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How to Write Election Campaign Speech in Nigeria

By PolitiVos
Campaign Guidelines , Latest News , Politics Today

How to Write Election Campaign Speech in 10 Steps

This guide provides essential tips on how to write election campaign speech that will resonate with your audience. Writing an election campaign speech is a critical and complex process that requires careful planning, research, and effective communication skills. A campaign speech can make or break a candidate’s chances of success in an election, and thus it must be crafted with the utmost attention to detail and relevance.

A well-crafted speech can help a candidate to connect with voters, build trust, and win support for their candidacy. However, writing a compelling speech that resonates with the audience can be a daunting task. To write an effective election campaign speech, one needs to understand their audience, have a clear campaign message, and convey that message with passion and conviction.

In this process, it is important to keep in mind the tone and style of the speech, the audience’s values and beliefs, and the specific goals of the campaign. Here are useful tips and strategies to help candidates write a successful election campaign speech. Contact us now to help you conduct a thorough research and create an effective political campaign speech that will convey your values and policies of the political party or candidate and resonate with the audience and stakeholders.

Step 1: Define your audience

Before you start writing your campaign speech, you must first define your audience. Who are you speaking to? What are their concerns, hopes, and aspirations? What are the issues that matter to them? By understanding your audience, you can tailor your speech to their needs and concerns and connect with them on a more personal level.

Step 2: Craft a powerful opening

The opening of your speech is crucial, as it sets the tone and captures the attention of your audience. Start with a strong and compelling statement that immediately grabs their attention. You could use a statistic, a quote, or a personal story to draw them in and make them want to listen to what you have to say.

Don’t Miss: How to Develop Campaign Manifesto in 8 Steps

Step 3: focus on your message.

Your campaign speech must have a clear and concise message that reflects your values, beliefs, and vision for the future. Focus on the issues that matter to your audience and demonstrate how your policies and plan of actions will address their concerns. Be specific and provide examples of how you will make a difference if elected as a president, house of representative, senator, governor or even state assembly member.

Step 4: Use persuasive language

The language you use in your speech is essential in persuading your audience to vote for you. Use persuasive language that appeals to their emotions, values, and aspirations. Use simple and easy-to-understand language that everyone can relate to. Avoid using jargon, technical terms, or complex sentences that may confuse or alienate your audience.

Step 5: Be authentic and genuine

Authenticity and genuineness are crucial when delivering a campaign speech. You must be honest and sincere in your message and connect with your audience on a personal level. Share your personal experiences, past records, values, and beliefs that demonstrate your authenticity and inspire trust and confidence in your leadership.

Step 6: Use humor and storytelling

Humor and storytelling are excellent tools for engaging your audience and keeping their attention. Use anecdotes, personal stories, or jokes to add some lightness and humor to your speech. However, be careful not to offend or belittle anyone, as this could harm your credibility and reputation.

Step 8: Address your opponent’s weaknesses

When writing a campaign speech, it’s essential to address your opponent’s weaknesses without attacking or insulting them. Highlight your opponent’s weaknesses, and demonstrate how your policies and plans are superior to theirs. However, be respectful and avoid personal attacks or mudslinging, as this could harm your reputation and credibility.

Step 9: End with a call to action

The conclusion of your campaign speech should inspire your audience to take action and vote for you. End your political campaign speech with a powerful call to action that encourages people to support your campaign, volunteer, or donate to your cause. Provide specific instructions on how they can get involved in your movement and make a difference.

Read: The Roles of the Media in Nigerian Elections

Step 10: practice and rehearse.

Finally, practice your speech as much as possible before delivering it to your audience. Rehearse in front of a mirror, record yourself, or practice in front of a friend or family member. This will help you identify areas that need improvement, work on your delivery skills, and build your confidence.

Wrapping up: How to Write Election Campaign Speech

In conclusion, writing an election campaign speech can be a challenging task, but with the right approach and preparation, anyone can deliver a compelling and impactful speech. The first step is to understand the audience and their needs and concerns. This helps to craft a message that resonates with them and addresses their issues.

It is also important to have a clear and concise structure for the speech, with a powerful opening that captures the audience’s attention, a strong middle that reinforces the main points, and a memorable closing that leaves a lasting impression.

Related: How To Hire A Political Campaign Team

To make the speech more persuasive, using rhetorical devices such as repetition, analogy, and emotional appeal can be effective. However, it is important to ensure that the speech is based on accurate and verifiable facts and not just rhetoric. Rehearsing the speech several times before the actual delivery can help to boost confidence and ensure a smooth delivery.

It is also important to get feedback from others and make necessary adjustments to the speech based on their feedback. By following these tips and putting in the necessary effort and practice, you can write and deliver a winning campaign speech.

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Political Speech Writing: How Candidates Can Craft Compelling Messages

Understanding the Power of Political Speeches

Political speeches play a pivotal role in shaping the course of nations and can shape the trajectory of societies. Effective speech writing for elections allows leaders to communicate their vision, values, and policy objectives to the public. These speeches serve as a means of persuasion, providing a platform for leaders to connect with their constituents emotionally. Through carefully tailoring speeches, a political oratory has the potential to inspire, mobilize, and unite people around common goals and ideals.

One key aspect of political speeches is their ability to inform and educate the public. In a democratic society, an informed citizenry is essential for making sound election decisions and understanding government policy implications. A well-done political oratory allows leaders to clarify their positions and present evidence and data. Speechwriting for elections often requires addressing complex issues and helping citizens make informed choices about how they want the country to move. Moreover, political speeches serve as a channel for transparency and accountability.

Beyond their informational role, a well-crafted political oratory fosters unity and social cohesion by containing messages of hope, unity and inclusivity. They can transcend political divides and unite people, transcending differences of opinion and background. In times of crisis or uncertainty, campaign speeches provide reassurance and a sense of purpose. Furthermore, campaign speeches help a nation navigate challenges and emerge stronger.

Well-crafted campaign speeches can be transformative in elections by serving as a dynamic tool for candidates to connect with voters, sway public opinion and ultimately change the outcome of an election. When a candidate speaks passionately about issues that resonate with your audience, it creates a sense of trust and authenticity by tapping into the electorate's hopes, fears, and aspirations.

Speechwriting for elections helps to clarify a candidate's policy positions and goals, providing voters with a clearer understanding of what they stand for, allowing them to set themselves apart from their opponents and creating a sense of confidence in their leadership. A well-crafted political speech can sway undecided voters to the candidate's side.

Rousing persuasive communication can galvanize volunteers and grassroots activists , encouraging them to work harder for the candidate, leading to a higher voter turnout among the candidate's base.

Steps to Effective Political Speechwriting

Here are five tips for crafting an effective political speech:

#1: Make time for research.

Digging deep to find relevant information is crucial when writing a political speech because it adds depth and credibility to the discourse. Great research also ensures that the political speech addresses the complexities of voters' concerns. A speechwriter can write informative and persuasive communication by seeking out comprehensive data.

#2: Consider your audience.

Analyzing a target audience is essential for understanding their demographics, values, beliefs, and concerns. It allows speechwriters to tailor their message to resonate with their intended listeners' specific needs and interests. This analysis enables speechwriters to speak directly to the heart of the issues that matter most to the target audience. It also helps avoid potential pitfalls, such as using language or framing that might alienate or offend specific target audience segments.

Free tools to power your campaign

#3: Draw on the elements of storytelling.

Storytelling in politics is essential for political speechwriters because it helps engage and persuade the audience effectively. Furthermore, storytelling in politics captures the audience's attention by connecting them emotionally with the message. The right message provides a relatable and human dimension to the content. Furthermore, storytelling in politics helps create a cohesive speech that flows seamlessly, ensuring listeners understand and retain key points. Whether it is rallying support for a candidate, advocating for a policy change, or fostering a sense of unity, a well-crafted narrative can convey a compelling vision for the future and ignite a sense of purpose among the audience.

#4: Set the right tone.

A campaign speech must set the right mood because the emotional tone and atmosphere it creates can significantly impact how the audience receives and responds to the message. By establishing a positive and receptive attitude, the audience is more likely to be engaged and attentive to the speaker's message, which can inspire hope, rally support, and forge meaningful connections. Crafting a political speech that is positive and relatable makes the audience more receptive to the speaker's arguments, so it is a vital political communication strategy. A speech promoting a mood of unity helps to bridge divides, bringing people together.

#5: Edit and practice ahead of time.

Editing and rehearsing a political speech is essential because it ensures the message is clear, concise and free from ambiguity. A well-edited speech enhances the speaker's credibility by demonstrating that the candidate has thoroughly researched and prepared their remarks. Therefore, giving speeches can be a key political communication strategy.

Practicing a speech allows the speaker to fine-tune their delivery and tone to maintain the audience's engagement. Furthermore, practice enables the speaker to reinforce the critical points of the speech, ensuring that they communicate central ideas in an easily memorable way.

Examples of Memorable Political Speeches

Let's turn our attention to some political speechwriting examples. These political speechwriting examples can serve as a powerful guide for candidates.

#1: Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

Consider Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, as it is one of American history's most impactful political speeches. Presented during the Civil War at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the speech was concise, lasting just over two minutes, but its impact was profound. Lincoln eloquently emphasized the principles of equality and liberty and redefined the purpose of the American government as a "government of the people, by the people, for the people." This speech solidified the United States' commitment to democracy and freedom. It also marked a turning point in the Civil War, as it galvanized public sentiment and reinvigorated the Union's resolve to preserve the nation.

#2: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech

Martin Luther King - March on Washington

Another of the most impactful political speeches was Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This political speechwriting example was pivotal in the American civil rights movement. King's eloquent articulation of his dream for a racially integrated and just society resonated deeply with millions. The speech helped mobilize support for civil rights legislation and highlighted the urgent need for racial equality. King's call for nonviolent protest and his vision for a future where individuals would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin inspired generations of activists. It was crucial in advancing civil rights legislation, culminating in the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

#3: Ronald Reagan’s “Tear Down This Wall” Speech

President Ronald Reagan making his Berlin Wall speech

One of the most impactful political speeches ever given was the one delivered at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, during which President Ronald Reagan issued a powerful challenge to the Soviet Union by demanding, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" The Berlin Wall, which had divided East and West Berlin for decades, symbolized the Cold War's division. This political speechwriting example indicated the West's commitment to freedom and democracy. While the immediate impact of the speech was limited, it contributed to the eventual fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War. Reagan's words resonated with people on both sides of the Iron Curtain, serving as a rallying cry for change.

Studying these speeches and tailoring speeches after them and other iconic speeches is a great way to learn public speaking strategies. These American political speeches share the theme of advocating for equality, justice and freedom. They transcended their immediate contexts to become lasting symbols of American ideals and continue inspiring generations of Americans and people worldwide.

Here are some public speaking strategies to employ based on these inspirational speeches:

Ensure that the central theme of your political campaign communication resonates with the target audience and keep it at the forefront of the speech.

Using metaphors, similes, and emotionally resonant phrases to evoke powerful imagery and emotions in the audience is a critical speech delivery technique that can help your political campaign communications.

Understanding the audience's needs, aspirations, and concerns so that the message connects deeply is a speechwriting best practice you will want to remember.

Incorporating a clear and compelling call to action into the speech is an essential political communication strategy.

Be aware of historical contexts when crafting political persuasions for political campaign communications.

Align messages with the speaker's personality and values.

Employ strategic repetition to emphasize critical political persuasions because it will make them more memorable.

Use speech writing techniques to capture the speaker's authentic voice and beliefs.

Tips for Effective Speech Delivery

Candidates often ask speechwriters to give them speech delivery techniques. They may recommend several public speaking strategies that will help you with effective speech delivery. These include:

Using body gestures and body language to enhance the message's impact is a critical speech delivery technique as it helps convey confidence and credibility so that the audience connects to you better.

Connecting with the audience is paramount because it establishes rapport, fosters voter engagement and ensures the message resonates with the listeners personally. Therefore, it is crucial to remember this idea while focusing on speech delivery techniques as you build your political communication strategy.

Breathing deeply right before giving a speech is a vital speech delivery technique that can help you overcome stage fright as it calms nerves and boosts confidence.

Adapting Your Speech for Different Audiences

Among speech writing best practices is to adapt a speech to different audiences and your audience's demographics. This is essential for ensuring political persuasion as the message is relevant, relatable, and inclusive. Practicing this as you concentrate on other speech writing best practices ensures audience engagement occurs and that they will understand your messaging better.

Another key among speech writing best practices is remembering to be specific during a speech. This is vital as it adds credibility and clarity to the candidate messaging, helping to ensure audience engagement. Therefore, ensure that you use speech writing techniques for persuasive communication that address specific issues and concerns experienced by the audience.

Navigating Ethical Considerations in Political Speechwriting

Honesty is a fundamental pillar of trust and accountability in a democratic society, so when politicians are truthful in their political campaign messaging, they build integrity and foster the public's faith in their leadership. Citizens can make informed decisions when a politician uses truthful political campaign messaging. Therefore, make sure to always practice ethical speech writing.

Ethical speech writing also means avoiding divisive rhetoric because it often deepens existing divisions, polarizes communities, and makes finding common ground on important issues more difficult. Divisive rhetoric hinders constructive dialogue between political opponents. Using speech writing techniques that are inclusive, respectful, and constructive fosters unity, promotes understanding and achieves positive outcomes, which is essential for driving audience engagement in your political campaign messaging.

Leveraging Technology for Speechwriting

Many speech writing resources can help you. Let these speechwriting resources serve as a guide, but do not rely totally on speech writing resources, or you will block out the candidate's personality. Among the most effective speech writing tips is to let speechwriting tools enhance the speech writing process by using them to improve speech writing techniques. Among these speech writing tools, speech writing software is a vital resource that plays a pivotal role in organizing thoughts, structuring arguments, and drafting coherent content while creating political discourse and crafting political messages. Utilizing these effective speech writing tips gives you access to templates, outlines, and organization features that help transform ideas into well-structured political discourses. Even if you usually shy away from technology, try speech writing software.

An easy place to start is Good Party’s AI Campaign Manager , which can help candidates draft launch speeches with ease, saving time and energy.

Additionally, another favorite among effective speech writing tips is to use research databases. These are invaluable tools for the speech writing process as they allow you to access vast amounts of information, including historical data, statistics, and policy details. Therefore, they are an invaluable speech writing resource, enabling speechwriters to conduct thorough research, fact-check statements, and bolster arguments with credible sources.

