how to write a speech for mayor

How to Address the Mayor of a U.S. City

—- Also on This Page: —- —- How to Address a Former Mayor —- —- How to Address an Acting Mayor —- —- How to Address a Mayor and Spouse

How to Address a Mayor of a U.S. City

—- Envelope or address block on letter or email: ——– The Honorable —- —- (Full name) —- —- Mayor of (municipality) —- —- (Address)

————- Or – it’s a bit less formal all on one line: —————– The Honorable   (Full name) ————- —- Mayor of (municipality) ————- —- (Address)

—- Letter salutation: —- —- Dear Mayor (surname):

—- Conversation: —- —- Mayor (surname): —- —- Mayor —- —- Your Honor

Robert Hickey author of “Honor & Respect”

Is a Former Mayor Addressed as Mayor (Name) ?

I am addressing an invitation to a former mayor. How do I correctly do that?? —– – Karen Szczpanski   How to Address the Mayor of a US City

Hi Karen: Address a former mayor on the envelope or address block of a letter with this form: —– —– The Honorable (Full name) —– —– Address

On the salutation, in conversation, or if your invitation has an inside envelope use this: —– —– Mr./Mrs./Dr./etc. (Surname)

Sometimes you will see or hear former mayors addressed as Mayor (name) but it is not correct,  Address a former mayor as M r./Ms./Dr./etc.  – whatever honorific they had before becoming (Mayor) (Name).

The reason? In a city there is only one mayor at a time. It’s not respectful to the current office holder, and is potentially confusing to be addressing more than one person as Mayor (Name).

Being addressed as Mayor (Name) is a courtesy of the office and is reserved for the current office holder. I know, I know, I know, you hear former mayors addressed in the media or referred to as Mayor (Name), but addressing a former mayor as Mayor (Name) is simply a reporter flattering the former official’s ego, or the former official seeking to continue to enjoy the courtesies due his or her former lofty post.

[This contrasts with officials of which there is more than one office holder at a time — e.g, there are many judges, ambassadors, generals, admirals, professors, senators etc. at a time — and these former office holders DO use their (Special Honorific)+(Name) in every situation for the rest of their lives.]

— Robert Hickey How to Address the Mayor of a US City

How to Address an Acting Mayor?

Would it be appropriate to address an acting mayor of a U.S. city as The Honorable ? Do you call him Mayor (Name)? ——————- – Cheryl

Dear Cheryl: Acting officials are not addressed as if they were the elected and inaugurated official. An ‘acting’ mayor of a city, governor of a state, or president of a college isn’t really the office holder — he or she is ‘acting’. So in a salutation or conversation use Mr./Ms./Dr./etc. (Name) and identify as the acting mayor.

The Honorable is reserved for officials elected in a general election … or those very high officials appointed by the President of the United States and approved by the U.S. Senate.

So if he/she is serving as acting mayor through an appointment … he/she would not be the Honorable … I say that with one exception: he or she might have been The Honorable due to prior elected service.

— Robert Hickey

How to Address the Vice Mayor of a US City

Is a Mayor-Elect Your Honor?

Our mayor-elect is coming to our building today. If I have the occasion to address him personally, should I call him Your Honor even though he will not take office for two months? Or is he simply Mr. (Surname) still? ——————- – Laurie in Chicago

Dear Laurie: Address him/her as Mr./Ms. (Surname) … or with whatever honorific to which he or she used prior to the election.

He will be addressed with the forms of address due a Mayor when he takes the oath and is sworn in.

He/she is already The Honorable (Full Name) on a letter because he has been elected office, but won’t be addressed as Your Honor until he takes office.

How to Address a Mayor and Spouse?

How does one address an invitation to the mayor and his wife? —- – Susan Hensley How to Address the Mayor of a US City

Dear Susan Here are the formulas.

—- #1) If “the Honorable” is a man – and if his spouse uses (Mrs.) + (same family name) –  then traditionally her given name does not appear: —- —- The Honorable William Stanton —- —- and Mrs. Stanton —- —- (Address)

—- #2) If “the Honorable” is a man – and she uses a different family last name or has a special honorific – her full name appears: —- —- The Honorable William Smith —- —- and Ms. Linda Blake —- —- (Address)

—- —- The Honorable William Smith —- —- and Dr. Linda Smith —- —- (Address)

—- #3) If “the Honorable” is a woman – his full name always appears: —- —- The Honorable Linda Stanton —- —- and Mr. William Stanton ——– (Address)

—- —- The Honorable Linda Blake —- —- and Mr. William Smith —- —- (Address)

—- #4) When person is the Honorable — they get their name as unit — not combined with anyone else’s name. So what you might want to avoid is: —- —- The Honorable and Mrs. William Stanton —- —- (Address)

Probably more answer than you wanted … but I hope it is useful.

Related Posts: — — – — Couples: Private Citizens — — – — Couples: Christian Clergy — — – — Couples: Rabbis — — – — Couples: Military — — – — Couples: U.S. Officials — — – — Couples: Same Sex

When Should You Use the Forms on this Page?

You can use these forms of address for any mode of communication: addressing a letter, invitation, card or Email. (If there are differences between the official and social forms of address, I will have mentioned the different forms.)  The form noted in the salutation is the same form you say when you say their name in conversation or when you greet them. ___ What I don’t cover on this site are  many things I do cover in my book: all the rules of forms of address, about names, international titles, precedence, complimentary closes, details on invitations, place cards, all sorts of introductions , etc. I hope you’ll get a copy of the book if you’d like the further detail.

Not Finding Your Answer?

—- #1)    At right  on desktops , at the bottom of every page on tablets and phones , is a list of all the offices, officials & topics covered on the site.

—- #2)   If you don’t see the official you seek included or your question answered send me an e-mail . I am pretty fast at sending a reply: usually the next day or so  (unless I am traveling.)   Note: I don’t have mailing or Email addresses for any of the officials and I don’t keep track of offices that exist only in history books.

—- #3)   If I think your question is of interest to others, Sometimes I post the question  – but always change all the specifics.

— Robert Hickey 

Recommended Resources:    The Protocol School of Washington (PSOW)  and  Protocol and Diplomacy International – Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA)     For more information see the Protocol Resources page.

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Campaign Speech

Campaign speech generator.

A campaign speech is a formal address or presentation delivered by a candidate running for public office, or by someone advocating on behalf of a candidate, during an election campaign. The primary purpose of a campaign speech is to persuade voters to support the candidate by outlining their platform, vision, policies, and qualifications.

What is Campaign Speech?

A campaign speech is a formal address delivered by a candidate running for public office or by someone advocating on behalf of a candidate. The primary purpose of a campaign speech is to persuade voters to support the candidate in an upcoming election. This type of speech is used to communicate the candidate’s platform, vision, policies, qualifications, and values. It serves to connect the candidate with the electorate, address key issues, and mobilize support.

Campaign Speech Bundle Download

Campaign Speech Format

Introduction.

Greeting: Start with a warm greeting to the audience. Self-Introduction: Introduce yourself and your candidacy. Purpose: State the purpose of your speech. Example: “Good evening, everyone. My name is [Your Name], and I am running for [Position]. I am here to share my vision for our community and ask for your support.”

Personal Background

Qualifications: Highlight your relevant experience and background. Personal Story: Share a brief personal story that connects with the audience. Example: “I have lived in [Community] for [number] years and have dedicated my career to [mention relevant experience].”

Platform and Policies

Key Issues: Identify key issues or problems you aim to address. Policy Proposals: Present your proposed solutions and policies. Benefits: Explain how these policies will benefit the community. Example: “One key issue we need to address is [issue]. I propose [solution] because it will [benefits].”

Vision and Goals

Vision: Articulate your vision for the future. Goals: Outline specific goals and how you plan to achieve them. Example: “My vision for [Community] is [describe vision]. My goals include [list goals] and I plan to achieve them by [how].”

Connection with the Audience

Shared Values: Emphasize shared values and common goals. Engagement: Engage with the audience, addressing their concerns. Example: “I know many of you share my concerns about [issue]. Together, we can make a difference.”

Call to Action

Vote: Urge the audience to vote for you. Involvement: Encourage them to get involved in your campaign. Example: “I ask for your vote on [Election Day]. Join me in this journey by volunteering and spreading the word.”

Summary: Summarize the main points of your speech. Closing Statement: End with a strong, memorable closing statement. Example: “Thank you for your support. Let’s build a brighter future for [Community] together. Remember to vote on [Election Day]. Thank you.”

Campaign Speech Example

Introduction: “Good evening, everyone. My name is [Your Name], and I am running for [Position]. I am here today to share my vision for our community and to ask for your support in this upcoming election.” Personal Background: “I have lived in [Community] for [number] years and have seen firsthand the challenges and opportunities we face. As a [mention your profession or background], I have dedicated my career to [mention relevant experience], and I am passionate about making a difference in our community.” Platform and Policies: “One of the key issues we need to address is [issue]. I propose [policy/solution] because it will [explain benefits]. For instance, implementing [specific policy] will lead to [positive outcomes, such as improved public safety, better schools, more job opportunities]. Additionally, I am committed to [another issue] and plan to [propose solution]. These changes will lead to [positive outcomes].” Vision and Goals: “My vision for [Community/Position] is one where [describe vision, e.g., ‘every child has access to quality education, every family feels safe, and every individual has the opportunity to succeed’]. My goals include [list specific goals, e.g., ‘improving our schools, increasing job opportunities, and enhancing public safety’], and I have a clear plan to achieve them through [explain how, e.g., ‘collaborative efforts with local businesses, securing funding for community programs, and implementing new safety measures’]. I believe that together, we can make our community a better place for everyone.” Connection with the Audience: “I know that many of you share my concerns about [issue]. Together, we can work towards a better future. Your voices matter, and I am here to listen and act on your behalf. I want to create a community where we all feel valued and heard.” Call to Action: “I am asking for your vote on [Election Day] because I believe in [Community/Position]’s potential. Join me in this journey by volunteering for my campaign and spreading the word about our vision for change. Together, we can achieve great things.” Conclusion: “Thank you for your time and support. Let’s work together to build a brighter future for [Community/Position]. Remember to vote on [Election Day], and let’s make a difference together. Thank you.”

Campaign Speech Short Example

Introduction: “Good evening, everyone. My name is Alex Johnson, and I am running for City Council Member for District 5. I’m here to share my vision for our community and to ask for your support.” Personal Background: “I have lived in District 5 for 20 years and have seen both its challenges and its potential. As a small business owner and community volunteer, I am passionate about making a meaningful difference in our community.” Platform and Policies: “One key issue is public safety. I propose increasing funding for our police and fire departments and implementing community policing to build stronger relationships between law enforcement and residents. Another priority is improving our local schools. By securing more funding for educational programs, we can provide our children with the quality education they deserve. I also aim to support local businesses by providing tax incentives and creating job training programs to strengthen our economy and create more job opportunities.” Vision and Goals: “My vision for District 5 is one where every child has access to quality education, every family feels safe, and every individual has the opportunity to succeed. Together, we can make District 5 a better place for everyone.” Call to Action: “I ask for your vote on November 6th. Join me in this journey by volunteering for my campaign and spreading the word about our vision for change. Together, we can achieve great things.” Conclusion: “Thank you for your time and support. Let’s work together to build a brighter future for District 5. Remember to vote on November 6th. Thank you.”

Campaign Speech for Student Council

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Political Campaign Speech

Winning Campaign Speech

How to Write Campaign Speech

1. start with a strong opening.

• Greeting: Begin with a warm greeting to the audience.
• Self-Introduction: Introduce yourself and your candidacy.
• Purpose: Clearly state the purpose of your speech.

2. Provide Personal Background

• Qualifications: Highlight your relevant experience and background.
• Personal Story: Share a brief personal story that connects with the audience.

3. Present Your Platform and Policies

• Key Issues: Identify the key issues or problems you aim to address.
• Policy Proposals: Present your proposed solutions and policies.
• Benefits: Explain how these policies will benefit the community.

4. Articulate Your Vision and Goals

• Vision: Articulate your vision for the future.
• Goals: Outline specific goals and how you plan to achieve them.

5. Connect with the Audience

• Shared Values: Emphasize shared values and common goals.
• Engagement: Engage with the audience, addressing their concerns.

6. Call to Action

• Vote: Urge the audience to vote for you.
• Involvement: Encourage them to get involved in your campaign.

7. End with a Strong Conclusion

• Summary: Summarize the main points of your speech.
• Closing Statement: End with a strong, memorable closing statement.

Tips for Campaign Speech

• Understand the concerns and interests of your audience.
• Tailor your message to resonate with them.
• Open with a compelling greeting or a memorable quote.
• Introduce yourself clearly and state your purpose.
• Keep your message focused and to the point.
• Avoid jargon and complicated language.
• Identify the main issues you want to address.
• Explain why these issues are important to you and the community.
• Offer clear and practical solutions to the issues.
• Explain how your policies will benefit the community.
• Include anecdotes that illustrate your commitment and values.
• Make a personal connection with the audience.
• Speak from the heart and show your enthusiasm.
• Be genuine and sincere in your delivery.
• Ask rhetorical questions or involve the audience in your speech.
• Show that you are listening and care about their concerns.
• Clearly ask for the audience’s support and their vote.
• Encourage them to get involved in your campaign.
• Rehearse your speech multiple times.
• Time yourself to ensure it fits within the allotted time.
• Summarize your main points.
• End with a powerful and memorable closing statement.

Uses of Campaign Speech

• Political Campaigns : In political campaigns, a speech helps candidates connect with voters, outline their platforms, and distinguish themselves from opponents. It’s an opportunity to address key issues, propose solutions, and build trust with the electorate.
• Student Elections : During student council or class president elections, campaign speeches allow candidates to present their ideas and plans to their peers. This helps students make informed decisions based on the candidate’s vision and commitment.
• Community Advocacy : Activists and community leaders use campaign speeches to rally support for causes like social justice, environmental protection, or public health initiatives. These speeches aim to mobilize community members, raise awareness, and encourage collective action.
• Nonprofit Fundraising : In nonprofit organizations, campaign speeches are used during fundraising events to inspire donations and support. By highlighting the organization’s mission, achievements, and future goals, speakers can connect emotionally with potential donors and secure financial backing.
• Corporate Leadership Elections : In corporate settings, candidates for leadership positions use campaign speeches to outline their vision for the company’s future, address challenges, and propose strategies for growth and improvement. This helps stakeholders assess the candidate’s suitability for the role.
• Product Launches : Companies use campaign-style speeches during product launches to generate excitement and interest. By presenting the product’s features, benefits, and market potential, speakers can persuade potential customers and investors of its value.
• Policy Advocacy : Advocates use campaign speeches to promote specific policies or legislative changes. By presenting evidence, personal stories, and compelling arguments, they aim to influence public opinion and policymakers.
• Social Media Campaigns : In the digital age, campaign speeches are also delivered via social media platforms. These speeches can reach a broader audience, engage with diverse communities, and encourage online activism and support.

Why are campaign speeches important?

A campaign speech is a public address given by a candidate to communicate their policies, values, and goals to voters.

How should you start a campaign speech?

Start with a compelling hook or story to grab attention and connect emotionally with the audience.

What are key elements of a campaign speech?

Key elements include a clear message, strong opening, persuasive arguments, personal stories, and a call to action.

How long should a campaign speech be?

A campaign speech should be concise, ideally between 10 to 20 minutes, to maintain audience engagement.

How do you write a campaign speech?

Write a campaign speech by outlining main points, incorporating personal stories, and practicing clear, confident delivery.

What makes a campaign speech effective?

An effective campaign speech is clear, persuasive, relatable, and delivered with confidence and passion.

How can you connect with the audience in a campaign speech?

Connect by addressing audience concerns, using relatable language, and sharing personal experiences.

How do you end a campaign speech?

End with a powerful summary, a clear call to action, and a memorable closing statement.

What role does body language play in a campaign speech?

Body language enhances communication by reinforcing messages, showing confidence, and engaging the audience.

