It's Election Day here in Carrboro. One of the things I do every election cycle is write endorsement letters for candidates I support. These missives explain why I'm voting for a certain person and (hopefully) gives them additional context and confidence in casting their ballot for that candidate, too. An endorsement posted to your blog or social media accounts, published in the paper or aired on radio, TV or podcast is an effective tool to influence civic engagement.
To make it writing political endorsement letters easier, I use the Position-Rationale-Proof Strategy™ to outline and explain the key reasons I support a candidate, using a logical framework that meets your audience's needs. The strategy outlines three critical elements of a solid endorsement:
- Your position: what you think. This is your main idea -- the most important thing you want the audience to know.
- Your rationale: why you think what you do. This is an explanation of your rationale.
- Your proof: how you know your position is true. These are the examples and evidence that prove your point.
How to use the strategy
Start by filling out the top four sections. These are your notes, so don't spend too much time crafting the words or writing long sentences.
The write down your position. From there, you can work across (rationale-proof/rationale-proof, etc.) or do all your rationales and then all the proofs. The only right way to handle this section is the way that works best for your brain. When you're ready to draft, though, it's best to work across this section and maybe reference you goals for the big finish.
A sample endorsement letter pre-write
Here's one I did for an endorsement of a candidate for Town Council:
Example candidate endorsement letter
Here's the final product!
Endorsements are a great way to support the candidates you want to see elected. Use this strategy to advocate more effectively.
Want more assistance? I can coach you through it or to deliver a workshop to your campaign team or nonprofit.