Furthermore, grammar and style-checking software is another indispensable software component critical to the speech writing process. This speech writing resource helps to refine language and ensure that the political rhetoric is clear, is grammatically correct, and resonates with the intended audience. These tools help avoid common language pitfalls and enhance the overall quality of the writing.

Another effective speech writing tip is to incorporate digital elements into political discourse, as using them engages a more diverse audience. Integrating visuals, such as infographics and charts, can make complex data more accessible by providing a visual context that aids comprehension. These graphic elements enhance understanding, make the speech more memorable, and help to ensure that crucial candidate messaging resonates with broader demographics.

Speech writing and public relations are intrinsically linked, playing a pivotal role in shaping the perception of individuals. Effective speechmaking in public relations allows for the dissemination of critical messages to target audiences. Through speechwriting and public relations strategies, public figures can build and maintain trust, manage their reputation and foster meaningful connections with voters, underscoring the indispensable synergy between speech writing and public relations in elections.

The Role of Speechwriters in Political Campaigns

Speechwriters often collaborate closely with candidates to help them build political communication skills. These political communication skills include articulating their vision, values and policy positions. Ethical speech writing requires you to lay aside your ideas and write from the candidate's point of view. This effective speech writing tip often begins with in-depth interviews to understand the candidate's personality, goals and key messages. Speechwriters then craft political rhetoric aligning with the candidate's voice and resonating with their intended audience. Regular communication and feedback loops are vital for crafting political messages, allowing for revisions and fine-tuning political communication skills to ensure that inspirational speeches are authentic and compelling. The partnership between speechwriters and candidates when crafting political messages is a dynamic process that must convey the candidate's vision effectively and connect with voters.

However, not all candidates need to hire speechwriters. With Good Party’s AI Campaign Manager , candidates can generate drafts of political speeches, completely for free. Our tools are especially helpful for crafting launch speeches, which candidates can give at campaign launch events and to kick off their campaigns.

Inspirational speeches, meticulously tailored to resonate with diverse audiences and delivered with authenticity, possess the potential to inspire, inform and mobilize voters, encapsulating a candidate's vision and values. Often, the words spoken reverberate in the electorate's hearts and minds. Tailoring speeches in this way gives them the power to shape the outcome of campaigns and the nation's course. Political rhetoric bridges the divide between candidates and voters, uniting diverse communities under a shared vision. Overall, remember that the qualities of a great speech rely on elements of style, elements of substance, and elements of impact.

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How To Write A Presidential Speech

Katie Clower

The Importance of a Presidential Speech

Presidential speeches have been a prevalent and important part of our country’s society and culture since Washington’s inauguration in April of 1789 in which the first inaugural address, and presidential speech in general, was delivered. Since then, we as a country have beared witness to countless presidential and political speeches. Some have been moving, some inspirational and motivating, some heartbreaking and tear-jerking. Others have made us cringe out of anger, fear, or disappointment. Some have simply fallen flat, having been described as boring or awkward or unsettling.

Many presidential speeches are remembered and regarded to this day, despite how many decades or centuries ago they were delivered. Often, we remember and reflect on those which were the most special and important. But, in some cases the horribly written or delivered ones stick out in our minds, too. This writing guide is designed, in part, for those presidential or politician candidates and hopefuls to use as a tool to ensure their own speeches will be remembered and reflected on for years to come, for their positive messages and audience responses, not the opposite.

If you are not or do not plan to be a politician or president, do not stop reading! This guide is also written with the average person, even one with little to no political ties or aspirations, in mind. Public speech is a large aspect and topic of discussion in our society, one that has become critical to the presidential process. As such, many of us may be fascinated by and curious about the process of constructing and delivering a successful presidential speech. This guide will convey all of this information via data and analyses of previous both renowned and failed presidential speeches, deductions of what it was that made them so great or so catastrophic, syntheses of expert research and findings on the topic, and more. It does so in a casual, easy-to-follow tone, further making it a read for all.

Another reason this guide is applicable to everyone is because the speech-making tips and techniques shared throughout the text are true for not just political speech, but any form. Everyone has to deliver pitches, speeches, or presentations at some point in their lives or careers. The conclusion section emphasizes how the information and advice shared in this guide can apply to and help with all other forms of speech writing and delivering. With all of this in mind, this guide is meant for truly anyone who wants to take the time to read and be informed.

Goals of the Speech

Presidential speeches have become increasingly important over time as a means to connect with and appeal to the people in order to articulate and drive forward presidential goals, deliver or reflect on tragic or positive news, and more. As Teten put it in his study, “speeches are the core of the modern presidency” (334). He finds that while “in the past, speechmaking, as well as public appeal in the content of speeches, was not only infrequent but discouraged due to precedent and technology,” today it is one of the most important and most frequently utilized presidential tools (Teten, 334). Allison Mcnearney states that “even in an age of Twitter, the formal, spoken word from the White House carries great weight and can move, anger or inspire at home and around the world.” These findings make perfecting this method of communication with the people even more crucial to master. One part of doing so requires keeping in mind what the main, general goals of these speeches are.

Connection to Audience

While presidents and politicians deliver many different types of speeches which often have contrasting tones and messages depending on the occasion, there is always an exigence for politicians to make efforts to connect with their audience. This in turn results in a more positive audience perception and reaction to both the president and his speech. Later in the guide, specific rhetorical and linguistic strategies and moves will be discussed which have proven effective in fostering a connection with audience members through speech.

This overall notion of establishing connection works to break down barriers and make the audience feel more comfortable with and trusting of the speech giver. McNearney points to FDR as a president who successfully connected with the people, largely, she claims, through his fireside chats. The fireside chats exemplified a president making use of the media for the first time “to present a very carefully crafted message that was unfiltered and unchallenged by the press” (McNearney). Today, we often see our presidents use Twitter as a media avenue to connect and present their “unfiltered” version of a policy or goal.

Lasting Message

Another central and overarching goal presidents and politicians should keep in mind when writing and delivering a speech is to make it lasting and memorable. It is challenging to predict what exactly will resonate with people in a way that makes a speech long remembered. Many of the various rhetorical and linguistic techniques outlined in section III have helped former presidents deliver speeches that have become known as some of “the greats.”

Sometimes it is a matter of taking risks with a speech. Martin Luther King and Barack Obama are among some of the most powerful speech-givers our country has seen. Both men took risks in many of their speeches. Mcnearney points to Obama’s “A More Perfect Union” speech as being “risky” in its focus and discussion on racial tensions in the country, an often avoided or untouched conversation. But, the speech was well-received and well-remembered, proving this risk was worth it.

What to Do: Rhetorical and Linguistic Moves

A conjunction of previous findings from various scholars and my own research make up this section to portray the effective rhetorical and linguistic strategies that have been employed in successful presidential speech.

Emotive Language

In section II one of the central goals discussed in a presidential speech is to appeal to one’s audience . An effective way to do so is through emotive language and general emotional appeal. In their study, Erisen et al. note the value of “strik[ing] an emotional chord with the public” as a means to gain public support, increase public awareness, and overall aid presidents in pursuing their political agendas (469). They work to prove the effectiveness of this strategy through an analysis of an Obama speech, delivered during a time of growing economic crisis in the country.

Erisen et al. identify Obama’s implementation of both emotional and optimistic tones as rhetorical moves to connect with and appeal to his audience of constituents. The success of his use of emotionally-related rhetorical strategies are evident findings that came out of a survey that “reported that 68% of speech-watchers had a ‘positive reaction’ and that 85% felt ‘more optimistic’ about the direction the country was heading” (Erisen et al., 470). Stewart et al. also find that “more emotionally evocative messages… lead to higher levels of affective response by viewers” (125). This clear data indicates the power connecting with an audience through emotion can have on their response and future outlook.

Optimistic Tone

Along with Obama’s “optimistic tone” described above, others have employed what has been described as both hopeful and reassuring tones as rhetorical moves to appeal to an audience. Two of the ten “most important modern presidential speeches,” as selected by the nonpartisan affiliated scholars of the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, are JFK’s address on the space effort and FDR’s first inaugural address (McNearney). JFK’s address was successful and well-received because of the hopeful tone he employs when discussing the goal to land a man on the moon. He gave the people an optimistic perspective on this lofty goal, making “Americans feel like there was nothing we couldn’t do” (McNearney). In his inaugural address, Roosevelt too pairs bold claims with optimism and reassurance to his audience.

Inclusive Language

Another found strategy utilized by presidents to appeal to their audience through speech is the use of inclusive language. In Teten’s study, he looks at the use of the words “we” and “our”, specifically, in presidential State of the Union Addressesses over time. His findings revealed a steady increase in these words within the speeches over time. The usage of these “public address and inclusion words” create an appeal with presidents’ audiences because they help presidents in creating “an imagined community in which the president and his listeners coexist on a level plane (Teten, 339-342). These findings illustrate the importance of not presenting oneself as an omnipotent power and leader, but rather a normal citizen of the country like all of those watching. Identifying oneself with the audience this way breaks down any barriers present.

Persuasive Language

Persuasion is another often-used rhetorical strategy, especially during presidential campaigns. In their study about “language intensity,” Clementson et al. look at the use of “persuasive language” as a strategy presidential candidates employ during their campaigns. They assert that “candidates seem to vary their language as they try to persuade audiences to perceive them favorably” (Clementson et al., 592). In referring to this persuasive rhetorical strategy, they utilize the term “problem-solution structure” as one which is often well-received by an audience. People appreciate hearing exactly how a president or presidential candidate plans to fix a problem at hand.

What Not to Do

As stated earlier, while there are many speeches that are excellently written and delivered, there, too, are many speeches that flop. Alexander Meddings wrote an article which spotlights a number of political speeches which he deems some of the “worst” in modern history. In comparing what makes a good versus a bad speech he asserts that “a bad speech must, by definition, be flat, garbled and publicly damaging either for the speaker or for the cause they’re seeking to promote” (Meddings). In looking at some of the characteristics that make up some of the “worst” speeches, this section will highlight what not to do in the process of working to compose and deliver a successful speech.

The research demonstrates that length of speech actually proves very important. In Teten’s study, in addition to looking at inclusive language over time in presidential State of the Union Addresses, he also graphically measured the length, specifically number of words, of the addresses across time. His results proved interesting. There was a rise in length of these speeches from the first one delivered to those delivered in the early 1900s and then there was a sudden and far drop. There was a movement around the time of the drop to make speeches more concise, and it is clear, since they have remained much shorter as time has gone on, this choice was well-received.

Meddings alludes to this in his piece, describing both William Henry Harrison’s presidential inaugural address and Andrew Johnson’s vice-presidential inaugural address as some of the worst speeches, largely because of how dragged out they were. A very important aspect of speech-giving is capturing the audience’s attention, and this cannot be accomplished through a lengthy, uninteresting oration.

Lying And/or Contradiction

Though it should be fairly obvious that one should not lie in a speech, for the consequences will be great, there have been a number of presidents and politicians who have done so. Regan, Clinton, and Trump are all among the presidents and politicians who have made false statements or promises within speeches. Though it is understandable that a politician would want to speak towards what he or she knows will resonate and appeal to the audience, doing so in a false or manipulative way is not commendable and will lead to much greater backlash than just being honest.

Word Choice

Some politicians have been caught lying in speeches when trying to cover up a controversy or scandal. Though one should try to avoid any sort of controversy, a president or person in power has to expect to have to talk on some difficult or delicate topics. This is where careful word choice becomes vital. Often the way to ensure a speech is written eloquently, carefully, and inoffensively is through various rounds of editing from a number of different eyes.

Applications to All Forms of Speech-Giving

This guide should prove helpful for not only those looking to run for office, but for everyone. The various strategies and techniques given within this guide are, for the most part, broad enough that they can be applied to any form of speech-giving or presenting. We will all have to give a speech, a toast, a presentation, and countless other forms of written or oral works in our lives. Refer to this guide when doing so.

In terms of political or presidential speech specifically, though, in a sense there is not a clear formula for how to write and deliver them. In studies looking at various different successful presidential speeches, orators, and speechwriters, it is clear they all have their own unique style and form that works for them. But, the tips provided in this guide will certainly work to help to create a proficient and successful political speech writer and orator.

Works Cited

Clementson, David E., Paola Pascual-Ferr, and Michael J. Beatty. “When does a Presidential Candidate seem Presidential and Trustworthy? Campaign Messages through the Lens of Language Expectancy Theory.” Presidential Studies Quarterly 46.3 (2016): 592-617. ProQuest. Web. 10 Dec. 2019.

Erisen, Cengiz, and José D. Villalotbos. “Exploring the Invocation of Emotion in Presidential Speeches.” Contemporary Politics , vol. 20, no. 4, 2014, pp. 469–488., doi:10.1080/13569775.2014.968472.

McNearney, Allison. “10 Modern Presidential Speeches Every American Should Know.”

History.com , A&E Television Networks, 16 Feb. 2018, www.history.com/news/10-modern-presidential-speeches-every-american-should-know.

Meddings, Alexander. “The 8 Worst Speeches in Modern Political History.”

HistoryCollection.co , 9 Nov. 2018, historycollection.co/8-worst-speeches-modern-political-history/7/.

Stewart, Patrick A., Bridget M. Waller, and James N. Schubert. “Presidential Speechmaking

Style: Emotional Response to Micro-Expressions of Facial Affect.” Motivation and Emotion 33.2 (2009): 125-35. ProQuest. Web. 1 Oct. 2019.

Teten, Ryan. “Evolution of the Modern Rhetorical Presidency: Presidential Presentation and

Development of the State of the Union Address.” Presidential Studies Quarterly 33.2 (2003): 333-46. ProQuest. Web. 30 Sep. 2019.

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Jan 02, 2020

Stump Speech: The Ultimate Speechwriting Guide

by Martín Diego Garcia

Stump Speech: Connect With Voters by Creating a Campaign Speech.

Here is our ultimate guide to writing a great stump speech. We all know that the candidate is the campaign’s best asset, and the stump speech is the best campaign tool for delivering a 7C’s (clear, concise, contrastive, connective, creative, compelling, consistent) message and personal story about the candidate and campaign.

