The Yardley East by election was called when long standing councillor Neil Eustace passed away, following a short illness. It was an awful blow to the local party; Neil was a friend and a knowledgeable and dedicated councillor with decades of experience.
The by-election was a must-win seat. The local party wanted to preserve Neil’s legacy, but this was also to be the final by-election before the Birmingham all-up elections in 2022.
So, how did Councillor Deborah Harries win her seat? Here are some of the lessons learned:
Get in there first
Yardley began campaigning before the selection process for a candidate had even begun. Being the first to deliver a message to voters about a by-election means that they hear it first from the Liberal Democrats. Find templates to give you a great start here
Survey voters
It’s so simple, but do we always do it? Starting a campaign with a survey tells you what the voters want to hear.
Begin a new campaign with a survey, ideally delivered in person as a knock and drop.
Select a great candidate
“Having an excellent and pliable – sorry flexible – candidate is important!” said Deborah. “My attitude was this; I accepted that there was a strong, well-oiled campaign machine, and I would just do whatever I was asked to do to support that.”
Yardley East was a great example of candidate and team working in harmony. A thorough selection process, where expectations were discussed and agreed, helped this to happen.
Build name recognition – fast
“I was selected at 7pm on Friday and by 11:30am the next morning I had a litter picker in hand and was photographed with my neighbouring Councillors, which was used on social media and in future campaign leaflets.”
Street time, visibility and a big campaign was crucial if they were to build name recognition and appreciation of a new candidate.
“Residents began to recognise me and stop me in the street, about half-way through the campaign.”
Visibility is key
Deborah was “everywhere” across the region, and this was organised by the team.
“Whether it was a public meeting about a local issue, a promotional event for a community project, set photographs to illustrate locality; or simply committing to a couple of hours everyday door-knocking; and delivering boxes of leaflets to supporter’s homes, I made myself completely available for that short period of time, which for me was just over 1 month. “
Call in support from across the region.
“There was heavy reliance on supporters from across the city and the region. The turnaround of leaflets being delivered was incredible, over a weekend for example, because supporters offered their time. This not only enabled us to focus on listening, talking and responding to residents, but also enabled the next leaflet to be produced.”
Good activists will travel surprising distances to help in a winnable seat, and by-elections offer the opportunity to capitalise on that. Ensure that you call on your neighbours.
Vote for the candidate – get a whole team
The team showed through visible community action that the candidate was well supported by a team of activists and experienced councillors.
“Both of my neighbouring Councillors (joined me), so it felt and appeared as a strong team effort, both on social media and in person. This physical presence in the ward complemented the high volume of material, both of which contrasted with the opposition”
Retain “business as usual” standards
Birmingham wards are vast, and thus, there is a huge amount of casework. Roger Harmer took this on alongside his own so that resident needs in the ward were consistently met by a Liberal Democrat.
Roger did a handover to Deborah once elected.
Find an in-ward HQ.
Having a willing member or exec officer offer their home as the HQ is a real help. Local chair Roger made his home available as the HQ.
This encourages activists from out of the area, who have a specific place to head to, without fear of missing the meeting points. Literature can be posted directly to the HQ, and activists can be offered refreshment in a comfortable environment.
Squeeze relentlessly
Roger Harmer, campaign manager for the by-election felt that the crucial tool was squeeze:
“Squeeze the third party vote hard. We were very successful in doing this. The Conservative vote fell to 4.4% and that didn’t happen by chance! One of the many very positive things about the by election was that Conservative voters, who deserted us in 2019, and the 2021 Mayoral election, pretty well all came back to the fold”
Data, Data, Data.
Use Connect and minivan. Find your definites and probables, find those you need to squeeze, and send them messages that will give them confidence and reassurance in their voting choice. Use petitions and targeted mailings to achieve good things, strengthen your data and convince wavering voters
Deliver hand-written letters
Handwritten letters (otherwise known as blue letters) work – they are a great thing to do towards the end of the campaign when people have got to know your candidate.
Have a plan
Before the candidate was even on board, the plan was established, and roles were defined. Deborah had this to say:
“Roger and the team back at base were the real heroes, as they masterminded the campaign, produced the literature and did the casework – all I had to do was chat to a few residents! The serious point here is there was a plan, that was rolled out and everyone knew their roles. It’s worthy of a case-study, as it worked like a dream!
So there you have it. Yardley East returned a phenomenal win for the Birmingham team, which set them up well for the 2022 all up elections.
Jennifer Gray is the Training and Development Officer for the West Midlands