organizations are you involved with?*
Include local Democratic Party or grassroots organizations, non-profit groups, unions, or trade associations.
How are you mobilizing volunteers to support your campaign?*
RFS supports candidates engaging in grassroots organizing.
RFS Value Statements
Racial Justice*
I believe in racial justice for all and that the injustice of systemic racism needs to be addressed through, but not limited to: (1) comprehensive criminal justice reform, (2) fundamentally re-imagining police departments and their roles in BIPOC communities, and (3) investment in BIPOC communities.
- Agree
- Disagree
Income Inequality*
I believe in taking strong action to reduce income inequality so that everyone in this country has a fair and equitable opportunity to succeed.
- Agree
- Disagree
Immigration Reform*
I believe that no human is illegal, and will fight to ensure that all immigrants (documented and undocumented) are treated fairly and equitably.
- Agree
- Disagree
LGBTQIA+ Values*
I believe in full equality for the LGBTQIA+ community, including non-discrimination policies for employment, housing, public accommodation, and health access.
- Agree
- Disagree
Gender Equality*
I support full gender equality including women’s health access, reproductive rights, and equal pay regardless of gender assigned at birth.
- Agree
- Disagree
Climate Change*
I agree that climate change is human-made, threatening our planet, and needs to be addressed through government action.
- Agree
- Disagree
Gun Violence*
I believe that everyone has a right to feel safe and to be free from gun violence, and that the epidemic of gun violence in the United States is a public health epidemic that can be addressed through government action.
- Agree
- Disagree
Value Statement clarifications*
If you disagree with any of the value statements above, please explain here. If there are no disagreements, please enter “n/a.”
Values in Action*
In regards to the above value positions, please provide 1-3 examples of how you would institute/work towards change as an elected official in your community. (If you are running for Judge, we understand you are unable to answer this question due to ethics rules.)
Background & Vetting*
We vet all of our candidates thoroughly including a background check. Is there anything that may come up in our vet that you’d like to explain?
Demographic Information
What is your gender? Please select all that apply.*
What are your gender pronouns?*
Do you identify as LGBTQIA+?*
Race/Ethnicity – what best describes you?*
(Select all that apply)
Do you identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color?*
Do you have a chronic illness or disability?*
What is the highest level of education you have completed?*
Are you a military veteran?*
Are you a caretaker?*
(Select all that apply)
Do you identify as having come from a low-income background (either previously or currently)?*
Do you identify as having come from an immigrant background?*
Which of the following best describes your current occupation (select one)?*
Which of the following best describes your current employment status?*
Labor Union
Are you currently a member of a labor union?
- Yes
- No
Labor Union Details
Please list which union(s) you are currently a member of.
Which of the following best describes your religious affiliation?*
How did you hear about Run for Something?*
RFS Alumni
What are you most proud of in your first term as an elected official?
What are you hoping to accomplish in your next term as an elected official?
What has been the most challenging part of governing over your last term?
Why should voters re-elect you?
Agreement
I hereby certify that everything contained here is accurate and truthful.
- Agree
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Campaign finance reform
Childcare accessibility/affordability
Climate Crisis/Environmental Issues
Criminal justice reform
Disability Justice
Economy/Jobs (including paid leave, minimum wage, labor/union rights)
Education (access, budget, special needs)
Gerrymandered districts/Redistricting
Gun reform/Gun violence
Healthcare accessibility
Housing (homelessness, affordability, renters’ rights, development)
Immigration
Infrastructure/Transportation
Internet Access/Connectivity
Legalization of cannabis
LGBTQIA+ rights
Opioid epidemic
Public Safety/Police reform
Racial justice
Reproductive Justice
Student debt
Tax reform
Transparency/Accessibility to government information
Voting rights

Candidate Endorsement Application Form

Alumni Incumbent Endorsement Application Form

RFS Qualifications

Contact Information

About Your Election

About Your Campaign

Your "Why" and Your Community

RFS Value Statements

Demographic Information

RFS Alumni