2014 campaign plan

8/11/2019 2014 Campaign Plan

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/2014-campaign-plan 1/16

Joshua O`Brien, Campaign Manager

ALMONTE FOR GENERAL TREASURER 888 Reservoir Ave, Cranston, RI 02910

2014 CAMPAIGN PLAN



1 MESSAGE AND POSITIONING

1.1

B

ASIC

M

ESSAGE

2014 Rhode Island General Treasurer Candidate Ernie Almonte is a strong voice of leadership in Rhode

Island with a proven track record of trusted leadership, financial expertise, hard work, and holding our

elected leaders accountable.

Currently serving as Chief Visionary Officer for Almonte Group LLC., a full-service accounting and

consulting firm providing tax, audit, anti-fraud, expert witness testimony, forensic accounting and

consulting services, Ernie is also President of Government Services and Chairman of the board for Virtual

DBS.

Ernie Almonte is dedicated to running for Treasurer because he believes Rhode Island is at a

crossroads. As the next Treasurer of the State of Rhode Island, Ernie will create an infrastructure ofopportunity for our citizens and also help our children and grandchildren on their pathway to

success. He will apply his financial and business acumen along with his extensive government

experience to create an environment of growth and optimism.

1.2 BACKGROUND

The Proud Product of Rhode Island’s Public Education System

Ernie grew up in Johnston, RI and spent his summers working hard on the Ocean State’s well-knownStamp Farm and at Almacs Supermarket. He was a volunteer firefighter and Emergency Medical

Technician with the Johnston Fire Department and reserve police officer with the Smithfield Police

Department in the mid-70s. A proud product of Rhode Island’s public school system, he went on to earn

a degree in business administration with a major in accounting as well as a master’s degree in taxation

from Bryant University. He has since received an honorary doctorate degree from his alma mater.

Additionally, Ernie graduated from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government Senior

Executives in State and Local Government and Innovations in Governance. He currently serves as an

adjunct professor in the Brown University Graduate program, teaching Advanced Management and

Organizational Strategies.

Financial Expert in both the Public and Private Sector

In 1994, Ernie became Rhode Island’s Auditor General. In this role, he was responsible for auditing the

$7 billion comprehensive report for the state, an annual $3 billion federal audit, as well as oversight of

municipal, fraud, and quasi-public agency audits. Throughout his tenure as the state’s Auditor General

from 1994-2010, the office implemented a new policy mandating that all audit reports would be posted



to our public website to ensure transparency and accountability. The numerous findings and

recommendations can now be viewed at the R.I. Auditor General’s website.

Ernie became the first public servant to be elected as national chairman for the American Institute of

Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). In this role, he served as the national leader for the 377,000

members of the organization. He now serves as the chairman for the group’s AICPA National Financial

Literacy Commission.

Ernie has served for the past three years as the Chairman of the U.S. Department of Defense Audit

Committee – a role which he was proudly appointed to by the U.S. Secretary of Defense. He has also

served as an appointee of the Comptroller General of the United States to the Government Auditing

Standards Committee, is past president of the Rhode Island Society of CPAs, and a past president of the

National Association of State Auditors. Ernie is a past chairman of the Rhode Island Employer Support of

the Guard and Reserve. He attended the 54th National Security Forum at the Air War College after

being selected as a participant by the Secretary of the Air Force.

“Accounting Today” named Ernie as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the Accounting

Profession in 2005 and 2008.

Recognized as someone who exercises leadership

Department of the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal

RIPEC Robert M. Goodrich Distinguished Public Award

Giovanni da Verrazzano Man of the Year – For Outstanding Service to the Rhode Island

Community

The Rhode Island Society of CPAs’ – Centennial Outstanding CPA in Government

Family

Ernie is the proud father of five sons, all of whom attended schools in Rhode Island, and dedicated

husband of 39 years to Rhode Island native Kathy (Nangle) Almonte.

1.3

POSITIONING

The campaign must position Ernie as the experienced, fiscally responsible choice among threecandidates. (FILL MORE IN HERE)



2 CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION

2.1

R

OLES AND

R

ESPONSIBILITIES

Candidate

Ernie Almonte is the candidate. Ernie’s responsibilities include raising funds, contacting voters,

and maintaining regular contact with the Campaign Manager.

