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How to become a Senator?

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Talent.com talent.com
Answered March 01 2021
Career Expert at Talent.com
The US constitution states that a Senator must be at least thirty years of age, a resident of the US for at least nine years, and, when elected, must live in the state they are elected to represent.  

There is no single path to becoming a Senator, although there are some general commonalities amongst Senators' career paths that indicate best practices: 
  • Education
    • Most Senators have a background in either law or political science and have a least a master's degree or a law degree. In the Senate's history, some Senators have been elected with only a high school diploma, but this is a rare occurrence.  
  • Experience
    • A Senator rarely wins the election for the Senate without some experience in politics beforehand. Work in local community organizations, volunteer on a campaign, or try running for a local election to gain some experience, make connections, and get your name out there. 
  • Party Support
    • Network with party leaders in your state to become a household name. Party support and resources are invaluable to winning elections. 
  • Hire Help
    • At the very least, you need to hire a campaign manager, a public relations manager, and a fundraising manager. Electoral campaigns are very expensive, so a solid fundraising network is essential to success.  
  • Obtain Signatures:
    • Check with your local state authorities how many signatures you will need. You will also need to file your candidacy with your state's Secretary of State. 
  • Campaign
    • You are now ready to campaign! Good luck! 

Important Things to Know Before Becoming a Senator
  • You do not need to know everything about every issue
    • What matters is that you care enough about your fellow citizens to want to represent them. And if you care enough about them, you can educate yourself on the issues they need you to address. 
  • Ask questions
    • Speak to as many people as you can about the job. What is the day-to-day? How big should the team be? How much money do you need to raise? What is the goal number of votes? The more information you are armed with in the early stages of your career, the better. Several organizations such as Run for Something, Veterans Campaign, and The Campaign Workshop offer hands-on training workshops for success on the campaign trail.  
  • Do not turn down help
    • If someone volunteers to work on your campaign, give them a job! You will need people knocking on doors, putting up lawn signs, and making phone calls.  
  • Meet people in person
    • Even if you have the most sophisticated digital campaign, voters want to feel connected to the person they are voting for. Finding ways to meet with people and connect on a personal level is key. 
  • Do not be afraid to fundraise
    • The research suggests that donors do not want to support candidates. Instead, they want to support the issues that they believe their candidate is aligned with. If you believe in yourself and your mission, you can start asking for donations without feeling forced. It is also recommended to check your local guidelines on fundraising and recording donations.
  • Stress the importance of voting
    • Help voters come up with voting plans, whether it means voting early or voting by mail. Do not assume that your supporters will be able to take the day off on Election Day for you.  
Easteregg!