WHAT IS A STUMP SPEECH? A political Campaign speech has been a staple on the campaign trail since the 1800s and is still a critical tool for modern day campaigns. Your stump speech should be the core message for you campaign and repeated at almost every campaign event or activity. A candidate should be able to repeat their stump speech in their sleep and might just start doing that involuntarily after delivering it a couple of hundred times. The speech should be a quick way for the candidate to answer the following questions for their audience:

WHO the candidate is? This should be a short introduction of the candidate’s name and a little background to humanize them to voters. Where you’re from, your family, your connection to the community?
WHY they are running for this office? There should be a very clear and compelling connection between your person story and the collective challenge your community is facing that has prompted you to run for office. Tell a story about the issue(s) you’re running on. Who specifically is being harmed by these problems?
WHAT is the contrast/choice for voters? This is VERY important. You need to lay out your vision for the future and differentiate it from your opponent(s)’s idea for the future of your community. If there is no clear contrast the voters will not have a compelling reason to cast a vote.
WHAT is the ask for the audience? Lastly, you need a simple and specific ask for your audience. Do you need them to vote for you? Knock on doors? Donate to your campaign? And by when do you need them to do it?

HOW LONG SHOULD YOUR STUMP SPEECH BE? An average campaign speech given at an event, at the doors, on an interview can be between 5-10 minutes in length. However, most often a candidate has about 90 seconds to 3 minutes when on the campaign trail for an introduction. So be prepared!

Think of the shorter version as a quick introduction like cliff notes or a synopsis. This can be used to start a conversation at the door or introduce yourself on the fly. For the longer version of the speech you are merely adding a little more context and color to the story depending on your audience.

WHAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR STUMP SPEECH? Here are the core campaign speech writing components that should be in your speech. They do NOT need to be in this order necessarily, but the speech should have a nature order that flows together.

INTRODUCTION: You need to have a hook to grab a person’s (peoples) attention right from the start (be careful with telling jokes unless you’re good at them) and then give the basics – your name and office you’re running for.
PERSONAL STORY: Weave in your personal story. What is your motivation for stepping up to run for office? What are the values you hold that are needed in the office or to solve this issue? But whatever your do, please DO NOT list off your resume. No one is interested in hearing that. Trust me.
PROBLEM STATEMENT: Present a clear and relevant (to audience and electorate) issue that needs to be solved. What is wrong that needs to be fixed? (For incumbents, what needs more work OR to be protected?). Why do you care about this issue and why is it relevant to the community at large? What is at stake for them?
SOLUTION/VISION: What is your solution to solving this program? What skills, experiences or qualities do you have that make you suited to solve this issue? Paint a picture for the audience about what their future could look like if this problem was solved.
ASK: What is it you need from the audience you’re speaking to? You need a clear and concise call to action that allows them to be part of your vision and get involved with your campaign. Do you need an endorsement? Donations? Volunteers? Votes? Tell them exactly how they can help be part of the solution.
Thank them for their time!

WHY SHOULD YOU TELL YOUR PERSONAL STORY?

Stories have been a part of civilization since the dawn of time. Stories have been used to pass down history through generations. It is also how we connect with each other through a shared humanity. It’s no wonder we’re all wired to engage with and react to stories that includes voters! Stories are all around us in books, TV, movies, music, news, brunch, literally everywhere. As a candidate you’ll get much farther with your constituents by telling a story to show people your vision versus just throwing facts and data at them.

Utilizing your personal stories can be extremely beneficial due to one thing: it makes you seem normal. One of the issues that America faces today is the lack of care for politics. Candidates who use their personal stories are able to create a positive feeling around their candidacy. Talk about yourself as a way to relate to your audience. Funny stories are great icebreakers. Lastly, and most importantly, always tell the truth. Especially in today’s technological age, it is much easier to find out if a candidate isn’t speaking the truth or is speaking in half-truths.

DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU’RE RUNNING?

Voters want to know why you are running for office. They want to hear your motivation, so they can see if they trust you or not. Voters know what the problems in their communities are, so instead of repeating them back, tell them how they’ve affected you and your community.

For example, if education is your core issues, don’t start by throwing out all the stats and facts about struggling, underfunded schools. Start by showing voters how this is affecting actual people, specifically children, talk about a student who was not able to reach their full potential because of the lack of funding or current policies in place. That way, you’re painting a picture and humanizing the issue for voters, so they see it more personally.

WHY DO YOU NEED TO USE AN EMOTIONAL APPEAL?

People are not rational beings and we often make decisions based on our emotions rather than the facts. If you look at the sweeping victories for Biden, Obama or Trump the one thing that connects them is that they both got voters to feel something. Biden campaign was based on empathy, Obama’s entire campaign was based on hope and aspiration, while Trump’s was based in fear and division. Two very different strategies but both based in telling emotionally captivating narratives.

WHY SHOULD YOU AVOID LISTING OFF YOUR RESUME?

We’ve all been there. Waiting to hear from a candidate and all we get is a rundown of their resume of accomplishment. Spoiler alert: your degrees and awards won’t buy you love from voters. Yes, having them is important but defining yourself by them is not going to create an emotional connection with your audience. Your stump speech should show not tell your story. It should weave in your accomplishments as supporting evidence but not the main plot line.

Remember that every campaign speech will be different, but if you can speak from the heart and tell people your story, they are much more likely to remember you when it comes to casting their vote. So practice, practice, practice and if you need help please feel free to reach out to our team.

Have questions about writing a stump speech? Drop us a note.

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6 tips for writing a powerful political campaign speech

Meredith Thatcher | September 13, 2016

What makes a great campaign speech? As it turns out, the same attributes as a document written in plain language. The most effective speeches are those that use clear language in a series of short statements, and make the speaker’s points with conviction. Here are six tips to creating an effective campaign speech.

Image by dizain / shutterstock

1. Get potential voters on side

On a ‘whistle-stop’ tour of villages, towns, cities, counties, territories and states, getting as many potential voters on board in as short a time as possible is critical.

Build rapport from the start. Know about the area you’re visiting and the issues that matter to the residents who live there. Comment on those issues to bridge the gap from outsider to local. Tell a story that they can relate to instead of just spouting statistics. Your audience needs context. If you connect with them, they’ll be prepared to hear what you have to say. To get their vote, you need them on your side.

In the 2016 US Presidential election campaign, Hillary Clinton tried to get the supporters of fellow candidate Bernie Sanders on side after he dropped out of the race. Clinton stated:

And to all of your [Sanders’] supporters here and around the country, I want you to know I’ve heard you. Your cause is our cause. Our country needs your ideas, energy and passion. That is the only way we can turn our progressive platform into real change for America. We wrote it together, now let’s go out and make it happen together!

2. Get your message out fast

We live in a world of distraction. People retain very little, so get your message out fast. You want a sound bite that will capture the attention of potential voters. Keep your statement short and connected to a core theme. Then weave that theme through four to five key messages to take your audience on a memorable journey.

3. Give equal measure to empathy, warmth, and authority

Know how many people are likely to attend the event where you’re giving your speech. Remember to welcome your audience and thank them for turning up. Then deliver your comments so that each person feels like you’re having a fireside chat with them.

Tone really matters — check out our online course to polish yours

A conversation is much better than a lecture, but don’t be too spontaneous. Get your timing right. Only tell a joke if you know everyone listening will get it, as no one likes being left out. And some events will be inappropriate for jokes.

The hard part is empathising with the concerns of potential voters while commanding authority. Remember to smile, and not just for the cameras. But also remember that some people view a show of emotion as a strength; others view it as a weakness. Exude confidence to assure them that you can lead and make decisions that deliver tangible benefits for them.

People may say they want to vote for someone they can talk to when what they really want is someone who can solve problems and make tough calls in any situation. So, above all, show your audience that you can do the job.

At the 2016 Republican National Convention, Donald Trump put his key message first and then tried to achieve a balance between warmth and authority. Trump stated:

U.S.A! U.S.A! U.S.A! Together, we will lead our party back to the White House, and we will lead our country back to safety, prosperity, and peace. We will be a country of generosity and warmth. But we will also be a country of law and order.

4. Stay in control and be confident

Your speech may start on the page, but you deliver it orally. Write as you will speak. Don’t waffle or include unfocused comments. Don’t get caught out using a voice that’s not your own. The audience will know immediately. Don’t be hesitant. The audience will know if you’re holding back and wonder why.

Only ask a question if you already know the answer. Use the problem–solution format throughout your speech. State the problem and provide an achievable solution. Make your messages unambigous and clear. See how your audience reacts, and respond accordingly.

In the end, leave your audience in no doubt about what you’re saying, why you’re saying it, and what they should do with your information. After all, you want their next step to be to vote for you.

5. Use repetition to best effect

Repeated messages stick. At the end, draw out your key themes and briefly repeat what you’ve said. Layer each message to build momentum to your final point. Make that point important enough that the audience will want to discuss it. This is another appropriate place for a sound bite. You need your name to stay at the top of the voters’ list of choices.

Former US President Barack Obama used repetitive phrases. Sometimes he ends a sentence in a way that makes people wonder what’s coming next. He makes a statement, pauses, and adds, ‘but that’s not what makes us…’ This makes people listen and helps to reinforce the point to come.

Obama has also used ‘I’ve seen it…’ to open statements. This shows he understands the concerns of the people — that he is one of them.

6. Take inspiration from the great orators

One of the best political speeches to incorporate the previous five elements was Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first inaugural address to a country in the midst of the Great Depression. His 3 March 1933 speech points to the hard decisions that lie ahead. But it also reassures that a positive attitude and optimism about the future will see the country through the tough times.

The speech also notes that the people’s support and commitment to work together is an integral part of this journey. Roosevelt’s speech reads in part:

This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor do we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life, a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.

The speech is not only memorable — it has stood the test of time. It’s as relevant today as when first uttered more than 70 years ago.

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(Last updated: 19 October 2023)

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What Makes a Great Political Speech?

The best political speeches aren't always the ones that are well-written or well-delivered, says Michael Cohen, author of Live from the Campaign Trail: The Greatest Presidential Campaign Speeches of the Twentieth Century and How They Shaped Modern America .

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Election Speech

Election speeches are more than just a string of words; they are a means to convey a candidate’s message, connect emotionally with the audience, and establish a rapport that resonates beyond the rhetoric. These speeches are delivered in a context where every word carries weight, and the tone and manner of delivery can significantly impact the listeners’ perception of the candidate. While some may dismiss election speeches as cliché -filled performances, they are, in fact, a fundamental aspect of democratic societies, providing candidates the platform to present their objectives , highlight their accomplishments, and express their commitment to addressing societal concerns.

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What is an Election Speech?

An election speech is a carefully crafted verbal presentation delivered by a candidate seeking public office. It is a formal address that serves as a platform for the candidate to communicate their objectives, values, policy proposals, and vision to the electorate. Through an election speech, candidates aim to connect with voters, gain their support, and influence their decisions in the upcoming election. These speeches are an integral part of political campaigns and play a significant role in shaping public opinion and perceptions of the candidates. The content, tone, and delivery of an election speech are strategically designed to resonate with the audience and leave a lasting impact.

How to draft an Election Speech

Drafting an election speech requires a careful blend of strategy, authenticity, and persuasive techniques. To help you navigate this process successfully, let’s break down the essential steps involved in creating an impactful and memorable election speech.

Step 1: Define Your Objective

Before penning down a single word, it’s crucial to determine your objective for the speech. Are you aiming to introduce yourself to the audience, emphasize your achievements, or outline your policy proposals? Having a clear objective will provide you with a focused direction for the rest of your speech.

Step 2: Understand Your Audience

A compelling election speech is tailored to resonate with your target audience. Conduct thorough research to grasp their concerns, needs, and expectations. This observation will enable you to address their specific issues and demonstrate your commitment to representing their interests.

Step 3: Craft Your Message

Crafting a powerful message involves choosing the right words and verbs that capture your vision succinctly. Keep your sentences simple and avoid jargon that might alienate your listeners. Weave in relevant examples and personal anecdotes to establish a connection and make your speech relatable.

Step 4: Structure and Tone

The way your speech is structured can greatly influence its impact. Begin with a captivating introduction that hooks your audience and clearly states your purpose. Follow with the main body, where you delve into your key points and proposals. Conclude with a strong closing that summarizes your message and leaves a lasting impression. Additionally, pay attention to the tone of your speech – whether it’s inspirational, authoritative, or empathetic – as it sets the emotional tone for your audience.

Can I use proper nouns in my election speech?

Yes, using proper nouns can add authenticity to your speech. Mentioning specific people, places, or events can make your message more relatable and grounded.

Should I avoid clichés in my speech?

While some well-worn phrases might resonate, relying too heavily on clichés can make your speech sound insincere. Strive for a balance between familiar expressions and fresh, original language.

Can I use conjunctions in my speech to create more complex sentences?

While conjunctions can connect ideas, it’s best to keep your sentences clear and straightforward. Complex sentences might confuse your audience, so opt for simplicity and clarity.

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How To Write A Political Speech

Crafting a compelling political speech holds immense importance for any aspiring politician and successful political campaign. It is a powerful tool for connecting with the audience, influencing opinions, and igniting action. To make speeches truly impactful, harnessing the power of voter engagement and direct sourcing is key. Politicians can gather valuable insights directly from the people they aim to represent by actively engaging with voters and listening to their concerns.

This approach adds significant value to speeches and establishes an authentic connection with voters. This blog post will explore the significance of delivering compelling political speeches and highlight the benefits of incorporating voter engagement and direct sourcing techniques. By the end, you'll gain practical insights into creating lessons that resonate with your audience and make a lasting impact. Revise your political speechwriting skills with valuable tips and actionable strategies!

Writing a compelling political speech that resonates with your audience is vital for any politician. Two key factors are crucial to achieving this: defining your objectives and knowing your target audience.

Defining the objectives: Your speech should have a clear purpose, whether it is to persuade, inspire, or educate your listeners. You can shape your address by defining your goals to achieve those desired outcomes effectively. ‍
Knowing your target audience: Understanding your audience's demographics, concerns, and aspirations is fundamental. This knowledge allows you to tailor your message in a way that connects with them on a personal level. You can create a speech that resonates deeply and captures their attention by addressing their needs and desires.

Research and Preparation

Research and preparation are vital steps in writing an impactful political speech. By gathering comprehensive data from various sources, conducting surveys, and analyzing voter demographics, you can enhance the effectiveness of your address. Here are key actions to take:

Collecting data from various sources: Traditional media such as newspapers, TV, and radio provide insights into current political events and public sentiment. Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube offer information on trending topics and public discourse. Online forums and communities like Reddit, Quora, and specialized political forums allow you to tap into discussions and understand different perspectives. ‍
Conducting surveys and opinion polls: ‍ Engaging in surveys and opinion polls helps you gauge your target audience's opinions, preferences, and concerns. This data provides valuable insights to shape your speech accordingly. ‍
Analyzing voter demographics and specific concerns: ‍ Understanding your audience's demographics, including age, gender, and location, enables you to tailor your speech to resonate with their unique backgrounds and experiences. Additionally, identifying specific concerns and issues that matter to voters allows you to address them directly in your speech, making it more relevant and impactful.