Campaign Manager

Josh O’Brien is the Campaign Manager. Josh is the chief executive of the campaign, and directs

all day-to-day operations of the campaign. His responsibilities will include ownership over the campaign

plan and strategy (in consultation with the GC), including communications, finance, and political

operations. Josh will be the primary decision making authority on campaign spending (in consultation

with GC and Candidate, as needed). Josh will serve as the candidate’s primary point of contact for all

campaign matters. Josh will have full authority to hire and manage all staff and vendors (in consultation

with the GC and Candidate, as needed). Until otherwise delegated, Josh will oversee the campaign

finance, field, and political operations

General Consultant

Pete Kavanaugh and Kelli Augustine, of Hilltop Public Solutions, will serve as the General

Consultants of the campaign. Pete and Kelli will be responsible for maintaining general strategic

oversight, and assisting the CM with strategic development as needed. Pete will manage external

consultants (ie. Research, Polling, media, and mail), as needed, in consultation with the CM. Kelli will

assist with the management and maintenance of the campaigns fundraising database and prospectresearch. Pete and Kelli will jointly oversee and assist with management of the communications

strategy.

Treasurer

Kevin Currier is the Campaign Treasurer. Kevin will be the chief financial officer of the campaign.

Kevin is responsible for the management of the campaigns financial accounts and state mandated

compliance. Kevin maintains records of all deposits and expenditures, including the management of

payroll expenses. The Treasurer works in conjunction with the Campaign Manager.

Finance Assistant

The Finance Assistant has yet to be named. The FA will be responsible for the daily

implementation of finance plan. Responsibilities of the FA will include managing candidate call-time,

financial data entry, prospect research, developing and managing fundraising events, and tracking

pledges. The FA will administer the Finance Committee in consultation with the Campaign Manager. As

needed, the FA will assist the Campaign Treasurer with compliance management. The FA reports to the

Campaign Manager, with some oversight from the GC.



Communications Director

Alicia Vanasse will serve as the Communications Director. Alicia is a volunteer. Alicia’s

responsibilities will include the day-to-day implementation of the communications and social media

plans. Alicia will chair the communications committee/working group, in place of the CM. Alicia will be

the primary authority on social media strategy and implementation. Alicia will act as the spokesperson,

and press point of contact as needed. Alicia will report to the CM, with direction provided by the GC for

communication strategy.

Outreach Director

Jhomphy Ventura will serve as the Outreach Director. Jhomphy is a volunteer. Jhomphy will be

responsible for the management of outreach to the Latino community, as well as assisting with the

general membership of the Rhode Island Democratic Party State Committee. Jhomphy will be

responsible for the formation and management of the outreach committee. Jhomphy will also be a point

of contact for Latino media relations. Jhomphy will report directly to the Campaign Manager, and advise

the Candidate on community relations (in consultation with the CM).

Field Organizer

The Field Organizer has yet to be named. The FO will likely be a volunteer. The FO will be

responsible for organizing phone banking and canvassing operations. The FO will work with the

Volunteer Coordinator to schedule and train volunteers for the necessary positions. The FO will also be

responsible for sign distribution. The FO will report directly to the Campaign Manager.

Volunteer Coordinator

The Volunteer Coordinator has yet to be named. The VC will be a volunteer position. The VC will

be responsible for recruiting, retaining, and scheduling volunteers for various campaign functions. The

VC will report directly to the Campaign Manager, but will assist other senior staff to fulfill volunteer

staffing needs.

Scheduler

Janine Hessford will serve as the campaign Scheduler. Janine is a volunteer. Janine is responsible

for managing the candidate’s schedule. Janine is the ultimate authority on event confirmations,

approvals, and denials. Janine will ensure all data is available for the candidate and staff. Janine will

work with the Body Man and intern staff to ensure the candidate is staffed at meetings and events.

Janine will manage scheduling requests and present them for review by the CM and GC. There will be a

weekly call with Janine, Josh, Pete, and Ernie to review the schedule. The Scheduler will report directly

to the Campaign Manager.

