Websites for Politicians: Examples and Best Practices
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When it comes to running for office, having a successful website is more important than ever. This article will look at some of the best websites for politicians and what makes them work so well.
We’ll also provide some tips for creating a website to help your campaign succeed. So whether you’re a seasoned politician or just starting out, read on for the best advice on political websites.
Political Website Design Best Practices
The first step in creating a successful website for a politician is understanding the site’s goals. For most campaigns, the goal is two-fold — to connect with voters and to raise money. With that in mind, here are some of the best practices when designing your site:
1. Aim for a Personal Connection
Don’t be afraid to show some personality on your site. After all, people are more likely to vote for a candidate they feel they know. Add photos and videos of you on the campaign trail, write blog posts about your views on the issues, and make sure to include a way for people to contact you directly.
2. Highlight Key Issues
Make sure your website clearly spells out where you stand on the issues that matter to voters. This can be done with an “Issues” page on your site or by including blog posts and video content that discuss your views in depth. Remember, people are looking for a candidate who agrees with them on the issues, so make it easy for them to see where you stand.
3. Make It Easy for Supporters to Donate or Volunteer
One of the most important goals of a political website is to raise money for the campaign. So make sure your site includes a prominent “donate” button and that it’s easy for people to give. You can also include a graphic that shows people how close you are to your fundraising goals.
And don’t forget to ask people to volunteer. Campaign websites are a great way to recruit volunteers for phone banking, door knocking, and other tasks.
4. Keep the Communication Going
After someone visits your website, make sure you stay in touch. Build an email list so you can keep them up-to-date on your progress, and be sure to post regular updates to your social media accounts. By staying in touch with your supporters, you’ll keep them engaged and more likely to vote for you on Election Day.
Showcase of Political Websites
Now that we’ve gone over some of the best practices let’s look at some websites that put these principles into action. Political affiliations aside, here are several examples of great websites for politicians:
Jumaane Williams
Jumaane Williams is running for governor of New York. Immediately when you visit his website, you’re met with a popup window to donate to his campaign. Next, you see a form to sign up for his email newsletter. Then, as you scroll below the fold, you find information about where he stands on the issues. The site is clean, modern, and extremely easy to navigate.
Cheri Bustos
When you visit Cheri Bustos’s website, right off the bat, you’ll have two chances to sign up for her email newsletter. A link to “Priorities” lets you know where she stands on the issues, along with a link to volunteer and register to vote. The site is designed in shades of purple, which conveys a message of trustworthiness.
John Hickenlooper
Before John Hickenlooper got into politics, he ran the first brewpub in Colorado. So the headline “Change is on tap” on his website is a play on his personal history. In fact, his website does a great job of making a personal connection, with lots of old photos and stories. You’ll also find several different places to donate to his campaign.
Herschel Walker
Former pro-football-player-turned-politician Herschel Walker’s website uses the headline “Run, Right, Win” as a nod to his personal history and a way to make a personal connection. On this site, you’ll find a sticky button at the bottom of the site that makes it incredibly easy to donate to his campaign.
Jon Ossoff
When you visit Jon Ossoff’s site, you’ll first see a popup video asking for a campaign donation. Once on the home page, you’ll have the opportunity to join his email list immediately. Then, scroll below the fold, and you’ll immediately find where he stands on the issues. If you keep scrolling, you’ll eventually find feeds for his social media accounts — a very nice feature.
Lauren Underwood
The first key feature you’ll notice when you visit Lauren Underwood’s website is that she uses a video rather than a hero image. This is a very effective way to make a personal connection with your constituents and also show where you stand on specific issues. Below the fold, you’ll find an easy way to join her email list and a sticky button for making donations.
Pramila Jayapal
With full-color background photography and a unique pink and green color palette, Pramila Jayapal’s website design fits her messaging of being bold and progressive. This website includes a link to a store that features everything from mugs to t-shirts to bumper stickers — not only helping her raise money for the campaign, but every purchase helps her advertise in the community, too.
John Fetterman
You should always consider the psychology of color when designing your website. John Fetterman’s bold black and gold design implies power and confidence, especially when paired with the image of him with a raised fist.
As you scroll below the fold, you’ll find exactly where he stands on the issues and easy links to donate and volunteer. The site also includes a quick link to chat with John virtually via Facebook Messenger.
For more web design inspiration, check out some of our other posts, like lawyer websites, accountant websites, and actor websites.
