UPDATE (Feb 11, 11:23 AM EST): We have updated our cost-comparison graphic to include another vendor along with the downloadable document below. We have also added more candidates to our tally of candidates using Slatecard exclusively.

Since our October 8 launch, we've been honored to serve as the online clearinghouse for 26 campaigns.

We owe much of early success to former Congressional candidate Kevin O'Neill for being the first candidate to use Slatecard exclusively to transact his online donations. When asked how Slatecard helped his campaign get ahead on the campaign trail, Kevin said:

"The reliable and innovative features of Slatecard provide my campaign an edge when it comes to getting my message out to grassroots activists and online donors. In particular, the issue badges selected by my donors have proved to be a valuable resource, helping my campaign understand what issues matter most to my supporters. Further, the real-time tally of online contributions has helped build momentum for my campaign."

Today, we're reaching out to ALL Republican candidates seeking Federal office and letting them know that they too can use Slatecard as their hub for all online donations.

We've done our research to figure out what some of the vendors charge campaigns to process donations and we have found that Slatecard is the most cost-effective solution for Republican campaigns. Here's a chart (click to download as a PDF file) which compares Slatecard's fee structure/services to campaigns compared with those of some of the others in this space:   

 

We've created a document which better explains the services we offer and why it makes sense to use Slatecard immediately to process online donations for your campaign. You can download the document here as a PDF.

To get started, email us at Team AT Slatecard.com and we'll get back to you quickly.

Thank you for your consideration.

 
 

We've just announced the deployment of the Take Control candidate portal which verified contacts for candidates and committees will be able to login at takecontrol.slatecard.com.

Take Control (Version 1.0) is software which provides candidates a secure interface to the Slatecard system. Once logged in:

• Candidates will be able to update their unique profile page that includes their picture, a short 120-word biography, and links to their campaign website and several social networking profiles like Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, LinkedIn, Eventful, Meetup, and Wikipedia.
• Candidates will be able to access their donor information in a text or excel file in real-time and access donor analytics, showing the candidate the issues driving donations to their candidacy.
  

Here's the full press release (PDF): 
Slatecard_PressRelease_11202007.pdf (192.11 kb)

Candidates who woud like to get started with Take Control should email TEAM at Slatecard.com to get started.

Last night, five Slatecarders stepped up to the challenge to help nudge us closer to our goal of $75K by Midnight on Sunday. Thank you!

In many ways this Saturday is Game Day. Here's where we stand:
* Total Donations: $72,815.30
* Number of Supporters: 361

Only $2,184.70 to go.

Will you make a contribution to ANY candidate today to help us reach our goal by Midnight on Sunday?

Even $10 or $20 will make a difference.

Two House candidates in particular need your immediate support to win their December 11 Special Elections and hold these Republican seats:

1. Bob Latta, OH-5 (Seat formerly held by the late Paul Gillmor):

From the Rothenberg Political Report:

Ohio's 5th District gave President Bush over 60% in the 2004 election, and, though Democrats Ted Strickland and Sherrod Brown carried the district in 2006, Republicans start with a significant advantage.

2. Rob Wittman, VA-1 (Seat formerly held by the late Jo Ann Davis):

From CQ Politics:

On paper, Republicans are favored to retain the 1st, a conservative-leaning area that stretches from southeastern Virginia to the northern suburbs of Washington. Represented exclusively by Republicans in the House since 1977, the 1st in 2004 gave President Bush 60 percent of its votes. In 2006, Republican Sen. George Allen won 54 percent of the district vote even as he was losing statewide to Democratic challenger Jim Webb .

In Wittmann, Republicans are fielding a politically experienced candidate who served as a town councilman, mayor and county supervisor prior to his election to the state House in 2005. But he will face a serious challenger in Forgit, who ran for the state House in 2003 and lost to a Republican incumbent by the respectable margin of 54 percent to 46 percent.

“Virginia’s First Congressional District has performed well for Republicans in the past, but if the Massachusetts special election taught us anything, it is that both Democrats and Republicans should always be prepared to compete in this environment,” said Rep. Tom Cole , R-Okla., chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Let's keep these seats Republican.

Slatecard is pleased to announce that Kevin O'Neill, Republican candidate for Virginia's First Congressional District to fill the seat of the late Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis, is the *first* candidate to use Slatecard as his online clearinghouse for online donations.

It's great to see candidates like Kevin taking full advantage of this utility. 

That being said, Slatecard will continue to make the service available to any and all Republican candidates running for Federal office. We let the community decide who they want to support.

Should other candidates announce and file with the FEC for this race, we're hopeful that their campaign will send us the necessary information to add them to our system and update their profile.

What kind of items do we need including the mailing address and candidate committee name to get those candidates started? They should email us the following:

1. A profile picture. We'll take the typical headshot but we prefer an "action" shot which looks neat. Make sure it's large so that we can scale it to the appropriate size.
2. A short bio or description. It should be no more than 120 words (600 characters). We're promoting "snack activism" where we provide the taste of who you are. The links provide the rest.
3. Links. Specifically, we want to help you promote your campaign website, facebook profile or group, LinkedIn, MySpace, Wikipedia, Flickr, YouTube, Eventful, and Meetup.

This is a big day at Slatecard.

U.S. Senator John Ensign of Nevada is the first candidate -- including Presidential candidates -- to have a complete profile. Woot!

What does it mean to have a complete profile?

Well that means he's sent us the following necessary items:

1. A profile picture. We'll take the typical headshot but we prefer an "action" shot which looks neat. Make sure it's large so that we can scale it to the appropriate size.
2. A short bio or description. It should be no more than 120 words (600 characters). We're promoting "snack activism" where we provide the taste of who you are. The links provide the rest.
3. Links. Specifically, we want to help you promote your campaign website, facebook profile or group, LinkedIn, MySpace, Wikipedia, Flickr, YouTube, Eventful, and Meetup.

And when John Ensign found out that he was only missing profile links for LinkedIn and Meetup -- he made them. And we've now added them to his profile on the only comprehensive directory of Republican candidates running for Federal office on the Internet: Slatecard.

That's leadership.

Well, to be frank, it's because we haven't made it through all 410 of you (yet).

We will in due time, but you can help by sending the following items via email to directory AT slatecard.com:

1. A profile picture. We'll take the typical headshot but we prefer an "action" shot which looks neat. Make sure it's large so that we can scale it to the appropriate size.
2. A short bio or description. It should be no more than 120 words (600 characters). We're promoting "snack activism" where we provide the taste of who you are. The links provide the rest.
   
3. Links. Specifically, we want to help you promote your campaign website, facebook profile or group, LinkedIn, MySpace, Wikipedia, Flickr, YouTube, Eventful, and Meetup.

If you're not in the communities listed above, you should be. But we're not forcing your hand on it. Baby steps.