How can you handle nervousness during a campaign speech?

Handle nervousness by practicing thoroughly, focusing on the message, and engaging with the audience.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Write a Campaign Speech announcing your candidacy.

Create a Campaign Speech focusing on key policy proposals.

8 Keys to Running an Effective Local Political Campaign

Emily Dexter

Running for local office is an incredible way to stand up and represent the needs of your community. While presidential and congressional elections often receive more media attention, local elections are crucial in determining who will lead your city, county, or district to a successful future. Local elected officials play an important role in encouraging economic development, resolving social issues, supporting education, and more.

The positions elected at the local level vary between states and communities. Whether you’re running for mayor, sheriff, comptroller , city council , school board, or another local office, this guide will walk you through eight keys to running an effective political campaign.

#1: Understand Your Local Political Landscape

Before you start contacting voters, a critical first step is to slow down and research. Take time to understand the political landscape of your community. Otherwise, you won’t know how best to strategize, interact with voters, and set out to meet the needs of the people you hope to represent.

Here are some questions to ask during this research stage:

What is the demographic makeup of your community?  

What races or ethnicities do most residents belong to? What age ranges do most members fall into? What languages are spoken in your community? Asking questions like these can help you get a better idea of the average voter in your municipality, county, or district. 

What issues are most important to your community?

Think about the recent history of your community, and about the issues past politicians have tried and perhaps failed to solve. Maybe your city cares strongly about improving schools, fixing roads, or increasing government transparency. Look for the overlap of the issues that both you and many voters are passionate about.

What do you know about local voting patterns?

How many residents usually turn out to vote? How many people are registered to vote? How many people are newly eligible to vote? You can find this information by looking at data from previous elections, your local census office, or your district’s electoral office. Understanding these patterns will help you know how best to engage potential voters.

Free tools to power your campaign

How many votes do you need to win?

This is one of the most important questions to ask as you prepare to launch your campaign. You can calculate how many votes you need to win by multiplying your community’s typical voter turnout by the percentage of votes needed to win. For instance, if 3,000 people in your city usually turn out to vote for municipal elections and you need 50 percent of the vote to win, you should aim for a minimum of 1,500 votes. You can use this number as a guide for your campaign strategy.

How does your community lean politically?

What parties have typically won elections in your community in the past? How will your party affiliation impact your chances of winning the election? For some local offices, the first thing voters might learn about you is your party affiliation. For other, non-partisan offices and for independent candidates, you may have more freedom to make your own first impression.

What does your competition look like?

Understanding your competition is key to running an effective local political campaign. Find out if the incumbent officeholder is running for reelection, or if other competitors are also vying for office. How do your competitors’ platforms compare to yours? What areas of your campaign might competitors see as a weakness to take advantage of? Doing this research can help you make a plan ahead of time for how you will deal with negative attention or even attacks from competitors.

As you research the answers to all of these questions, remember that the more informed and connected you are, the better you will be able to serve and represent your community. All the information you gather will help you to make realistic and meaningful goals in the next step of your campaign process.

#2: Set Clear Campaign Goals

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to set clear goals for your local political campaign. As with any endeavor, setting goals can help you to stay on track. And as with many other endeavors, setting SMART goals is a great place to begin.

SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound. Here’s what each of those words means for your political campaign strategy:

Setting specific and measurable goals allows you to track your progress toward them. For instance, if you have the vague goal of “recruiting a lot of volunteers” or “reaching many voters,” how will you know when you have reached your goal? If you set a more specific goal like “contacting 1,000 city residents by phone,” you will be better able to monitor your progress toward that goal.

The next word in SMART is “ attainable .” Setting attainable goals means being realistic about what you can accomplish. It’s probably not an attainable goal to win over every voter in your district, for example. As you think about what goals are attainable for you, consider your available resources. Making use of tools like campaign management software can increase your bandwidth and make bigger goals possible. Read our blog here for more information on how political campaign management software can accelerate your campaign and help you reach more voters.

Next, make sure your goals are relevant . For your campaign strategy, this means that your goals have a significant chance of making a difference in the election. If you’re developing goals around voter outreach, for instance, you’ll want to think about where the people in your community most often engage with political messages and content. 

If hardly anyone in your community uses a certain social media platform, then a goal focused on that platform would probably not be relevant to your campaign. Or if almost no young people in your city pay for cable, then targeting an expensive television ad at young people might not make sense. Setting relevant goals will help you to allocate your limited campaign funds wisely.

Finally, SMART goals are time-bound ; they have a specific end date. You might make goals for the first two weeks of your campaign, or for the final week before the election. You will probably also have goals that span the entire duration of your campaign.

Using this system can help you develop a more focused and intentional campaign strategy.

#3: Build a Strong Local Campaign Team

No effective political campaign happens alone. One person may end up getting elected, but many people are involved in getting you there.

It’s essential to assemble a dedicated and skilled campaign team. Recruit people with areas of expertise you may lack, such as marketing, design, or law. Campaign managers and fundraising specialists can also bring valuable skills to the table. Together, this team will be your paid staff — the main group of people who will support you on your campaign journey.

It’s also important to recruit volunteers to assist your campaign. Volunteers can help with fundraising, canvassing , contacting potential voters, and other time-intensive tasks. Volunteers can also support you as you put on campaign events. 

As you recruit both paid members of your campaign team and volunteers, remember to keep your whole team on the same page. Establish a reliable system of communication between team members and volunteers, and then keep the channels of communication open. Also be sure to be respectful of your team’s time and energy. Finally, look for team members and volunteers who truly support your campaign and the values you stand for. Remember that passion is contagious!

Additionally, reach out to local influencers, party leaders, and officials. Building relationships with people your community already trusts can increase your credibility, provide valuable endorsements , and bolster your campaign resources.

#4: Craft an Effective Campaign Message

Your campaign message is a central element of your overall campaign strategy. From a catchy slogan to the “About” section on your campaign website, make sure your campaign message checks these boxes:

Your campaign message should reflect your values and goals — not just what you think people would “want you to say” in order for them to vote for you. Few things are more frustrating than a politician who makes campaign promises that they never intended to keep.

Your campaign message should reflect your unique personality. You want to sound like a real, relatable person.

Your campaign message should be compelling. Give the people something fresh and new, something they can be proud to stand behind.

Your campaign message should be consistent across platforms. Don’t confuse potential voters by changing your tune in different contexts.

Your campaign message should resonate with the needs and priorities of your community. This point goes back to the importance of starting your campaign with effective research. If your messaging does not address residents’ concerns, they may look to other candidates who are more attentive to their needs.

Your campaign message should be specific enough to give voters a good idea of what your time in office will look like. It might be tempting to make your messaging overly broad in order to attract the most voters, but you want to avoid misleading voters.

If you want a jump start in building your campaign message, consider trying GoodParty.org’s new AI Campaign Manager. Answer a series of questions, and our AI Campaign Manager will draft customized slogans, policy platforms, and more that you can edit and make your own.

#5: Develop Fundraising and Organizing Strategies

Fundraising and organizing are essential parts of running a successful local campaign. In both cases, building a grassroots campaign is crucial.

From our perspective at GoodParty.org, the best way to fundraise is to collect donations from numerous grassroots donors. Many political candidates accept large donations from corporations, unions, or interest groups. Some candidates also take out large personal loans to fund their campaigns. These methods are far from ideal, however. 

Accepting large donations from corporations and other organizations can lead to a form of legal corruption as politicians act in favor of those organizations’ interests once in office — rather than focusing on the best interests of the people. Taking out large personal loans is also dangerous, as it gives wealthier candidates an unfair advantage and makes those candidates more disconnected from the people they hope to represent.

You can go about grassroots fundraising by building a broad network of donors, organizing fundraising events, starting a crowdfunding campaign, and more. You may also be able to apply for grant money or sell merchandise. Remember that in many cases, a chance to fundraise is also a chance to connect with voters. For more detailed campaign fundraising ideas, read our blog by GoodParty.org’s head of marketing, Jack Nagel.

As with fundraising, political organizing works best when candidates take a grassroots approach. Common methods of voter outreach include:

Door-to-door canvassing

Phone banking

SMS text marketing

Sending out mailers

Distributing yard signs

Hosting events or fundraisers, like a dinner or walkathon

Engaging in community events

Using social media to connect with voters

Many of these voter outreach methods can double as fundraising efforts. 

As you connect with and organize potential supporters, it will be helpful to track your progress in a dedicated voter list or file. In this file, you can keep track of who you have contacted and when, how likely they are to support or donate to your campaign, and so on. You may want to look at state voter files and public records as you construct your file.

#6: Build an Online Presence and Engage with Media

We live in a digital age. It is more important than ever to establish a strong online presence as part of your political campaign strategy. Especially for younger voters, online interactions have the potential to be just as important as in-person ones.

An ideal strategy should involve both newer modes of digital outreach, such as via social media, and more traditional tactics such as press conferences and media interviews. A great first step toward building an online presence is to craft a campaign website. If technology isn’t your forte, this may be one area where you’ll want to enlist help. Make sure your website is user-friendly and easy to navigate, while clearly displaying your campaign message and policy platform.

Social media is another important way to get your message across. Tell your story, be transparent about your goals, and reach specific audiences more effectively. Read our blog from GoodParty.org’s creator community lead Colton Hess to learn more tips and tricks for getting the most out of social media for your local campaign.

There are still more ways to be tech savvy as you conduct voter outreach. Here are some more ways to connect with voters:

Paid digital advertising

Writing press releases

Organizing press conferences

Engaging in media interviews

Contacting local media outlets

Remember to keep in mind where members of your community most often consume news and political content. Also keep in mind that a voter may have to have several positive interactions with information about your campaign before they seriously consider voting for you.

#7: Understand Legal Considerations

Both the federal and state governments have extensive laws and regulations designed to make the election process fairer. Part of running an effective campaign is making sure you adhere to these laws and regulations. These laws vary from state to state. You may want to consult a legal expert to make sure your campaign is compliant with all federal and state regulations.

Campaign finance regulations are one important area of election law. These regulations are designed to prevent candidates from sourcing funds in unethical ways. To comply, your team will need to prepare all necessary local, state, and federal campaign finance reports.

Other legal areas to watch out for include filing deadlines, reporting obligations, and other compliance requirements. Again, these deadlines and requirements vary from one state to another, so do your research as part of your campaign strategy.

#8: Maximize Get-Out-the-Vote Efforts

Local elections often have much lower voter turnout than federal and presidential elections. In fact, according to the Carnegie Corporation of New York , voter turnout in municipal elections is usually under 15 percent. Voter turnout for school board elections is even lower at 5-10 percent.

Low voter turnout rates can be both a challenge and an opportunity. One way to maximize your get-out-the-vote efforts is to focus on increasing voter turnout on election day. Your team can organize voter registration drives. You can promote early voting initiatives to make sure more voters make it to the polls, or you can draw on your volunteer base to make it easier for more people to vote, such as by distributing absentee ballots.

Maximizing voter turnout can have a powerful impact on local election results.

Running for local office is a great way to make your voice heard and stand up for the needs of your community. At GoodParty.org, we believe that good representation begins at the local level. And we are here for candidates who are ready to run good, independent campaigns. If you are interested in running for local office as an independent or third-party candidate, schedule an info session to learn how GoodParty.org can provide free, expert-led support.

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• Table of Contents
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• Section 1. Writing Letters to Elected Officials

Chapter 33 Sections

• Section 2. Writing Letters to the Editor
• Section 3. Criticizing Unfavorable Action
• Section 4. Filing a Complaint
• Section 5. Seeking Enforcement of Existing Laws or Policies
• Section 6. Using Personal Testimony
• Section 7. Lobbying Decisionmakers
• Section 8. Establishing Lines of Communication with the Opposition's Traditional Allies
• Section 9. Conducting a Petition Drive
• Section 10. General Rules for Organizing for Legislative Advocacy
• Section 11. Developing and Maintaining Ongoing Relationships with Legislators and their Aides
• Section 12. Registering Voters
• Section 13. Conducting a Public Hearing
• Section 14. Organizing Public Demonstrations
• Section 15. Seeking a Negotiator, Mediator, or Fact-Finder
• Section 16. Initiating Legal Action
• Section 17. Organizing a Boycott
• Section 18. Organizing a Strike
• Section 19. Using Social Media for Digital Advocacy
• Section 20. Advocacy Over and For the Long Term

• Main Section

What is a letter to an elected official?

By now you are probably looking for ways to get your issue noticed by people who have the power to help you. To get the best results, you will probably want to try several of the direct action methods discussed in this chapter. In this section, we will show you the best way to write a letter to your elected officials.

A well-written personal letter may be the most effective way to communicate with elected officials. They want to know how their constituents feel about issues, especially when those issues involve decisions made by them.

Your elected officials usually know what advocacy groups are saying about an issue, but they may not understand how a particular decision affects you. A well-written letter describing your experiences, observations, and opinions may help persuade an official in your favor.

Until a short time ago, you had two options if you wanted to contact an elected official: telephone and the mail. In the last several years, e-mail has been added and become the medium of choice. It’s fast, it gets read, and – at least in the U.S. – virtually all elected officials, from town councils to the President, use and welcome e-mail communication. Any guidelines for writing letters in this section – the style to use, the information to include – apply to e-mail as well. A letter to your Congressman, whether it’s sent through the post office or electronically, should be formal and as well-written as you can make it. A political communication, to be taken seriously, should send the message that you care enough about the subject to take some care in writing about it. In the days before e-mail, officials generally considered letters more important than phone calls, because they took more thought and effort. A proper e-mail letter carries the same message – this person has really thought about this, and has put some work into sending his opinion.

Why write to elected officials?

Maybe you're not convinced that writing a letter to your elected official is the best way to spend your time. There are several reasons it’s worth your while, including:

• To explain to an official how a particular issue affects you or your group.
• To express support for a proposed law, policy, or course of action.
• To oppose a proposed law, policy, or course of action.

In any of the above cases, the letter may include information about the issue that the official may not have, or suggest an alternate course of action that she hasn’t previously heard about.

• To demonstrate to an official that his constituents are aware of an issue and have a real interest in the outcome.
• To inform an official about an issue or situation, giving background and history that she may not have.
• To attempt to persuade an official to vote in a certain way on an issue, or to take other related action.
• To build your reputation as a thoughtful person in the eyes of the officials, and thus make your criticism or support more influential, or to put yourself in the position of the person to be consulted when the official needs information about your issue.
• To request a meeting to discuss the issue or some related matter of concern.
• To thank an official for support given, or action taken.
• To criticize an official for a past vote or action.
• To put an official on notice that you and your group are watching his actions, and that he needs to take your votes into account at election time.
• To ask an official to state her position on a particular issue, or to reveal her voting record.
• To ask for help or support.

This type of letter often falls under the heading of “constituent support,” and concern individual problems with government – being denied military disability payments, for example, or being singled out for harassment by a local official.  The reason it’s included in this list is that it can sometimes lead an official to work to change procedures, policies, or laws that discriminate against or make life harder for a whole class of people – veterans, farmers, widows, etc.. Another purpose of this type of letter is to enlist the official’s support in a community or larger initiative of some sort.  This may be a request that he become a legislative champion for the effort, that he simply lend his name to the initiative’s list of public supporters or sponsors, or that he serve on a board or steering committee for the effort.

The letter may include information about the issue that the official may not have, or suggest an alternate course of action that she hasn’t previously heard about.

This type of letter often falls under the heading of “constituent support,” and concern individual problems with government – being denied military disability payments, for example, or being singled out for harassment by a local official. The reason it’s included in this list is that it can sometimes lead an official to work to change procedures, policies, or laws that discriminate against or make life harder for a whole class of people – veterans, farmers, widows, etc..

Another purpose of this type of letter is to enlist the official’s support in a community or larger initiative of some sort. This may be a request that he become a legislative champion for the effort, that he simply lend his name to the initiative’s list of public supporters or sponsors, or that he serve on a board or steering committee for the effort.

When should you write letters to elected officials?

