I'm a Democrat running for School Board in Providence.
Fala can help. Fala plans, researches and keeps track, so you can run the race you meant to run.What a week looks like, running for office.
Without staff, a week running for office is a full-time job Monday to Friday, doors four times, call time and a candidate forum, around the life you already have: getting the kids to school, a morning run and the gym, family dinner, the kids’ homework and bedtime, a call to Mom, family night, a kid’s birthday and date night, pancakes with the kids, groceries, their game and laundry. Then dozens of smaller jobs squeeze into every gap that’s left, even lunch: call donors, cut turf, read the budget, reply to reporter, RSVP to forum, finance report, print walk sheets, meeting minutes, write the bio, book Rotary slot, open bank account, recruit volunteers, opponent’s record, op-ed draft, find the forums, treasurer forms, schedule shifts, past results, press release, festival booth form, donor list, lawn sign orders, issue memo, endorsement ask, parade signup, ActBlue page, lit drop plan, candidate survey, debate prep, host a house party, pledge follow-ups, phone bank list, local news scan, thank-you notes, PTA intro email, weekly goal, update voter list, turnout data, social posts, events calendar.
With Fala, the job, your family and your own life, the doors, the calls and the candidate forum stay on your calendar. The rest goes to the staff: Fundraising: call donors, finance report, open bank account, treasurer forms, donor list, ActBlue page, pledge follow-ups, weekly goal; Field: cut turf, print walk sheets, recruit volunteers, schedule shifts, lawn sign orders, lit drop plan, phone bank list, update voter list; Research: read the budget, meeting minutes, opponent’s record, past results, issue memo, candidate survey, local news scan, turnout data; Comms: reply to reporter, write the bio, op-ed draft, press release, endorsement ask, debate prep, thank-you notes, social posts; Events: RSVP to forum, book Rotary slot, find the forums, festival booth form, parade signup, host a house party, PTA intro email, events calendar.
The work went to someone.
Some of the freed hours become time with voters: doors on Friday evening, coffee with voters early Wednesday, a church supper on Sunday from 4:30 to 6:30 pm and a neighbors’ cookout on Saturday from 6 to 8 pm. The rest stays open, and the family time and the rest of your own life stay where they were.
The time went to voters.
Fala already knows the race.
The party’s voter file, the state’s calendar and the public record are in the room from day one.
Fala starts from them before you ask, and the work waits for your sign-off.
Who to call, and what to ask.
Your ActBlue export, the party’s donor list and the state’s filing calendar, in one morning brief.
Party targets. Your route.
This week’s target precincts and the party’s voter file become a walk you can finish before dinner.
Walk in prepared.
What the council voted, what a typical home pays, and what Ward 1’s doors said last fall, in one brief.
Know the room first.
What the Summit association asked last year and what your doors said this month, folded into your remarks.
The right rooms. Room in your week.
The party’s and the city’s calendars meet yours: the rooms worth being in, and the time to get there.
Morning, Robin. You’re $1,580 short of this week’s goal, and your first finance report is due to the Board of Elections in nine days. I’m checking where the money stands.
From your ActBlue export and the Board of Elections calendar
$8,420 raised from 31 contributionsActBlue · contribution exportThe latest ActBlue export shows $8,420 against the $10,000 weekly goal. The finance report draft starts from the same export.
- 12 calls, $2,400 in asksRhode Island state party
Twelve people who gave to local races before, each with a suggested ask and a line on why they might give to you.
Finance report due in nine dayselections.ri.govThe Board of Elections calendar puts your first campaign finance report nine days out. It covers everything raised and spent so far.
Open tonight from 6 to 7:30Google CalendarNothing is booked from 6 to 7:30 tonight, which is enough time for all twelve calls.
Four new donors not yet thankedGoogle SheetsFour first-time donors gave this week and haven’t heard from you yet. I drafted a note for each.
Tonight’s twelve calls could close the $1,580 gap. Your finance report is drafted from the ActBlue export, and four new donors are still waiting on a thank-you.
- Make twelve calls tonight$2,400 in asks. The list is ready. State party
- $1,580 from the weekly goal$8,420 raised from 31 contributions. ActBlue
- File the finance reportDue in nine days. Drafted from ActBlue. Board of Elections
- Thank four new donorsA note drafted for each. Google Sheets
- Ask Dana about a house partyOffered in June. Lunch is at noon. Google Calendar
Keep your tools. Fala works in them.
Your voter file stays in NGP VAN, your donors in ActBlue, your week in Google Calendar. Fala reads them and drafts in them, and nothing goes out until you approve it.
Fala remembers your race. And the next one.
A staff goes home on election night. What your campaign learned stays, ready for day one of the next race.
2028 · School Board, re-election
Robin
I’m running again. Where do we start?
Fala
Not from zero. Here’s what still holds from 2026.
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Let me check your volunteer lists from last cycle.
Checked: 61 volunteers on file. 48 still in the district. 48 drafts ready.2028: 48 of your 61 volunteers still live in the district. I drafted a hello to each.
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Let me look at what people told you at the doors.
Checked: 4,120 doors, filed by street. Buses and speeding still open.2028: Buses still come up first at the doors, so the walk script leads with them.
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Let me see who covers your race at the Providence Journal.
Checked: Your reporter changed beats.2028: The education reporter moved to the statehouse. Her replacement is on the list.
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Let me pull up who signed up on your website.
Checked: 840 neighbors signed up. All 840 still good. Note ready for your review.2028: Your 840 neighbors. A launch note is drafted. Send it?
Draft, not sent.
Know what your neighbors think.
Big races poll every week. Yours never could. Fala turns the party’s data, the state’s records and your own doors into a read on your district, whenever you ask.
Robin asks
Fox Point, what do you care about most?
Bus routes
likely 38 to 44
Property taxes
likely 30 to 36
Class sizes
likely 12 to 17
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The state party
within 14 points
The voter file and the 2024 canvass
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The state
within 8 points
Election returns, block by block
Fala
within 5 points
Builds a stand-in for each of Fox Point’s 3,412 voters, and asks them all
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You
within 3 points
Saturday’s 30 doors, and your notes from them
“The 33 hasn’t been on time since September.”
Door note, Transit Street
Fala
Buses first, taxes close behind. I opened Saturday’s walk script on buses. Good to use?
Draft, not sent.
Ask them something else
Your state party tells Fala once. Every campaign hears what it needs.
What takes days of phone calls today reaches each campaign in the terms of its own race. Nothing goes out until a person says yes.
Rhode Island state party
Back from Robin Hale: six volunteers for Fox Point.
Robin Hale
School Board, Providence
The state party asked if you need any of Saturday’s 40 volunteers.
You’re six short at noon in Fox Point. Good to ask for six?
Sent. Only the ask went.
Jordan Alves
City Council, Pawtucket
The state party sent this week’s targets for Pawtucket.
I moved those three to the top of Saturday’s doors. Good to use them?
Draft, not sent.
Sam Reyes
State Rep, Warwick
The state party sent a new mail ballot deadline, the 27th.
I fixed the draft. Good to send it to the printer?
Draft, not sent.