BETHLEHEM, Pa. — If you’ve ever thought about running for local office, you’ve probably had one big question above all: How do I get my campaign up and running?
This week, host Tom Shortell, WLVR and LehighValleyNews.com politics reporter, is joined by Republican strategist Sam Chen to break it all down.
“Local candidates, oftentimes, are running for the first time,” Chen said. “It’s ‘I want to run, but what do I have to do?’”
Chen recommends candidates first focus on starting a political committee, which allows them to raise money.
“If you’re local, if you’re running for the township, you’re going to file forms with your local county," he said.
“If you’re running for the county Court of Common Pleas or you’re running for a state office, you’re going to file with the Department of State in Harrisburg."
Chen details the mix of people needed as part of the campaign team that should be dedicated to finances, along with those focused on grassroots efforts and turning out the vote.
“What are you doing as far as door-to-door goes? About phone calls? About doing events that aren’t fundraisers?" he asked.
“Are you going to do town hall events? Are you going to do community events? And that’s going to vary depending on what office you’re running for.”
To learn more, watch this week's episode above or click the audio player below to listen.
Political Pulse | February 25, 2025