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Everything you ever wanted to know about being in congress...but couldn't be bothered to ask.

As promised in my campaign, I intend to document the entire process of being a congressman this month for the benefit of those considering running for congress, or interested citizens. Experienced citizens may also find something of use.

Since this is a complete guide / outline of what is involved in being a congressman, I want to start with the campaigning / election process.

The first thing I had to do was to create a presentation article, and publish it in my newspaper. This is a statement of intent to run for office, and also acts as a good platform for your election, as undecided voters can click on a link next to your name on voting day.

At election time, the media is full of articles vying for your attention, so I will provide a few little tips on what to include and not include.
I have been around the block a good few times. I have seen way more congress election campaign articles than you would care to imagine, but I still read most of them.
There are certain things (in my opinion) that you want to avoid in this article. For your reading enjoyment, I will ist them here:-

- Do not make big promises you can't keep. You should not be campaigning on "I will give 5 gold to every citizen and build a Q5 Hospital in Tohoku". This is foolish. New players may believe it, but this is entirely impossible.

- Do not campaign on things that you have no way to influence by being elected. "I will reduce taxes and increase the minimum wage". Again, this is not possible. You can try to do it, and begin discussions, but it is impossible for any one person - even the President - to do any of these things alone.

- Do not bribe voters. Enough said.

Conversely, there are some things that in my opinion make for a good platform, and by extension a good candidate:-

- Be honest. If you don't know exactly what is involved, say so. But back this up by saying that you are keen and happy to get your hands dirty.

- Accountability. If you can show that you are willing to stand up and admit when you are wrong, then voters will respect you more.

- A strong voice. There is absolutely no point in running for congress when you never give any opinion on any topic and follow your president / party president / friend blindly.

- Activity. Show that you read the media (comment on articles) and are a regular visiter to the forums. Inactive congressmen are of no use.

- Try to show that your election campaign is not a selfish act, but that you genuinely want to help the country.


The article covered, you are now on the campaign trail.

For many, this first step is of no concern. Some people don't even write an article. I recommend against that. Sure - some people are well known enough to get elected without a campaign, but what message does it send the voters?
Whenever I see a candidate with "No Presentation", I tend to think that they are assuming that they are above such things, and believe themselves indispensible to congress. I have never voted for anyone without a presentation.

So, what do I mean by campaign?

You want to be elected to a position of responsibility, right? You have no doubt made promises to listen to the will of the people and be active. Well, that starts now.
Listen to the people (read their articles) and contribute to any conversations. Post some comments and show an interest. If you promise to be active, then write articles and post on the forum. Show your activity.

Also, a very important part of running for congress is ensuring that you hit the ground running. In the idle time leading up to the election, first-time congress hopefuls should be reading through the congress section on the forums and getting up to speed. If elected, you may have to vote upon an important topic within a few hours.

Election Day.

There are a few no-no's here. Bribary and buying votes are definately out. Voter-moving is frowned upon by many, but a part of the process in some parties.
By all means - send some messages to the people in your region. I have done this many times. I find that this is better than a general newspaper article. You can reach out and touch the voters whom you hope to represent.
If you choose to do this, then make sure you are not being pushy. A message stating that you are running in the region, and that you would appreciate their vote because you believe that you can make a difference would be fine.
Make it short, friendly and to the point.

If you have some extra cash, then you can run an ad in your region. Some parties will run ads to get their members elected, but be aware that at election time, the ads are used heavily and costs may not match the benefits.

There is nothing wrong with voting for yourself on election day, and most people do this. Also feel free to use your shout box.

Congratulations! You were elected to congress!

If you were fortunate, then you are now a congressman. If not, then use the next month to learn more about the process (read these articles?!) and come back stronger next time!

A new congressman gets a few things - A shiny congress medal on his/her profile page, 5 Gold, and the ability to vote on and make proposals.

The medal - good job. The Gold - don't spend it all at once, and the extra responsibilities... Let's see if we can help you out there...

[..To be Continued]

Angrr
Party President, the Ronin.
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