Brian Turner
Brian Turner’s website is clean, simple, and easy to navigate. It uses images that shows him as a man with family values and a patriotic red, white, and blue color palette. There are quick links to his social media pages and a sign-up form for his email list so his constituents can keep in touch.
Sean Fraser
Sean Fraser’s website incorporates a large hero image with a link to “Meet Sean,” which takes you to a page all about his life and career. This site does a fantastic job of making a personal connection. Additionally, there’s a link to “Invite Sean” to local events in the community, which is another unique way to connect with people in the community.
Val Demings
Here’s another site that uses a video background instead of a hero image. This video is well done, as it shows a variety of clips of Val Demings out in the community.
You’ll find simple navigation at the top of the site with links to issues, a web store, and a place to donate and volunteer. There’s also a quick switch for changing the site’s language from English to Spanish. This feature is a fantastic idea if your community has a large Spanish-speaking demographic.
Mike Garcia
Mike Garcia’s website features a scrolling hero image that shows where he stands on the issues. As you explore the site further, you may notice this website has more information than many others on our list — you’ll find links to his voting record, an interactive map, various constituent services, news & press releases, a Twitter feed, and more.
Ann Kirkpatrick
One thing you may notice right away about Ann Kirkpatrick’s website is the beautiful blue color palette, which signifies dependability, wisdom, and trustworthiness. Easy navigation at the top of the page leads visitors to issues, press, endorsements, and social media links.
Larger call-outs make it easy to donate or “take action”— which links to any community events that are happening soon.
Kevin Hern
Kevin Hern’s website design is a bit unusual in that he went with a full-page Oklahoma cityscape for the hero image rather than a portrait or lifestyle photo. Red buttons lead the visitor to what’s most important on the page — joining his email list.
Navigation is simple across the top of the page. Below the fold, you’ll learn more about Kevin and find ways to volunteer for his campaign.
Mike Collier
Upon visiting Mike Collier’s website, you first see a video popup with a donate button. Once you close that and get to the site, you’ll get to a very effective design in dependable blue and memorable orange with a form to join his email list right up front.
Simple navigation and many links to donate, shop, and volunteer can be found all over the site.
Jake Ellzey
With its red, white, and blue color palette and scrolling imagery, there’s no question that this website belongs to someone in politics. With each button on the scrolling hero image, Jake Ellzey’s website does a fine job of making a personal connection, showing where he stands on the issues, and giving visitors a way to get involved in his campaign.
Brad Schneider
Brad Schneider’s website opens with a full-page hero image of him along with a button to join his email list. Simple navigation at the top of the page takes visitors to more information about him, where he stands on the issues, and “Brad’s Coffee Club,” a $25-monthly membership club that meets locally at different coffee shops in the area to discuss issues affecting the community.
Michael Bennet
Michael Bennet’s site uses a huge full-screen background image of him with his family to show that he’s a family man — aiming to make a personal connection. Front and center, you’ll find a form to join his email list to keep the communication going.
Easy navigation and quick links to shop and donate can be found at the top of the page. Below the fold, you’ll find a video highlighting key issues and social media links.
Nikema Williams
Nikema Williams’ website features a full-page hero image that draws your eye and evokes confidence and positivity. The blue color palette is a sign of trustworthiness and wisdom.
Up front, you’ll find a button to contribute to her campaign, along with simple, clean navigation at the top of the page. A form to join her email list and volunteer is just below the fold.
Creating Your Own Political Website
While there are many different ways to create a political campaign website, we recommend Wix, because they have a few pre-design templates for political websites. Of course, hiring a designer or developer for a custom design is an option, but custom designs are generally costly. Wix makes it easy to build a professional-looking website with no upfront cost.
Wix provides a selection of templates you can use as a starting point for your site, and some of their political website templates are shown below. Each template can be fully customized to meet your needs. Or, you can create your website from scratch using a drag-and-drop builder that requires no coding.
Aside from affordable pricing and well-designed templates, Wix also offers all the other features you need from a website, including the ability to create forms to collect information from your visitors.
Learn more about Wix and build your site for free.
Wix Political Website Templates
Final Thoughts on Websites for Politicians
The website is a critical asset for any politician or political campaign. An effective website will communicate essential issues with voters, share news and important events, and help visitors to establish a personal connection with the candidate.
By following the best practices covered here and taking inspiration from the websites for politicians showcased here, you’ll be well on your way to making a difference with your site.