Body Man

Ennio Cordon will serve as the candidate’s primary Body Man. Ennio is a volunteer. It will be

Ennio’s responsibility to accompany and assist the candidate at all events and public functions. Ennio

will be able to enlist interns and other volunteers to accommodate scheduling needs. Ennio will report

directly to the Campaign Manager.



Fellows and Interns

Multiple unpaid hires will fill the roles of Fellows and Interns. Campaign Fellowships will be given

to post-graduates or graduate students. Campaign Internships will be given to undergraduate students.

The Fellows and Interns will work in a project team format, with each team specializing in their areas of

study. The Fellows will be team leaders. Each team will be responsible to the senior staff member who

oversees their particular area, with final authority resting with the Campaign Manager.



2.2 C

HAIN OF

C

OMMAND

ErnieAlmonteCandidate

Josh O'Brien

Campaign Manager

KevinCurrier

Treasurer Finance Assistant

AliciaVanasse

Communicatuions Dir.

JhomphyVentura

Outreach Director

JanineHessford

Scheduler

EnnioCordon

Bodyman Volunteer Coord. Field Organiz

PeteKavanaugh

General Consultant



2.3

STANDING COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS

Advisory Committee

The campaigns Advisory Committee will be comprised of the Candidate’s closest advisors, family

members, and colleagues. The Advisory Committee will meet on specific occasions when called upon by

the Candidate, Campaign Manager, or General Consultant. The Campaign Manager will administer

meetings of the Advisory Committee.

Finance Committee

The Finance Committee will be comprised of the campaign’s fundraising and compliance teams.

The role of the Finance Committee will be primarily to focus on driving the campaign’s fundraising

operations and to address any compliance issues as they arise. The Finance Committee will be chaired

by influential donors with a significant network of potential contributors. These chairs will need to be

recruited early in the campaign. The Finance Assistant will be responsible for administering this

committee under the guidance of the Campaign Manager and General Consultant.

Communications Working Group

The Communications Working Group is a virtual group comprised of the General Consultant,

Communications Director, and volunteers: Chris Almonte, Cindy Elder, and Kathy Almonte. The

Campaign Manager will monitor the group’s efforts and contribute as needed. Due to geographical

limitations and time constraints, the working group will function through the use of Google Apps project

software and email communications. This group will assist the candidate directly as needed, and will

publish work with the final consent of the General Consultant and Campaign Manager.

Outreach Committee

The Outreach Committee will be comprised of well-established community leaders and activists

with a focus on key demographics. This committee will be the primary vehicle for message delivery to

the Latino community. The Outreach Committee will be led by the Outreach Director, and overseen by

the Campaign Manager.

2.4 CONSULTANTS AND VENDORS

Consultants

Campaign Consultants will be retained to facilitate specific areas of focus within the campaignplan. The General Consultant, Hilltop Public Solutions, will be responsible for the administration of

consultant bidding, searches, and consultant strategy development. The Campaign Manager will direct

the campaign consultants in fulfillment of the campaign strategy.

Consultants will be hired for Media (TV/Radio), Polling, and Research. Consultants may be

retained for Mail services if the General Consultant and Campaign Manager determine this may be

necessary at a later time.



Vendors

Vendors will be hired to deliver specific products, tasks, and services. Vendors will be hired, on

an as needed basis, by the Campaign Manager (in consultation with the General Consultant as

necessary). Vendors will be required to communicate directly with the Campaign Manager and will not

be granted direct access to the candidate.



3 FINANCE PLAN

3.1

O

VERVIEW

This finance plan will provide a basic outline for the development and deployment of financial

assets for the campaign. The budget is currently proposed at $615.816, however the true cost for this

campaign will likely reach, or exceed, $650,000. To date, the campaign has raised $317, 845. This will

mean fundraising will be among the highest priorities within the campaign. Rhode Island’s campaign

finance laws will further increase our need to dedicate significant time and resources to fundraising. We

are estimating an average monthly fundraising goal of $50,000. Multiple methodologies will be

employed to reach these goals. The primary responsibility for fundraising will rest with the candidate.