When would you want to write that letter? Whenever an issue arises that concerns your group, but especially when:

• You want an official to consider a certain action or policy (e.g., increasing funding for a program for senior citizens).
• There is an upcoming vote on a policy that concerns your group. Letters are most effective when the vote is about to be taken. This is a good time to use e-mail.
• You want to respond (positively or negatively) to a completed action or a change in policy (e.g., enacting a law that requires people to wear seatbelts).
• You want to point out a deficiency or need in a particular area (e.g. more public transportation to the community health clinics, more police patrols through your neighborhood).
• You need information (e.g. about what happened the last time a certain issue came up for a vote).
• You need advice (how to approach another official, what kind of event will attract large numbers of officials to take notice, etc.). In this instance, you’d probably be writing to an official that you’ve already had positive contact with.

Another way to look at this question is to think about when a letter will have the most effect. There are particular times when letters are more likely to be carefully considered, and when officials are more likely to be responsive.

• Just before an election. Most elected officials become extremely anxious to please when they’re running for reelection.
• Right before an important vote. Officials will usually be receiving communication from many people on both sides of the issue when an important vote is coming up, so this is an especially crucial time to let your opinion be known.
• Just before and in the midst of the budget process. One of the most important things that legislators, town councils, and some other bodies do is set the budget for the coming year. Whether your concern is local, regional, state or provincial, or nationwide, most of the coming year’s policy and action related to health and human services, the environment, public safety, education, transportation, and a number of other important issues is determined, not by laws, but by the amount of money allowed for them in the annual budget. If you have priorities for funding, now is the time to make them known.
• Immediately after an official has done something you approve or disapprove of. There are two reasons why this communication should be immediate. The first is so that the action is still fresh in the official’s mind, and he can respond to your support or criticism. The second is that he will be hearing from folks on the other side, and he needs to know either that not everyone approves of his action, or that, regardless of all the negative letters, there are people out there who think he’s doing the right thing. Officials need to know who supports or objects to which of their positions. It can help them continue to work for the things you care about in the face of opposition, or can push them in that direction if they’re not doing it already.

The really crucial times to write this sort of letter are when an official is under attack for doing something you believe in – think of officials in the American South in the 1950’s and ‘60’s who supported racial integration – or has just done something outrageous – given out a billion-dollar contract in return for a huge bribe, for example. In either of these cases, the official needs to know either that you support her wholeheartedly, and will work to help her, or that you want her to resign now, and will work to have her prosecuted and jailed.

How do you write letters to public officials?

So how do you write letters to public officials, anyhow? We have a number of guidelines that should help you not only write the letter, but increase the chances that it will be actually read and taken seriously.

Decide on the recipient.

Get the name, title, and address of the official who will make the decision about your issue. Watch to make sure that all names are spelled correctly and that you have the proper address. An incorrect name counts against you. An incorrect address may mean your letter might not arrive at all.

If you’re concerned with politics or issues at all, you should make it your business to know the names and contact information (address, office phone, and e-mail) of all those who represent you, from the most local to the federal government. In the U.S., at least, you can get to know your representatives at any level of government if you make the effort. If you’re an activist, you may meet with them, or at least speak to them or their aides fairly regularly. If that’s the case, letters from you will be taken seriously.

Open the letter in an official manner.

If you are writing to an elected official, show respect for the position by using the title of the office, and the official's full name. In any other letter, use the familiar term "Dear," the title Mr., Mrs., Ms., Miss, or Dr., and the official's full name.

Example: January 5, 2008 Title [Name of Representative or Senator] House of Representatives [OR] U.S. Senate Office Address Washington, D.C. 20515

Explain the purpose for your letter.

Let your reader know immediately what your letter is about. Tell him/her why you are concerned or pleased that a particular decision is being considered.

Example: The proposed increase in the gasoline tax will make the cost of transportation unreasonably high for commuters in the metropolitan area.

Summarize your understanding of the issue/decision being considered.

State the general impact that you expect to occur if a particular decision is made.

Example: The creation of a peer-counseling program at our high school will help reduce the number of teen pregnancies in our community.

Explain your position on this issue.

Describe in detail why you feel the decision made will lead to the impact you foresee.

Example: This will provide opportunities for our high school students to discuss pressures they experience with their peers at this critical time in their lives.

Describe what any changes will mean to you, and to others.

Describe specifically the positive or negative effects the decision will have on you personally and on those you represent. The more people affected by the decision, the more convincing you may be.

Example: This program will help provide career opportunities for teenagers in our community.

Identify others who may be affected by this decision.

Tell the official which, and how many, people will be affected. Statistics can be very helpful here.

Example: A recent study showed that 80% of minors who smoke obtain cigarettes at stores that do not ask for any identification. Increased enforcement of the existing laws prohibiting tobacco sales to minors could significantly reduce the rate of smoking among our youth.

Acknowledge past support.

Mention appropriate actions and decisions the official has made in the past and express thanks for them.

Example: We appreciate your past support of the bill protecting the rights of emergency medical crews to not be tested for HIV.

Describe what action you hope the official will take.

State specifically what action you (and those you represent) hope the official will take--and by what date, if there is a deadline.

Example: We hope you realize the best course of action to protect our community's infants and young children is to vote "yes" to House Bill #689b.

If you have written a letter that opposes some action, offer an alternative.

Example: I believe that rather than increasing the number of police cars patrolling our neighborhood, a cheaper and more effective alternative would be to work with our community to develop a community-policing program.

If you have time and you are committed, ask how you can help

Example: Our group is more than willing to explore the various options in helping make our community a safer place to live.

Close and sign your letter.

Thank the official and sign your full name. Make sure your address, and phone number are included.

Check your letter for spelling and grammatical errors.

Correct spelling and grammar won't do the job by themselves, but they can help. Why not give your letter every possible advantage?

Letter-writing campaigns

So far, we’ve discussed individual letters. A letter-writing tactic that can be particularly effective is a letter-writing campaign, where dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of people write either to the same official (if they’re all in, or somehow represent people who are in, her district) or to many officials about a specific vote, policy, or budget item. This can be extremely effective, especially when the letter-writers are people who don’t usually contact their elected officials.

In Massachusetts, when funding for Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English as a Second or Other Language (ESOL) was being debated in the state legislature, over a thousand ABE and ESOL students wrote letters to their representatives explaining why funding was important to them personally. At the same time, program staff and administrators, volunteers, and advocates wrote letters to their own representatives explaining why ABE and ESOL were important to their communities and to the state. The letters from students were particularly powerful, many of them explaining that a year or two earlier, they couldn’t have written those letters. It was the opportunity to enter an ABE or ESOL program that had made the difference. Legislators responded, and funding for adult education was significantly increased.

If you want to engage in a letter-writing campaign, you have to prepare properly. Many people, especially people who see themselves as powerless and unimportant, and who may have little education, are intimidated by the thought of writing to someone in power. In many countries, writing such a letter can carry a certain amount of economic, social, or physical risk. (After a State House rally in the same year as the letter-writing campaign described above, one ESOL student was overheard to remark, “In my country, they shoot you for this.”) Even in democracies governed by the rule of law, people may be fearful of being punished for speaking out.

In addition to reluctance based on feelings of fear and intimidation, many people affected by an issue – especially those with low levels of education – can be embarrassed by their poor writing skills, or feel that they don’t have anything convincing to say. They need help putting their letters together, and they need a model to go by. The coordinators of the letter-writing campaign should be aware of what they have to do to meet these needs.

First, the campaign should contact potential letter writers with a request for letters, and a simple but complete explanation of why the campaign is needed, and what the important issues relating to it are. People can’t write letters that make sense unless they understand clearly why they’re writing. The chances are that, while advocates can – and perhaps do – go over the politics of the issue in their sleep, most people affected by it know very little about how it plays out politically, or even about how the political system handles issues. The better they understand what’s happening and the specific job their letters are expected to do, the more persuasive the letters they can write.

Along with this, the campaign should provide one or more templates for letters. A template is a pattern for the letters, illustrating the form of the letter on the page, with the sender’s and recipient’s addresses and date in the appropriate places at the top, and a formal signature at the bottom, as well as a sample of the content of the letter.

A template literally means a cut-out pattern that is used to make several identical pieces of wood, metal, or some other material that are part of something larger. A builder might use a paper or wooden template to cut a number of identical rafters to hold up a roof, for example.

In general, people affected by the issue should include : A description of who they are – single working mother, person with a disability, job training participant, ex-Marine. The fact that they’re residents of the official’s district, or participants in a program in his district. What they want the official to do. Their connection to the issue – program participant, staff person, community volunteer, parent of a child with disabilities.

Anywhere from one sentence up to a paragraph or two explaining what the issue means to them and/or how it has affected them personally. For program participants and others affected by the issue, this is by far the most important part of the letter. Officials are more often swayed by personal stories than by impersonal statistics, no matter how telling those statistics may be. If people can explain how a program changed their lives for the better, or how the lack of services has been a barrier for them, it’s likely that officials will pay attention.

Finally, campaign coordinators should make sure that those for whom letter-writing is difficult have access to help. In the Massachusetts adult education campaign, that was easy: letters were often written as part of a class, and students approached them as writing assignments, completing two or three drafts before the letter was ready to be sent. In other situations, you’ll have to make sure that program staff and others are available to encourage and empower people, and to help them write the best letters they can.

Should you use e-mail?

With the speed and ease of delivery, it's common to use e-mail and send your correspondence via the computer. Doing so, particularly for formal letters, has several advantages:

• It is much faster than normal mail. This also makes it possible for the official to respond much more quickly.
• It saves the trouble of addressing an envelope, buying a stamp, and mailing your letter.
• Electronic mail is less likely to get lost on the receiver's desk.

However, note that the last can also be a disadvantage . Unless the recipient goes through the trouble to print your message, it may be gone with one tap of the delete key – and out of mind as well. If you are going to use e-mail for your correspondence, be particularly clear and emphatic about your message from the beginning.

Writing letters to elected officials is a good way to explain how an issue affects you or your group. It also can build your reputation as a thoughtful person, giving you more influence with the people in power. A letter is also a good way to get your issue noticed by people who have the power to help you.

Online Resources

Action Tips  provides information for communicating with public officials, and the webpage includes an example letter.

Contact Officials  is a site provided by the United States government with links that give you contact information for the official you’re interested in contacting.

Early Childhood Advocacy Toolkit provides resources on framing your message and communicating with the media as well as policy makers and elected officials.  

Effective E-mail Communication from the University of North Carolina provides tips on professional e-mail writing and communicating via e-mail. 

How Do I Write an Effective Advocacy Letter?  Is a webpage from the Hearing Loss Association of America, Delaware Chapters, and it provides information specific to drafting advocacy letters to elected officials.

10 Tips  provides 10 tips on effectively communicating with legislators to make your message stand out to them.

Writing Your Elected Official is a guide provided by the Children’s Defense Fund, and it provides information on effectively communicating with elected officials.

Print Resources

Bates, D. J.(1985). Writing with precision . Washington, DC: Acropolis.

Fitch, B. (2010).  Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials: Citizen Advocacy in State Legislatures and Congress: A Guide for Citizen Lobbyists and Grassroots.  The Capitol Net, Inc. This book offers practical guidance for reaching elected officials with a variety of different communication strategies.

Homan, M.(1994). Promoting community change: Making it happen in the real world . Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks-Cole Publishing Co.

Managing correspondence--Plain letters, [available from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, DC: 20402]

Roman,K., & Raphaelson, J. (1992).  Writing that works . New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Seekins, T., & Fawcett, S. The Research and Training Center on Independent Living.(1984). A guide to writing letters to public officials: Contributing to important decisions affecting you and others. University of Kansas.

Stonecipher, H. (1979). Editorial and persuasive writings: Opinion functions of the news media . New York, NY: Hastings House.

If You Want to Write a Great Speech, Here’s How to Do It

Writing a speech isn’t all that different than writing for other mediums. You need to know your audience, the required length, and the purpose or topic. This is true whether your speech is for a business conference, a wedding, a school project, or any other scenario.

But there’s something about speech writing that’s especially nerve-wracking .

If you write and deliver a speech that doesn’t go over well, you’ll get feedback in real time. The people sitting in front of you could lose interest, start talking, doze off, or even wander out of the room. (Don’t worry, only audiences in movies throw tomatoes).

Of course, a poor speech is not the end of the world. You can give plenty of crummy speeches and live to tell the tale.

But we also know that a great speech is capable of changing the world. Or at least sparking an audience’s imagination, catapulting your business into success, earning an A+ on your assignment, or ensuring that the bride and groom are still friends with you after the wedding.

So if you’re feeling stressed over your impending speech writing duties, fret no more! Today we’re breaking down for you the step-by-step process of exactly how to write a great speech.

Here’s a tip: Want to make sure your writing shines? Grammarly can check your spelling and save you from grammar and punctuation mistakes. It even proofreads your text, so your work is extra polished wherever you write.

Your writing, at its best Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Write with Grammarly

1 Tips to write (and live) by

Let’s start with the 30,000 foot, big-picture view. These are the tenets that will guide you in your speech writing process (and pretty much anything else you want to write).

• Know the purpose: What are you trying to accomplish with your speech? Educate, inspire, entertain, argue a point? Your goals will dictate the tone and structure, and result in dramatically different speeches.
• Know your audience: Your speech should be tailored for your audience, both in terms of ideas and language. If you’re speaking at a sound healer convention, you won’t need to explain the concept of energetic blocks. And if you’re speaking to an octogenarians-only quilting circle, you probably shouldn’t drop as many F-bombs as you would with your local biker gang.
• Know the length: You don’t want to underwhelm or overwhelm your audience.Ten minutes may be too short for your keynote address, but it’s probably too long for your best man speech. Don’t leave things up to chance. Your writing process will be much easier if you keep your eye on your target length.
• Write, revise, practice, revise, practice…: MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech wasn’t written in a day. Give yourself the time you need to practice your material and work through multiple drafts. Don’t expect to nail everything on the first try.

2 The step-by-step process

Still feeling stressed over how to get started? Here’s how to write your speech from concept to completion.

Step 1: Outline your speech’s structure. What are the main ideas for each section?

Step 2: Flesh out the main ideas in your outline. Don’t worry about finding the perfect words. Just let your creativity flow and get it all out!

Step 3: Edit and polish what you’ve written until you have a cohesive first draft of your speech

Step 4: Practice, practice, practice. The more you practice your speech the more you’ll discover which sections need reworked, which transitions should be improved, and which sentences are hard to say. You’ll also find out how you’re doing on length.

Step 5: Update, practice, and revise your speech until it has a great flow and you feel it’s ready to accomplish its purpose.

3 The universal structure

Getting hung up on Step 1? Here’s a structure you can follow for any type of speech.

Introduction

Who are you, why are are you giving this speech, what is your main thesis?

The “who” and “why” can be longer or shorter depending on the context. For example, if you’re speaking at a wedding, you’ll want to explain your relationship to the bride and groom and why they mean so much to you. But if you’re presenting to your class at school, you may be able to head straight into your thesis.

If you’re presenting in a business or motivational setting, this is a crucial time to hook your audience’s attention and pique their curiosity. Typically someone else will have already introduced you and your accolades, so use this to your advantage and dive straight in.

“Hi everyone, it’s great to be here! As Kevin just said, I’ve been an urban beet farmer for 30 years, and a couple years back I got this absolutely crazy idea. What if…”

Main message

Idea 1, Idea 2, Idea 3…

The majority of your speech should be spent presenting your thesis and supporting material in a simple, organized way.

Whether you’re giving an inspirational talk or a business presentation, rambling is a sure-fire way to lose your audience’s attention. Don’t try to share absolutely everything you know on your topic, instead pick a few (two to five) key points to present to your audience.

Stick to one point at a time and finish the thought before you move on to the next. Build in clear, logical transitions from idea to idea.

Want to make your speech memorable? Studies have shown our brains are great at remember stories! As much as is appropriate, make your speech personal and include your own anecdotes and thoughts.

