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A Reminder

It's vital that I remind people each time I write an article that most of our discussion goes on either on the forums or on the IRC channels. If you want to get more involved with us, do come join us at forums.erepublik.co.uk or find us on IRC at #eso. As the Minister of Home Affairs described the relationship between the community and eRepublik, Friends > Community > eRepublik. Friends are what has made this game great for me and I won't ever forget the people who helped get me where I am today. If you want that experience, the forums are where it's at!



A Guide to Running for Congress

In less than a week, the voting public will cast their votes to decide who will become their next Congress Members and, as much as the parties have an influence in who is elected and who isn't, there are a few things that you can do as a candidate to increase your chances. In this guide, we'll be looking at some of those things.



Your Party

Remember that being part of a political party usually means being bound by an agreement to vote in accordance with the principles and ideas that formed that political party. If you are a left-wing person, joining the United Kingdom Reform Party might not be the best option for you since they define themselves as right-wing. Don't take the definitions to heart though. Always speak to the party president about what the party stands for and try and find common ground. You should always let your voice be heard. Your party choice is an important one.



Your Manifesto

Your manifesto is an area where people are able to determine what type of person you are, what your experience is and, most importantly, why you think you'd be a good Congress Member. Every month, we have people who don't write manifestos and they tend not to get elected unless the party is plugging them with internal votes. Part of the reason for that is name recognition. Without a manifesto, people won't know who you are or what you stand for. I wouldn't vote for a candidate who I don't know and I suspect most people wouldn't either.



Name Recognition

Name recognition is so vital in a game where most, if not all, active members are part of political parties. Some remain apolitical and that's an acceptable choice but having people know who you are is a great thing. By joining the forums, volunteering in the ministries, getting involved with your party, all the things that seem like the sensible thing to do, well, do them! Party presidents always appreciate candidates who are prepared to get involved in public discussion, helping out at ministries and doing a little work here and there. You're more likely to be selected as a candidate if you do.



Mass Messaging

The bane of existence is mass-messaging. It spams up people's inboxes with messages about why they should vote for you but, at the end of the day, it ties nicely with name recognition. The more people that see your name, whether that's a thousand people living in London or one hundred people living in Northern Ireland, those people still identify with you. Keep it short, keep it brief but always include a link to your manifesto so people have something to go and read if they are so inclined. You might hate mass-messaging but it can sometimes mean the difference between winning and losing so it's worth sticking with.



Your Comments

Do you have any hints or tips for people who are interested in running for Congress? If so, leave them in the comment box below and we'll add them in!