Campaign websites for county council candidates

County council is where a lot of daily life gets decided. Whether the subdivision behind the church gets 400 homes or 40. Whether the dirt road your neighbors drive gets paved this year or in ten. How much the sheriff's office, the library and the fire districts get in next year's budget. Voters know this, and in growing counties they are paying closer attention than ever.

A county council website has one main job: show that you understand those decisions and will make them carefully.

What county council voters look for

Most people who visit your site want quick answers to a few questions:

• Where do you stand on growth and new development?
• What will you do about roads, traffic and drainage?
• How will you handle the budget and property taxes?
• Do you live here, and do you show up?

Your site should answer each of those within a click or two of the homepage. Long speeches are not required. A clear position, a reason, and one local example go a long way.

Pages that matter most

Issue pages on growth, roads and the budget

These three cover most county council races. Be specific. "I support responsible growth" tells voters nothing. "I would have voted against the rezoning on Highway 17 until the traffic study was finished, and here is why" tells them a lot. Our guide to writing issue pages walks through the format.

Meeting calendar

List upcoming council meetings, planning commission hearings and budget workshops, with a link to the county's official agenda page. It shows you follow the process, and it helps voters who want to speak at a hearing find the date.

Track the votes

A short page that tracks major council votes, with how you would have voted and a sentence on why, is one of the strongest things a challenger can publish. If you are an incumbent, a plain record of your votes and the reasoning behind them does the same job. Keep it factual and current.

About and endorsements

County voters care where you live, how long you have been there and who vouches for you. A firefighter, a farmer, a pastor or a small business owner on your endorsements page carries real weight. See our bio guide.

Hearing alerts and timely updates

County races heat up around specific moments: a controversial rezoning hearing, the budget vote, a road project announcement. A short post the week before ("The planning commission hears the Cypress Road rezoning on the 14th. Here is what is proposed and where I stand.") can bring more visitors than anything else on your site, especially when you share it on Facebook.

Which package usually fits

Most county council candidates choose Campaign ($799 setup + $39/mo). It includes a written bio and three issue pages from a 30-minute interview, an endorsements page, an events calendar and a voter-deadline page. That covers growth, roads and the budget, plus your meeting calendar.

If your county is in the middle of a fight over development, or you expect the race to be close, Full Season ($1,499 setup + $59/mo) adds monthly updates through Election Day, including hearing alerts and new endorsements, plus a matching Facebook header and graphics. Running a smaller, quieter race? Launch ($399 setup + $29/mo) gets you a solid five-page site.

First-time candidates take $100 off setup. Every discount is public and the same for everyone. Compare on our packages page or try the package finder.

County council site checklist

• Homepage with your name, district number and a one-line reason you are running
• A district map or a plain description of the area you would represent
• Issue pages on growth, roads and the budget
• Meeting calendar linked to official county agendas
• Vote tracker or voting record
• Endorsements from people voters know
• Donate and volunteer links
• Paid-for-by disclaimer on every page (confirm wording with your state ethics or elections office)

Ready to build yours? Start your county council site.

Common questions

Which package do most county council candidates choose?

Most choose the Campaign package at $799 setup plus $39 a month. It adds a written bio, three issue pages, endorsements, an events calendar and a voter-deadline page to the basic site.

Should I post how I would have voted on recent rezonings?

If you can explain your reasoning clearly, yes. Voters in growing counties pay close attention to rezoning votes, and a short, specific answer earns more trust than a general statement about smart growth.

Can you add hearing alerts as they come up?

Yes. The Full Season package includes monthly updates through Election Day, including posts about upcoming hearings and votes.