Candidate Bio Guide - Tell Your Story 

Your bio should be approximately two paragraphs and written as a short, compelling story rather than a résumé. The reader should quickly understand who you are, why you care about your community, and why you have chosen to stand for election.

Paragraph 1 - Who you are and what connects you to the community. 

Start with the human story. Explain your connection to the area, your family, work, business, community involvement or other experiences that have shaped you. Choose only the details that help voters understand who you are. Avoid simply listing jobs, qualifications, committee positions and achievements. Where possible, show how your experiences have given you an understanding of the challenges faced by ordinary people in the community. 

Paragraph 2 — Why you are standing and what you want to change. 

This is where your personal story becomes your political story. What have you seen that convinced you something needs to change? What problem facing your community matters enough that you decided to stand for election? Finish with a clear sense of purpose: what you want to fight for, protect or improve, and what voters can expect from you if elected. 

The principle that is important here: the voter and the community are the hero of the story, not you the candidate. 

As a candidate you should come across as someone who understands the problem and is offering leadership, experience and a path forward. Instead of “I have achieved X, Y and Z, therefore you should vote for me,” aim for “I have seen the challenges our community faces, my experience has prepared me to tackle them, and that is why I am standing.” 

A good final check is to ask: Does this bio answer four questions? 

1. Who is this person? 2. Why do they understand people like me? 3. Why are they standing? 4. What will they fight for? 
2. If it does, the bio is doing its job.