Domain Names for Sheriff Candidates
Your domain name is one of the first choices you’ll make for your sheriff campaign website. It may appear on signs, literature, social media profiles, ads, emails, and other campaign materials, so choose something voters can recognize and remember.
For most sheriff candidates, simple is better. Your name should usually be the main part of the domain.
Choosing a Sheriff Campaign Domain Name
If your name is John Smith, straightforward options might include:
- JohnSmith.com
- SmithForSheriff.com
- JohnSmithForSheriff.com
- ElectJohnSmith.com
- VoteJohnSmith.com
Whenever possible, use the same version of your name that will appear on the ballot. Keeping your website, signs, mailings, social accounts, and ballot name consistent helps with voter recognition.
Including “sheriff” in the domain can also make the purpose of the site obvious. That can be useful in a countywide race where voters may see or hear your name before they know much about you.
That said, an office-specific domain isn’t always the best choice. If you already hold office, expect to run again, or may seek another position later, a domain like ElectJohnSmith.com can be reused more easily than JohnSmithForSheriff.com.
Keep the Domain Short and Easy to Remember
Campaign domains have to work offline as well as online. A voter may see your web address on a yard sign while driving past it or hear it mentioned at an event.
Avoid making the domain unnecessarily long. Something like JohnSmithForSheriffOfExampleCounty.com may be accurate, but it’s hard to remember and awkward to fit on campaign materials.
Also try to avoid:
- Hyphens
- Unusual abbreviations
- Words that are difficult to spell
- Numbers that could be confused with words
- The election year unless there’s a good reason to use it
People may need to type the address after seeing it somewhere else. The fewer chances you give them to get it wrong, the better.
Should You Use the County Name?
Most sheriff elections are countywide, but that doesn’t mean the county name has to appear in the domain.
If SmithForSheriff.com is available, there’s usually little reason to make it much longer just to include the county.
There are exceptions. If you have a common name, another candidate elsewhere already uses something similar, or the location helps distinguish the campaign, a domain like SmithForOrangeCountySheriff.com may make sense.
Even if the county isn’t in the domain, make sure it appears prominently on the website. Visitors should immediately know the candidate’s name, the office being sought, and the county or jurisdiction.
.COM, .ORG, or Another Domain Extension?
For most campaigns, .com is still the simplest and best choice because voters know it and are used to typing it.
A .org domain can also work well for a political campaign. If your preferred name is available in both .com and .org, you may want to register both and redirect one to the main campaign website.
There are plenty of newer domain extensions available, including political, community, and location-oriented options. They can work as secondary or promotional domains, but there’s usually no need to choose an unusual extension just to be different.
The priority is an address voters can remember and type correctly.
Consider Registering a Secondary Domain
Sometimes the best domain for the website isn’t the best one for campaign promotion.
For example, your main website might use JohnSmithForSheriff.com, while a shorter VoteSmith.com redirects visitors to it. The shorter version may work better on a yard sign, bumper sticker, or printed ad.
You don’t need separate websites for each domain. A secondary domain can simply forward visitors to your main site.
There’s no need to register every possible variation. Secure the names that have a practical use and promote one primary web address consistently.
Your Campaign Should Control the Domain
This is one of the most important rules to follow.
The candidate or campaign should control the domain registration account. Don’t let a volunteer, web designer, consultant, or staff member register the domain only under an account they control.
People leave campaigns. Vendors change. Relationships sometimes go bad. If someone else controls your domain, you could find yourself unable to update the website, move to another provider, or even renew the name.
Keep a record of:
- The domain registrar
- The account login information
- The email address tied to the registration
- The renewal date
- Who within the campaign has account access
Use a strong password and enable two-factor or multi-factor authentication if your registrar offers it. Keep the account contact information current so renewal and security notices reach the right person.
Don’t Let the Domain Expire
A campaign domain can still be valuable after Election Day.
If you win, you may want it for reelection. If you lose, you may run again. Even if you never use the domain again, letting a recognizable campaign address expire means someone else could eventually register it.
Use automatic renewal if it makes sense, keep the payment information current, and make sure more than one responsible person knows when the registration expires.
Don’t assume your website company or campaign consultant will handle this forever. Know where the domain is registered and when it needs to be renewed.
Register Your Domain Early
If you’re seriously considering a run for sheriff and the domain you want is available, securing it early can prevent someone else from taking it. You can hold the domain until you’re ready to launch the site.
Once you choose your primary web address, use it consistently on campaign signs, literature, social profiles, ads, email communications, and other promotional material.
If you’re ready to build the site that goes with it, see our guide to Sheriff Campaign Websites.
RunningForSheriff.info is published by Online Candidate, which has provided political campaign website design and online campaign services since 2003.