The Fundraising Assistant, supported by the General Consultant and Campaign Manager will administer

the fundraising operations. The Finance Committee will drive the momentum for fundraising. Account

management and compliance reporting will be managed by the Treasurer. Expenses will be approved,through an agreed upon process, by the Campaign Manager.

3.2 BUDGET

A conservative analysis of anticipated campaign costs have allowed us to develop a budget of

$615,816 to start the 2014 cycle. The bulk of expenses will occur during the late months of the primary

cycle, with larger crucial fundraising periods peaking in June and July. To provide a clearer understanding

of where funds will be utilized, the budget has been broken into categories below.

Category Expenses % of Total

Administrative $ 46,114.53 7.80%

Staff $ 48,700.00 8.24%

Fundraising $ 10,287.33 1.74%

Consultants $ 103,349.80 17.48%

Field/Convention $ 4,340.00 0.73%

Paid Communication $ 352,050.00 59.54%

Web/Database $ 26,425.00 4.47%

Total $ 591,266.66 100.00%

The chart above illustrates the campaigns focus on a large paid media effort, which currently

accounts for 59.5% of the overall budget. The paid communications plan currently focuses on television

media only. This could change as we progress through the cycle, but ultimately, this method of

communication will be our priority. Availability and demand will play a role in fluctuating media pricing.Additionally, the budget only accounts for minimal field operation, which will likely expand beyond

the .73% that it currently accounts for.

3.3

F

UNDRAISING

G

OALS

The overall fundraising goals for the 2014 cycle will need to account for the remaining $297,971

of the budget yet to be raised. The average monthly goal will be approximately $50,000, with some



months ranging as high as $75,000. As the campaign progresses through the cycle, a failure to meet or

exceed this goal each month will result in exponential growth of future month’s goals. Monthly

fundraising goals are as follows:

January February March April May June July August September

$9,800 $5,000 $40,000 $50,000 $50,000 $75,000 $70,000 $60,000 $40,000

3.4 FUNDRAISING METHODOLOGIES

Various methods will be employed to allow us to reach our overall goal. The primary focus will be

on raising money through the use of candidate call time and fundraising events. Due to the

unpredictable nature of organizational endorsements in a RI down-ticket race, external sources of

revenue may be limited. Therefore, an ideal goal for a monthly breakdown would be 50% of the monthly

goal deriving from candidate call time, with the remaining 50% coming from events, fundraising mail

appeals, and organizational support.

Candidate Call Time

Candidate call-time will be conducted every available business day. Call-time is usually

scheduled in minimum increments of 4 hours. There are an average of 20 useable days for call-time per

month, resulting in a minimum of 80 hours of call-time monthly. Each hour should produce a minimum

of 10 calls per hour with a minimum of a 25% connection rate. The average dollar per connect ratio will

begin with $200 in March and grow to $400 per connect by September. If this call-time plan is executed

with maximum impact, it is plausible for call-time to fully fund our budget. The greater the effectiveness

of call-time, the fewer resources will need to be spent on more time consuming and costly fundraising

methods.

Fundraising Events

Due to various anticipated limitations on candidate call-time, fundraising events will be targeted

to account for nearly 50% of our fundraising goals.

Volunteer Hosted vents

These events should be designed so that the bulk of the organization is handled by

volunteer event hosts. By policy, these events will need to be kept to a minimal budget to

maximize the return on investment. The campaign will not fund events from our accounts,

therefore hosts will be responsible for covering the expenses of any events. We will leverage any

advantages within RI Campaign Finance Law to enable the ROI of these events to be maximized.The candidate will not be involved in the organization of these events beyond the initial ask.

Organization Receptions

There will be various opportunities for fundraising receptions to be held at organization

functions. Many of these events will occur in other states. These types of receptions can be

utilized to leverage contributions from professional organizations (i.e. AICPA, AGA, etc.) for

which Ernie led or maintains membership. These types of events are often extremely costly, and



should only be utilized if a significant financial return can be assured. We will investigate and

leverage any aspect to RI Campaign Finance Law that may allow for a greater impact from

events of this nature. These events will be organized by the campaigns senior staff with the

assistance of contacts from the various organizations.

