Your First 90 Days as a Candidate

Running for office is not one big decision — it is a sequence of small, ordered steps, and doing them out of order is where new candidates get hurt. This checklist walks your first 90 days in the sequence that keeps you legal, funded, and moving.

Days 1-10: Decide and announce

Commit to the race, tell the people closest to you, and pick an announcement moment that gives you a story to tell. Keep one thing in mind before you go public: most legal obligations are triggered by raising or spending money, not by announcing. But money follows an announcement fast, so line up the steps below before the first check arrives.

Days 1-14: Appoint your treasurer

Your treasurer is your first appointment, not your last. Federal committees cannot legally accept contributions or spend money without one, and most states work the same way. The treasurer signs your reports and is personally on the hook for their accuracy, so choose deliberately — see The Campaign Treasurer: What They Do and How to Choose One in this category.

Week 2: Get your committee's EIN

Your committee needs its own federal Employer Identification Number before it can open a bank account or complete most registrations. It is free at IRS.gov and takes about 15 minutes online. Never use your personal Social Security number for campaign finances — see How to Get an EIN for Your Campaign for the walkthrough.

Weeks 2-3: Open the campaign bank account

Every dollar in and out of the campaign flows through one dedicated committee account. Banks will want your EIN letter, your treasurer's ID, and your organizing paperwork, so this step depends on the two before it. See Opening a Campaign Bank Account for exactly what to bring.

Weeks 2-4: Register your committee

Federal candidates file with the FEC once they cross the federal registration threshold; state and local candidates register with their state election authority, and thresholds and deadlines vary widely. The details — including why your registration data needs to match everywhere — are in Registering with the FEC or Your State.

Weeks 3-6: Set up your compliance systems

From your very first dollar, you must record the date, the amount, and who gave it — and federal rules add employer and occupation for larger donors. Build the habit and the calendar now: recordkeeping, report deadlines, and "Paid for by" disclaimers on everything the public sees. Campaign Finance Compliance Basics covers the full picture.

Weeks 4-8: Build your brand and website

Your ballot name is your brand, and your logo, colors, and website should be consistent from the first yard sign onward. A published website with a Privacy Policy page and Terms page also becomes a hard prerequisite later when you want to text voters, so it belongs in your first two months, not your last. See Naming and Branding Your Campaign, and once you are onboarded with PolitiFast, work through your campaign overview checklist — upload your biography, campaign photos, platform, and logo, add your social links, and set up your domain.

Weeks 8-12: Make your first voter contact

With the legal and brand foundation in place, start reaching voters: acquire a voter file, define your target universe, and plan your first text, mail piece, or canvass. Every public communication carries your "Paid for by" disclaimer. If any term in that sentence is unfamiliar, The Candidate's Glossary defines all of them.

A note before you act

This guide is practical general guidance, not legal advice. Election law varies by state and changes often — confirm requirements with the FEC, your state election authority, or an election-law attorney.