We’re also better at remembering big ideas if they’re condensed into a few memorable words, so do your best to sum up your thesis.

“I have a dream.”

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

“Make good art.”

What do you want your audience to walk out of the room remembering?

Wrap everything up and drive home your main idea, whether that’s through providing a few (one to three) key takeaways, or telling one last story that perfectly illustrates your point.

Here are some examples of how your outline might look

As a researcher presenting your findings…

Introduction: Explain the key problem or question of your research.

Main message: Describe the research process, then describe your three key findings.

Takeaway: Present your conclusions and their implications, then your next steps for moving forward.

As the maid of honor giving a speech at your best friend’s wedding…

Introduction: Explain who you are and how you met the bride.

Main message: Recount three funny and heartwarming stories about your decades-long friendship with her, plus your first impressions of the groom.

Takeaway: Wrap things up by expounding on how amazing the bride and groom’s love for each other is, how they’re meant to be together, and how you know their love will last a lifetime. …L’chaim!

What are your favorite tips for writing a great speech?

Here’s a tip: Grammarly’s  Citation Generator  ensures your essays have flawless citations and no plagiarism. Try it for citing speeches in Chicago , MLA , and APA styles.

Student Council Speech Ideas & Tips to Help You Win

Whether you want to be president or head up PR, we've got you covered with tips and example student council speeches.

Lori personal and professional experiences have helped her cultivate a broad writing portfolio, spanning publications on subjects like education and parenting.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

Kate is an experienced writer who has written hundreds of articles for publication.

Getting involved in student council is an amazing way to have a little extra influence in your school, but you have to win an election to get that influence. If you want to convince people to vote for you, you'll need a great student council speech that they'll remember on election day.

Serving on your school's student council gives you a say in student activities and a voice with the school administration, and that's a pretty big deal. It also looks good on college applications. However, to make it onto the student council, you'll first need to give a speech and gather votes from the other students. We've got you covered with writing tips, examples, and ideas to give you tons of extra confidence (and hopefully that win you want).

Winning Student Council Speech Ideas

You've probably done a little (or a lot) of persuasive writing in your classes, and you can totally build on that to write a great speech. You'll also want to make your speech memorable and fun to listen to since you need these kids to think of you when it's time to vote.

• Funny Student Council Speech Ideas to Help Everyone Relate to You
• Tips for a Winning Student Council Speech for Treasurer
• Self-Introduction Speech Examples & Tips to Help You Be Confident & Calm

Use these suggestions to help you craft a speech they'll never forget. It's important that you make sure your speech suits your school and position.

Open With a Humorous Story

Start your speech with something that will make everyone laugh . That can be a joke or a hilarious anecdote — there are no wrong answers as long as you amuse people and don't offend them.

• Funny Intro Ideas for Student Council Speeches

Tell What You've Done Already

Next, you need to establish your credibility. Why should people vote for you? Why are you awesome at this role already? Show off your leadership experience and your connections to people in the school or community.

Explain the Role You're Running For

At this point in the speech, you want to clearly state what you want people to do. Tell them what student council role you're hoping to get and that you will do well in this position.

Keep your speech short and to the point and be honest about why you'd like the position regardless of whether it's a big or smaller role. For smaller roles, such as sergeant-at-arms, auditors, or public relations, hone in on what qualifications you have and use vivid examples to keep your audience interested.

Clearly Ask for Their Vote

Finally, you need to make sure you clearly ask people to vote for you. Mention the election day specifically. It's also nice if you offer to answer any questions or chat with people one-on-one.

Make Your Student Council Speech Stand Out

While there are certain traits and promises the student body expects from every candidate's speech, they want to choose one person who stands out from the crowd. Even if you're running for a smaller position, such as a PR officer or sergeant-at-arms, you may need to make a great speech as well in order to get elected. Make your speech the most memorable one in the room.

• Grab a thesaurus and look for synonyms of common words used to describe the position you're running for. When all the other secretarial candidates talk about their attention to detail, you can use words like "meticulous" or "assiduous" to sound different.
• Include visuals like props, a themed outfit, or specific hand gestures to give your speech a multidimensional feel.
• Choose a speech theme to structure your presentation like a specific social media platform, a historical event, or a particular sport. Look for a theme that relates well to the role you want.
• Invent a catchphrase that captures the spirit of your speech to keep the student body talking about it all the way to the polls.
• Add sound effects, song lyrics, or music to give the speech more life.

Student Council Speech Examples for Each Role

Get inspired to write the perfect speech with these examples for each major role. Whether you're hoping to be president or secretary, these samples can help you get started writing your own speech.

Sample Speech for President

Hello, my name is John Doe and I'm a junior. I'm not the type of student who will lead a senior prank or skip class with you, but that probably isn't what you want in a class president anyway. What I do offer is steadfastness, hard work, and the ability to work with others even during difficult circumstances while still keeping a sense of humor.

Last year, when the cafeteria stopped serving the salad bar, I was able to get it reinstated by starting a petition, having many of you sign it, and taking it to Principal Smith. Because we worked together, we were able to bring the salad bar back, and now it's better than ever.

During the last three years at Sample High School, I've been involved in many activities. I've played basketball, spent a short time in the school band, worked on various committees, and helped tutor students after school. Last year, I was adopted into the National Honor Society and started an after school club for airplane enthusiasts that meets once a week.

As your student council president, I vow to end all homework. Just kidding. I can't do that, but what I can do is be your voice with the school administration and work to make this the best year Sample High has ever had. I will introduce ideas for events, such as dances after high school basketball games, and we'll work together to help the community through volunteer work and showing them just how dedicated the students at Sample High are.

I would appreciate your vote for president. If elected, I will continue to fight for the things that are important to students, no matter how big or small they might be. Let's work together to make our stamp on this community and on the world.

If you're running for the highest role in your class or school, your speech really needs to stand out. This is the most competitive race, so make sure you leave people with a clear idea of who you are and what you want to do.

Vice President Speech Example

Instead of starting with my name and what I'm running for, at which point you'll tune me out and start looking at the smudge on your left shoe, I am going to tell you my favorite memory so far from high school. On my first day at Sample High School, I had no idea how to get to my classes. This school is big, and I was lost.

On top of that, I was rushing around trying to find my class and tripped and fell flat on the floor in front of the cutest guy I'd ever seen. Not only was he nice enough to help me up, but several other students rushed to help me, got me to my classroom, and made me feel better about how goofy I was. That was the moment I fell in love with Sample High School. We all help each other and you don't find that just anywhere.

One of the reasons I'm running for Vice President of the student council is that I want to give back to the high school I love so much. I want to be that friendly face for new students coming in and a defender for students already here.

During the last two years, I've prepared myself to serve as Vice President by taking on extra work organizing a fan club for our football players to cheer them on when they play at home and make sure our school is represented in the stands at every away game. I've spent time as an office aid, learning about the everyday running of the school and silently taking notes on what we as students can do to improve things and how we can work with the administration.

As your Vice President, I will stand beside your president, offering support and stepping in when she is not able to be here or asks for some extra help. I'll sit on the student council and get actively involved in planning prom , graduation, and homecoming. I will always be here to listen to your concerns or to help you off the floor should you fall flat on your face like I did.

I am asking for your vote for VP of the student council. I love this school. I want to be helpful, and I want us all to build memories we'll remember and treasure forever. Now, if I can just get off this stage without falling on my face, I'll be in good shape.

A vice presidential speech needs to be highly effective to gain student confidence. This means you need to grab their attention and keep it throughout the speech, as well as clearly telling your audience what you want to accomplish.

Secretary Election Speech Sample

Today, I want to tell you something about me that you might not know. From the time I was five years old, I've been taking guitar lessons. I don't play in a band and I don't take music classes at school, but every night when I get home, I pick up my Fender and I relieve any stress from the day by playing a few of my favorite classic rock songs.

Learning to play a musical instrument takes a lot of time and stubbornness. There are times when I just wanted to quit because my fingers were raw from trying to learn a new chord or that song just didn't sound right. However, I stuck with it until I overcame the challenge and that is exactly what I'll do as your secretary. If there is an issue that needs to be solved, I won't quit until we figure out a solution. I will bring your concerns to the other council members, and like learning a new chord, I will stick with that concern until we figure it out.

I would like your vote for secretary of the student council. You never know, I may even bring my guitar to a student council meeting or two and just set it by my side as a reminder of why we need to work hard to achieve worthwhile things.

In your secretary speech, explain why you are perfect for the role. Highlight your organizational skills, perseverance, and ability to get along with everyone.

Treasurer Election Speech Example

Those of you who already know me probably know that math is my favorite subject. I'm proud of my inner geek, and I think it makes me perfect for the job of Treasurer. The student council treasurer is in charge of keeping track of money and numbers, so this role is a perfect fit for me and I've decided to run for the position.

I've been a member of Jackson High's Mathletes for the last two years. In case you're not familiar with this group, we are a group of students who love math and go out and compete in events. We've won state twice in the last three years. I also am a member of the orchestra. We perform throughout the school year and at school basketball games.

The student council treasurer has to be good at math to keep track of all those numbers. Vote for me, and I'll make sure our numbers add up. I'll also have fun doing it because I'm just crazy enough to love numbers.

• Example Student Council Speech for Treasurer & Tips to Write Yours

A class treasurer needs to show his or her trustworthiness and math abilities during the speech.

Example Speech for Any Student Council Role

Many of you probably know me best for tripping over my feet and falling face-first off the stage during prom. Once I got over that embarrassment, I decided I could face you here today.

From the first day I arrived at Sample High School, I knew I wanted to become more involved. From serving on the school newspaper as the Features Editor to helping plan prom last year, I consistently spend time in leadership roles and try to make this school an even better place than it already is. Many of you probably know me from my work with Key Club and the volunteer time I've spent at Sunnyvale Nursing Home and cleaning up our community park.

It probably won't surprise you that I have decided to run for student council for the role of ___________. As student council _________ (role), I will strive to continue to make improvements in the school for every student here at Sample High. The student council works side-by-side with the student body and the administration to ensure student events throughout the year are successful. As _______, I will ensure that you have a memorable year.

Today, I am asking for your vote for me on election day. Should you elect me, I will listen to your concerns and work hard for you. I'm happy to chat with anyone after this event to answer any questions you might have.

• 9 Science-Backed Ways to Stay Focused on Your Schoolwork

Ways to Add Humor to Your Speech

One of the best election speech ideas for students is to work some humor into your speech. Infusing a bit of humor into your speech can help you better connect with your audience while making your speech really stand out. You can try using silly jokes, sarcasm, or inside jokes that only those who attend your school would get. These ideas might help. 

• Say in a serious tone, "Settle in, I've got about three hours' worth of material to get through."
• After your speech, say, "Okay, now for my speech."
• Use a teacher or principal as a funny example, such as, "I'm as passionate about our school as (insert teacher) and as energetic as (insert teacher) after he/she's finished his/her coffee."
• Say, "I care about this position as much as (teacher) cares about (insert book, movie, or learning principle that teacher speaks about a lot)."
• Say, "I was really nervous to give this speech, so I've been practicing a lot in front of my (insert pet). He/she/they said it could use some work, so I guess I'll just give this my best shot."
• Use self-deprecating humor by saying, "My annoying need to be organized and scheduled would make me a great fit for this position."
• 65+ "Anything But a Backpack" Day Ideas That’ll Make You a School Legend

Deliver the Speech With Confidence

Once you've prepared your speech, practicing a few times alone and in front of an audience can help you get ready to deliver your speech with confidence. Whether your speech is lighthearted and funny or serious and to the point, there are a few things to keep in mind.

• Make eye contact with those you are speaking to and don't focus too heavily on one person.
• If you make a mistake, keep going. No one knows what your speech is supposed to sound like.
• Practice some deep breathing exercises or mindfulness beforehand to calm nerves. Remember to take deep breaths throughout your speech and speak a bit slower than you normally would, as nerves can cause you to speak more rapidly.
• Visualize yourself doing your speech well the morning of it.

Make Your Election Speech Memorable

Whether you use one of the samples listed here or write an entirely new speech, be sure to put a personal touch on the speech. By focusing on what makes you unique, your passions, and your skills, you will show confidence in front of your classmates and let them see a side of you they may not have seen before. Whether you win or lose the election, you can hold your head high and know you gave the speech your best.

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How to write a good speech in 7 steps

By:  Susan Dugdale  

- an easily followed format for writing a great speech

Did you know writing a speech doesn't have be an anxious, nail biting experience?

Unsure? Don't be.

You may have lived with the idea you were never good with words for a long time. Or perhaps giving speeches at school brought you out in cold sweats.

However learning how to write a speech is relatively straight forward when you learn to write out loud.

And that's the journey I am offering to take you on: step by step.

To learn quickly, go slow

Take all the time you need. This speech writing format has 7 steps, each building on the next.

Walk, rather than run, your way through all of them. Don't be tempted to rush. Familiarize yourself with the ideas. Try them out.

I know there are well-advertised short cuts and promises of 'write a speech in 5 minutes'. However in reality they only truly work for somebody who already has the basic foundations of speech writing in place.

The foundation of good speech writing 

These steps are the backbone of sound speech preparation. Learn and follow them well at the outset and yes, given more experience and practice you could probably flick something together quickly. Like any skill, the more it's used, the easier it gets.

In the meantime...

Step 1: Begin with a speech overview or outline

Are you in a hurry? Without time to read a whole page? Grab ... The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist And come back to get the details later.

• WHO you are writing your speech for (your target audience)
• WHY you are preparing this speech. What's the main purpose of your speech? Is it to inform or tell your audience about something? To teach them a new skill or demonstrate something? To persuade or to entertain? (See 4 types of speeches: informative, demonstrative, persuasive and special occasion or entertaining for more.) What do you want them to think, feel or do as a result of listening the speech?
• WHAT your speech is going to be about (its topic) - You'll want to have thought through your main points and have ranked them in order of importance. And have sorted the supporting research you need to make those points effectively.
• HOW much time you have for your speech eg. 3 minutes, 5 minutes... The amount of time you've been allocated dictates how much content you need. If you're unsure check this page: how many words per minute in a speech: a quick reference guide . You'll find estimates of the number of words required for 1 - 10 minute speeches by slow, medium and fast talkers.

Use an outline

The best way to make sure you deliver an effective speech is to start by carefully completing a speech outline covering the essentials: WHO, WHY, WHAT and HOW.

Beginning to write without thinking your speech through is a bit like heading off on a journey not knowing why you're traveling or where you're going to end up. You can find yourself lost in a deep, dark, murky muddle of ideas very quickly!

Pulling together a speech overview or outline is a much safer option. It's the map you'll follow to get where you want to go.

Get a blank speech outline template to complete

Click the link to find out a whole lot more about preparing a speech outline . ☺ You'll also find a free printable blank speech outline template.  I recommend using it!

Understanding speech construction

Before you begin to write, using your completed outline as a guide, let's briefly look at what you're aiming to prepare.

• an opening or introduction
• the body where the bulk of the information is given
• and an ending (or summary).

Imagine your speech as a sandwich

If you think of a speech as a sandwich you'll get the idea.

The opening and ending are the slices of bread holding the filling (the major points or the body of your speech) together.

You can build yourself a simple sandwich with one filling (one big idea) or you could go gourmet and add up to three or, even five. The choice is yours.

But whatever you choose to serve, as a good cook, you need to consider who is going to eat it! And that's your audience.

So let's find out who they are before we do anything else. 

Step 2: Know who you are talking to

Understanding your audience.

Did you know a  good speech is never written from the speaker's point of view?  ( If you need to know more about why check out this page on  building rapport .)

Begin with the most important idea/point on your outline.

Consider HOW you can explain (show, tell) that to your audience in the most effective way for them to easily understand it.   

Writing from the audience's point of view

To help you write from an audience point of view, it's a good idea to identify either a real person or the type of person who is most likely to be listening to you.

Make sure you select someone who represents the "majority" of the people who will be in your audience. That is they are neither struggling to comprehend you at the bottom of your scale or light-years ahead at the top.

