Diary #6 in an ongoing series of my experiences as a candidate.
My initial thoughts about how to run a campaign were aligned with how a person prepares for a job interview. You know, study the company (city), know a few salient facts (issues) and prepare to talk about them. And all of that happens to be true. The difference, and this is key, is that you’re not trying to impress one, two, or three people. You need a majority (or a plurality) of the voters to like you enough to a) remember who you are, and to b) take action on voting day on your behalf. That’s the hard part.
My hometown of Mountain View California has approximately 75,000 citizens. In the last election – a presidential cycle – the “last winner”* had approximately 11,000 votes. In the most recent non-presidential election (2010), the “last winner” had approximately 9,300 votes. So my best guess is that the prize this year will be won most likely by gathering about 10,000 votes. I think this is very doable. But there is one significant (at least I fear it’s significant) wild card this election cycle: a slate of candidates put forth by a vocal minority of residents who want all development in Mountain View to halt. Allow me to explain.