The Complete Campaign Website Checklist (2026)
A campaign website has exactly three jobs: convince a stranger you are real, capture their contact information, and take their money. Everything else is decoration. This checklist covers what winning campaigns actually ship, based on our review of every sitting U.S. senator's campaign site.
Pages you need
- Home. Your name, the office, one strong photo, one sentence on why, and a signup form above the fold. Senate campaigns put the email-and-ZIP form directly in the hero for a reason: it converts.
- About. Your story in 300 to 500 words. Local ties first, resume second. Voters hire neighbors, not resumes.
- Issues. Three to six issues, each with a plain-language position. More than six reads as unfocused.
- Donate. Preset amounts, one-click if your processor supports it, mobile-first layout.
- Newsroom. Press releases and endorsements. This is what reporters and AI search engines index.
Features that separate winners
- Email signup in the hero, not buried in the footer
- A text-to-join option (short code or keyword) with TCPA consent language
- Donation preset buttons with a highlighted default (most campaigns anchor at $25)
- A sticky mobile donate bar, since more than 60 percent of campaign traffic is mobile
- Fast load: every second of delay costs conversions you cannot afford
Legal must-haves
- The "Paid for by [committee name]" disclaimer on every page, sized to be readable
- FEC contribution fine print on donation and signup forms (federal races)
- TCPA consent language on any form collecting a mobile number
- An accessibility pass: alt text, contrast, keyboard navigation
Print this list, or skip the checklist entirely: Ballot Page generates a site with every item above already handled, free to preview.
Common questions
Does a local campaign really need a website?
Yes. Voters who see your name on a ballot search it first. If nothing comes up, the search result becomes your opponent, a news story, or nothing. Even a one-page site with your name, office, photo, and disclaimer beats absence.
What is the single most important element?
The email and phone signup form in the hero section, backed by a compliant disclaimer. Your list is the only audience you own; social platforms can throttle you at any time.
When should the site go live?
Before your public announcement. The site should be live the moment your name first appears in print, so every mention converts into signups and donations from day one.