By undertaking thorough research and preparation, you will have a solid foundation for crafting a compelling political speech that speaks directly to your audience's needs and aspirations. In the upcoming sections, we will explore these topics in more detail, providing you with practical strategies to integrate the collected data effectively into your speechwriting process. Get ready to take your political speechwriting skills to the next level!

Crafting a Compelling Political Speech

Crafting a powerful political speech requires careful consideration of the message you want to convey. Here are key steps to help you create a compelling address:

Identifying key issues and topics: Start by identifying crucial issues such as the economy and jobs, healthcare and social welfare, education and student debt, climate change and environmental policies, and national security and foreign affairs. These topics are often at the forefront of public discourse and resonate with voters. ‍
Prioritizing topics based on voter feedback and relevance: ‍ Listen to the feedback and concerns of voters through surveys, town hall meetings, and direct engagement. Prioritize the topics that resonate most with your audience, ensuring your speech addresses their pressing issues. ‍
Developing a compelling narrative: ‍ Structure your speech with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion to provide a cohesive flow. Utilize storytelling techniques to make your message engaging and relatable, capturing your audience's attention. Connect your experiences to policy proposals, humanizing your speech and showing your understanding of real-life impacts. Emphasize empathy and relatability to establish a genuine connection with your audience, showcasing that you understand and share their concerns.

Following these steps, you can craft a persuasive political speech highlighting key issues, resonating with voters, and inspiring action. In the following sections, we will delve deeper into each aspect, providing you with practical tips and techniques to enhance the impact of your speech. Prepare to deliver a memorable and influential address that leaves a lasting impression!

Rehearsing your political speech is a critical step that significantly aids your confidence and overall delivery. Here are some valuable tips to consider when it comes to rehearsing:

Practice makes perfect: Dedicate ample time to rehearsing your speech before presenting it to an audience. Aim to rehearse your address at least five times to familiarize yourself with the content, structure, and flow. ‍
Seek feedback from your team: Once you've practiced independently, deliver your speech to your team and invite their constructive criticism. Their feedback can provide valuable insights and help you refine your points, delivery, and overall performance. ‍
Conduct a full dress rehearsal: Organize a complete dress rehearsal with your team, where they play the roles of a moderator and your competition. This simulation allows you to identify potential weaknesses in your arguments, anticipate challenging questions, and fine-tune your delivery. ‍
Capture and review your performance: Consider filming yourself giving the speech during rehearsal. Watching the recording afterwards lets you objectively evaluate your performance, body language, and speaking style. Take note of areas where improvements can be made and make adjustments accordingly. ‍
Ensure accessibility through simplicity: While rehearsing, approach your speech from the perspective of someone unfamiliar with the topics you're addressing. Use simple language and many analogies to make your political speech accessible to many listeners. This approach enhances understanding and enables your message to resonate with the entire electorate.

By incorporating rehearsal into your speechwriting process, you can boost your confidence, identify areas for improvement, and deliver a polished and impactful speech. Remember, rehearsing allows you to refine your points, connect with your audience effectively, and ensure your message is conveyed clearly, concisely, and relatable. ‍

Use Common Language

Using common language in political speech writing is essential to effectively connect with your audience and ensure your message resonates with a wide range of listeners. Here are key considerations when it comes to using common language:

‍ Speak in an accessible manner: Communicate in a way that is easily understandable to all. Avoid excessive jargon, complex terminology, or convoluted sentences that may confuse or alienate your audience. Use clear and concise language that allows anyone to grasp your message. ‍ ‍
Avoid offensive terms: Maintaining a respectful and inclusive tone during your speech is important. Steer clear of profane or derogatory language that could offend or marginalize certain groups. Treat your audience with respect, emphasizing unity and understanding. ‍ ‍
Harness the power of stories and personal accounts: Stories and first-person narratives profoundly impact your audience. Utilize relatable anecdotes and real-life experiences to illustrate your points, making your arguments more engaging, relatable, and emotionally compelling. ‍ ‍
Balance simplicity with depth: While most of your content should be easily understandable by anyone, it is acceptable to incorporate academic research, quotations, or statistics that may require additional explanation. Find a balance between simplicity and depth, ensuring that even complex ideas can be grasped by your listeners with the appropriate context and explanation.

Using common language can effectively bridge the gap between complex ideas and the understanding of your audience. Remember, the goal is to connect with as many people as possible, making your message accessible, relatable, and impactful. So, craft your speech with clarity and simplicity while utilizing stories and personal accounts to create an emotional connection that resonates with your listeners.

How to Construct An Argument

Constructing a compelling argument is crucial to writing a persuasive political speech. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you build a strong and impactful argument:

Clearly state your thesis: Begin by articulating your main point or thesis statement. This sets the foundation for your argument and provides a clear focus for your speech. ‍
Gather supporting evidence: Collect relevant facts, statistics, expert opinions, and real-life examples that support your thesis. Strong evidence adds credibility and strengthens your argument. ‍
Organize your points logically: Structure your argument logically and coherently. Present your facts in a sequence that builds upon each other, leading your audience towards your main thesis. ‍
Anticipate counterarguments: Consider potential counterarguments to your position and address them proactively. This demonstrates thoroughness and strengthens your overall argument. ‍
Use persuasive language: Choose words and phrases that are persuasive and compelling. Craft your message to resonate with your audience emotionally and intellectually. ‍
Appeal to logic and emotions: Blend logical reasoning with emotional appeals to make your argument more persuasive. Use rational evidence to support your claims and evoke emotions to connect with your audience more deeply. ‍
Use rhetorical devices: Employ rhetorical devices such as repetition, analogy, and rhetorical questions to enhance the impact of your argument and make it more memorable. ‍
Summarize and restate your main points: Conclude your argument by summarizing your main points and restating your thesis. Leave your audience clearly understanding your position and a compelling call to action.

These steps can construct a strong and persuasive argument in your political speech. Remember to support your claims with evidence, organize your points effectively, and appeal to logic and emotions. With a well-constructed argument, your address will be poised to influence opinions and inspire action.

Voter Engagement for your Speech

Engaging with voters through various tactics is essential to crafting a compelling political speech. Here's why it matters and how you can make the most of it:

importance of voter contact tactics:

Door-to-door canvassing allows you to connect with voters on a personal level, fostering trust and building rapport.
Town hall meetings provide a platform for open dialogue, enabling you to directly understand local issues and concerns of the community.
Phone calls and text messages offer an opportunity to engage voters individually, creating a sense of importance and personal connection.

Benefits of engaging voters directly:

Building trust and rapport strengthens your relationship with voters, making your message more impactful and memorable.
Understanding local issues and concerns firsthand helps you address them effectively in your speech, showing your commitment to representing the community's needs.
Obtaining firsthand stories and anecdotes allows you to humanize your speech, adding authenticity and relatability to your message.

Techniques for effective voter engagement:

Active listening and showing empathy demonstrate your genuine interest in understanding voters' perspectives and concerns.
Asking open-ended questions encourages voters to share their thoughts and experiences, providing valuable insights for shaping your speech.
Encouraging voter participation in the speechwriting process empowers them. It ensures their voices are heard, enhancing the authenticity of your speech.
Utilizing social media platforms to solicit input and feedback broadens your reach. It allows you to engage with a wider audience, gathering diverse perspectives and ideas.

By actively engaging voters through canvassing and other community outreach , you gain invaluable insights, stories, and anecdotes that can greatly enrich your political speech. In the upcoming sections, we will delve deeper into these techniques, providing you with practical strategies to maximize voter engagement and create lessons that truly resonate with your audience. Get ready to harness the power of direct sourcing and make a meaningful impact with your speech!

Incorporating voter input into your speechwriting process is a powerful way to create speeches that truly resonate with your audience. Here's how you can leverage voter input, with a special emphasis on the significance of canvassing:

‍ Analyzing and categorizing voter stories and concerns: By carefully listening to voters' stories and concerns gathered through canvassing, town hall meetings, and other engagement tactics, you can analyze and categorize them to identify common threads and key issues. ‍ ‍
Identifying common themes and patterns: By recognizing recurring themes and patterns in voter input, you gain insights into your constituency's collective concerns and aspirations. This knowledge allows you to address them effectively in your speech. ‍ ‍
Integrating voter anecdotes into the speech: Personalizing the message by incorporating specific anecdotes and stories voters share, you personalize your speech, making it relatable and impactful. Highlighting real-life impacts: Sharing how specific policies or decisions affect real people helps create a deeper understanding and empathy among your audience. ‍ ‍
Acknowledging and addressing dissenting viewpoints: While incorporating voter input, it's important to acknowledge and address dissenting views. By respectfully engaging with opposing perspectives, you demonstrate inclusivity and a willingness to consider all voices.

By actively involving voters in the speechwriting process, you ensure their concerns and experiences are reflected in your message. This adds authenticity and relatability and strengthens your connection with your audience. In the subsequent sections, we will delve deeper into these strategies, providing you with practical tips to seamlessly integrate voter input into your political speeches. Get ready to create addresses that truly resonate and engage your audience profoundly!

The Ten Minutes Beforehand

The ten minutes beforehand hold significant value in maximizing the impact of your political speech. Here's how you can make the most of this crucial time, offering practical strategies to enhance your performance and connect with your audience:

Center yourself through mindfulness techniques:

Take deep breaths to calm your nerves and center your mind.
Practice mindfulness or meditation to focus your thoughts and promote a sense of presence.

Review your key talking points:

Take a moment to mentally review the main points and messages you want to convey.
Ensure that your speech aligns with your objectives and resonates with your audience.

Visualize success:

Visualize yourself delivering a powerful and impactful speech with confidence and clarity.
Envision a positive response from your audience, creating a sense of belief and determination.

Positive self-talk:

Engage in positive self-talk to boost your confidence and banish self-doubt.
Remind yourself of your strengths, expertise, and message value.

Establish a connection with your audience:

Scan the room and make eye contact with individuals in the audience.
This brief interaction establishes an initial connection and helps you establish rapport.

Review technical aspects:

Double-check any specialized equipment or visual aids to ensure they are functioning properly.
Familiarize yourself with the stage setup and microphone placement for seamless delivery.

Warm up your voice and body:

Perform vocal warm-up exercises to ensure clarity and projection in your speech.
Engage in gentle stretches or movements to release tension and promote a relaxed body language.

By utilizing these strategies ten minutes beforehand, you can optimize your mindset, refine your delivery, and establish an immediate connection with your audience. Remember that these moments set the stage for a memorable speech, allowing you to effectively convey your message, inspire your audience, and leave a lasting impact.

Engaging voters through direct sourcing, especially through canvassing, holds immense power in creating impactful political speeches. By incorporating voter input, speeches can exude authenticity and relatability, connecting with the concerns and aspirations of the electorate. This approach inspires trust and establishes a strong connection between politicians and the people they aim to represent. Crafting well-articulated speeches that resonate with voters is a transformative way to influence opinions and ignite action. As you refine your speech writing skills, remember the significance of actively engaging voters, listening to their stories, and addressing their concerns. By doing so, you will deliver speeches that make a lasting impact, inspire change, and foster a deeper connection with your audience.

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Political Campaign And Stump Speech Examples Reveal The Candidate

Candidates for political office make stump or campaign speeches to help voters learn about themselves and their positions throughout the campaign. Here are some examples of political campaign and stump speeches.

In the dynamic world of politics, one powerful tool remains a constant in winning over voters’ hearts and minds: the stump speech. This iconic oratory tradition has shaped countless political campaigns, delivering a potent blend of charisma, policy promises, and persuasive rhetoric.

From fiery appeals for change to heartfelt tales of personal struggles, stump speeches have become the backbone of political communication.

This article explores compelling examples of stump speeches throughout history, unveiling their enduring impact on electoral campaigns and their crucial role in shaping the political landscape.

Table of Contents

What Is A Stump Speech In A Political Campaign?

A stump speech is a standard, rehearsed speech a political candidate delivers during their campaign. It typically outlines the candidate’s core message, policy positions, and personal background, aiming to connect with voters, inspire support, and differentiate themselves from opponents.

A stump speech is essentially an elevator speech where the candidate makes a pitch to constituents.

How Does A Stump Speech Vary From A Campaign Speech?

While a campaign speech is a broader, more comprehensive address covering various topics and contexts, a stump speech is specifically tailored to connect with local audiences during campaign stops.

A stump speech focuses on key themes, repeated consistently across different locations, with an emphasis on connecting personally with voters, conveying authenticity, and generating enthusiasm for the candidate’s platform.

What Should A Politician Say About Themselves?

Politicians should highlight their relevant qualifications, experience, and achievements when speaking about themselves , demonstrating their ability to address the issues. They should also convey their personal values, integrity, and dedication to public service, establishing trust and credibility with the electorate.

How Do You Start Off A Campaign Speech?

“Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens, I stand before you today with a deep sense of gratitude and determination to embark on a journey together toward a brighter future for our community.

“Thank you all for gathering here today as we embark on a transformative campaign to shape a better tomorrow for our beloved community. With your support and collective efforts, we can build an inclusive, prosperous future filled with opportunities for all.”

What Should You Say In A Campaign Speech?

In a campaign speech, it is crucial to articulate your vision, share specific policy proposals, and address the concerns and aspirations of your constituents. Highlight your experience, values, and dedication to serve while emphasizing the need for unity, progress, and collaborative solutions to tackle the challenges our community faces.

Here is an excerpt:

“In this campaign, we must address the pressing issues affecting our constituents daily, such as education, healthcare, and economic stability, while fostering unity and collaboration to create a stronger, more resilient community for generations to come.

Together, we can bring about meaningful change, empower our citizens, and build a brighter future that reflects the hopes and dreams of each and every one of us.”

Campaign and stump speech examples share postions

How Long Should A Campaign Speech Be?

A campaign speech should be concise and focused, aiming for around 5 to 10 minutes, allowing you to effectively communicate your message while maintaining the audience’s attention and engagement. Remember, it is crucial to prioritize quality content over excessive length to make a lasting impact on your listeners.

What Should You Do After Finishing A Stump Speech?

After delivering a stump speech, engaging with the audience is essential, and you must also show genuine interest in their concerns and feedback. Take the opportunity to connect with individuals, answer questions, and build relationships to establish trust and support for your campaign.