Now imagine they are sitting next to you eagerly waiting to hear what you're going to say. Give them a name, for example, Joe, to help make them real.

Ask yourself

• How do I need to tailor my information to meet Joe's needs? For example, do you tell personal stories to illustrate your main points? Absolutely! Yes. This is a very powerful technique. (Click storytelling in speeches to find out more.)
• What type or level of language is right for Joe as well as my topic? For example, if I use jargon (activity, industry or profession specific vocabulary) will it be understood?

Step 3: Writing as you speak

Writing oral language.

Write down what you want to say about your first main point as if you were talking directly to Joe.

If it helps, say it all out loud before you write it down and/or record it.

Use the information below as a guide

(Click to download The Characteristics of Spoken Language  as a pdf.) 

You do not have to write absolutely everything you're going to say down * but you do need to write down, or outline, the sequence of ideas to ensure they are logical and easily followed.

Remember too, to explain or illustrate your point with examples from your research. 

( * Tip: If this is your first speech the safety net of having everything written down could be just what you need. It's easier to recover from a patch of jitters when you have a word by word manuscript than if you have either none, or a bare outline. Your call!)

Step 4: Checking tone and language

The focus of this step is re-working what you've done in Step 2 and 3.

You identified who you were talking to (Step 2) and in Step 3, wrote up your first main point.  Is it right? Have you made yourself clear?  Check it.

How well you complete this step depends on how well you understand the needs of the people who are going to listen to your speech.

Please do not assume because you know what you're talking about the person (Joe) you've chosen to represent your audience will too. Joe is not a mind-reader!

How to check what you've prepared

• Check the "tone" of your language . Is it right for the occasion, subject matter and your audience?
• Check the length of your sentences. You need short sentences. If they're too long or complicated you risk losing your listeners.

Check for jargon too. These are industry, activity or group exclusive words.

For instance take the phrase: authentic learning . This comes from teaching and refers to connecting lessons to the daily life of students. Authentic learning is learning that is relevant and meaningful for students. If you're not a teacher you may not understand the phrase.

The use of any vocabulary requiring insider knowledge needs to be thought through from the audience perspective. Jargon can close people out.

• Read what you've written out loud. If it flows naturally, in a logical manner, continue the process with your next main idea. If it doesn't, rework.

We use whole sentences and part ones, and we mix them up with asides or appeals e.g. "Did you get that? Of course you did. Right...Let's move it along. I was saying ..."

Click for more about the differences between spoken and written language .

And now repeat the process

Repeat this process for the remainder of your main ideas.

Because you've done the first one carefully, the rest should follow fairly easily.

Step 5: Use transitions

Providing links or transitions between main ideas.

Between each of your main ideas you need to provide a bridge or pathway for your audience. The clearer the pathway or bridge, the easier it is for them to make the transition from one idea to the next.

If your speech contains more than three main ideas and each is building on the last, then consider using a "catch-up" or summary as part of your transitions.

Is your speech being evaluated? Find out exactly what aspects you're being assessed on using this standard speech evaluation form

Link/transition examples

A link can be as simple as:

"We've explored one scenario for the ending of Block Buster 111, but let's consider another. This time..."

What follows this transition is the introduction of Main Idea Two.

Here's a summarizing link/transition example:

"We've ended Blockbuster 111 four ways so far. In the first, everybody died. In the second, everybody died BUT their ghosts remained to haunt the area. In the third, one villain died. His partner reformed and after a fight-out with the hero, they both strode off into the sunset, friends forever. In the fourth, the hero dies in a major battle but is reborn sometime in the future.

And now what about one more? What if nobody died? The fifth possibility..."

Go back through your main ideas checking the links. Remember Joe as you go. Try each transition or link out loud and really listen to yourself. Is it obvious? Easily followed?

Keep them if they are clear and concise.

For more about transitions (with examples) see Andrew Dlugan's excellent article, Speech Transitions: Magical words and Phrases .

Step 6: The end of your speech

The ideal ending is highly memorable . You want it to live on in the minds of your listeners long after your speech is finished. Often it combines a call to action with a summary of major points.

Example speech endings

Example 1: The desired outcome of a speech persuading people to vote for you in an upcoming election is that they get out there on voting day and do so. You can help that outcome along by calling them to register their support by signing a prepared pledge statement as they leave.

"We're agreed we want change. You can help us give it to you by signing this pledge statement as you leave. Be part of the change you want to see!

Example 2: The desired outcome is increased sales figures. The call to action is made urgent with the introduction of time specific incentives.

"You have three weeks from the time you leave this hall to make that dream family holiday in New Zealand yours. Can you do it? Will you do it? The kids will love it. Your wife will love it. Do it now!"

How to figure out the right call to action

A clue for working out what the most appropriate call to action might be, is to go back to your original purpose for giving the speech.

• Was it to motivate or inspire?
• Was it to persuade to a particular point of view?
• Was it to share specialist information?
• Was it to celebrate a person, a place, time or event?

Ask yourself what you want people to do as a result of having listened to your speech.

For more about ending speeches

Visit this page for more about how to end a speech effectively . You'll find two additional types of speech endings with examples.

Write and test

Write your ending and test it out loud. Try it out on a friend, or two. Is it good? Does it work?

Step 7: The introduction

Once you've got the filling (main ideas) the linking and the ending in place, it's time to focus on the introduction.

The introduction comes last as it's the most important part of your speech. This is the bit that either has people sitting up alert or slumped and waiting for you to end. It's the tone setter!

What makes a great speech opening?

Ideally you want an opening that makes listening to you the only thing the 'Joes' in the audience want to do.

You want them to forget they're hungry or that their chair is hard or that their bills need paying.

The way to do that is to capture their interest straight away. You do this with a "hook".

Hooks to catch your audience's attention

Hooks come in as many forms as there are speeches and audiences. Your task is work out what specific hook is needed to catch your audience.

Go back to the purpose. Why are you giving this speech?

Once you have your answer, consider your call to action. What do you want the audience to do, and, or take away, as a result of listening to you?

Next think about the imaginary or real person you wrote for when you were focusing on your main ideas.

Choosing the best hook

• Is it humor?
• Would shock tactics work?
• Is it a rhetorical question?
• Is it formality or informality?
• Is it an outline or overview of what you're going to cover, including the call to action?
• Or is it a mix of all these elements?

A hook example

Here's an example from a fictional political speech. The speaker is lobbying for votes. His audience are predominately workers whose future's are not secure.

"How's your imagination this morning? Good? (Pause for response from audience) Great, I'm glad. Because we're going to put it to work starting right now.

I want you to see your future. What does it look like? Are you happy? Is everything as you want it to be? No? Let's change that. We could do it. And we could do it today.

At the end of this speech you're going to be given the opportunity to change your world, for a better one ...

No, I'm not a magician. Or a simpleton with big ideas and precious little commonsense. I'm an ordinary man, just like you. And I have a plan to share!"

And then our speaker is off into his main points supported by examples. The end, which he has already foreshadowed in his opening, is the call to vote for him.

Prepare several hooks

Experiment with several openings until you've found the one that serves your audience, your subject matter and your purpose best.

For many more examples of speech openings go to: how to write a speech introduction . You'll find 12 of the very best ways to start a speech.

That completes the initial seven steps towards writing your speech. If you've followed them all the way through, congratulations, you now have the text of your speech!

Although you might have the words, you're still a couple of steps away from being ready to deliver them. Both of them are essential if you want the very best outcome possible. They are below. Please take them.

Step 8: Checking content and timing

This step pulls everything together.

Check once, check twice, check three times & then once more!

Go through your speech really carefully.

On the first read through check you've got your main points in their correct order with supporting material, plus an effective introduction and ending.

On the second read through check the linking passages or transitions making sure they are clear and easily followed.

On the third reading check your sentence structure, language use and tone.

Double, triple check the timing

Now go though once more.

This time read it aloud slowly and time yourself.

If it's too long for the time allowance you've been given make the necessary cuts.

Start by looking at your examples rather than the main ideas themselves. If you've used several examples to illustrate one principal idea, cut the least important out.

Also look to see if you've repeated yourself unnecessarily or, gone off track. If it's not relevant, cut it.

Repeat the process, condensing until your speech fits the required length, preferably coming in just under your time limit.

You can also find out how approximately long it will take you to say the words you have by using this very handy words to minutes converter . It's an excellent tool, one I frequently use. While it can't give you a precise time, it does provide a reasonable estimate.

Step 9: Rehearsing your speech

And NOW you are finished with writing the speech, and are ready for REHEARSAL .

Please don't be tempted to skip this step. It is not an extra thrown in for good measure. It's essential.

The "not-so-secret" secret of successful speeches combines good writing with practice, practice and then, practicing some more.

Go to how to practice public speaking and you'll find rehearsal techniques and suggestions to boost your speech delivery from ordinary to extraordinary.

The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist

Before you begin writing you need:.

• Your speech OUTLINE with your main ideas ranked in the order you're going to present them. (If you haven't done one complete this 4 step sample speech outline . It will make the writing process much easier.)
• Your RESEARCH
• You also need to know WHO you're speaking to, the PURPOSE of the speech and HOW long you're speaking for

The basic format

• the body where you present your main ideas

Split your time allowance so that you spend approximately 70% on the body and 15% each on the introduction and ending.

How to write the speech

• Write your main ideas out incorporating your examples and research
• Link them together making sure each flows in a smooth, logical progression
• Write your ending, summarizing your main ideas briefly and end with a call for action
• Write your introduction considering the 'hook' you're going to use to get your audience listening
• An often quoted saying to explain the process is: Tell them what you're going to tell them (Introduction) Tell them (Body of your speech - the main ideas plus examples) Tell them what you told them (The ending)

TEST before presenting. Read aloud several times to check the flow of material, the suitability of language and the timing.

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How to address the Mayor

Advice on how best to address the Mayor

Mayor and Mayoress

From the 16 May 2024, the Mayor is Councillor Paul Bland.

The full description on letters and envelopes is:

‘The Worshipful the Mayor of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, Councillor Paul Bland’

The more simple descriptions are:

• The Mayor of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk

If writing a letter to the Mayor you should start it with ‘Dear Mr Mayor’.

When greeting the Mayor it is correct to say something along the lines of ‘Good Evening Mr Mayor’.

In speeches, you would say something like: ‘We are pleased to have with us (The Worshipful) the Mayor of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, Councillor Paul Bland.’

In the opening of a speech being made you would say ‘Mr Mayor’.

If it is the host who is making the speech they would refer to the Mayor first in the introduction unless a member of the Royal Family is present. In this case they would say: ‘Your Royal Highness, Mr Mayor, My Lords etc.’

If it is not the host speaking then they should be referred to by their title eg. President, Ms Chairman, immediately before ‘Mr Mayor’.

Unless in the chair, the Mayor should be seated on the right of the chairman or host at any event in the borough.

It is not necessary to address the Mayoress before a speech, however if she is mentioned during the speech you would address her as ‘Mayoress’.

Deputy Mayor and Mayoress

From the 16 May 2024, the Deputy Mayor is Councillor Andy Bullen.

The correct description on letters and envelopes is:

‘The Deputy Mayor of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, Councillor Andy Bullen' or more simply ‘The Deputy Mayor’.

If the Deputy Mayor is present without the Mayor and is representing him/her, then he/she will have the same rank as the Mayor would have if they were present.

In speeches you would say something along the lines of ‘We are pleased to have with us The Deputy Mayor of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, Councillor Andy Bullen’.

If both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor are present, the Deputy ranks immediately after the Mayor.

The Mayoral party will, when attending events, wear the chains and badges of office.

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How To Write A Political Speech

11 min read

Crafting a compelling political speech holds immense importance for any aspiring politician and successful political campaign. It is a powerful tool for connecting with the audience, influencing opinions, and igniting action. To make speeches truly impactful, harnessing the power of voter engagement and direct sourcing is key. Politicians can gather valuable insights directly from the people they aim to represent by actively engaging with voters and listening to their concerns.

This approach adds significant value to speeches and establishes an authentic connection with voters. This blog post will explore the significance of delivering compelling political speeches and highlight the benefits of incorporating voter engagement and direct sourcing techniques. By the end, you'll gain practical insights into creating lessons that resonate with your audience and make a lasting impact. Revise your political speechwriting skills with valuable tips and actionable strategies!

Writing a compelling political speech that resonates with your audience is vital for any politician. Two key factors are crucial to achieving this: defining your objectives and knowing your target audience.

• Defining the objectives: Your speech should have a clear purpose, whether it is to persuade, inspire, or educate your listeners. You can shape your address by defining your goals to achieve those desired outcomes effectively. ‍
• Knowing your target audience: Understanding your audience's demographics, concerns, and aspirations is fundamental. This knowledge allows you to tailor your message in a way that connects with them on a personal level. You can create a speech that resonates deeply and captures their attention by addressing their needs and desires.

Research and Preparation

Research and preparation are vital steps in writing an impactful political speech. By gathering comprehensive data from various sources, conducting surveys, and analyzing voter demographics, you can enhance the effectiveness of your address. Here are key actions to take:

• Collecting data from various sources: Traditional media such as newspapers, TV, and radio provide insights into current political events and public sentiment. Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube offer information on trending topics and public discourse. Online forums and communities like Reddit, Quora, and specialized political forums allow you to tap into discussions and understand different perspectives. ‍
• Conducting surveys and opinion polls: ‍ Engaging in surveys and opinion polls helps you gauge your target audience's opinions, preferences, and concerns. This data provides valuable insights to shape your speech accordingly. ‍
• Analyzing voter demographics and specific concerns: ‍ Understanding your audience's demographics, including age, gender, and location, enables you to tailor your speech to resonate with their unique backgrounds and experiences. Additionally, identifying specific concerns and issues that matter to voters allows you to address them directly in your speech, making it more relevant and impactful.

By undertaking thorough research and preparation, you will have a solid foundation for crafting a compelling political speech that speaks directly to your audience's needs and aspirations. In the upcoming sections, we will explore these topics in more detail, providing you with practical strategies to integrate the collected data effectively into your speechwriting process. Get ready to take your political speechwriting skills to the next level!

Crafting a Compelling Political Speech

Crafting a powerful political speech requires careful consideration of the message you want to convey. Here are key steps to help you create a compelling address:

• Identifying key issues and topics: Start by identifying crucial issues such as the economy and jobs, healthcare and social welfare, education and student debt, climate change and environmental policies, and national security and foreign affairs. These topics are often at the forefront of public discourse and resonate with voters. ‍
• Prioritizing topics based on voter feedback and relevance: ‍ Listen to the feedback and concerns of voters through surveys, town hall meetings, and direct engagement. Prioritize the topics that resonate most with your audience, ensuring your speech addresses their pressing issues. ‍
• Developing a compelling narrative: ‍ Structure your speech with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion to provide a cohesive flow. Utilize storytelling techniques to make your message engaging and relatable, capturing your audience's attention. Connect your experiences to policy proposals, humanizing your speech and showing your understanding of real-life impacts. Emphasize empathy and relatability to establish a genuine connection with your audience, showcasing that you understand and share their concerns.

Following these steps, you can craft a persuasive political speech highlighting key issues, resonating with voters, and inspiring action. In the following sections, we will delve deeper into each aspect, providing you with practical tips and techniques to enhance the impact of your speech. Prepare to deliver a memorable and influential address that leaves a lasting impression!

Rehearsing your political speech is a critical step that significantly aids your confidence and overall delivery. Here are some valuable tips to consider when it comes to rehearsing:

• Practice makes perfect: Dedicate ample time to rehearsing your speech before presenting it to an audience. Aim to rehearse your address at least five times to familiarize yourself with the content, structure, and flow. ‍
• Seek feedback from your team: Once you've practiced independently, deliver your speech to your team and invite their constructive criticism. Their feedback can provide valuable insights and help you refine your points, delivery, and overall performance. ‍
• Conduct a full dress rehearsal: Organize a complete dress rehearsal with your team, where they play the roles of a moderator and your competition. This simulation allows you to identify potential weaknesses in your arguments, anticipate challenging questions, and fine-tune your delivery. ‍
• Capture and review your performance: Consider filming yourself giving the speech during rehearsal. Watching the recording afterwards lets you objectively evaluate your performance, body language, and speaking style. Take note of areas where improvements can be made and make adjustments accordingly. ‍
• Ensure accessibility through simplicity: While rehearsing, approach your speech from the perspective of someone unfamiliar with the topics you're addressing. Use simple language and many analogies to make your political speech accessible to many listeners. This approach enhances understanding and enables your message to resonate with the entire electorate.