Political Action Committees and Endorsements

The extent of Political Action Committee involvement in the General Treasurer race has yet to

be fully discovered. However, given the high profile of both Frank Caprio and Seth Magaziner, we should

anticipate the standard PACs to be out of reach. Labor endorsements are a plausible funding source.

However, these sources may also be limited by the nature of a three-way primary. Ultimately these

resources will be considered as supplemental to the overall fundraising plan of call-time and fundraising

events.

Fundraising Appeal Letters

The overall effectiveness of this basic fundraising method is relatively ineffective at this level of

campaigning. However, given the professional profile of the candidate, the ability to raise fund from

specific professional groups (i.e. CPAs, Financial Community Professionals, and Non-Profit BoardMembers) could be an effective method to supplement the overall fundraising plan. The cost of this

method is somewhat greater considering production costs and man hours. The initial focus for this

method should include RI statewide groups, as the appeal will serve as both a fundraising tool and a

messaging device.

Email and Social Media

Utilizing the tools provided in the NGP system, regular fundraising blast emails will be delivered

to our donor database. These emails will be delivered on a weekly basis. Though the cost of this method

is minimal, so is the overall response and contribution rate. This method should always be combined

with a message delivery mechanism to maximize our impact. We will regulate the number of blast

emails during specific periods to avoid the desensitization of our audience.

Social and other digital media can also be utilized to leverage contributions. These methods are

relatively cost effective, but do not yield a high return. Social media is only as effective as the campaigns

following. Therefore, we will make an initial investment to expand our following. Various social media

fundraising strategies will be deployed through our social media plan.

Rhode Island Public Matching Funds Program

Full details of the 2014 program have not been released yet. (Fill In HERE)



4 ELECTORAL

4.1

E

LECTORAL

O

VERVIEW

4.2 PARTY ENDORSEMENT

The Democratic Party of Rhode Island endorsement process has yet to be finalized for the 2014

cycle. However, enough of the process is now known to develop a solid strategy for seeking necessary

support to acquire or disrupt the party endorsement. This strategy will be a multi-tiered approach of

influencing individual State Committee members, as well as seeking the public support of individual City

and Town Committees. Ultimately, due to disorganization and instability the endorsement of the DPRI

will not benefit the endorsed candidate in terms of financial support or field resources. Regardless of the

results of the endorsement meeting, we will seek nomination through the appropriate process.

State Committee

The State Committee of the Democratic Party of Rhode Island is currently comprised of 244

voting seats. These seats are comprised of 150 members, that include a man and woman from each

legislative district, as well as 94 members from other positions and demographics. The State Committee

includes all elected officials of the rank Mayor and higher, who are affiliated Democrats.

City and Town Committees

Almost all cities and towns have active committees, which are at their leisure to endorse a

candidate. While the Chairs of the 39 city and town committees are also members of the State

Committee, their vote on the State Committee is not determined by a vote of the committee for whichthey are Chair. It is not yet determined which committees will endorse candidates in the race for

General Treasurer. Our campaign will actively pursue an appearance before every committee prior to

the endorsement process.

Endorsement Strategy

The Endorsement Meeting of the DPRI will occur during mid-June. This gives our campaign

approximately 3.5 months to execute a strategy that will garner enough support from State Committee

members to either win a nomination or, if the rules allow, disrupt the nomination to result in an open

Primary. Beginning with City and Town Committee meetings, the campaign will begin establishing

consistent messaging to State Committee members. The campaign staff will begin tracking the support

of various committee members and will target specific entities that will further this cause. We willemploy the assistance of key elected officials to assist in shoring up the support of the legislative

members.



4.3 NOMINATION PROCESS

Declaration of Candidacy

The Declaration of Candidacy is currently available on the RI Secretary of State’s website. The

Declaration must be completed and submitted between June 23-25, 2014. The Declaration is the form

which establishes the candidate’s official candidacy and party affiliation. Any ponderance of the

candidate’s political affiliation will be concluded with the submission of this form. As an affiliated

Democrat in Rhode Island, the candidate may declare candidacy as a Democrat or Independent

(Unaffiliated). All candidates must complete this process.

Ethics Commission

All candidates must file a financial disclosure statement with the Rhode Island Ethics

Commission within 30 days of the filing of the candidate’s Declaration of Candidacy. This form must be

submitted no later than July 23, 2014. All candidates must complete this process.

