Private Developer

The Client: A publicly traded company looking to diversify their holdings and expand their traditional role of retail development, wanted to build an interactive, family-friendly entertainment experience at one of their existing properties.

The Challenge: A decades old municipal law prohibited this type of development. To change this law, a referendum needed to get on the municipal ballot and get a majority yes vote.

Project Overview: Groundwork Strategies was hired to get the municipal question on the ballot and then in a second phase of work, to get the referendum passed.

Our Tactics: Groundwork used our intimate knowledge of New Jersey politics and government to draft the petition needed to get the referendum on the ballot. Then we used proven field strategies to secure the required number of signatures. During the signature acquisition process, Groundwork also improved name recognition of the client’s project by creating a robust online presence and developing relationships with local stakeholders. Specific staff was assigned as liaisons with the business community and a dedicated public safety officer (retired police officer) was hired to interact with local police and inform them of daily canvasser efforts. During this phase of our work, we used careful messaging and specific targeting to persuade voters to vote yes.

Once on the ballot, Groundwork continued our established field program to ensure specific voters went out to vote on election day. We produced a commercial to emphasize the economic and community benefits of the project which was then run through targeted digital buys. Targeted local print ads, targeted digital, direct mail, field, and stakeholder engagement continued with a shifted emphasis on voting yes.

The Result: Groundwork got 25.8% more signatures than required to get the question on the ballot. Once on the ballot, the measure passed overwhelmingly 2-1. The developer’s family-friendly entertainment venue can progress, creating jobs and a new rateable for the community.