By incorporating rehearsal into your speechwriting process, you can boost your confidence, identify areas for improvement, and deliver a polished and impactful speech. Remember, rehearsing allows you to refine your points, connect with your audience effectively, and ensure your message is conveyed clearly, concisely, and relatable. ‍

Use Common Language

Using common language in political speech writing is essential to effectively connect with your audience and ensure your message resonates with a wide range of listeners. Here are key considerations when it comes to using common language:

• ‍ Speak in an accessible manner:   Communicate in a way that is easily understandable to all. Avoid excessive jargon, complex terminology, or convoluted sentences that may confuse or alienate your audience. Use clear and concise language that allows anyone to grasp your message. ‍ ‍
• Avoid offensive terms:   Maintaining a respectful and inclusive tone during your speech is important. Steer clear of profane or derogatory language that could offend or marginalize certain groups. Treat your audience with respect, emphasizing unity and understanding. ‍ ‍
• Harness the power of stories and personal accounts:   Stories and first-person narratives profoundly impact your audience. Utilize relatable anecdotes and real-life experiences to illustrate your points, making your arguments more engaging, relatable, and emotionally compelling. ‍ ‍
• Balance simplicity with depth:   While most of your content should be easily understandable by anyone, it is acceptable to incorporate academic research, quotations, or statistics that may require additional explanation. Find a balance between simplicity and depth, ensuring that even complex ideas can be grasped by your listeners with the appropriate context and explanation.

Using common language can effectively bridge the gap between complex ideas and the understanding of your audience. Remember, the goal is to connect with as many people as possible, making your message accessible, relatable, and impactful. So, craft your speech with clarity and simplicity while utilizing stories and personal accounts to create an emotional connection that resonates with your listeners.

How to Construct An Argument

Constructing a compelling argument is crucial to writing a persuasive political speech. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you build a strong and impactful argument:

• Clearly state your thesis: Begin by articulating your main point or thesis statement. This sets the foundation for your argument and provides a clear focus for your speech. ‍
• Gather supporting evidence: Collect relevant facts, statistics, expert opinions, and real-life examples that support your thesis. Strong evidence adds credibility and strengthens your argument. ‍
• Organize your points logically: Structure your argument logically and coherently. Present your facts in a sequence that builds upon each other, leading your audience towards your main thesis. ‍
• Anticipate counterarguments: Consider potential counterarguments to your position and address them proactively. This demonstrates thoroughness and strengthens your overall argument. ‍
• Use persuasive language: Choose words and phrases that are persuasive and compelling. Craft your message to resonate with your audience emotionally and intellectually. ‍
• Appeal to logic and emotions: Blend logical reasoning with emotional appeals to make your argument more persuasive. Use rational evidence to support your claims and evoke emotions to connect with your audience more deeply. ‍
• Use rhetorical devices: Employ rhetorical devices such as repetition, analogy, and rhetorical questions to enhance the impact of your argument and make it more memorable. ‍
• Summarize and restate your main points: Conclude your argument by summarizing your main points and restating your thesis. Leave your audience clearly understanding your position and a compelling call to action.

These steps can construct a strong and persuasive argument in your political speech. Remember to support your claims with evidence, organize your points effectively, and appeal to logic and emotions. With a well-constructed argument, your address will be poised to influence opinions and inspire action.

Voter Engagement for your Speech

Engaging with voters through various tactics is essential to crafting a compelling political speech. Here's why it matters and how you can make the most of it:

importance of voter contact tactics:

• Door-to-door canvassing allows you to connect with voters on a personal level, fostering trust and building rapport.
• Town hall meetings provide a platform for open dialogue, enabling you to directly understand local issues and concerns of the community.
• Phone calls and text messages offer an opportunity to engage voters individually, creating a sense of importance and personal connection.

Benefits of engaging voters directly:

• Building trust and rapport strengthens your relationship with voters, making your message more impactful and memorable.
• Understanding local issues and concerns firsthand helps you address them effectively in your speech, showing your commitment to representing the community's needs.
• Obtaining firsthand stories and anecdotes allows you to humanize your speech, adding authenticity and relatability to your message.

Techniques for effective voter engagement:

• Active listening and showing empathy demonstrate your genuine interest in understanding voters' perspectives and concerns.
• Asking open-ended questions encourages voters to share their thoughts and experiences, providing valuable insights for shaping your speech.
• Encouraging voter participation in the speechwriting process empowers them. It ensures their voices are heard, enhancing the authenticity of your speech.
• Utilizing social media platforms to solicit input and feedback broadens your reach. It allows you to engage with a wider audience, gathering diverse perspectives and ideas.

By actively engaging voters through canvassing and other community outreach , you gain invaluable insights, stories, and anecdotes that can greatly enrich your political speech. In the upcoming sections, we will delve deeper into these techniques, providing you with practical strategies to maximize voter engagement and create lessons that truly resonate with your audience. Get ready to harness the power of direct sourcing and make a meaningful impact with your speech!

Incorporating voter input into your speechwriting process is a powerful way to create speeches that truly resonate with your audience. Here's how you can leverage voter input, with a special emphasis on the significance of canvassing:

• ‍ Analyzing and categorizing voter stories and concerns: By carefully listening to voters' stories and concerns gathered through canvassing, town hall meetings, and other engagement tactics, you can analyze and categorize them to identify common threads and key issues. ‍ ‍
• Identifying common themes and patterns: By recognizing recurring themes and patterns in voter input, you gain insights into your constituency's collective concerns and aspirations. This knowledge allows you to address them effectively in your speech. ‍ ‍
• Integrating voter anecdotes into the speech: Personalizing the message by incorporating specific anecdotes and stories voters share, you personalize your speech, making it relatable and impactful. Highlighting real-life impacts: Sharing how specific policies or decisions affect real people helps create a deeper understanding and empathy among your audience. ‍ ‍
• Acknowledging and addressing dissenting viewpoints: While incorporating voter input, it's important to acknowledge and address dissenting views. By respectfully engaging with opposing perspectives, you demonstrate inclusivity and a willingness to consider all voices.

By actively involving voters in the speechwriting process, you ensure their concerns and experiences are reflected in your message. This adds authenticity and relatability and strengthens your connection with your audience. In the subsequent sections, we will delve deeper into these strategies, providing you with practical tips to seamlessly integrate voter input into your political speeches. Get ready to create addresses that truly resonate and engage your audience profoundly!

The Ten Minutes Beforehand

The ten minutes beforehand hold significant value in maximizing the impact of your political speech. Here's how you can make the most of this crucial time, offering practical strategies to enhance your performance and connect with your audience:

Center yourself through mindfulness techniques:

• Take deep breaths to calm your nerves and center your mind.
• Practice mindfulness or meditation to focus your thoughts and promote a sense of presence.

Review your key talking points:

• Take a moment to mentally review the main points and messages you want to convey.
• Ensure that your speech aligns with your objectives and resonates with your audience.

Visualize success:

• Visualize yourself delivering a powerful and impactful speech with confidence and clarity.
• Envision a positive response from your audience, creating a sense of belief and determination.

Positive self-talk:

• Engage in positive self-talk to boost your confidence and banish self-doubt.
• Remind yourself of your strengths, expertise, and message value.

Establish a connection with your audience:

• Scan the room and make eye contact with individuals in the audience.
• This brief interaction establishes an initial connection and helps you establish rapport.

Review technical aspects:

• Double-check any specialized equipment or visual aids to ensure they are functioning properly.
• Familiarize yourself with the stage setup and microphone placement for seamless delivery.

Warm up your voice and body:

• Perform vocal warm-up exercises to ensure clarity and projection in your speech.
• Engage in gentle stretches or movements to release tension and promote a relaxed body language.

By utilizing these strategies ten minutes beforehand, you can optimize your mindset, refine your delivery, and establish an immediate connection with your audience. Remember that these moments set the stage for a memorable speech, allowing you to effectively convey your message, inspire your audience, and leave a lasting impact.

Engaging voters through direct sourcing, especially through canvassing, holds immense power in creating impactful political speeches. By incorporating voter input, speeches can exude authenticity and relatability, connecting with the concerns and aspirations of the electorate. This approach inspires trust and establishes a strong connection between politicians and the people they aim to represent. Crafting well-articulated speeches that resonate with voters is a transformative way to influence opinions and ignite action. As you refine your speech writing skills, remember the significance of actively engaging voters, listening to their stories, and addressing their concerns. By doing so, you will deliver speeches that make a lasting impact, inspire change, and foster a deeper connection with your audience.

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How to write a speech that your audience remembers

Whether in a work meeting or at an investor panel, you might give a speech at some point. And no matter how excited you are about the opportunity, the experience can be nerve-wracking . 

But feeling butterflies doesn’t mean you can’t give a great speech. With the proper preparation and a clear outline, apprehensive public speakers and natural wordsmiths alike can write and present a compelling message. Here’s how to write a good speech you’ll be proud to deliver.

What is good speech writing?

Good speech writing is the art of crafting words and ideas into a compelling, coherent, and memorable message that resonates with the audience. Here are some key elements of great speech writing:

• It begins with clearly understanding the speech's purpose and the audience it seeks to engage. 
• A well-written speech clearly conveys its central message, ensuring that the audience understands and retains the key points. 
• It is structured thoughtfully, with a captivating opening, a well-organized body, and a conclusion that reinforces the main message. 
• Good speech writing embraces the power of engaging content, weaving in stories, examples, and relatable anecdotes to connect with the audience on both intellectual and emotional levels. 

Ultimately, it is the combination of these elements, along with the authenticity and delivery of the speaker , that transforms words on a page into a powerful and impactful spoken narrative.

What makes a good speech?

A great speech includes several key qualities, but three fundamental elements make a speech truly effective:

Clarity and purpose

Remembering the audience, cohesive structure.

While other important factors make a speech a home run, these three elements are essential for writing an effective speech.

The main elements of a good speech

The main elements of a speech typically include:

• Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for your speech and grabs the audience's attention. It should include a hook or attention-grabbing opening, introduce the topic, and provide an overview of what will be covered.
• Opening/captivating statement: This is a strong statement that immediately engages the audience and creates curiosity about the speech topics.
• Thesis statement/central idea: The thesis statement or central idea is a concise statement that summarizes the main point or argument of your speech. It serves as a roadmap for the audience to understand what your speech is about.
• Body: The body of the speech is where you elaborate on your main points or arguments. Each point is typically supported by evidence, examples, statistics, or anecdotes. The body should be organized logically and coherently, with smooth transitions between the main points.
• Supporting evidence: This includes facts, data, research findings, expert opinions, or personal stories that support and strengthen your main points. Well-chosen and credible evidence enhances the persuasive power of your speech.
• Transitions: Transitions are phrases or statements that connect different parts of your speech, guiding the audience from one idea to the next. Effective transitions signal the shifts in topics or ideas and help maintain a smooth flow throughout the speech.
• Counterarguments and rebuttals (if applicable): If your speech involves addressing opposing viewpoints or counterarguments, you should acknowledge and address them. Presenting counterarguments makes your speech more persuasive and demonstrates critical thinking.
• Conclusion: The conclusion is the final part of your speech and should bring your message to a satisfying close. Summarize your main points, restate your thesis statement, and leave the audience with a memorable closing thought or call to action.
• Closing statement: This is the final statement that leaves a lasting impression and reinforces the main message of your speech. It can be a call to action, a thought-provoking question, a powerful quote, or a memorable anecdote.
• Delivery and presentation: How you deliver your speech is also an essential element to consider. Pay attention to your tone, body language, eye contact , voice modulation, and timing. Practice and rehearse your speech, and try using the 7-38-55 rule to ensure confident and effective delivery.

While the order and emphasis of these elements may vary depending on the type of speech and audience, these elements provide a framework for organizing and delivering a successful speech.

How to structure a good speech

You know what message you want to transmit, who you’re delivering it to, and even how you want to say it. But you need to know how to start, develop, and close a speech before writing it. 

Think of a speech like an essay. It should have an introduction, conclusion, and body sections in between. This places ideas in a logical order that the audience can better understand and follow them. Learning how to make a speech with an outline gives your storytelling the scaffolding it needs to get its point across.

Here’s a general speech structure to guide your writing process:

• Explanation 1
• Explanation 2
• Explanation 3

How to write a compelling speech opener

Some research shows that engaged audiences pay attention for only 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Other estimates are even lower, citing that people stop listening intently in fewer than 10 minutes . If you make a good first impression at the beginning of your speech, you have a better chance of interesting your audience through the middle when attention spans fade. 

Implementing the INTRO model can help grab and keep your audience’s attention as soon as you start speaking. This acronym stands for interest, need, timing, roadmap, and objectives, and it represents the key points you should hit in an opening. 

Here’s what to include for each of these points: 

• Interest : Introduce yourself or your topic concisely and speak with confidence . Write a compelling opening statement using relevant data or an anecdote that the audience can relate to.
• Needs : The audience is listening to you because they have something to learn. If you’re pitching a new app idea to a panel of investors, those potential partners want to discover more about your product and what they can earn from it. Read the room and gently remind them of the purpose of your speech. 
• Timing : When appropriate, let your audience know how long you’ll speak. This lets listeners set expectations and keep tabs on their own attention span. If a weary audience member knows you’ll talk for 40 minutes, they can better manage their energy as that time goes on. 
• Routemap : Give a brief overview of the three main points you’ll cover in your speech. If an audience member’s attention starts to drop off and they miss a few sentences, they can more easily get their bearings if they know the general outline of the presentation.
• Objectives : Tell the audience what you hope to achieve, encouraging them to listen to the end for the payout. 

Writing the middle of a speech

The body of your speech is the most information-dense section. Facts, visual aids, PowerPoints — all this information meets an audience with a waning attention span. Sticking to the speech structure gives your message focus and keeps you from going off track, making everything you say as useful as possible.

Limit the middle of your speech to three points, and support them with no more than three explanations. Following this model organizes your thoughts and prevents you from offering more information than the audience can retain. 

Using this section of the speech to make your presentation interactive can add interest and engage your audience. Try including a video or demonstration to break the monotony. A quick poll or survey also keeps the audience on their toes. 

Wrapping the speech up

To you, restating your points at the end can feel repetitive and dull. You’ve practiced countless times and heard it all before. But repetition aids memory and learning , helping your audience retain what you’ve told them. Use your speech’s conclusion to summarize the main points with a few short sentences.

Try to end on a memorable note, like posing a motivational quote or a thoughtful question the audience can contemplate once they leave. In proposal or pitch-style speeches, consider landing on a call to action (CTA) that invites your audience to take the next step.

How to write a good speech

If public speaking gives you the jitters, you’re not alone. Roughly 80% of the population feels nervous before giving a speech, and another 10% percent experiences intense anxiety and sometimes even panic. 

The fear of failure can cause procrastination and can cause you to put off your speechwriting process until the last minute. Finding the right words takes time and preparation, and if you’re already feeling nervous, starting from a blank page might seem even harder.

But putting in the effort despite your stress is worth it. Presenting a speech you worked hard on fosters authenticity and connects you to the subject matter, which can help your audience understand your points better. Human connection is all about honesty and vulnerability, and if you want to connect to the people you’re speaking to, they should see that in you.

