Managing the Lobbying Effort/Organization

Once an advocacy coalition has been established and has garnered the requisite commitments from its member base, created its legal framework, and drafted its strategic approach, it needs to set up its operation and network. The same sequence of steps applies to reinventing or rejuvenating advocacy efforts. On the national and state levels, the coalition network must have a geographical, district-type structure so that all areas are represented and the barriers of vast geographical spaces and diverse populations are addressed. The larger the geographical or numerical base, the greater the need for some decentralization of authority so as to ensure trust, support, and the capacity to be effective and relevant (remember, all politics is local). On these national and state levels, it is critical that all geographical areas are involved. It is also important to involve the elected officials from the rural areas because the legislative chambers, particularly the Senate chamber, are frequently based on the need to ensure representation of these areas and to strike a balance between the Senate chamber and the House or the Assembly, both of which have a more population-proportionate representation. Another reason for involving rural legislators is that legislatures that still honor the seniority system will often have key leadership positions (on committees and other bodies) dominated by such legislators, who are more likely to be reelected over time than the officials in the more politically competitive urban areas. (However, this trend is declining in jurisdictions where there are term limits or where gerrymandering has resulted in safe districts.)