Step 4 of 6 · Build your public presence
Your public information hub: one trusted place for everything
When your bio, photo, events and voting details live in one place, everything else you publish can point back to it. That saves time and stops mistakes from spreading.
Once you announce, information about you starts to scatter. A forum host copies your bio from an old church newsletter. A volunteer posts the wrong time for a meet-and-greet. A local page spells your name two different ways. None of it is malicious, but it adds up to confusion.
The fix is simple: decide that one place holds the official version of everything about your campaign, and point everyone there. We call that your public information hub. For most local candidates, it is your campaign website.
What a public information hub does
Think of it as the bulletin board by the church office door. Notices may get passed around town, but if anyone wants the correct details, they know where to look.
A good hub does three jobs:
- It sets the record. Your bio, photo, priorities and contact details appear there first and correctly.
- It saves you time. Instead of answering the same question ten times, you send a link.
- It builds trust. Voters notice when a candidate is consistent and easy to reach.
What belongs in your hub
Keep each item in one place and update it there. Everything else links back.
| Item | What to include | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Bio | A short version (100 to 150 words) and a longer one (300 to 500 words) | Voters, reporters, forum hosts |
| Photos | Two or three approved, recent photos, free for media use | Reporters, voter guides, volunteers |
| Priorities | Three to five priorities with a short summary of each | Voters, groups sending questionnaires |
| Events | Date, time, place, accessibility notes | Voters, volunteers |
| Voter information | Links to official registration, polling place and early voting pages | Voters |
| Contact | Campaign email, phone or form, mailing address | Everyone |
| Social links | Your official campaign accounts only | Voters, supporters |
Voter information: link, don't retype
Helping people vote is one of the most useful things your hub can do, and it is nonpartisan service that reflects well on you. But dates, polling places and ID rules change, and a typo on your site could send someone to the wrong place.
So link to the official source instead of copying details. Point voters to your state election office and your county board of elections or voter registration office for registration, polling places, absentee or mail voting and early voting. If you post a date, add "confirm with" and the official link next to it.
Our guide on reading your local election calendar shows where these dates come from.
Your email list: the part you own
Social platforms can change what your followers see. Your email list is different. People who give you their address have asked to hear from you, and you can reach them on the days that matter.
Some plain good practices:
- Put a short sign-up form on every page of your hub.
- Only add people who signed up or clearly asked to be added. Don't import a church directory or a club roster.
- Include an easy way to unsubscribe in every message, and honor it quickly.
- Send from a campaign address, never a work or government account.
- Keep messages short, with one clear ask each time.
Disclaimer rules may also reach email. For contrast, federal rules treat more than 500 substantially similar emails from a political committee as a public communication that needs a disclaimer. Local races follow state rules instead, so check yours.
A one-page press kit
Local reporters are often stretched thin. A simple press page makes it easy to cover you accurately. Include:
- Short and long bios.
- Two or three high-resolution photos with a note that media may use them.
- Your logo or campaign colors, if you have them.
- A brief summary of your priorities.
- A named media contact with email and phone.
- Recent statements or announcements, newest first.
When a reporter calls, you can say, "Everything is on the press page," and know they will get your name right.
Social media as a spoke, not the hub
Use social media to share daily moments, then point back to the hub for anything that needs to be correct. A post about a town hall should link to the event listing. A post about your plan for roads should link to your priorities page.
Use separate campaign accounts. If you hold office, keep your official government page for official business only. Many states bar using public resources for campaigning. South Carolina's State Ethics Commission, for example, tells candidates not to use any government resources in a run for office, and not to work on a campaign from a government computer.
Keeping it accurate
A hub only works if people trust it. Give one person the job of keeping it current, with a second person as backup. Set a weekly reminder to check events, endorsements and links. When something changes, update the hub first, then share it.
Mistakes will still happen. When you find one, fix it on the hub, note the correction plainly if it mattered, and send the right link to anyone who shared the wrong version. Voters forgive an honest correction far more easily than a mistake left standing.
If you text voters too, plan that alongside your hub. Our sister company, CandidateLaunch, has a plain-language guide to texting voters. And if you want help building the hub itself, that is what they do.
For a page-by-page plan, see what to put on your campaign website.
Common questions
What is a public information hub?
It is the one place, usually your campaign website, where the official version of your bio, photo, priorities, events and contact details lives. Your social posts, flyers and press replies all point back to it.
Should I give voters election information on my site?
Yes, but link to the official source rather than retyping dates and rules. Point voters to your state or county election office so they always see the current details.
What goes in a press kit?
A short and long bio, two or three approved photos, your logo, your priorities in brief, a contact for media questions, and any recent statements. Put it on one page so a reporter can grab it in a minute.
Can I use my government email or office for campaign updates?
Generally no. Many states bar using public resources for campaigns. South Carolina's State Ethics Commission, for example, tells candidates not to use any government resources in a run for office. Check your state's rule.
Sources
- 2026 Candidate Newsletter (South Carolina State Ethics Commission)
- Advertising and disclaimers (Federal Election Commission)
Rules change. Always confirm with your own state and local election offices.