1. Identify your objectives and target audience

Before diving into the writing process, find healthy coping strategies to help you stop worrying . Then you can define your speech’s purpose, think about your target audience, and start identifying your objectives. Here are some questions to ask yourself and ground your thinking : 

• What purpose do I want my speech to achieve? 
• What would it mean to me if I achieved the speech’s purpose?
• What audience am I writing for? 
• What do I know about my audience? 
• What values do I want to transmit? 
• If the audience remembers one take-home message, what should it be? 
• What do I want my audience to feel, think, or do after I finish speaking? 
• What parts of my message could be confusing and require further explanation?

2. Know your audience

Understanding your audience is crucial for tailoring your speech effectively. Consider the demographics of your audience, their interests, and their expectations. For instance, if you're addressing a group of healthcare professionals, you'll want to use medical terminology and data that resonate with them. Conversely, if your audience is a group of young students, you'd adjust your content to be more relatable to their experiences and interests. 

3. Choose a clear message

Your message should be the central idea that you want your audience to take away from your speech. Let's say you're giving a speech on climate change. Your clear message might be something like, "Individual actions can make a significant impact on mitigating climate change." Throughout your speech, all your points and examples should support this central message, reinforcing it for your audience.

4. Structure your speech

Organizing your speech properly keeps your audience engaged and helps them follow your ideas. The introduction should grab your audience's attention and introduce the topic. For example, if you're discussing space exploration, you could start with a fascinating fact about a recent space mission. In the body, you'd present your main points logically, such as the history of space exploration, its scientific significance, and future prospects. Finally, in the conclusion, you'd summarize your key points and reiterate the importance of space exploration in advancing human knowledge.

5. Use engaging content for clarity

Engaging content includes stories, anecdotes, statistics, and examples that illustrate your main points. For instance, if you're giving a speech about the importance of reading, you might share a personal story about how a particular book changed your perspective. You could also include statistics on the benefits of reading, such as improved cognitive abilities and empathy.

6. Maintain clarity and simplicity

It's essential to communicate your ideas clearly. Avoid using overly technical jargon or complex language that might confuse your audience. For example, if you're discussing a medical breakthrough with a non-medical audience, explain complex terms in simple, understandable language.

7. Practice and rehearse

Practice is key to delivering a great speech. Rehearse multiple times to refine your delivery, timing, and tone. Consider using a mirror or recording yourself to observe your body language and gestures. For instance, if you're giving a motivational speech, practice your gestures and expressions to convey enthusiasm and confidence.

8. Consider nonverbal communication

Your body language, tone of voice, and gestures should align with your message . If you're delivering a speech on leadership, maintain strong eye contact to convey authority and connection with your audience. A steady pace and varied tone can also enhance your speech's impact.

9. Engage your audience

Engaging your audience keeps them interested and attentive. Encourage interaction by asking thought-provoking questions or sharing relatable anecdotes. If you're giving a speech on teamwork, ask the audience to recall a time when teamwork led to a successful outcome, fostering engagement and connection.

10. Prepare for Q&A

Anticipate potential questions or objections your audience might have and prepare concise, well-informed responses. If you're delivering a speech on a controversial topic, such as healthcare reform, be ready to address common concerns, like the impact on healthcare costs or access to services, during the Q&A session.

By following these steps and incorporating examples that align with your specific speech topic and purpose, you can craft and deliver a compelling and impactful speech that resonates with your audience.

Tools for writing a great speech

There are several helpful tools available for speechwriting, both technological and communication-related. Here are a few examples:

• Word processing software: Tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or other word processors provide a user-friendly environment for writing and editing speeches. They offer features like spell-checking, grammar correction, formatting options, and easy revision tracking.
• Presentation software: Software such as Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides is useful when creating visual aids to accompany your speech. These tools allow you to create engaging slideshows with text, images, charts, and videos to enhance your presentation.
• Speechwriting Templates: Online platforms or software offer pre-designed templates specifically for speechwriting. These templates provide guidance on structuring your speech and may include prompts for different sections like introductions, main points, and conclusions.
• Rhetorical devices and figures of speech: Rhetorical tools such as metaphors, similes, alliteration, and parallelism can add impact and persuasion to your speech. Resources like books, websites, or academic papers detailing various rhetorical devices can help you incorporate them effectively.
• Speechwriting apps: Mobile apps designed specifically for speechwriting can be helpful in organizing your thoughts, creating outlines, and composing a speech. These apps often provide features like voice recording, note-taking, and virtual prompts to keep you on track.
• Grammar and style checkers: Online tools or plugins like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor help improve the clarity and readability of your speech by checking for grammar, spelling, and style errors. They provide suggestions for sentence structure, word choice, and overall tone.
• Thesaurus and dictionary: Online or offline resources such as thesauruses and dictionaries help expand your vocabulary and find alternative words or phrases to express your ideas more effectively. They can also clarify meanings or provide context for unfamiliar terms.
• Online speechwriting communities: Joining online forums or communities focused on speechwriting can be beneficial for getting feedback, sharing ideas, and learning from experienced speechwriters. It's an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and improve your public speaking skills through collaboration.

Remember, while these tools can assist in the speechwriting process, it's essential to use them thoughtfully and adapt them to your specific needs and style. The most important aspect of speechwriting remains the creativity, authenticity, and connection with your audience that you bring to your speech.

5 tips for writing a speech

Behind every great speech is an excellent idea and a speaker who refined it. But a successful speech is about more than the initial words on the page, and there are a few more things you can do to help it land.

Here are five more tips for writing and practicing your speech:

1. Structure first, write second

If you start the writing process before organizing your thoughts, you may have to re-order, cut, and scrap the sentences you worked hard on. Save yourself some time by using a speech structure, like the one above, to order your talking points first. This can also help you identify unclear points or moments that disrupt your flow.

2. Do your homework

Data strengthens your argument with a scientific edge. Research your topic with an eye for attention-grabbing statistics, or look for findings you can use to support each point. If you’re pitching a product or service, pull information from company metrics that demonstrate past or potential successes. 

Audience members will likely have questions, so learn all talking points inside and out. If you tell investors that your product will provide 12% returns, for example, come prepared with projections that support that statement.

3. Sound like yourself

Memorable speakers have distinct voices. Think of Martin Luther King Jr’s urgent, inspiring timbre or Oprah’s empathetic, personal tone . Establish your voice — one that aligns with your personality and values — and stick with it. If you’re a motivational speaker, keep your tone upbeat to inspire your audience . If you’re the CEO of a startup, try sounding assured but approachable. 

4. Practice

As you practice a speech, you become more confident , gain a better handle on the material, and learn the outline so well that unexpected questions are less likely to trip you up. Practice in front of a colleague or friend for honest feedback about what you could change, and speak in front of the mirror to tweak your nonverbal communication and body language .

5. Remember to breathe

When you’re stressed, you breathe more rapidly . It can be challenging to talk normally when you can’t regulate your breath. Before your presentation, try some mindful breathing exercises so that when the day comes, you already have strategies that will calm you down and remain present . This can also help you control your voice and avoid speaking too quickly.

How to ghostwrite a great speech for someone else

Ghostwriting a speech requires a unique set of skills, as you're essentially writing a piece that will be delivered by someone else. Here are some tips on how to effectively ghostwrite a speech:

• Understand the speaker's voice and style : Begin by thoroughly understanding the speaker's personality, speaking style, and preferences. This includes their tone, humor, and any personal anecdotes they may want to include.
• Interview the speaker : Have a detailed conversation with the speaker to gather information about their speech's purpose, target audience, key messages, and any specific points they want to emphasize. Ask for personal stories or examples they may want to include.
• Research thoroughly : Research the topic to ensure you have a strong foundation of knowledge. This helps you craft a well-informed and credible speech.
• Create an outline : Develop a clear outline that includes the introduction, main points, supporting evidence, and a conclusion. Share this outline with the speaker for their input and approval.
• Write in the speaker's voice : While crafting the speech, maintain the speaker's voice and style. Use language and phrasing that feel natural to them. If they have a particular way of expressing ideas, incorporate that into the speech.
• Craft a captivating opening : Begin the speech with a compelling opening that grabs the audience's attention. This could be a relevant quote, an interesting fact, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking question.
• Organize content logically : Ensure the speech flows logically, with each point building on the previous one. Use transitions to guide the audience from one idea to the next smoothly.
• Incorporate engaging stories and examples : Include anecdotes, stories, and real-life examples that illustrate key points and make the speech relatable and memorable.
• Edit and revise : Edit the speech carefully for clarity, grammar, and coherence. Ensure the speech is the right length and aligns with the speaker's time constraints.
• Seek feedback : Share drafts of the speech with the speaker for their feedback and revisions. They may have specific changes or additions they'd like to make.
• Practice delivery : If possible, work with the speaker on their delivery. Practice the speech together, allowing the speaker to become familiar with the content and your writing style.
• Maintain confidentiality : As a ghostwriter, it's essential to respect the confidentiality and anonymity of the work. Do not disclose that you wrote the speech unless you have the speaker's permission to do so.
• Be flexible : Be open to making changes and revisions as per the speaker's preferences. Your goal is to make them look good and effectively convey their message.
• Meet deadlines : Stick to agreed-upon deadlines for drafts and revisions. Punctuality and reliability are essential in ghostwriting.
• Provide support : Support the speaker during their preparation and rehearsal process. This can include helping with cue cards, speech notes, or any other materials they need.

Remember that successful ghostwriting is about capturing the essence of the speaker while delivering a well-structured and engaging speech. Collaboration, communication, and adaptability are key to achieving this.

Give your best speech yet

Learn how to make a speech that’ll hold an audience’s attention by structuring your thoughts and practicing frequently. Put the effort into writing and preparing your content, and aim to improve your breathing, eye contact , and body language as you practice. The more you work on your speech, the more confident you’ll become.

The energy you invest in writing an effective speech will help your audience remember and connect to every concept. Remember: some life-changing philosophies have come from good speeches, so give your words a chance to resonate with others. You might even change their thinking.

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Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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15 Powerful Speech Opening Lines (And How to Create Your Own)

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking , Speech Writing

Powerful speech opening lines set the tone and mood of your speech. It’s what grips the audience to want to know more about the rest of your talk.

The first few seconds are critical. It’s when you have maximum attention of the audience. And you must capitalize on that!

Instead of starting off with something plain and obvious such as a ‘Thank you’ or ‘Good Morning’, there’s so much more you can do for a powerful speech opening (here’s a great article we wrote a while ago on how you should NOT start your speech ).

To help you with this, I’ve compiled some of my favourite openings from various speakers. These speakers have gone on to deliver TED talks , win international Toastmaster competitions or are just noteworthy people who have mastered the art of communication.

After each speaker’s opening line, I have added how you can include their style of opening into your own speech. Understanding how these great speakers do it will certainly give you an idea to create your own speech opening line which will grip the audience from the outset!

Alright! Let’s dive into the 15 powerful speech openings…

Note: Want to take your communications skills to the next level? Book a complimentary consultation with one of our expert communication coaches. We’ll look under the hood of your hurdles and pick two to three growth opportunities so you can speak with impact!

1. Ric Elias

Opening: “Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.”

How to use the power of imagination to open your speech?

Putting your audience in a state of imagination can work extremely well to captivate them for the remainder of your talk.

It really helps to bring your audience in a certain mood that preps them for what’s about to come next. Speakers have used this with high effectiveness by transporting their audience into an imaginary land to help prove their point.

When Ric Elias opened his speech, the detail he used (3000 ft, sound of the engine going clack-clack-clack) made me feel that I too was in the plane. He was trying to make the audience experience what he was feeling – and, at least in my opinion, he did.

When using the imagination opening for speeches, the key is – detail. While we want the audience to wander into imagination, we want them to wander off to the image that we want to create for them. So, detail out your scenario if you’re going to use this technique.

Make your audience feel like they too are in the same circumstance as you were when you were in that particular situation.

2. Barack Obama

Opening: “You can’t say it, but you know it’s true.”

3. Seth MacFarlane

Opening: “There’s nowhere I would rather be on a day like this than around all this electoral equipment.” (It was raining)

How to use humour to open your speech?

When you use humour in a manner that suits your personality, it can set you up for a great speech. Why? Because getting a laugh in the first 30 seconds or so is a great way to quickly get the audience to like you.

And when they like you, they are much more likely to listen to and believe in your ideas.

Obama effortlessly uses his opening line to entice laughter among the audience. He brilliantly used the setting (the context of Trump becoming President) and said a line that completely matched his style of speaking.

Saying a joke without really saying a joke and getting people to laugh requires you to be completely comfortable in your own skin. And that’s not easy for many people (me being one of them).

If the joke doesn’t land as expected, it could lead to a rocky start.

Keep in mind the following when attempting to deliver a funny introduction:

• Know your audience: Make sure your audience gets the context of the joke (if it’s an inside joke among the members you’re speaking to, that’s even better!). You can read this article we wrote where we give you tips on how you can actually get to know your audience better to ensure maximum impact with your speech openings
• The joke should suit your natural personality. Don’t make it look forced or it won’t elicit the desired response
• Test the opening out on a few people who match your real audience. Analyze their response and tweak the joke accordingly if necessary
• Starting your speech with humour means your setting the tone of your speech. It would make sense to have a few more jokes sprinkled around the rest of the speech as well as the audience might be expecting the same from you

4. Mohammed Qahtani

Opening: Puts a cigarette on his lips, lights a lighter, stops just before lighting the cigarette. Looks at audience, “What?”

5. Darren Tay

Opening: Puts a white pair of briefs over his pants.

How to use props to begin your speech?

The reason props work so well in a talk is because in most cases the audience is not expecting anything more than just talking. So when a speaker pulls out an object that is unusual, everyone’s attention goes right to it.

It makes you wonder why that prop is being used in this particular speech.

The key word here is unusual . To grip the audience’s attention at the beginning of the speech, the prop being used should be something that the audience would never expect. Otherwise, it just becomes something that is common. And common = boring!

What Mohammed Qahtani and Darren Tay did superbly well in their talks was that they used props that nobody expected them to.

By pulling out a cigarette and lighter or a white pair of underwear, the audience can’t help but be gripped by what the speaker is about to do next. And that makes for a powerful speech opening.

6. Simon Sinek

Opening: “How do you explain when things don’t go as we assume? Or better, how do you explain when others are able to achieve things that seem to defy all of the assumptions?”

7. Julian Treasure

Opening: “The human voice. It’s the instrument we all play. It’s the most powerful sound in the world. Probably the only one that can start a war or say “I love you.” And yet many people have the experience that when they speak people don’t listen to them. Why is that? How can we speak powerfully to make change in the world?”

How to use questions to open a speech?

I use this method often. Starting off with a question is the simplest way to start your speech in a manner that immediately engages the audience.

But we should keep our questions compelling as opposed to something that is fairly obvious.

I’ve heard many speakers start their speeches with questions like “How many of us want to be successful?”

No one is going to say ‘no’ to that and frankly, I just feel silly raising my hand at such questions.

Simon Sinek and Jullian Treasure used questions in a manner that really made the audience think and make them curious to find out what the answer to that question is.

What Jullian Treasure did even better was the use of a few statements which built up to his question. This made the question even more compelling and set the theme for what the rest of his talk would be about.

So think of what question you can ask in your speech that will:

• Set the theme for the remainder of your speech
• Not be something that is fairly obvious
• Be compelling enough so that the audience will actually want to know what the answer to that question will be

8. Aaron Beverley

Opening: Long pause (after an absurdly long introduction of a 57-word speech title). “Be honest. You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”

How to use silence for speech openings?

The reason this speech opening stands out is because of the fact that the title itself is 57 words long. The audience was already hilariously intrigued by what was going to come next.

But what’s so gripping here is the way Aaron holds the crowd’s suspense by…doing nothing. For about 10 to 12 seconds he did nothing but stand and look at the audience. Everyone quietened down. He then broke this silence by a humorous remark that brought the audience laughing down again.

When going on to open your speech, besides focusing on building a killer opening sentence, how about just being silent?

It’s important to keep in mind that the point of having a strong opening is so that the audience’s attention is all on you and are intrigued enough to want to listen to the rest of your speech.

