Tag Archives: campaign websites

Domain Names for Sheriff Candidates

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.

View Sheriff Campaign Website Options »

Sheriff Campaign Fundraising Online

sheriff campaign fundraisingThe most effective way for sheriff candidates to raise money for a local election is still the ‘old-fashioned’ way – by making calls and holding campaign events. Personal contacts and solicitation are still an integral part of the fundraising process and absolutely necessary for raising money.

In the last few years there has been an explosive growth in the number of people who are making political donations. An average of nearly seven million people contributing money to campaigns each year. Candidates are taking notice of this trend and many are turning to different venues to raise the funds they need to win their election. While traditional parties rely on fundraisers to meet their budget, there is a growing trend for campaigns to solicit money from individuals online.

Online political fundraising is proving to be a valuable source of funds for many candidates running for local office.s. Technical barriers have dropped, and more and more local campaigns are successfully raising money online.

Under no circumstances will the internet magically bring in money. If you have a sheriff campaign website, then that site exists as a conduit through which to raise money, not as a means unto itself.

If your website is not promoted or no one has an interest in your campaign, then slapping an online donation button onto a web page will not do a thing for you.

Of course, all fundraising carries certain costs. Services that allow you to accept online credit card contributions charge transaction fees (typically between 3 – 8%) that are deducted off the top of any payment. Some services also charge setup and recurring fees.

Your campaign is responsible for complying with the law. For example, you may need to collect certain information about your donors or you may have a legal limit on contributions. You may also have a timetable as to when you can begin campaigning. Check your local laws and, if necessary, seek legal advice.

A summary of the online fundraising process:

After clicking a ‘Donate’ button on a website or email, visitors enter their billing and other requested information on a donation or contribution form. Then they submit their information to start the payment process.

After submission, a payment gateway takes over. A payment gateway is a service process that verifies and electronically moves funds. The donor’s credit card is electronically verified and charged. Then the funds are deposited into a Merchant Account. This account may be in your organization’s name or in the name of the payment gateway vendor.

When the transaction is complete, the donor is shown a confirmation page and sent an e-mail confirmation. At this point, a record of the transaction becomes available for your reporting purposes – and the donation process is complete.

You will be able access the funds within a day or so, depending on the transaction vendor.

If you decide to pursue online donations, you will need a campaign bank account in place.

Every candidate for sheriff needs a fundraising plan that lays out how much money needs to be raised, when it is needed, what that money will be spent on – and how it will be raised.

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