The Basics

Every campaign starts with a foundation. These are the first things you should set up so you’re ready to raise money, track deadlines, and show up like a real candidate from day one.

None of this is flashy — but skipping these steps will slow you down later, sometimes in ways you can’t recover from. Think of The Basics as your campaign’s launch checklist: get them done early, and you’ll have more time and energy for the work that actually wins votes.

In this section, we’ll cover:

• How to get your EIN so you can operate legally as a campaign
• Opening a dedicated bank account for your campaign funds
• Setting up ActBlue to accept online donations
• Writing down key dates and numbers so you never miss a deadline
• Getting verified to run ads on Meta and Google
• Locking in your brand, website, and starter kit so supporters can find and recognize you

Get these in place as soon as possible — future you will be glad you did.