Use Software Designed Specifically for Political Campaigns
If you’re running for office conducting any type of fundraising, the need for a software that records and manages all of your contribution, volunteer, and other campaign information can’t be understated. I can tell you from first-hand experience at a trade association, having a system that manages all of your grassroots information, prepares financial disclosure reports, processes all contribution and expenditure data, and can match your data with geographic information, that this software can be an absolute lifesaver – or a campaign-saver.
While the up-front expense of some packages can be costly, from several hundred to several thousand dollars, the long-term payoff can be more profitable.
The payoff comes when you need to send a direct mail package, fax merge, or e-mail merge document to a highly select target audience so you don’t waste resources. With a good software package you can select either all of your contributors or only ones that fit a certain criteria. For example, you want to go after the big dogs who contributed $100 or more but less than $500 and to you in the past who live in a certain area, defined by a zip code or precinct or other geographic area.
If you want to mobilize a segment of your volunteer or vote base with a highly specific message, you can set your parameters and run a report.
Instead of manually going through your records and handpicking the ones you need and re-typing data, you merely tell the software what parameters you need and let it turn out the report you want. The report is entirely customized to your needs and ready to be merged into the document you need to send.
Below is a list of software vendors that are approved by the Florida Department of State to prepare and electronically filed campaign disclosure reports. Several are also excellent software packages that handle other aspects of your campaign, mentioned above. This includes Aristotle, Vocus, Gnossos. Democracy Data and Communication is an excellent company that can handle all aspects of a grassroots campaign, from grassroots outreach and mobilization to website design and maintenance. It’s a very aggressive and successful company.
Campaign Toolbox is an affordable and excellent software package for the shoestring campaign to track contribution and expenditure data and prepare financial disclosure reports. It will also let you export records for mail merges that match criteria you set, but the capabilities are far less than the packages mentioned above. If you’re running a county, city, or a rural state legislative race, this package is very functional and may meet your needs. But if you’re running or contemplating a statewide race, you’re best bet is a high-end software package.
Regardless of what route you take, invest in a software package that automates much of the administrative tasks of your race. It saves you money and time. And time is by far the most important resource you have.
Software Approved by The Florida Department of State
Aristotle Industries
2285 Peachtree Road, Suite 210
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Contact: Andrew Tavani
Phone: 800-296-2747
Fax: 404-352-5757
Web site: http://www.aristotle.org
Campaign Toolbox
Adjutant Software
2055 Bond Road
DeLand, Florida 32720-4531
Contact: Stephen McGehee
Phone: 386-822-9181
Fax: 386-738-2124
Web site: http://www.adjutant.com
RACE-TRAX Political Software
8107 Lantern Road
Indianapolis, IN 46256
Contact: Lee Bruner
Phone: 866-723-8723
Email: sales@racetrax.com
Web site: http://www.racetrax.com
Donelson & Associates
Software Package Name: microPAC
P.O. Box 24553
Nashville, Tennessee 37202
Contact: Bill Donelson
Phone: 615-662-7280
Fax: 615-673-9183
Email: micropac@prodigy.net
Vocus, Inc.
4325 Forbes Boulevard
Lanham, Maryland 20706
Phone: 301-459-2590
Fax: 301-459-2827
Web site: http://www.vocus.com
Gnossos Software
1625 K Street, N.W.
Suite 1250
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-463-1200, Ext. 425
Fax: 202-785-9562
Web site: http://www.gnossos.com
Hannibal Software, Inc.
611 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E.
#345
Washington, DC 20003
Phone: 202-544-8117
Fax: 978-945-0795
NGP Software
5039 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Suite 1A
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202-686-9330
Fax: 202-686-9331
Web site: http://www.ngpsoftware.com
Democracy Data and Communications, L.L.C.
1029 North Royal Street
Suite 201
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-684-9690
Fax: 703-683-9626
Web site: http://www.democracydata.com
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