What Should Be Said In The Conclusion Of A Stump Speech?

In the conclusion of a stump speech, it is crucial to summarize your main points and reiterate your core message, leaving a lasting impression on your audience. You can also end the address by inspiring and rallying your supporters, calling them to action, and emphasizing how important their involvement is to the campaign.

Different ways to end a stump speech can include:

Call to action: Encourage your audience to get involved, vote, volunteer, or contribute to your campaign, emphasizing the collective power of their actions.
A personal story or anecdote: Share a heartfelt story your audience can connect with on an emotional level, reinforcing your commitment to their concerns and aspirations.
Inspiring quote: Close your speech with a memorable and inspiring quote that encapsulates your campaign’s values or captures the essence of your message.
Vision for the future: Paint a vivid picture of the future you envision for your community, highlighting the positive impact your campaign can make and leaving your audience hopeful and motivated.

The best way to end a campaign speech ultimately depends on your personal style, the context, and the specific objectives of your campaign. Consider what resonates most with your audience and aligns with your campaign’s tone and goals.

Stump Speech Examples That Define Candidates

These nine stump speeches are notable for their ability to connect with audiences, convey a powerful message, and leave a lasting impact on listeners:

Barack Obama’s 2008 “Yes We Can” speech as presidential candidate became iconic, inspiring hope and calling for change. Ex-President Obama’s message of unity and progress resonated with millions of Americans.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s history 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington advocated for racial equality and justice for African Americans. His powerful words continue to inspire generations.
Delivered during World War II, Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” speech rallied the British people and affirmed their determination to resist Nazi aggression, symbolizing their resolve and resilience.
Elizabeth Warren’s speeches on income inequality and economic fairness, such as her 2012 speech at the Democratic National Convention , have gained attention for advocating for a more equitable society.
One of Donald Trump’s most notable stump speeches was the one delivered at the Republican National Convention in July 2016, where he formally accepted the party’s nomination for running for president. This speech emphasized his platform on immigration, national security, and job creation while highlighting his outsider status and promising to “Make America Great Again.” It resonated with many of his supporters and helped solidify his message during the campaign.
One of Joe Biden’s most memorable speeches was his address in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in August 2020. In this speech, Biden presented his economic recovery plan, emphasizing the need for unity, addressing systemic racism, and rebuilding the economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. He focused on his vision for “ Build Back Better” and stressed the importance of creating jobs, supporting working families, and tackling the climate crisis.
A notable Hillary Clinton speech was her address at the Democratic National Convention in July 2016. In this speech, Clinton accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for president and focused on themes of unity, inclusivity, and progress. She discussed her policy proposals, highlighted her experience and qualifications, and called for the American people “to come together to address the challenges facing the nation.”
Ronald Reagan’s “A Time for Choosing” speech is often regarded as one of the most impactful political speeches in American history and played a significant role in shaping his political career and eventually leading to his own presidency in 1981. Reagan delivered this speech supporting Barry Goldwater’s presidential campaign on October 27, 1964, just days before the U.S. presidential election.
Abraham Lincoln’s most famous stump speech was his Cooper Union Address, delivered on February 27, 1860, in New York City. The speech primarily focused on the issue of slavery and its expansion, but Lincoln also touched upon foreign policy concerns. In the Cooper Union Address, Lincoln argued against the spread of slavery into new territories, emphasizing its moral and constitutional implications.

Adam Howarth

Adam covers the topic of Public Speaking for Digital Authority. From his first experience of oratory with his school debating society to his more recent experiences of promoting the local business scene in Wrexham, Wales, he has always been involved in public speaking.

The Importance of Political Campaign Speeches

Jun 16, 2020

How vital are speeches in a political campaign? It’s hard to say since there are so many variables. But with the right words, a candidate can inspire voters, connect with them emotionally, and even motivate them to take action. So, if you’re running for office, investing time and effort in creating speeches that resonate with your audience is crucial.

It’s no secret that delivering a great political campaign speech is critical to winning over voters . But many people don’t realize just how vital those speeches are. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the importance of political campaign speeches and share tips on delivering your successful address.

What is a Political Campaign Speech?

Introduction: The candidate introduces themselves, their background, and their reasons for running for office.
Problem Identification: The candidate identifies the community or nation’s key issues and challenges.
Solution Presentation: The candidate presents their proposed solutions to the identified problems, including specific policies and initiatives.
Vision Statement: The candidate articulates their vision for the future and how their policies will contribute to achieving it.
Differentiation: The candidate differentiates themselves from their opponents by highlighting their unique experience, qualifications, or approach to problem-solving.
Call to Action: The candidate encourages voters to support their campaign, whether through voting, volunteering, or donating.
Thank You: The candidate expresses gratitude to the audience for their time and attention and reiterates their commitment to serving the community or nation.

What is a political campaign speech, and why are they important?

A political campaign is a speech candidates make to get the public’s support. They are essential because, in a democracy, people use their right to vote for who they want to represent them.

A speech is a formal presentation of ideas. Campaign speeches are essential because they allow candidates to speak directly to the voters and change the outcome.

A political campaign is a speech a politician gives before an election. They are essential because they can help politicians win elections, meaning the elected people will get what they want.

When politicians make speeches to voters, they try to convince the public that their ideas suit everyone. They also usually try to offend their opponents and talk about how terrible things would be if those people were in power.

A political campaign speech is given during an election that explains why the candidate thinks they should be elected. They describe their actions if elected and why voters should vote for them.

A political campaign speech lets a candidate explain ideas and plans to the public. This is often done in front of many people, which can be nerve-racking and exciting!

The main goal of a political campaign speech is to persuade an audience like you and me. The speaker wants us to believe in him or his ideas so we can vote for him when the time comes!

A political campaign speech is a short presentation by candidates to persuade the public of their views. They’re essential because voting for officials with similar opinions means you agree, which will help improve the country’s policies.

A political campaign speech is a short presentation the candidate gives as they ask for votes . Campaign speeches are often in public places, and people hear what the candidates say about their political views and stances on issues of concern.

In a political campaign speech, candidates often use rhetoric to persuade voters. Rhetoric is an artful way of convincing people through language.

How do speeches influence voters during election season?

Speeches can help sway voters’ opinions. For example, if the speaker is funny and engaging, their address will be more memorable. Funny lessons are also practical because humor helps people relax, making them more receptive to what’s being said.

Speeches influence voters during election season by giving them insight into their personalities and experiences. An address must also be delivered effectively with influential rhetoric to be effective.

Speeches are a powerful way to influence voters during election season. They’re effective because of all the emotion and passion that come with them.

Speeches are often used to convince voters that a candidate is the best for them.

Speeches are a necessity during election season to influence voters.

Speeches are one of the primary ways that candidates try to influence voters.

Speeches not only persuade voters; they also help candidates build a reputation.

Speeches are a great way to influence voters during election season because they allow the candidates to discuss their plans and ideas with citizens.

Speeches by candidates have a significant impact on voters during election season. They can sway opinions, mobilize people to vote for their pick, and help them make informed decisions.

What makes a sound or evil speech, and how can you make your lessons more effective?

A good speech makes an impact on the audience. How do you create this type of speech?

A good speech is based on evidence and facts, such as the ones given by scientists . Wrong addresses are not helpful to listeners or consist of insults directed at an audience.

A good speech is coherent and logical. It has an introduction, a central part, and a conclusion. These parts should be well connected with transitions (like, furthermore, or in contrast).

A good speech is engaging and exciting; you must be passionate about it.

“To speak well, there is a need of three things: to choose good subjects, express thoughts worthily and distinctly, and deliver them with an agreeable voice; not so loud as to be heard farther than the speaker intends.”

A few key things make an excellent speed: confidence, conciseness, and passion. If you can do all these things, your audience will be hooked!

A good speech has a precise, concise topic and is well-organized. A lousy address contains random information that isn’t organized logically.

What goes into making an excellent Political Campaign Speech?

An excellent political campaign speech must be a pitch for why you’re the best candidate. It should also be values-driven so that people know what they can expect from your administration and will thus feel motivated to vote for you.

Initially, make sure that your speech is well-written. You’ll want to practice it so much in front of a mirror that you memorize every word.

An excellent political campaign speech should be both inspirational and informative. It requires a lot of research practices to give a good one.

To make a successful political speech, it is essential to have an organized plan. As well as having some good one-liners for applause.

An excellent political campaign speech must be engaging, unambiguous, and concise.

To make a good speech, you need to have a clear message. It should be concise but engaging so the audience doesn’t get bored or distracted.

Clear and Compelling Message: The speech should articulate a clear and compelling message that resonates with the target audience. The message should be focused, relevant, and consistent with the candidate’s overall campaign strategy.
Emotional Connection: The speech should establish an emotional connection with the audience by appealing to their values, aspirations, and concerns. The candidate should use personal stories, anecdotes, or metaphors to make the speech relatable and memorable.
Authenticity and Passion: The candidate should convey authenticity and passion in their delivery, demonstrating their genuine commitment to their message and values. The speech should avoid sounding scripted or insincere.
Clarity and Conciseness: The speech should be well-structured, concise, and understandable. It should avoid overly technical or complex language and focus on key messages that are easy to remember and share.
Effective Delivery: The candidate should deliver the speech with confidence, energy, and charisma. They should use appropriate gestures, eye contact, and vocal variety to engage the audience and hold their attention.
Call to Action: The speech should include a clear call to action that motivates the audience to support the campaign, whether through voting, volunteering, or donating. The call to action should be specific, urgent, and achievable.
Memorable Ending: The speech should conclude with a unique and impactful statement or story that reinforces the main message and leaves a lasting impression on the audience.
Cultural and Local Relevance: The speech should consider the cultural and local context of the audience, incorporating relevant references, language, or issues that resonate with them.

How can speeches be used to influence voters before an election?

One of the best ways to get someone’s attention is by giving a speech. Giving them great lessons is the best way to influence voters before an election. There’s no better way than that.

Speeches can influence voters before an election by convincing them of the candidate’s plans, showing off their personality, and appealing to various groups.

Speech is a great way to convince people before an election. It’s one of the most potent ways you can persuade voters.

In many cases, an address may be even more critical than they say.

Speeches influence voters by providing facts that back up their campaign promises.

Speeches can influence voters before an election by showing them why you should be elected.

Establishing Credibility: Speeches allow candidates to present their experience, qualifications, and vision, which can help establish credibility and inspire trust in voters.
Communicating Platforms and Policies: Speeches can help candidates share their policy platforms and ideas, enabling voters to understand how the candidate’s policies would affect them personally.
Influencing Public Opinion: Speeches can shape public opinion by influencing voters’ perceptions of the candidates and their platforms, leading to shifts in support.
Building Emotional Connection: Speeches that establish an emotional connection with voters through personal stories or relatable examples can be more persuasive than those focusing solely on facts and policies.
Differentiating from Opponents: Speeches can help candidates distinguish themselves from their opponents by highlighting their unique strengths or approaches to solving problems, making them more memorable and appealing to voters.
Mobilizing Supporters: Speeches can motivate supporters to take action, such as volunteering or donating to the campaign, increasing the candidate’s chances of success on election day.

Political speeches can be some of a political campaign’s essential and memorable moments.

They are opportunities for candidates to share their vision for the country, connect with voters, and make a case for why they should be elected.

If you want to create a powerful political speech that will resonate with your audience, our team can help.

We have experience crafting speeches that inspire people to take action, and we know how to get your message out there effectively.

One way to get in touch is by filling out our online form on this site or give us a call at +91 9848321284. Let’s work together today!

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Student Council speeches

Student Council Speeches

By: Susan Dugdale

How to write a winning speech: a template, guidelines, plus example speeches

Student Council Speeches mark the end of an election campaign.

Will yours be successful?

The final answer is in the hands of your fellow students. It's entirely their decision.

However, up until they mark their voting papers 'yes' or 'no' you have the potential to make their choice of candidate for the upcoming year 'you'.

How to write a great student council speech

Use the quick links below to find what you need to write a great student council speech, whether it's the President, Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer role you're after.

Image - colored hands waving in affirmation. The word "YES" superimposed over image.

the primary purpose of your speech
a template that includes all the necessary elements of a good Student Council speech
points to consider carefully before you write
an example Student Council President speech
an example Student Council Vice President speech
an example Student Council Secretary speech
an example Student Council Treasurer speech
a printable speech planner and outline to download
vital tips for rehearsal . These make the difference between looking and sounding polished and bumbling.
a link to a collection of videoed student council speeches
how to manage anxiety about speaking in front of others

Understanding your speech purpose

Understanding the nature or purpose of your speech could make all the difference between winning and losing.

Student Council speeches are persuasive speeches . Their ultimate goal is to get you the YES vote.

To help you achieve that use the template, (framework or pattern), below to cover all the essential elements you need to pull together.

In addition, it will structure your speech logically, and effectively, from its opening through to its close.

(I've turned the template into a printable enabling you to plan and outline your speech efficiently and easily. You can download it from the link further down the page.)

Return to Top

Student Council speeches template

Round button - colored hands waving in affirmation - YES.

Greeting - Attention Getter - The Hook You'll need an opening statement or rhetorical question to sit your audience up with open ears and minds. For more see: How to write a speech introduction: 12 of the best ways to start.
Who you are - your name, your place or grade in the school, and maybe, your hobbies or interests, and the clubs or teams you're a member of. For example, Amnesty International, the speech and debate club, cross-country and basketball. And if you've used a campaign slogan work it in. It'll jog people's memories. 'Ah, yes, that person!', they'll think. Being known and familiar gives you a head start.
What you want - the role you are campaigning for: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Historian...
What you are going to do for the audience - benefits to them in exchange for their vote. (Brief summary -you will expand this in the body of your speech.)
Credibility - your qualification or expertise establishing your fitness for the role you want. (Brief summary - you will expand this in the body of your speech.)
Transition leading to...
Your Main Idea 1 - For example: your goal for the role, what you want to achieve, how you plan to do it, the benefits to your audience - what painful problem(s) will you solve for them, your fitness for the job, transition to...
Main Idea 2 - Supporting ideas - details and examples - transition to...
Main Idea 3 - Supporting ideas - details and examples - transition to...

NB. Only include a second and third idea if you have time to expand on them. If not, move through to the conclusion.

Summary of main points
Re-statement of what you want - to be elected to the role you're running for
Re-statement of the benefits to the audience
Closer, clincher, call for action

Points to consider BEFORE you write your speech

Image: various colored hands waving. Text: - vote me.