Endorsements

The Party Endorsement process must be completed no later than June 27, 2014. The only entity

that may officially endorse a candidate for General Treasurer with the Secretary of State is the State

Committee. All other party committee endorsements are purely political in nature. The officially

endorsed candidate will appear first on the Primary ballot with a (*) prior to their name. This does not

the nomination petition process.

Nomination Papers

The nomination process will begin on July 1, 2014. Forms will be available at that time. To be

nominated for General Treasurer our campaign will need to collect a minimum of 500 signatures. Due to

errors and disqualification, we will need to collect a minimum total of 750 signatures. Any registered

voter of RI, regardless of political party affiliation, can sign nomination papers for General Treasurer.

Voters may only sign papers that are for the municipalities in which they are registered (each form is

designated at the top). The nomination papers must be completed and returned to the local board of

canvassers for which the petition is designated. This process must be concluded by June 11, 2014 at

4PM. All candidates, regardless of Party Endorsement, must complete this process. The final certification

of candidacy will occur by the Secretary of State on or before July 17, 2014.

4.4

PRIMARY ELECTION

The Primary Election for the 2014 Cycle will occur on September 9, 2014. Polls will open at 7AM

and close at 8AM. If our campaign has filed a Declaration of Candidacy to run as a Democrat, we must

win this election in order to continue to the General. If our Declaration was filed as an Independent,

then our candidate’s name will not appear on any Primary ballot.

Party Affiliation

Upon entering a polling location, a Democrat affiliated voter will receive a Democrat ballot. An

unaffiliated voter must chose to affiliate themselves with one of the three parties (Democrat, Moderate,

or Republican). Any voter wishing to vote for our candidate will need to choose to affiliate with the

Democratic Party. Voters may disaffiliate with any party upon completion of their ballot as they are



leaving the polling location. We will want to encourage all unaffiliated and Republican/Moderate

supporters to affiliate as a Democrat at the Primary polling location.

Ballot Position

The Party Endorsed candidate will appear on the ballot first, with an (*) preceding their name.

The remaining two candidates will be listed based on a position lottery conducted by the Office of the

Secretary of State. The ballot position lottery will be conducted on July 18, 2014 at 5PM. The position of

General Treasurer will appear last in the list of Statewide General Offices.

Primary Day Operations

At a later time we will determine the direction and extent of our Primary Day operations. The

candidate will likely spend the majority of the day greeting voters at major polling locations. All polling

place operations must be conducted 50 feet or more from the entrance. Additionally we will be

conducting Voter Protection efforts, given the intensity of this race and past practices of our opposition.

We will need to recruit attorneys versed in RI Election Law. Further Primary Day operations will be

detailed in our Field Plan.

4.5 GENERAL ELECTION

The Rhode Island General Election will be conducted on November 4, 2014. Polls will open at 7AM

and close at 9PM. Currently there is no announced candidate for any other Party within Rhode Island.

(Fill in HERE)



5 POLITICAL PLAN

5.1 STRATEGIC OVERVIEW

The strategy within this plan will account for the current scenario, in which we are faced with a

three-way Democratic Primary between Ernie Almonte, Frank Caprio, and Seth Magaziner. We do not

anticipate further competition, but will continue to monitor the situation. Due to the absence of

announce opposition from any Independents, Republicans, or Moderates, we are focusing our attention

on the Primary Election. Our strategy will include a three tiered Primary strategy and a full court press

General strategy. However, to fully execute an effective strategy, we will need to establish an informed

foundation from which to grow. This will be accomplished through opposition research and benchmark

polling.

5.2 RESEARCH

Internal Research

The campaign will employ a research firm to conduct research on our candidate. This will include

a detailed report of public records, background information, and business dealings. This information will

help us frame arguments and defend against attacks. This research will be sought in March.

Opposition Research

Candidacy Establishment and Name Recognition

To date, Almonte 2014 has been functional for nearly 2 years. Since most of this time has been

spent building foundations and establishing a fundraising engine, we are confronted with the need to

raise our candidate’s public awareness and establish him as the most qualified candidate in this race.

2014 campaign plan

Documents