Why You Should Care About Election Cycles

Let's say you're a non-profit organization.  Or maybe you're a downtown business association.  Or maybe you're an economic developer.   No matter the category of community engagement, you and your colleagues work your behinds off to make your town/city/region a better place. So, why should you spend ANY time figuring out whether the Mayor's term is two years or four years?

Politicians make decisions for a lot of reasons.  But always in their mind?  The election cycle.  Where a politician sits in relation to the election cycle matters because in our system, politicians are either planning to get re-elected or considering retirement.   And getting re-elected is very hard work.   If they plan to run again, elected officials are looking to make connections, work those connections, and bring home the bacon, while working within a government system that largely controls what they are able to accomplish.  

Someone who is retiring has a completely different mind-set, one in which their next job, or their legacy are top-of-mind.   If they plan to retire or move on, elected officials are looking to make connections, work those connections, and bring home the bacon while exiting a system that used to control what they are able to accomplish.

See the difference?  Want to learn more?  Give The Art of Politics a shout.  We'd be more than happy to speak to you.