There is a correlation between the amount of airtime the main party leaders receive and the amount of support independent candidates get in the polls. Micheál Martin claimed that Fianna Fáil was the biggest party in the country after the Local Elections. A quick look at the results by party show that Fianna Fáil lost 30 seats in that election and Independents were the real winners in June. In fact, if you consider independent alliances as part of the Independent bloc, they outperformed Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael by more than 30,000 votes.
That level of popularity among independents is an indictment of the party system. Independents cannot form a government, they can only support or oppose one. A vote for an Independent, then, is most likely a vote against the government, not necessarily for policies to be implemented. This – and the lack of funding – is a major barrier to running a successful independent campaign. Let’s take a look at the key strategy areas of a campaign and how an Independent candidate should approach them when running for office.
Name Recognition
The most important thing in politics is name recognition among your potential voters. This goes for everyone, but it’s most important for Independents. Junior party candidates can fly under the banner of a well-known party but Independents themselves have to earn every vote. Ideally, an Independent candidate is a well-known member of the local community. A history of activism helps. Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan got his start in Independent politics after years of activism to legalise certain substances. 20 years on from his first successful election, Flanagan is currently the longest-serving Irish MEP in Brussels. Aside from activism, operating a local business or being a primary school teacher in your constituency is a great vote-getter. As Michael O’Leary aptly pointed out early in this campaign, Dáil Éireann is full of former teachers. Your name means little, though, without a record attached to it.
Political Record
The most straightforward way to build a political record to run on is by serving on a local council. Even the current US President, Joe Biden, served on the New Castle County Council in Delaware for two years before becoming a Senator in 1972! National renown is likely to help too. A rising number of independent candidates in this election have hit the national stage campaigning on immigration. Malachy Steenson and Gavin Pepper have already seen success on this in the local elections. This weekend, we will also find out if being an internationally-recognised mob boss helps or hurts one’s campaign when Gerry Hutch’s ballots are counted.
Single-issue candidates don’t usually get elected. But it can be effective to have a main area of focus if it’s a hot topic. This then needs to be accompanied by a key focus on other policies to avoid being one-dimensional.
That being said, exceptions do happen and it’s quite possible a 100% Redress candidate in Donegal will get elected on the strength of the Mica/Pyrite scandal in the constituency. Either way, Independents do best to focus on locally-relevant policies. It’s a stretch to ask a small-town voter for support as an Independent when your big plan is for Ireland to join NATO or to leave the EU.
Funding an Independent campaign
Campaign financing is a hot topic in every jurisdiction. Reports of Kamala Harris’ recent $1.5bn campaign for the White House have popped many eyes over the last few weeks. In Ireland, restrictions are much tighter. Candidates have a low spending limit. Limits vary based on the size of the constituency. Candidates in a five-seat constituency can spend up to €58,350. This helps to level the playing field in theory, but the restrictions on donations make it difficult to raise money in the first place. Also, budgets can be spread between candidates within a party, a tactic not available to Independents.
In practice, most Independents spend their own money as an investment in a future six-figure salary as a TD. The government will reimburse up to €11,200 to any candidate who reaches a quarter of the quota in the election. Ultimately, the best way to raise funds for a campaign is to have an established strong presence in the community. Voters who believe in an independent candidate will more likely contribute to their campaign. Unfortunately, while the restrictions avoid the excesses often seen in other jurisdictions, the practical effect of removing money entirely from politics is that it becomes an arena for amateurs. If candidates can’t pay for talented people to run their campaigns, they may rely on people who, frankly, don’t know what they’re doing. This leads into the final aspect: infrastructure.
Building an Independent team
Every campaign needs a team. The Director of Elections – or Campaign Manager – is the most important member. They plan out the campaign, develop the strategy, and generally manage the nuts and bolts so the candidate does not need to worry about it. Within a party, the Director of Elections, mentors, the postering team, and canvassers are all found from within the local structure of the party. For Independents, they need to rely on friends, family, and other contacts they build up on their own. Realistically, it could take years for Independents to prepare for a successful campaign.
Any campaign requires planning. The election is in two days but if you’re looking to run as an Independent in 2029, your campaign starts now. Develop your presence in the constituency, flesh out your record, save all your money, and start shaking hands!
Of course, if you want some specific help on the campaign, Birch Lea Strategies is only an email away!
