ABSTRACT
Many enter public service as a spokesperson for a hot-button issue, but single-issue candidates do not usually make good elected officials. Single-issue candidates often struggle with the diversity of duties in office, sitting disengaged until the governing body hits a topic relevant to their issue. Candidates who run unwinnable races to improve their visibility in the community should never go negative. Fielding a candidate in an unwinnable seat pulls more time and resources to help the unwinnable race than the opposition will spend in either regard. First-time candidates cannot appreciate the stress of a heated campaign until they are experiencing it. County or city elections will draw attention to filing dates that campaign manager and his/her treasurer must know. An effective campaign will consume time and energy. It is against federal law to place campaign literature in and around mailboxes. Publicly owned buildings should not be used for campaign purposes at all—they are maintained, lit, and owned by the taxpayers.
