So You Think You Want to Run? - National Democratic Training Committee

So You Think You Want to Run?

By Kelly Dietrich
45 min
Getting Started

Course Outline

Content
  • 4 Videos
  • 1 Activity
What You Need
  • Just yourself!
  • Introduction
  • This section does not have any lessons.
  • Setting Expectations
  • This section does not have any lessons.
  • Considerations
  • This section does not have any lessons.
  • Get Started
  • This section does not have any lessons.
  • Next Steps
  • This section does not have any lessons.

What You’ll Learn

  • How to decide whether you want to run for office, what you want to run for, and when
  • How to use NDTC’s online candidate trainings to build your skills as a candidate and run a winning campaign

Why This is Important

Running for office is a big decision. Don’t enter into it lightly. In this course, you’ll consider all your options, navigate the conversations that will help you decide, and — if you decide to run — start making a plan to win.

Key Resources

  • Research Your Race Worksheet
  • Campaign Startup Resources, by State

Related Trainings

  • Getting Your Campaign Off the Ground — After you’ve decided to run, your first step should be to take this course to learn how to get your name on the ballot and lay the essential groundwork
  • Understanding the Democratic Party — To navigate your way through Democratic politics, you should understand the party’s infrastructure. This course will help you better understand the Democratic Party and the ecosystem that will help you get elected to office

Kelly Dietrich

Trainer

As founder and CEO of the National Democratic Training Committee (NDTC), Kelly Dietrich brings more than 20 years of experience on dozens of Democratic campaigns across the country.

Kelly started NDTC in 2016, where at the time it was a collection of videos covering an array of campaign topics, available to campaigns and their volunteers for free. Five years later, those videos grew into a fully fledged training program with hundreds of courses, videos, and articles about running effective campaigns. Kelly’s expertise in various areas — fundraising, staff training, sci-fi (maybe not as much) — have shaped NDTC into an industry leader in Democratic politics.

Originally from Missouri, Kelly lives in Chicago, IL with his wife, daughter, and dog, Tulip, who is allegedly part cat. Beyond work, Kelly is a diehard Kansas Jayhawk and an avid poker player. Kelly also serves on the board of directors at his local park, Sheil Park. This is where he “plays” basketball, which according to his wife can only be loosely considered a hobby. Even with all these interests, Kelly remains committed to making sure high quality tools and training are available to any Democrat who steps up to run for office, work on a campaign, or make their community better.