Redefining Candidate Forums in a Critical Primary Election

Problem

A BIPOC-led nonprofit organization, sought to organize its first nonpartisan mayoral and city council candidate forum in Richmond ahead of the June 2, 2026 Statewide Direct Primary Election. The organization needed a comprehensive communications and event management strategy while working with limited staffing and no prior experience conducting press outreach at this scale.

As Event Lead and Communications Manager for 1 Hundred Years Enterprise Foundation, I designed and executed Richmond's first community-led candidate forum for the June 2026 primary — coordinating 10 candidates, driving 100+ attendees, and pioneering a live audience question format that other organizations adopted.

Solution

I served as Event Lead, Media Liaison, and Communications Manager, overseeing all logistics, candidate coordination, press outreach, and digital strategy from concept through execution.

I built a full Event Planning and Communications Packet from the ground up, including a detailed Day-of Logistics plan, a step-by-step Checklist covering 48-hour prep through post-event follow-up, and a Promotion and Press Outreach Timeline targeting local media outlets. This gave the team a clear operational roadmap despite limited staffing.

Candidate coordination included drafting all outreach communications. These included availability emails, bio requests, and a Candidate Questionnaire on vision and mission for Richmond, ensuring all 10 candidates across the Mayoral and Council District 3 and 4 races were informed and prepared.

Community Outreach

For media and community outreach I drafted a press release, a targeted press pitch offering journalist access and candidate interviews, and a community questionnaire that opened the floor to Richmond residents to submit questions ahead of the forum. Messaging was grounded in kitchen-table issues relevant to the communities in Districts 3 and 4.

Structural Support

Beyond content, I managed all event-day operations, from coordinating volunteers, overseeing A/V setup, and serving as timekeeper during the forum, to liaising with press. I designed a run-of-show for the full two-hour program and led post-event follow-up including thank-you communications to candidates and press, and distribution of the event recording and recap.

Campaign Results

The forum drew over 100 attendees, making it the most well-attended candidate forum of the primary election season. Unlike other forums in the cycle, ours featured live, community-submitted audience questions. Other organizations subsequently began adopting this format.

Reaching Fresh Audiences

Organic social media was a clear driver of visibility, with each post averaging over 1,500 views and a 15% engagement rate. This was exceptional performance for a community-level political event.