When to Launch Your Campaign Website for 2028

Here is the scene that plays out in local races every cycle. A candidate stands up at a Rotary lunch or posts on Facebook that they're running. People are interested. They pull out their phones, type the candidate's name into a search box, and find nothing. Or worse, they find an old LinkedIn page, a news story about a different person with the same name, or a domain someone else grabbed.

The day you announce is the day people look you up. Your website should be there to meet them.

The short answer: before you announce

Launch your website before your announcement, or at the latest the same day. Your announcement post, press release and first flyer should all carry the web address. If the address goes nowhere, you've spent your best day of free attention sending people to a dead end.

The site doesn't have to be finished on launch day. It needs five things: a clear photo, your name and the office, a short bio, a way to sign up or volunteer, and a donate link if you're raising money. Issue pages, endorsements and events can follow over the next few weeks. Our guide to what every campaign website needs covers the full list.

The 2028 calendar, and 2027 races

The 2028 general election is Tuesday, November 7, 2028. That's the one fixed date. Everything else depends on where you live:

Filing periods vary by state and sometimes by office. Some states open filing in the winter or early spring of the election year; others are later.
Primaries run from early spring to late summer depending on the state. If your race has a partisan primary, that's your real first deadline, not November.
Nonpartisan races such as many school board and city seats may have their own schedule, sometimes with a runoff.

Check your state election office (and your county election board) for the exact dates in your race. Look them up now and write them down.

Also note that many cities, towns and school districts hold elections in odd-numbered years. If your city council or mayor's race is on the ballot in 2027, your timeline starts now, not in 2028.

Reserve your domain now

Whatever else you decide, register your domain today. It costs very little, takes ten minutes, and nobody else can take it once it's yours. Domains that match a candidate's name get registered by supporters, opponents and speculators once a race heats up.

Register more than one if you can: the .com of your name, a version with the office ("smithforcouncil.com"), and any common misspelling. Point the extras at your main site later. Our guide to choosing a campaign domain name walks through what makes a good one, and the domain ideas tool will suggest options.

The exploratory stage

Many people spend months deciding whether to run. That's normal and smart. You talk to your family, sit in on a few council meetings, ask local leaders what they think, and see whether people will help.

During this stage, there are things you can do that cost little or nothing: register the domain, collect a list of people who say they'd help, gather photos, and write a rough draft of your bio and the issues you care about.

Be careful about spending. In many states, raising or spending money above a certain amount, or telling people you're a candidate, can trigger rules about registering a campaign committee, opening a separate bank account, and filing reports. Those thresholds and definitions differ from state to state. Before you spend money on a campaign site or anything else, check with your state ethics commission or elections office about when you're considered a candidate. For federal races, the rules are at fec.gov. This guide is not legal advice.

The same goes for the "Paid for by" line on your site. Our disclaimer guide explains what to ask your state.

A backward timeline from Election Day

Work backward from November 7, 2028 (or your 2027 date), and from your primary if you have one. Here's a typical sequence for a local race. Adjust the months to your state's filing and primary dates.

Now: Register your domain. Start a list of supporters and possible volunteers. Look up your state's filing period, primary date and candidate registration rules.
12 to 18 months out: Decide whether you're running. Talk to your state ethics or elections office about when committee registration applies. Reserve a launch slot if you want a site built.
8 to 12 months out: Get photos taken. Write or record your bio and your top three issues. Choose and set up your donation platform and committee bank account if your state requires one.
1 to 2 weeks before you announce: Site goes live quietly. Have three or four friends check it on their phones. Test the donate and volunteer links.
Announcement day: Post the announcement with the web address. Put the address on everything.
Filing period: File. Add "Filed" or a ballot-qualified note to your site. Update anything that changed.
Through the primary: Add endorsements and events as they come. Post updates on live issues like hearings and votes. Add a voter-deadline page with registration and early voting dates from your state.
Final 60 days: Update weekly. Make sure polling place and early voting links are current.
Election night and after: Post a thank-you, win or lose. See after Election Day.

Our launch timeline tool builds this list for you from your election date.

Holding a spot for 2028

Our calendar gets busy as filing periods approach, and everyone wants to launch the same few weeks. If you think you'll run in 2028, our 2028 early reservation lets you hold a spot with a $99 deposit. It's credited to your setup fee, and it's refunded if you decide not to run before work starts.

If you're ready to commit, paying setup in full by June 30, 2027 takes 15% off setup. Every discount we offer is public and the same for every customer; our fair pricing policy explains why.

Don't wait for perfect

The most common mistake isn't launching a weak site. It's waiting so long for a perfect one that you announce without any. A simple, accurate, five-page site live on announcement day beats a polished one that shows up a month later. You can add issue pages, endorsements and events as the campaign grows.

Once we have your photos and the 30-minute interview, we can have your site live in 7 days. See packages or get started.

Common questions

When should I launch my campaign website?

Have it live before you announce, or launch it the same day. The day you announce is the day people search your name, and they should find your site, not an empty result or someone else's page.

When is the 2028 general election?

Tuesday, November 7, 2028. Filing periods and primary dates vary by state, so check your state election office for the dates that apply to your race.

Can I build a website before I officially file?

Many candidates prepare a site before filing, but rules on when spending makes you a candidate and when you must register a committee vary by state. Check with your state ethics or elections office before you spend money. This is not legal advice.

How do I hold a spot for 2028 with CandidateLaunch?

A $99 deposit holds a launch slot and is credited to your setup fee. It is refunded if you decide not to run before work starts.