You'll make a better job of completing the printable student council speech template if you take the time to go through the points below.

And then, read the student council speech examples, before you start to write.

Research the role

Think about your audience, what tone or choice of vocabulary is best suited to them.

Avoid trying to impress with either 'big' words or use of slang. Both are traps! Be yourself. Authentic. Real.

Keep your language conversational rather than overly formal and use smaller rather than large sentences.

Try using active rather than passive words. These convey enthusiasm. For examples, see this page on using action verbs . You'll discover how to go from boring bla bla bland to dynamic excitement.

What 'hook' will you use to get them to listen? Humor? Humor is good if it is relevant and inclusive rather than exclusive. (No 'in' jokes!).

Your goal in the role you want

Avoid setting up expectations that you will deliver beyond your capability. :-)

It might be very tempting, but can you really reduce school hours, increase academic standards, introduce a range of exciting new extracurricular activities, as well as have a 'green day' and a movie night every month? Please keep it real!

Your credibility or qualifications

Now is not the time either to be shy or arrogantly big-headed! Let the audience know how right you are for the role you want.

Set yourself apart from other candidates by sharing compelling personal stories or anecdotes that both support your pitch, and show you understand the key issues that matter to your fellow students.

Your school's requirements

If your speech does not meet pre- established criteria in any way you may find it is returned to you edited. It's safer to find out what those criteria are BEFORE writing to avoid having to re-write or worse, being disqualified entirely.

Mockery and personal insults are not clever. They boomerang back on you, letting your audience know you're not to be trusted and neither are you ready for leadership.

Readily acknowledging the skill and expertise of your fellow candidates sincerely in a way that doesn't demean yourself, or them, shows an open mind and maturity.

Aim to have your speech ready BEFORE the deadline.

Give yourself time to prepare thoroughly, including time to review of your opponents' campaigns. That can be very useful for seeing their strengths as well as their weaknesses, which you can then respond to in your own material.

Student Council President speech example

Here's a sample student council speech. I've written it from the perspective of someone running for President.

As you read it, imagine it said aloud. That will help you get the rhythm and flow of language. The speech is between 3 - 4 minutes long, depending on how quickly you speak.

Vote Sophia Clarke for Student Council President

Image: multi-colored hands waving. Text: YES! Sophia Clarke for President Student Council.

"I’ve got a question for you. I’m not asking you to shout your answer out, or raise your hand. All I’m asking is that you give it room in your mind. Let it sit for a bit, and have a think about it.

My question is – do you believe like I do, that all of us deserve the opportunity to make the best of ourselves? Not second best, 3 rd , or even, highly commended. The BEST.

I’m Sophia Clarke. I’m in the 12 th grade, and I’m running for president. My vision is that each student is enabled to develop the skills and confidence to become the bigger, better version of themselves. The best they can be. Regardless of who they are, and what they need to achieve that.

It’s an audacious goal. Some would say an idealistic, rather than a realistic, one.

However I say it’s awesome. And that you’re intelligent people who realize that reaching any goal starts with taking the first step.

So let me remind you why choosing me, Sophia Clarke, for president, is also choosing a better chance for yourself, and everyone else to grow.

I know you, and I know your needs well. I’ve served on your behalf in multiple roles through my years here; secretary, auditor, public relations officer, and have successfully taken on multiple issues. You’ll know some of those through directly benefiting from them.

It was me who was behind the push to get a regular anti-bullying program running throughout the school. That was two years ago, and now the Teens Against Bullying message underpins what we expect and strive for in our every day dealings with each other.

We know incidents of bullying are far fewer as a result. As our orange tee shirts say we ‘choose kindness, acceptance and inclusion’ for each other, and our selves.

Who has been involved in our mentoring-homework program? Either as a buddy-tutor or as a student getting a helping hand? And who, like me, is passionate about making sure that everybody gets a fair go?

In the past year, under my watch that program has escalated. We have over 50% more tutors across more subject areas and more students taking up the offer of help. That is a fabulous outcome for everybody. Truly win-win.

A tick in the box alongside my name is a tick for the continued growth of those programs. Their value is proven. They allow each of us to grow and experience the strength and confidence that comes from knowing that we can make a positive difference in other people’s lives as well as our own.

When you vote me for President you get my capacity to organize, to liaise, to listen and to speak, working for the benefit of everybody.

A 'yes' for me is a 'yes' for appreciating and celebrating diversity.

A 'yes' for me, Sophia Clarke for President, is 'yes' to a better you.

And together that is a 'yes' to a better life, and a better school, for all of us."

Student Council Vice President speech example

Like the speech above, this one runs to approximately 4 minutes when said aloud. Try it and see.

Image: poster for student council election. Text: YES! Jason Hull for Vice President, Student Council

Nod your head if you've heard of the phrase '2nd fiddle' or '2IC'.

What about 'sidekick'?

Not booting a ball in from a sideline but a trusty partner to whoever it is who has the leading role. Like Robin is for Batman.

Or like, {name of your country's Vice President or Prime Minister} is for {name of country's President or Prime Minister} or {name of your school's Vice Principal} is for {name of your school's Principal}!

Well, that's what I aspire to - to become the trusty, tried and true sidekick to the President on our student council.

My name is Jason Hull. I'm in Grade 12 and proudly standing in front of you today as a candidate for the role of Vice President. Yes, I am asking you to give me something of immense value - your vote.

I know what the issues, here at {name of school} are. As part of my campaign, I've interviewed you, and listened. I promise your ideas will be acted on.

Afterall I've trained for this role, put in the time. You know, I know how to get things done.

Last year I served as Secretary and the year before that I was a representative for the committee - proof that I'm committed to bettering our school environment not just for you, but for everybody!

With your support, I'll be your go-to guy when you want to make sure that your opinions and feedback reach the decision-makers.

One of my main goals as your Vice President is to champion your initiatives: amongst others, that's the library extensions you told me about, the desire for healthier food choices in our cafeteria, and the urgent need to increase and diversify the workforce and out-reach opportunities that so many of you mentioned.

Whether you're passionate about improving our school facilities, or enhancing our community involvement, I'll be there to guide and help you.

In the role of Vice President, I will work alongside the President fulfilling my duties to the best of my ability.

Together, we'll make sure that your concerns, and hopes are not just heard but actively pursued. Not 'I' will make sure, but 'we'.

There is no 'I' in we, and that too, is a prerequisite of the Vice President's position: the capacity to put aside ego and to work productively for the good of all.

Because together, we, the Vice President, the President and the other council members, are stronger and can achieve more.

The Vice President role may be a support act but it's a vital one. To succeed in it, collaboration is key. I promise to work hand in hand not only with the President but also with the entire student council team, our teachers, and our administration on your behalf.

Unity is strength. More than ever, we need to nurture understanding, kindness and respect for each other. Regardless of your grade, interests, or background, I want every one of you to feel valued and heard.

That's a goal many would say is impossible.

However, I say, we need to be the difference we want to see in the world. And to borrow those famous words of Helen Keller's: "Alone we can do so little. Together we can so much."

It would be an honor to be your voice, your eyes and your ears as Vice President.

So, I ask you, will you trust me to have your best interests at heart? Will you enable me to work on your behalf?

And are you willing to give me, Jason Hull, your vote for best sidekick, aka. Vice President?

I'll take those smiles, as a 'Yes'.

Example Student Council speeches for Secretary and Treasurer

Click the link to read an:

example Student Council speech for the role of Secretary . Plus, an overview of the Secretary's main tasks and responsibilities.
example Student Council speech for the role of Treasurer . Plus, an overview of the Secretary's main tasks and responsibilities.

(This page was getting far too long to include them both here. ☺)

Get the printable student council speech outline

Click on the image below to open a downloadable printable student council speech planner and outline pdf. (Please note it will open in a new window.)

Image: a row of multicolored hands waving. Text: Click to download a printable student council speech outline.

Your completed outline will provide both the structure and the content you need to efficiently write your speech.

After you've finished writing your speech

Now that you've finished writing, you're ready to begin work on your delivery: how you present the speech to your audience.

The first step in that process is making sure your speech fits comfortably into whatever time you've been allocated.

After that comes rehearsal. The information you need for both steps is below.

Timing and word count

Student Council Speeches are generally brief: around 1-4 minutes long which isn't a lot of time! That's between approximately 150 - 600 words at an average speaking rate of 150 words per minute.

To be safe say your speech out loud as if you were delivering it for real and time it. In some schools going overtime can result in being disqualified.

Going faster to fit everything in

Please do not be tempted to say it faster to get everything you planned said. As a strategy it doesn't work. You'll end up gabbling: speaking far too quickly and people won't be able to understand what you're saying.

Cutting out extra material

If you have got too much material for the time limit, cut it. Choose the least important ideas to let go of first. Then move on to rephrasing to reduce the number of words used to express a point.

When you think it's done, repeat the test. Say it out loud as if you were actually giving it, and time it.

If you're now within the allotted time, you are ready for rehearsal.

For more about word count see: how many words per minute in a speech

How to rehearse your speech

Round button -multi-colored hands waving in affirmation - the word "rehearse" across image.

Please, please rehearse your speech ! Do not be tempted to wing it. The more you rehearse the easier it will be to deliver it well.

Remember it is only 1 to 4 minutes long! In that time your goal is to have your audience ready to vote for you.

You can help them make that decision by being confident and prepared. You will show that through:

your speaking style - natural, sincere, fluent, understandable (clear and able to be heard without straining)
your body language - relaxed, open gestures, good eye contact and smiling
your personal grooming or presentation because how you look 'speaks' too. Make sure that your clothing and general grooming supports your speech because, like it or not, you will be judged on both!

Go to: how to rehearse a speech properly .

Image: cross legged girl with large pair of wings, levitating. Text: How to rehearse a speech properly and do so much more than wing it.

Videoed Student Council speech examples

How do other people handle a Student Council speech? What's their content and delivery like?

Are they funny? Formal? Too hurried? Confident? Familiar with the audience?

It can help to look at what others have done. Even if it's only to decide their way will not be your way!

Image: Malvern Preparatory School, Malvern, PA. USA, candidates for Student Council 2018

Click the link to access a collection ten videoed student council campaign speeches from the 2018 student council executive board candidates for Malvern Preparatory School, Malvern, Pennsylvania, USA.

At the foot of the article you'll find links to the videos of the school's 2015, 2016 and 2017 student council campaign speeches.

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If you find yourself getting anxious over the thought of delivering your speech, please check this page for help.

How to deal with acute public speaking anxiety: 14 ways that will help

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RFK Jr. proposes 'no-spoiler' pledge with Biden to defeat Trump

Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. proposed to take a "no-spoiler" pledge with President Joe Biden at a campaign event in New York Wednesday, as he feuds with former President Donald Trump.

The pledge, as he laid out, would have Kennedy and Biden co-fund a 50-state poll of more than 30,000 people in mid-October that would pit each of them against Trump in a two-man race and agreeing that whoever performs weakest against him will drop out of the presidential race.

After presenting results from a campaign-commissioned poll that showed scenarios where he could win against both Biden and Trump in separate head-to-head races, Kennedy alleged Biden is the " spoiler " in the race, not him.

Democrats quickly rejected the argument on Wednesday. Democratic National Committee spokesperson Matt Corridoni called Kennedy a spoiler candidate in a statement, saying his "VEEP-like performance today does nothing to dispel that notion — it only reinforces how deeply unserious his campaign is," referencing the HBO comedy.

Initially running as a Democrat, in line with the Kennedy dynasty , the presidential hopeful switched parties to run as an Independent. In March, RFK announced Nicole Shanahan , a California-based attorney and entrepreneur as his running mate in his long-shot bid for the White House.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

RFK appears to be drawing voters aged 18 to 34 and 35 to 49 away from Trump, according to a national poll released April 18. The Florida Atlantic University and Mainstreet Research poll showed President Joe Biden narrowly leading Trump by a single point. However, when RFK was added to the test ballot, Biden’s lead over Trump grew to five points.

More: RFK Jr. appears to draw more of these key voters away from Donald Trump than Joe Biden

Trump attacked RFK in a series of posts on his Truth Social account about a week after the poll was released, calling him a Democrat "plant."

“A Vote for Junior’ would essentially be a WASTED PROTEST VOTE, that could swing either way, but would only swing against the Democrats if Republicans knew the true story about him," Trump wrote in a post.

More: Donald Trump is now blasting RFK Jr. for taking support from him

RFK's campaign has pledged to get “Bobby on the ballot” in all 50 states and the District of Columbia in time for the general election on Nov. 5, but doing so without support from the Democrat or Republican party is not easy .

The campaign says it has collected enough signatures for ballot access in New Hampshire, Nevada, Hawaii, North Carolina, Idaho, Nebraska, and Iowa. The Kennedy-Shanahan ticket is officially on the ballot in Utah and Michigan.

During the event Wednesday, RFK claimed his campaign has also already received enough signatures to gain ballot access in New York, but that it was continuing to collect them.

David Jackson and The Palm Beach Post contributed to this report.

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SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s final major speech as Singapore's leader on Wednesday (May 1) can be seen as an election campaign speech, according to political analysts.

The May Day address, delivered two weeks before he hands the reins to Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on May 15, was Mr Lee’s final chance to address the nation in his current capacity before the next General Election , which experts predict will be called by year-end.

“Since the new Prime Minister is likely to deliver the National Day Rally (NDR) solely, this is the last platform for Prime Minister (Lee) to deliver his 'election' message,” said former Member of Parliament Inderjit Singh.

He described the annual May Day Rally, which takes place on Labour Day, as equally significant as the NDR, a key political speech delivered after National Day in August.

Political stability, trust in government critical for Singapore: PM Lee in final major speech as prime minister

In his speech on Wednesday which lasted over an hour, Mr Lee touched on the government’s achievements during his 20-year tenure, as well as fundamentals which have helped Singapore overcome past challenges.

Associate Professor of Law at the Singapore Management University Eugene Tan said Mr Lee’s speech was about rallying the nation before the handover.

“It is also about reminding Singaporeans that the People's Action Party (PAP) government has kept to its word and to enthuse Singaporeans about the future,” said Assoc Prof Tan.

“The next election is a pivotal one and so we should not be surprised that the campaigning has started in earnest.”

General Election likely to be called by year-end, May handover will give next PM 'good runway': Analysts

Emphasis on pap’s track record .

Analysts said that in sharing his achievements, as well as that of his predecessors Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong, Mr Lee was driving home the ruling PAP's good track record - one that Singaporeans can be assured of Mr Wong maintaining as well.

