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Story banking

Voters don't connect with policy lists — they connect with people.
In this module, you'll build your personal story bank: a set of 4–6 specific, values-driven stories you can use throughout your campaign to connect with voters, answer questions, and motivate people to act.
KEY DEFINITIONS
KEY DEFINITIONS
WHY STORY BANKING
WHY STORY BANKING
THE MODEL
THE MODEL
ON YOUR OWN
ON YOUR OWN

KEY DEFINITIONS

FOUR TERMS TO KNOW

01

STORY BANK

A personal collection of specific, vivid stories drawn from your own life that reveal your values and why you are running. These become puzzle pieces you can reach for when answering voter questions, doing interviews, and creating campaign content.
02

Values

The beliefs and experiences that motivate someone to care, act, and make decisions; in a 1:1, you listen for why something matters to a person, not just what they do.
03

Challenge–Choice–Outcome

A storytelling structure that brings stories to life: a challenge reveals what you value, a choice shows how you acted on those values, and an outcome shows the impact and what it calls you to do next.
04

Vivid moment

A specific, concrete scene from your life — not a general statement about yourself. “I sat at the kitchen table with my dad the night he got laid off” is vivid. “I care about working families” is not.

INTRODUCTION

WHY STORIES?

Leading with values, not policy lists, is what moves people.

Voters don't connect with 10-point plans. They connect with people. A specific personal story does three things:

01

Shows who you are
and what you care about

02

Creates an emotional connection with your audience

03

Activates hope and belief that change is possible

Think about the difference between:

Policy list

“I have a comprehensive 10-point plan for improving our schools.”

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Why it falls flat

Generic and forgettable — it could be anyone's answer. It doesn't reveal who you are, what you value, or why anyone should trust you.

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Story

"My mom was a teacher for 30 years. I watched her buy supplies out of her own paycheck and stay late every night for kids who needed extra help. That's why I'm running."

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Why it works

Specific and human — it shows a value in action and lets the listener see themselves in the moment. It answers "why" without ever saying the word "policy".

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The second answer is a puzzle piece. Once you've built your story bank, you can weave these moments into answers, social media content, speeches, and interviews — wherever you need to connect with someone.

After you story bank, share it with your team. See what they think about where it could be best to weave into your stump, at the doors, and into your messaging to voters. You may not know where and when to use this most effectively, but once you have it cataloged, it is easier to share.

What is story banking?

A story bank is your personal library of vivid moments organized around the values that drive your campaign.

Your stories should be:

  • Specific and detailed, not vague or general
  • Grounded in real moments from your life
  • Short enough to use as an answer (4–6 sentences)
  • Flexible enough to use in many different contexts

You’ll use your story bank when:

  • A voter asks why you're running
  • You're being interviewed by a reporter
  • You're creating social media content
  • You're making a case at a community event or debate
  • Anytime you're inviting someone to join you in action

THE MODEL

A story-based answer

In this example, a candidate for city council answers the question "Why are you running?" using a story from their bank.

As you watch or read, listen for:

  • The specific moment or scene (not a general statement)
  • The values revealed by that moment
  • How it connects to the campaign and the audience
  • The clear, tangible ask at the end
  • Anytime you're inviting someone to join you in action

Example: Aliyah Spring is running for City Council. She's an AmeriCorps alum and a first-time candidate.

"Tell me about growing up."

READ THE TRANSCRIPT
READ THE TRANSCRIPT
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Transcript

I grew up spending my afternoons at our local community center. In the summer, I'd read on beanbags and play foosball with friends for hours; during the school year, I'd do homework under the fluorescent lights. One afternoon, I walked up and saw the big blue doors shut, a sign taped to them: "Closed Indefinitely." My throat tightened and my eyes filled with tears because I'd lost somewhere I belonged. That moment stuck with me. It's the reason…

…I believe in…
…I want to…
…I have a plan for…

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“Why are you running for City Council?”

READ THE TRANSCRIPT
READ THE TRANSCRIPT
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Transcript

Every chapter of my life has circled back to the same question: what happens to a community when the places people share start to disappear? I've felt it as a kid in front of locked doors, as a college student watching business owners nearly lose everything, and as an AmeriCorps VISTA worker sitting across from residents trying to hold their neighborhoods together. Each time, the difference came down to whether someone in a position to act was actually paying attention. I'm running for City Council because Springfield deserves someone who will pick up the phone, show up to the meeting, and fight to protect the places that make this feel like home. And not just when it's easy.

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NEXT STEPS

On your own

Next, build your own story bank.

Use these questions to get started:

  • Tell me about growing up.
  • Tell me about your first job.
  • Tell me about your experience serving your country or community.
  • Tell me about a difficulty you experienced and how you addressed it.
  • Why are you running for _____?

For each story:

  • Write out the specific moment: where you were, how old, who was there, etc.
  • Identify the value that moment reveals (e.g., fairness, hard work, community, resilience)
  • Write a 4–6 sentence version you could say out loud to a voter
  • Note which campaign topics or questions this story could answer

Aim to have at least 4–6 stories in your bank before your first major campaign event or interview.

Worksheet

Story Bank Builder template (one page per story with prompts for moment, values, 4–6 sentence version, and use cases).

The Challenge–Choice–Outcome storytelling framework is based on the Public Narrative framework developed by Marshall Ganz.

Have questions about story banking?

check out our library
check out our library
book a follow-up
book a follow-up