Setting an Example
Develop relationships early by being kind to everyone. Class presidents are usually popular, well-liked, and trustworthy people. Start developing these traits by being friendly towards other students, teachers, and school staff. Do this all the time, and you will be well liked among your network. This will help you gain popularity before you run for president.
Run for student council early into your school career. Try for offices like secretary or treasurer. You likely won’t get elected president your freshman year, but run for other offices to get your foot in the door. These positions usually have less competition, and you can start to learn what it’s like to have be in the council. For example, you can get elected as Treasurer during your freshmen year, then Secretary your sophomore year, then Vice President your junior year.
Join clubs to meet other students, like band, soccer, or debate. Pick clubs that you are genuinely interested in or passionate about. Join a few different clubs to meet many new and diverse people. Debate club is a good choice if you want to prepare for your election speech.
Get good grades and be a leader whenever you can. Students elect a class president who is responsible, smart, and capable. Start working on these traits early by getting good grades and showing initiative. Participate in class discussions, and don’t fall asleep in class.
Building Your Campaign
Reflect on your strengths and weaknesses. Think about what makes you unique and what you are good at. Also consider what you could improve upon. Examining both your strengths and weaknesses helps you focus on what you can offer your peers. Are you a really great leader? Are you great with problem solving? Think about why you are the best candidate! Do you have a hard time focusing? Could you spend more time studying? Think about small personal changes you can make in order to be the best class president, like time management, stress reduction, and attention to detail.
Identify key issues to address in your campaign. Ask yourself what is working and what isn’t the best around your school. Get to the core of the issue. Base your campaign around the issues that register most with you. For example, perhaps students are really upset about the new dress code policy. Maybe students would like more diverse lunch options. Is this a result of student lunch costs? Or faculty decisions? Who would you help by working on this issue?
Brainstorm solutions to important issues and offer realistic initiatives. Think about the cause of the issues and what you can do about it, practically. Some things may be out of control, while you may be just the person to make it better. Brainstorm solutions to revisit when you are pitching your campaign. Make a list of things you can do, like speaking up for students who are bullied or talking to the principal on behalf of a nervous freshman.
Write a recognizable and unique slogan. Your slogan can be short and simple, like “Trevor for President.” You can get creative and say something like, “Holly will help you!” You can use your slogan to market yourself, so create a slogan that people will remember you by.
Create campaign gear, like buttons, signs, and t-shirts to advertise. You can make your gear at home, or you can get them printed online or at a print shop. List details like your slogan and name, and remember to mention “for class president.” The number you make depends on your budget, though make a bunch to give out to everyone! Make your gear at home by printing out labels and using the labels as your “stickers.” Stick your labels on buttons or pencils and distribute them. If you can afford it, make one sticker or handout per student in your class. If your class size is 300, make 300 stickers.
Find a sponsor to cover costs, if you are able to. Creating your campaign can get expensive quick, between printing shirts and hanging posters. Ask around local businesses to sponsor your campaign.
Gaining Support
Step out of your comfort zone to connect with new people. Building relationships is important to win votes, so connect with people you don't know well yet. You can connect with groups and individuals. Try joining new clubs or after school activities. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people too! Maybe you have played the trumpet for 3 years and already have the band kids’ votes. Try the orchestra or choir instead! Maybe you play softball and know the team will vote for you. What about the guys football team?
Talk to your classmates about important issues. Whether you are in the lunch line or waiting for the bus, any opportunity is a good one to make a connection with a potential voter. Talk to students you haven’t met yet. Ask them what they care about around the school, and offer your solutions to the problems they find. This will make a genuine connection. What are your peers really upset about? What do they think can be improved upon? Getting feedback from others to fully understand the issue and solve it as best as you can.
Communicate with your teachers and administrators about key issues. You can also talk to your school’s staff about ways you can help. Your teachers and administrators can offer ideas and suggestions to put your ideas in motion. Talk to teachers from different grade levels, speak to the school counselor, and consider trying to meet with the principal.
Hang up posters around your school to promote your campaign. You can write out your slogan and a few campaign points. Print out a bunch of posters and hang them around your school. You can also hand them out during lunch or before or after class. Start with around 50 posters and plan on making extras as needed. You can print your posters with a computer and home printer or get them professionally printed at a print shop.
Ask your network to spread the word. Talk to your friends, teachers, and administration. The more people who you connect with, the better. When it comes to campaign time, you want as many people as possible to remember your name.
Winning the Election
Prepare an awesome speech. If your school allows class president speeches, prepare one to wow your listeners. Introduce yourself, mention why you want to president, and mention how you want to solve some key issues. End your speech with your campaign slogan. Keep your speech about 2-3 minutes long. Give different versions of your speech for different conversations. For example, when you meet someone new on the bus, you can introduce yourself and mention what you would do if you are elected president.
Make one final campaign push before the election. Print out more posters, hand out more T-shirts, and post on social media the days before the election. You want to rake in as many last minute votes as you can. Who else can you convince before election day?
Act and talk confidently and keep your cool, no matter the results. On the day of the election, dress in something that makes you feel confident, yet professional. Assure yourself that you have tried your best and prepared thoroughly. Your hard work all comes down to this, so be confident that you are the best choice for class president!
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