Silence is a great way to do that. When you get on the stage, just pause for a few seconds (about 3 to 5 seconds) and just look at the crowd. Let the audience and yourself settle in to the fact that the spotlight is now on you.

I can’t put my finger on it, but there is something about starting the speech off with a pure pause that just makes the beginning so much more powerful. It adds credibility to you as a speaker as well, making you look more comfortable and confident on stage. 

If you want to know more about the power of pausing in public speaking , check out this post we wrote. It will give you a deeper insight into the importance of pausing and how you can harness it for your own speeches. You can also check out this video to know more about Pausing for Public Speaking:

9. Dan Pink

Opening: “I need to make a confession at the outset here. Little over 20 years ago, I did something that I regret. Something that I’m not particularly proud of. Something that in many ways I wish no one would ever know but that here I feel kind of obliged to reveal.”

10. Kelly McGonigal

Opening: “I have a confession to make. But first I want you to make a little confession to me.”

How to use a build-up to open your speech?

When there are so many amazing ways to start a speech and grip an audience from the outset, why would you ever choose to begin your speech with a ‘Good morning?’.

That’s what I love about build-ups. They set the mood for something awesome that’s about to come in that the audience will feel like they just have to know about.

Instead of starting a speech as it is, see if you can add some build-up to your beginning itself. For instance, in Kelly McGonigal’s speech, she could have started off with the question of stress itself (which she eventually moves on to in her speech). It’s not a bad way to start the speech.

But by adding the statement of “I have a confession to make” and then not revealing the confession for a little bit, the audience is gripped to know what she’s about to do next and find out what indeed is her confession.

11. Tim Urban

Opening: “So in college, I was a government major. Which means that I had to write a lot of papers. Now when a normal student writes a paper, they might spread the work out a little like this.”

12. Scott Dinsmore

Opening: “8 years ago, I got the worst career advice of my life.”

How to use storytelling as a speech opening?

“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.” Steve Jobs

Storytelling is the foundation of good speeches. Starting your speech with a story is a great way to grip the audience’s attention. It makes them yearn to want to know how the rest of the story is going to pan out.

Tim Urban starts off his speech with a story dating back to his college days. His use of slides is masterful and something we all can learn from. But while his story sounds simple, it does the job of intriguing the audience to want to know more.

As soon as I heard the opening lines, I thought to myself “If normal students write their paper in a certain manner, how does Tim write his papers?”

Combine such a simple yet intriguing opening with comedic slides, and you’ve got yourself a pretty gripping speech.

Scott Dismore’s statement has a similar impact. However, just a side note, Scott Dismore actually started his speech with “Wow, what an honour.”

I would advise to not start your talk with something such as that. It’s way too common and does not do the job an opening must, which is to grip your audience and set the tone for what’s coming.

13. Larry Smith

Opening: “I want to discuss with you this afternoon why you’re going to fail to have a great career.”

14. Jane McGonigal

Opening: “You will live 7.5 minutes longer than you would have otherwise, just because you watched this talk.”

How to use provocative statements to start your speech?

Making a provocative statement creates a keen desire among the audience to want to know more about what you have to say. It immediately brings everyone into attention.

Larry Smith did just that by making his opening statement surprising, lightly humorous, and above all – fearful. These elements lead to an opening statement which creates so much curiosity among the audience that they need to know how your speech pans out.

This one time, I remember seeing a speaker start a speech with, “Last week, my best friend committed suicide.” The entire crowd was gripped. Everyone could feel the tension in the room.

They were just waiting for the speaker to continue to know where this speech will go.

That’s what a hard-hitting statement does, it intrigues your audience so much that they can’t wait to hear more! Just a tip, if you do start off with a provocative, hard-hitting statement, make sure you pause for a moment after saying it.

Silence after an impactful statement will allow your message to really sink in with the audience.

Related article: 5 Ways to Grab Your Audience’s Attention When You’re Losing it!

15. Ramona J Smith

Opening: In a boxing stance, “Life would sometimes feel like a fight. The punches, jabs and hooks will come in the form of challenges, obstacles and failures. Yet if you stay in the ring and learn from those past fights, at the end of each round, you’ll be still standing.”

How to use your full body to grip the audience at the beginning of your speech?

In a talk, the audience is expecting you to do just that – talk. But when you enter the stage and start putting your full body into use in a way that the audience does not expect, it grabs their attention.

Body language is critical when it comes to public speaking. Hand gestures, stage movement, facial expressions are all things that need to be paid attention to while you’re speaking on stage. But that’s not I’m talking about here.

Here, I’m referring to a unique use of the body that grips the audience, like how Ramona did. By using her body to get into a boxing stance, imitating punches, jabs and hooks with her arms while talking – that’s what got the audience’s attention.

The reason I say this is so powerful is because if you take Ramona’s speech and remove the body usage from her opening, the entire magic of the opening falls flat.

While the content is definitely strong, without those movements, she would not have captured the audience’s attention as beautifully as she did with the use of her body.

So if you have a speech opening that seems slightly dull, see if you can add some body movement to it.

If your speech starts with a story of someone running, actually act out the running. If your speech starts with a story of someone reading, actually act out the reading.

It will make your speech opening that much more impactful.

Related article: 5 Body Language Tips to Command the Stage

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Final Words

So there it is! 15 speech openings from some of my favourite speeches. Hopefully, these will act as a guide for you to create your own opening which is super impactful and sets you off on the path to becoming a powerful public speaker!

But remember, while a speech opening is super important, it’s just part of an overall structure.

If you’re serious about not just creating a great speech opening but to improve your public speaking at an overall level, I would highly recommend you to check out this course: Acumen Presents: Chris Anderson on Public Speaking on Udemy. Not only does it have specific lectures on starting and ending a speech, but it also offers an in-depth guide into all the nuances of public speaking. 

Being the founder of TED Talks, Chris Anderson provides numerous examples of the best TED speakers to give us a very practical way of overcoming stage fear and delivering a speech that people will remember. His course has helped me personally and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to learn public speaking. 

No one is ever “done” learning public speaking. It’s a continuous process and you can always get better. Keep learning, keep conquering and keep being awesome!

Lastly, if you want to know how you should NOT open your speech, we’ve got a video for you:

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How to Write a Campaign Speech for Kids

How to give an annual day speech in school.

Writing a campaign speech for kids isn't all child's play. Children are smart and informed voters, and can tell when you are lying about giving out free chocolate every Friday after you are elected. Your speech has to stand out and catch their attention, usually in under two minutes. Writing a good and appropriate children's campaign speech increases your chances for winning the election.

Start off with a good, clean, short joke. The children hear speech after speech and are going to start to tune out what is said. You need to say something to catch their attention. Getting them to laugh will give them a little break.

Introduce yourself and declare the office that you are running for. Not making yourself known could be a big mistake later when the children are voting and remember who you are.

Talk about what you will do if elected. Everyone has ideas about how the school could be run better — maybe more vending machines in the cafeteria, maybe off-campus lunches, maybe getting to wear shorts on Friday. Tell your peers how you will work hard to change things for the better.

Thank the students for their time. Remember to be gracious and to treat the audience and the other candidates alike.

Keep the speech short. Usually, you will be given a time limit of up to two minutes. Make sure that you do not run over or you could be disqualified.

• Coin a slogan that you can use on your posters and in your speech.
• Do not make any promises that you are not willing to keep. Nobody likes a liar.

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School Fair Game Ideas

Teaching Citizenship to First Graders

• Write Out Loud: How to Write a Speech for Kids

Chance E. Gartneer began writing professionally in 2008 working in conjunction with FEMA. He has the unofficial record for the most undergraduate hours at the University of Texas at Austin. When not working on his children's book masterpiece, he writes educational pieces focusing on early mathematics and ESL topics.

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A Guide to Writing School Speeches: Structure, Delivery, & More

Last Updated: September 19, 2023 Fact Checked

• Brainstorming
• Writing & Structure

Sample Speeches

This article was written by Lynn Kirkham and by wikiHow staff writer, Finn Kobler . Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,088,698 times.

If you’re running for office in school elections, delivering your candidate speech can be one of the most important parts of the whole process. And you can’t deliver a good speech without writing a good speech. Sure, there are templates online that you can just paste in your name into, but a speech written by you, that represents you, holds a much better chance of making an impact on your classmates/voters. In this article, we’ll walk you through expert advice on crafting a speech that’s clear and concise, as well as some public speaking tips to help you resonate with your audience. The true power of your speech will come from how you personalize it, but consider this a comprehensive blueprint to help you get started. This article is based on an interview with our professional public speaker, Lynn Kirkham, founder of Yes You Can Speak. Check out the full interview here.

Things You Should Know

• Begin your speech by stating who you are, the position you’re running for, and a catchy slogan that reminds the audience what you’re working towards.
• Use the middle of your speech to explain your goals, if elected, and give a few specific steps on how you plan to achieve those goals.
• Keep your speech short and sweet; most school election speeches are only about 150-250 words.

Crafting Your Message

• For example, you might begin your brainstorming sesh with goals like “outlaw homework” and “allow skateboarding on campus.” Then, as you condense your ideas, you’ll become more realistic with plans like adding healthy food options at lunch, expanding a tutoring program, or working to reduce bullying.

• Your slogan can be lighthearted (“The Right Manuel for the Job”) or serious (“Your Voice for Change”).
• It can be focused on one specific issue (“Save the Spring Formal”) or aimed more broadly (“Let’s Fly Higher Together”). Most importantly, the slogan should make people think of you when they hear or see it, and give them an idea of how you’ll serve their interests.
• When writing a slogan , avoid negative language. You want to sound confident in yourself, rather than unconfident in your opponents.
• For example, if you’re trying to come up with a treasurer campaign slogan, you might say “A Vote for Maggie Makes Cents” or “Bank on Hank” rather than “Lyle Can’t Be Trusted With Money” or “Vote Hank, Not Celia.”

• A great way to show your qualifications and personalize your speech (without sounding like you’re blowing your own horn) is to tell a story. Talk about what made you want to run for office.
• For example, if you’re looking for FFA (Future Farmers of America) speech ideas, you might write “I’ve been working with animals since I was a kid and it taught me so much about life. I want to inspire other young people to do the same.”

• It can help to write down some key traits you possess and build your speech from there. For example, if you write “hardworking,” you could use your speech to talk about the countless hours of effort you plan to put into this job.
• If you write down “empathetic,” you can talk about how you understand people’s point-of-view and, if you’re elected, you’ll make sure everyone feels listened to.
• It can be difficult knowing how you come across. If you don’t know what your key traits are, ask your friends how they see you. They’ll be positive yet realistic.

• Avoid complicated sentences, jargon, or unnecessary asides. While your skill with language may work well in essays, now is the time to connect with an audience in words they can easily understand.
• As you draft your speech, read each sentence aloud after writing it. If it sounds awkward, clunky, or overly complex, revise it in simpler terms.

Structuring Your Speech

• Something simple like “Hi. I’m Jane Thomas, and I want to be your class president because I am dedicated to Making Butler High Better Together” is a highly effective way to begin.
• Try to tweak your introduction to match your personality. You could say “Some people say that Leon Lawson is too wild and not serious enough to be vice-president. Well, I’m Leon Lawson, and I say that I’m Seriously Wild about shaking things up in Key Club.”

• For instance, you might say “Bullying is an epidemic at Adams High School. Odds are that you have been bullied, seen someone being bullied, or even been a bully yourself. We can all do better.”
• Asking the audience can be a helpful tactic to connect over an issue. You might say “Raise your hand if you’ve been grossed out by the condition of our school bathrooms.”
• When stating the issue, avoid negative comments, or blaming a particular person or group. Instead of “Principal Stevens has done nothing to help with school lunches,” you might say “I hope to work with Principal Stevens to develop a plan so all our students are fed.”

• Be as precise as you can when explaining how you plan on accomplishing your mission. Instead of “I will unite the student body” (which is vague and unrealistic), you might say “I will create an open forum for students that meets every Friday at lunch so we can all share our ideas as a team.”
• Use active verbs to describe what you have done/will do. Some examples include: “pursue,” “follow,” “take up,” “initiate,” “present,” “represent,” “create,” “build,” and “lead.”
• If you’re running for re-election or have held a different office, talk about a few things you have done and a few you will do. Make it clear how they all link together. For example, you might say "As my work as President of Spanish Club shows, I can manage a team of people to achieve common goals. I will use this experience to pursue change in Student Government, too."

• To improve the ethos of your speech, find ways to connect yourself to the position you’re running for. Market yourself by listing your relevant experience and how you’ve prepared. For example, you might say “I’m secretary of 2 other clubs, so I can easily transition to secretary of Bible Club.”
• To improve the pathos of your speech, find moments to show off your personality. Are you goofy, fun-loving, sincere? Let that shine through in your language. You might add a joke or use some vivid adjectives.
• To improve the logos of your speech, make sure your goals are well-connected and realistic. Clearly explain why it’s reasonable for you to achieve each of your plans during your time in office.

• Even if you don’t have a short time limit, people rarely complain that speeches are too short. Don’t waste time on unreasonable promises or unnecessary details.

• For example: “We all know that there are too many cliques and factions that divide us as students here at West Branch High. This Friday, please consider voting for me, Ben Davis, for student council. I’ll make it my number one job to bring all West Branch Eagles together so we can Fly High as One.”

• For example, you might say “I have several additional ideas for ways to bring back Tiger pride to our school. I would love to hear your ideas too after class.”

Rehearsing Your Speech

• If you’re allowed to, practice giving your speech in the location where you’ll actually be presenting it. Get a feel for the room and the podium, so you’ll be that much more comfortable come speech day.

• If you can memorize your speech, great, but you don’t want it to sound like you’re just regurgitating words from a page. Know the speech by heart, so that you can seamlessly adjust to a misstated phrase or an unexpected opportunity to connect with the crowd.

• It can help to meditate before your speech and picture yourself getting a standing ovation (or whatever the best possible scenario is for you).
• Rely on whatever relaxation techniques work for you to get ready for your performance. If that means employing the old trick of imagining the audience naked, go for it — maybe just watch who you tell about having used it!

Delivering Your Speech

• Smiling throughout the entirety of your speech is an easy way to appear warm and confident without much effort.
• If you use hand gestures while you speak, be sure they’re not excessively distracting and keep your use of them limited. Appropriate hand gestures can help you engage your audience.

• You don’t necessarily have to make direct eye contact with any specific person. Just make it clear you’re trying to connect with your audience.

• If you make a mistake while giving your speech, don't panic. Laugh it off and move on. This will show that you are flexible and adaptable, and will encourage others to see you as someone who can meet challenges without losing her cool.

Community Q&A

• If you're very nervous before presenting the speech, try looking just above the heads of the audience or focus on a person that does not make you nervous, like a friend. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
• If you don't win, it's okay! Know you gave it your all and tried your hardest. There's tons of other opportunities to showing great leadership. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/brainstorming/
• ↑ https://passport.vec.vic.gov.au/students/vote
• ↑ https://library.centre.edu/POL120Fall2019
• ↑ https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/02/tips-speaking
• ↑ https://finley-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/f/finley-h/localcontent/how_to_write_a_speech.pdf
• ↑ https://www.comm.pitt.edu/structuring-speech
• ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/process/reverseoutlines/
• ↑ https://www.lsu.edu/hss/english/files/university_writing_files/item35402.pdf
• ↑ https://pll.harvard.edu/course/rhetoric-art-persuasive-writing-and-public-speaking
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/conclusions/
• ↑ https://hbr.org/2013/10/the-power-of-restraint-always-leave-them-wanting-more

About This Article

If you need to write a speech for school elections, think about what you would like to accomplish while you’re in office, then narrow that down to 1 or 2 goals. Next, come up with a catchy election slogan. Open your speech by introducing yourself and your message, giving a few details about why you’re the right person for the position. Include your slogan early in the speech, then identify your main goal and outline your clear, realistic plan for accomplishing those goals. End with a strong statement that tells the other students why they should vote for you. Keep reading for tips from our reviewer on delivering your election speech! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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