For Mr Lee, a key factor here "is that the PAP system works and that Singaporeans should trust that the PAP government will also make things work in the future”, said Mr Singh, who was the Prime Minister's fellow MP in the Ang Mo Kio constituency.

He added that given the short runway for Mr Wong’s 4G or fourth-generation leadership team, Mr Lee was also laying out the PAP’s track record as a way to boost confidence in the next government.

Mr Wong was named 4G leader in April 2022 , a year after Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat took himself out of the running for the top job in April 2021.

FUNDAMENTALS AMID CHALLENGES

The Prime Minister also devoted much of his speech to outlining that the three imperatives of social cohesion, long-term planning, and political stability and trust would remain crucial to Singapore in a future riven with geopolitical rivalries and economic uncertainty.

His intention here was to assure the people that the fundamental principles that have served Singapore would continue to carry it forward, analysts said.

"The PAP's election strategy has from time to time (been) to appeal to voters that in difficult times, they should elect the tested party who have delivered in the past and that they should not rock the boat by voting for the opposition," said Mr Singh.

He added that Mr Lee wanted to deliver the message that voters "should trust the PAP to help us ride through the difficult time expected ahead".

Assoc Prof Tan said it was significant for Mr Lee to emphasise "the virtuous circle that has kept Singapore thriving".

The message was that "in a more precarious future, we must not fall for political fads and political entrepreneurs but instead stay grounded on what truly matters for a small state like Singapore".

Independent political observer Felix Tan said Mr Lee was also telling Singaporeans to not assume things would stay the same.

He was stressing that in the face of crises, people can depend on the PAP "to bring Singapore to the next level", said Dr Tan.

SETTING THE STAGE

Analysts say that Mr Lee's speech marks the end of his time as Prime Minister, but also the start of Mr Wong's tenure.

Said Assistant Professor Elvin Ong from the National University of Singapore's Department of Political Science: "I think in general we can see PM Lee’s speech as sort of a 'wrap-up' speech of his political career, summarising his and the PAP’s achievements over the past 20 years, and setting the stage for the next chapter of the PAP and the new Prime Minister."

Agreeing, Dr Felix Tan added that beyond giving Mr Wong and the 4G team a vote of confidence, Mr Lee’s speech served as a reminder of the challenging task that confronts them.

“(It) is also to remind the new 4G leaders not to just rest on the achievements of the 3G leaders,” the observer said.

“Now that they have big shoes to fill; they need to strike out on their own, create their own history, make their own stories," said Dr Tan.

"Whatever becomes of that story, it is them that are answerable to Singaporeans at the end of the day."

Seek votes on performance, not through 'hate speeches': Kharge to PM Modi

The congress' manifesto speaks of 'nyay' and how it will bring growth for all sections of the society, kharge said.

Channapatna: AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge addresses a public meeting in support of party candidate D.K. Suresh for Lok Sabha elections, in Channapatna, Monday, April 22, 2024. (Photo: PTI)

Democracy will end if 'Modi-Shah sarkar' comes back to power: Kharge

Apple releases ai tool for image editing through text input: details here, 'abki baar 400 paar' slogan for ls polls given by people, not bjp: pm modi, biggest festival of democracy here, bjp-nda fully prepared: pm modi, lok sabha polls 2024: bjp gaining ground in tamil nadu under k annamalai, cong pak 'disciple'; neighbour eager to make 'shehzada' next india pm: modi, bjp govt has made gujarat hub for drug traffickers from pak, alleges cong, hearing in 2018 defamation case against cong leader rahul gandhi postponed, modi's speeches not based on facts, reality: sharad pawar as he slams pm, tmc knew about school jobs scam before 2021 assembly polls: kunal ghosh.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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First Published: May 02 2024 | 1:12 PM IST

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Fed holds interest rates at 23-year high as inflation continues to push back timing of a rate cut

From CNN's Bryan Mena, Elisabeth Buchwald, Krystal Hur and Alicia Wallace

US markets close mixed after volatile Fed day

US markets closed mixed on Wednesday on a volatile day of trading.

Stocks spent the morning largely unchanged before jumping higher when Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated during a press conference that policymakers believed it was unlikely that they they would raise rates again in this cycle.

Investors, however, were unable to sustain the rally and the S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq fell again to close the day lower.

The blue-chip Dow ended Wednesday higher by 87 points, or 0.2%. The S&P 500 fell by 0.3% and the Nasdaq was also down 0.3%.

Wall Street ultimately was unable to snap April's losing streak. All three major indexes closed out last month lower after five months of gains. The Dow notched its worst month since September 2022.

In earnings news, shares of chip stocks fell after Advanced Micro Devices, or AMD, issued a lackluster earnings report. Shares of AMD were down 9% on Wednesday. Shares of Super Micro Computer also slid, ending the day 14% lower. Nvidia fell about 4%.

As stocks settle after the trading day, levels might still change slightly.

Here's what a 4% unemployment rate would mean to the Fed

The US unemployment rate has stayed below 4% for more than two years, a remarkable streak that hasn't been matched in decades.

But many economists thought the jobless rate would be well above 4% by now, given all the rate hikes aimed at slowing the economy to curb inflation. Well, it may only be a matter of time before the streak of a sub-4% unemployment ends.

What would that mean for the Federal Reserve? Not a whole lot, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday.

As of last month's jobs report , the unemployment rate is at 3.8%. It would take a material weakening in the labor market to catch central bankers' attention and potentially cause them to consider cutting rates sooner.

A couple of tenths of a percentage point increase in the unemployment rate "would probably not do that," Powell said.

Americans were paid an additional $235 billion in interest in 2023, thanks to the Fed

The exterior of the Federal Reserve Board Building is seen in Washington, DC, on June 14, 2022.

If you’re carrying a lot of high-interest debt, the fact that the Federal Reserve once again did not cut interest rates at its Wednesday meeting may be disappointing, if not surprising.

But if you have any savings, the Fed’s unwillingness to lower rates until it sees more consistent progress in inflation data has – and will continue to – put money in your pocket this year if you seek out federally insured accounts with the highest rates.

In 2023, savers made $315.4 billion in interest in deposit accounts, four times the $78.7 billion they earned in 2022, according to Lending Tree’s DepositAccounts.com, which used data from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in its calculations.

That’s because, after so many years of paltry interest rates, the Fed’s rate-hike campaign that began in 2022 made it possible for savers to earn inflation-beating yields on their US domestic deposits, including bank and credit union savings accounts, certificates of deposit and money market accounts.

At the same time, yields on Treasury bills have also been very competitive with the higher rates banks are offering and are equally low risk.

Read more here about how to grow your savings while the growing is good.

The Fed isn't influenced by politics in an election year, Powell stresses

When asked whether the upcoming 2024 election may influence the Fed's interest policymaking decisions, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell stressed the central bank's independence from politics.

The Fed chair said that mixing politics with the Fed's economic calculations would "reduce the likelihood we'd actually get the economics right."

"We're always going to do what we think the right thing for the economy is," Powell said. "That's what we do. We're not looking at anything else."

"I can't say it enough: We just don't go down that road," he added.

Is stagflation a problem? Powell's not the least bit worried

The latest gross domestic product report showing that economic growth slowed as inflation accelerated sparked concerns about stagflation, which is the combination of those two factors.

But Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said those concerns are misguided.

"I was around for stagflation. It was 10% unemployment. It was high single-digits inflation and very slow growth," he said, referring to one of the worst bouts of stagflation that happened in the 1970s after a spike in oil prices during the Arab oil embargo.

Right now, economic growth is "pretty solid" and the Fed's preferred inflation gauge is under 3%, Powell said. "I don't see the stag or the 'flation."

Markets shoot higher after Powell says a rate hike is "unlikely"

US markets surged Wednesday afternoon after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated twice during a press conference that policymakers believed interest rate policy was already "restrictive" enough and that it was "unlikely" that they they would raise rates again in this cycle.

The Dow gained nearly 500 points, or 1.3%. The S&P 500 was up 1% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq was up 1.5%.

Powell: Rate hikes are "unlikely" but does not know when cuts could come

Jerome Powell speaks during a press conference meeting in Washington, DC, on Wednesday.

Leading up to the Federal Reserve's May meeting, a few officials have floated the need to potentially raise interest rates even higher to rein in inflation.

But Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Wednesday it's "unlikely that the next policy rate move will be a hike."

At the same time, he did not give any assurance of a rate cut this year, which investors continue to believe will occur, though their timetable has been pushed later into the year.

Powell reiterated that central bank policy decisions will depend on how the economy is evolving. At the last meeting, Fed officials' median projections called for three rate cuts this year.

When asked by a reporter if that would still be realistic given the Fed meets five more times this year, Powell responded, "I'm not really thinking of it that way." He said Fed officials still aren't confident inflation is sustainably heading back to the Fed's 2% target but said that when they do get that confidence, "rate cuts will be in scope."

Powell noted that his own "confidence in that is lower than it was" at previous meetings.

Treasury yields move lower following Fed decision

Yields on US Treasuries tumbled after the Federal Reserve announced its decision to leave interest rates unchanged. But that's likely not what's driving yields lower.

In the Fed's statement, it said it would be significantly slowing the pace at which it allows its holdings, namely US Treasuries, to mature without reinvesting them. That brought the yield on the 10-year Treasury note to fresh lows for the day.

US stocks, meanwhile, remained relatively unchanged following the announcement.

The blue-chip Dow was 157 points, or 0.4% higher. The S&P 500 was 0.1% lower and the tech-heavy Nasdaq remained flat.

Wall Street reacts to the Fed's latest decision

The Federal Reserve just announced it is keeping interest rates on hold at a 23-year high.

Here's what Wall Street has to say:

"We expect the downtrend in inflation has been delayed, not derailed. As for the Fed's balance sheet reduction, today’s decision to taper quantitative tightening is a nod to liquidity considerations in the financial system, rather than a shift in direction," said Whitney Watson, co-chief investment officer at Goldman Sachs Asset Management.
" [The Fed's] admission that there has been a lack of further progress confirms that imminent rate cuts are extremely unlikely. A pivot this year will require not just inflation stabilization, but convincing and durable evidence that the disinflation trend is back in play," said Seema Shah, chief global strategist at Principal Asset Management.
"The delay in rate cuts will continue to affect the discretionary budgets of lower- and middle-income consumers. ... Costs for daily goods and services like food and gas are still significantly higher when compared to pre-pandemic levels, keeping pressure on Americans’ bank accounts," said Stephen Rich, chief executive at Mutual of America Capital Management.
"The immediate market reaction saw yields fall to session lows as traders focused on the Fed’s plan to slow the runoff of its balance sheet. ...The runoff will mean less Treasury paper hitting the market over the next few months – the market is viewing this as dovish," said Rajeev Sharma, managing director of fixed income at Key Wealth .

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Remarks by President Biden at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Washington Hilton Washington, D.C.

8:12 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, thank you, thank you. You think your Irish grandparents are wondering. (Laughter.) My great-great grandparents who got here in 1846 are going, “What in the hell is going on?” (Laughter.) I want to thank you for the warm welcome. But please, not so loud. (Laughter.) Donald is listening. “Sleepy Don.” (Laughter.) I kind of like that. I may use that again. Kelly O’Donnell, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, thank you for having me. MS. O’DONNELL: Thank you, sir. (Applause.) THE PRESIDENT: But, Kelly O., let’s be honest, you’re way too young to be president. (Laughter.) It’s been a year since I delivered this speech. And my wife, Jill, who is with me tonight, was worried how I’d do. I told her, “Don’t worry. It’s just like riding a bike.” She said, “That’s what I’m worried about.” (Laughter.) Of course, the 2024 election is in full swing. And, yes, age is an issue. I’m a grown man running against a six-year-old. (Laughter and applause.) But I feel great. I really feel great. I’m campaigning all over the country: Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina. I always done well in the original 13 colonies. (Laughter.) And speaking of history, did you hear what Donald just said about the major Civil War battle? Quote, “Gettysburg. Wow.” (Laughter.) Trump’s speech was so embarrassing, the statue of Robert E. Lee surrendered again. (Laughter.) But, look — (laughs) — age is the only thing we have in common. My Vice President actually endorses me. (Laughter.) I’ve had a great stretch since the State of the Union. But Donald has had a few tough days lately. You might call it stormy weather. (Laughter.) What the hell. (Laughter.) Trump is so desperate, he started reading those bibles he’s selling. (Laughter.) Then he got to the First Commandment, “You shall have no other Gods before me.” That’s when he put it down and said, “This book is not for me.” (Laughter.) Look, being here is a reminder that folks think what’s going on in Congress is political theater. But that’s not true. If Congress were a theater, they’d have thrown out Lauren Boebert a long time ago. (Laughter and applause.) Now, to all of my friends in the press — and Fox News — (laughter) — some of you complain that I don’t take enough of your questions. No comment. (Laughter.) Of course, the New York Times issued a statement blasting me for, quote, “actively and effectively avoiding independent journalists.” Hey, if that’s what it takes to get the New York Times to say I’m active and effective, I’m for it. (Laughter.) It’s okay. I have hi- — higher standards. I do interviews with strong independent journalists who millions of people actually listen to, like Howard Stern. (Laughter.) And I know you’re looking around and saying, “This guy has been doing this for 50 years. He’s had his moment. Give him some- — give someone else a chance.” To say that, I say, “Lorne, ignore the critics. Ignore the critics.” (Laughter.) Lorne is a great friend who has had eight comedians play me over the years on “Saturday Night Live.” Eight. And who the hell says I’m not a real job creator? (Laughter.) Look, Lorne has had even more comedians and actors joke about me. Like the funny guy on “Weekend Update,” Michael Che. (Laughter.) He’s hilarious. Scarlett Johansson, you did such an incredible job in your State of the Union rebuttal that you should be — do “Weekend Update.” (Laughter.) Clearly, you’re — you’re the funny one in the family. (Laughter.) Look, folks, on a serious note, in addition to marrying up, Colin and I have another thing in common. (Laughter.) We both find strength in family. I got to spend time with his family yesterday in the Oval Office. Colin’s dad was a high school teacher in Staten Island, and his mom is an incredible woman — a family of firefighters, was the Chief Medical Officer in New York City Fire Department on 9/11. As a doctor, she rushed to Ground Zero, risking her own life, treating and saving fellow first responders. Rushing into danger for others for others is my definition of patriotism and heroism. (Applause.) And so is what all of you do when you report truth over lies. That’s why I want to close tonight with my genuine thanks to the free press. There are some who call you the “enemy of the people.” That’s wrong, and it’s dangerous. You literally risk your lives doing your job. You do. (Applause.) Covering everything from natural disasters to pandemics to wars and so much more. And some of your colleagues have given their lives, and many have suffered grievous injuries. Other reporters have lost their freedom. Journalism is clearly not a crime. Not here, not there, not anywhere in the world. (Applause.) And Putin should release Evan and Alsu immediately. (Applause.) Just as we’re doing everything we can — we’re doing everything we can to bring home journalists — fellow journalists Austin and all Americans, like Paul Whelan, you know, who — wrongfully detained all around the world. And I give you my word as a Biden, we’re not going to give up until we get them home. All of them. All of them. (Applause.) On the third anniversary of January 6th, I went to Valley Forge. And I said the most urgent question of our time is whether democracy is still — is still the sacred cause of America. That is the question the American people must answer this year. And you, the free press, play a critical role in making sure the American people have the information they need to make an informed decision. The defeated former President has made no secret of his attack on our democracy. He has said he wants to be a “dictator on day one,” and so much more. He tells supporters he is their “revenge” and “retribution.” When in God’s name have you heard another president say something like that? And he promised a “bloodbath” when he loses again. We have to take this seriously. Eight years ago, you could have written off it as just Trump talk. But no longer. Not after January 6th. I’m sincerely not asking of you to take sides but asking you to rise up to the seriousness of the moment; move past the horserace numbers and the gotcha moments and the distractions, the sideshows that have come to dominate and sensantio- — sensationalize our politics; and focus on what’s actually at stake. I think, in your hearts, you know what’s at stake. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Every single one of us has roles to play — a serious role to play in making sure democracy endures — American democracy. I have my role, but, with all due respect, so do you. In the age of disinformation, credible information that people can trust is more important than ever. And that makes you — and I mean this from the bottom of my heart — it makes you more important than ever. So, tonight, I’d like to make a toast. To a free press, to an informed citizenry, to an America where freedom and democracy endure. God bless America. (Applause.) (The President offers a toast.) Now, I’m going to turn it over to Kelly, then you’ll hear from a real comedian. (Laughter.) I think I know what I’m in for. You know, Colin Jost has taken aim at me before with his jokes. MS. O’DONNELL: Oh, I’m sure. You ready? THE PRESIDENT: Like saying, “After winning the South Carolina primary, Biden barely edged out his closest rival: time.” (Laughter.) Colin, when I win, I’m going to have a whole hell of a lot of time, and I’m going to be watching, pal. (Laughter.) Kelly, back to you. (Applause.) 8:22 P.M. EDT

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Politics latest: Voters forced to cast ballot from unusual polling station - as SNP leadership race kicks off

John Swinney has confirmed he intends to stand as leader of the SNP for a second time. Meanwhile, England and Wales are holding a series of elections, with several regional mayors and police and crime commissioners being decided as well as council seats up for grabs.

Thursday 2 May 2024 12:59, UK

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Swinney to run for SNP leader | Warns opposition to 'watch out'
Forbes also expected to make statement on leadership bid
Polls open in England and Wales I How to watch Sky News coverage
Elections taking place across 107 local authorities in England
Mayoral contests are also taking place, including in London
Twenty-five London Assembly seats are up for grabs
A by-election is taking place in Blackpool South
Voters across England and Wales will elect 37 police and crime commissioners (PCCs)
Live reporting by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill

Some voters in Cambridge have reportedly had to cast their votes from the back of a car this morning after the opening of a polling station backfired.

Cambridge Electoral Services said voters at Milton Road Library were given the "rare" experience after problems getting into the building.

The problem now appears to have been resolved, with polling stations at the library "up and running".

Writing on X, Cambridge Electoral Services thanked polling teams "who remained calm and carried on".

It might well end up being Humza Yousaf's last First Minister's Questions, but opposition leader Douglas Ross isn't going easy on him.

The Scottish Tory used his questions to attack the SNP's record, including that of the party's former leader John Swinney, who this morning announced his bid to get the top job once again.

Mr Yousaf bit back, criticising the opposition party and Mr Ross's time in Boris Johnson's cabinet.

That prompted Mr Ross to flaunt a letter sent to him by Mr Yousaf last week when it became apparent that his government was in trouble, with the Tories and Labour filing motions of no confidence after the first minister booted out the Scottish Greens.

"He's talking a big game now," said Mr Ross.

"Has he forgotten it was just last Friday he wrote this humiliating letter to me begging the Conservatives and our colleagues here to save his skin?!

"How quickly things change in the world of Humza Yousaf."

Outgoing SNP leader Humza Yousaf is holding what could be his final First Minister's Questions this lunchtime.

Mr Yousaf resigned earlier this week after kicking the Scottish Greens out of government, which led to a motion of no confidence in him.

He arrived at the Scottish Parliament to spar with Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and other MSPs.

'I'm proud of my record'

Mr Yousaf - whose potential replacement John Swinney launched his leadership bid this morning - said he was "proud" of the SNP government's record despite not getting "everything right".

"I'm very proud of the fact I became the first person of colour to become first minister, the very first Muslim leader of a Western nation, the youngest first minister to ever serve in 25 years of devolution," he said.

Mr Yousaf has only been first minister for 13 months, but has served in the government for more than 12 years.

He also defended Mr Swinney and another potential leadership contender Kate Forbes from Mr Ross's barbs, describing them as "both more popular" that the Conservative leader.

People voting in local elections in England will need to provide photo ID.

It is the second year the requirement has been in place - but in 2023, 14,000 people couldn't cast their ballot because they didn't take ID to the polling booth.

There are 22 different types of ID you can use - and if you don't have any of them, you can register for a Voter Authority Certificate.

Here's everything you need to know to avoid being caught out:

Earlier we promised to bring you more pictures of dogs at the polls ( see post at 8.30am ).

Meet Pepper and Peggy...

They patiently joined their owners at a polling station in Baildon, West Yorkshire.

And enjoyed a spot of sunshine too.

More than 700 migrants were detected crossing the Channel on Wednesday - a new daily record for the year so far.

According to the Home Office, 711 people made the journey in 14 boats.

That would work out to an average of 51 people per boat.

The provisional total for the number of Channel crossings this year so far now stands at 8,278.

Crossings have surpassed the record for the first four months of a calendar year.

John Swinney is asked whether he thinks as SNP leader he will deliver independence for Scotland.

"Yes," he replies.

Earlier, he used his speech to say he has believed all his adult life "that Scotland's future is best served as an independent country".

He said he recognises "most people need to be convinced of that point before independence can be achieved", adding he wants to focus on reaching out to people with "respect and courtesy to address the obstacles in the way of winning the case for independence".

But he said he accepts his party "is not as cohesive as it needs to be".

"I will give all that I have in me to ensure the success of our course," he said.

John Swinney is now taking questions.

Sky's Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies puts it to him that some are suggesting he is another continuity candidate. He also asks whether he will offer Kate Forbes the post of deputy first minister if he is appointed.

Mr Swinney avoids the second question, saying he will come to that in due course.

He instead focuses on his bid to bring change to the SNP, saying "the opposition parties better watch out what's coming to them".

"We just can't go on as we are today," he says.

"That's that's the reason I'm standing, because if we go on the way we were going today, I think we will face tough times."

He says he is "stepping up to the plate" to "make sure we deliver the change that we need to deliver".

"But I tell you one thing, once I draw the SNP together as one unified team, the opposition parties in Scotland better watch out what's coming towards them," he says.

Announcing his bid to become SNP leader, John Swinney has said he wants to see Kate Forbes "play a significant part" in his team.

"She is an intelligent, creative, thoughtful person who has much to contribute to our national life," he says.

"And if elected, I will make sure that Kate is able to meet that contribution and that will be part of a united team that draws together our whole party, which given my deep, deep devotion to the SNP, I think I am best placed to put together."

He goes on to say he wants Ms Forbes to be part of "team SNP and a very involved, senior participant in team SNP".

Kate Forbes is expected to give a statement later today.

Ms Forbes, who narrowly lost out to Humza Yousaf in last year's leadership election, has not confirmed her intention to enter the leadership contest.

However, she has so far refused to rule herself out of the race.

John Swinney has confirmed he intends to stand as leader of the SNP for a second time.

Mr Swinney previously served as SNP leader between 2000 and 2004, later becoming Nicola Sturgeon's number two from 2014 to 2023.

Announcing his bid, Mr Swinney said: "I want to build on the work of the SNP government to create a modern, diverse, dynamic Scotland that will ensure opportunity for all of her citizens."

"I want to unite the SNP and unite Scotland for independence."

He lists "the pursuit of economic growth and social justice" among his priorities.

He also says he wants to "design an approach to net zero that takes people and business with us".

Mr Swinney's leadership bid comes after Humza Yousaf announced he was standing down as SNP leader and Scotland's first minister earlier this week.

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School Leadership

How to Write a Student Council Speech

Last Updated: April 24, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 127 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 2,027,018 times.

Being a member of the student council can help you help your school. However, it takes hard work to get into the student council . You need to craft a good speech that gives your classmates incentives to vote for you.

Your Student Council Speech

Use a strong, attention-grabbing opening. Discuss your qualifications briefly, then move on. Focus your speech on your passion and present a blueprint to achieve your goals. Close with a strong summary and call to vote for you.

Sample Speeches

Writing the Introduction

Step 1 Find an attention-grabbing opening statement.

Do not merely start by saying, "My name is ___ and I'm running for student council." Your classmates will already know as much and this is not really a unique statement. There will be time to state the basic information after you've got the class's attention. [1] X Research source
You can open with a question. Something like, "If there was one thing you could change about this school, what would it be?" Or a question that adds some humor , like, "I know what you're thinking. Why should I listen to this person?" and then proceed to lay out your credentials. Quotes on leadership, power, and guidance would also make good openings. However, make sure to double-check your sources and especially if you're finding quotes online. Many online quote databases, like Quote Garden or Brainy Quote, sometimes attribute quotes to the wrong sources. [2] X Research source
If you're stuck, look up and read famous speeches. You can find many speeches from presidents, world leaders, civil rights activists, and others online. Pay attention to how they opened their speeches and ask yourself, "Was this interesting? Do I want to keep reading/listening? Why?" [3] X Research source

State your name and grade in school. This may feel somewhat unnecessary if you go to a small school, but it's considered a formality. If you're missing this part of the speech, you may end up looking sloppy in comparison to other students. [5] X Research source
State what you want. That is, what you're running for. Do you want to be the president , vice president , treasurer, secretary? Even if you think most students are aware of what position you're running for, make sure you state it here to remind them. [6] X Research source
Try to keep this section brief as it's not as important as your qualifications and plans to improve the school . Even one sentence would suffice. For example, "My name is Ramona Hart, I'm in the 11th grade, and I'm running for treasurer of the student council."

Any accomplishments relevant to the position warrant mentioning here. If you're running for secretary, for example, talk about your summer job filing papers in your uncle's law firm. If you're running for student council president, talk about your leadership experience being captain of the swim team. [7] X Research source
While this section is important, try to keep it minimal. A couple of sentences laying out your qualifications is enough as the body of your speech is where you should spend the most time. For example, let's go back to the above example. From there, we could say, "I am currently enrolled in advanced placement algebra and I have been an honor roll student for three years. This knowledge of numbers and diligence qualifies me to have responsibility for finances for our student council." [8] X Research source

Writing the Body of the Speech

Step 1 State your main ideas on how to improve the school.

You should list your ideas and then expand on them later in the body. It might take a bit of research to figure out what you want to change. Ask around the school, talking to students and teachers, and see where there's room for improvement. What are the concerns of the students? What are people happy with regarding the school? What would they like to see change? Asking these questions can help you get a sense of your audience and community.
Remember, you should not make promises you cannot keep. Do not say anything just to get elected. While many students might want gum-chewing policies eliminated or for the lunch period to run twice as long, this is probably not necessary or possible. Try to focus on areas that seem important to keep your school running safely and efficiently. Concerns about things like bullying , academic standards, and extracurricular activities should be your concern over fun and games. [10] X Research source
A good opening statement for your body would state the causes important to you and what you plan to do about them. For example, if you were running for president, you could say something like, "I understand we need to improve how we handle bullying, increase interest in extracurricular activities, and expand access to AP courses throughout the school. As your president, I would work to bring in speakers to talk about sensitivity in the classroom, increase advertising for basketball games and quiz bowl tournaments, and start a tutoring program to help students struggling with certain subjects." [11] X Research source

Using the school library or computers, figure out the best means to tackle certain problems many schools face. How have other schools dealt with bullying? Poor test scores? Low interest in extracurricular activities? What can you reasonably do as a student council member to address these problems? [12] X Research source
You do not have to have a point-by-point plan laid out, but a few sentences on some preliminary ideas can help you stand out from your peers. People are more inclined to vote for someone who's thought about how to solve problems in addition to identifying problems. [13] X Research source

Step 3 Keep your ideas short but very strongly worded.

Ending with a Strong Conclusion

Step 1 Reiterate your main points briefly.

Do summarize, briefly, your qualifications but do not put the main focus on them. This is where you should sincerely state your passion. Students should not just vote for you because you'd do a good job but because you genuinely care about the school. State your passion for your community and how much you want to see other students succeed. Lots of students have high qualifications. You can set yourself apart by being a candidate who really cares. [16] X Research source

Research what other student council speeches are like on video websites. This could help give you ideas.

Expert Q&A

Only promise to do things that you really can do. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0
Practice reading your speech a few times, as you'll likely be nervous before giving it. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0

Even if you write a great speech, understand you may lose. Be prepared to lose graciously and sincerely congratulate the winning candidate. Thanks Helpful 104 Not Helpful 16
Unlike in a governmental election, student council candidates should not attack each other, previous leaders, or other students. Otherwise, you could get into trouble and leave a bad impression on voters. Thanks Helpful 78 Not Helpful 16

↑ http://www.studentcouncilpro.com/student-council-speeches.html
↑ http://www.write-out-loud.com/student-council-speeches.html
↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.

About This Article

To write a student council speech, start with an attention-grabbing statement such as a question or a powerful quote about leadership. Next, briefly explain who you are, what position you are running for, and why you are running. Then list any relevant qualifications, such as a summer job. In the body of the speech, discuss at least 3 ways to improve the school. For this section, make sure not to make any promises you can’t keep. Finally, end by briefly reiterating your main points and asking for the students’ vote. To learn more about how to support your ideas and research for your speech, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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