Joshua O`Brien, Campaign Manager

ALMONTE FOR GENERAL TREASURER 888 Reservoir Ave, Cranston, RI 02910

2014 CAMPAIGN PLAN


1 MESSAGE AND POSITIONING

1.1 BASIC MESSAGE

2014 Rhode Island General Treasurer Candidate Ernie Almonte is a strong voice of leadership in Rhode
Island with a proven track record of trusted leadership, financial expertise, hard work, and holding our
elected leaders accountable.
Currently serving as Chief Visionary Officer for Almonte Group LLC., a full-service accounting and
consulting firm providing tax, audit, anti-fraud, expert witness testimony, forensic accounting and
consulting services, Ernie is also President of Government Services and Chairman of the board for Virtual
DBS.
Ernie Almonte is dedicated to running for Treasurer because he believes Rhode Island is at a
crossroads. As the next Treasurer of the State of Rhode Island, Ernie will create an infrastructure of
opportunity for our citizens and also help our children and grandchildren on their pathway to
success. He will apply his financial and business acumen along with his extensive government
experience to create an environment of growth and optimism.

1.2 BACKGROUND

The Proud Product of Rhode Islands Public Education System
Ernie grew up in Johnston, RI and spent his summers working hard on the Ocean States well-known
Stamp Farm and at Almacs Supermarket. He was a volunteer firefighter and Emergency Medical
Technician with the Johnston Fire Department and reserve police officer with the Smithfield Police
Department in the mid-70s. A proud product of Rhode Islands public school system, he went on to earn
a degree in business administration with a major in accounting as well as a masters degree in taxation
from Bryant University. He has since received an honorary doctorate degree from his alma mater.
Additionally, Ernie graduated from Harvard Universitys Kennedy School of Government Senior
Executives in State and Local Government and Innovations in Governance. He currently serves as an
adjunct professor in the Brown University Graduate program, teaching Advanced Management and
Organizational Strategies.

Financial Expert in both the Public and Private Sector
In 1994, Ernie became Rhode Islands Auditor General. In this role, he was responsible for auditing the
$7 billion comprehensive report for the state, an annual $3 billion federal audit, as well as oversight of
municipal, fraud, and quasi-public agency audits. Throughout his tenure as the states Auditor General
from 1994-2010, the office implemented a new policy mandating that all audit reports would be posted
to our public website to ensure transparency and accountability. The numerous findings and
recommendations can now be viewed at the R.I. Auditor Generals website.
Ernie became the first public servant to be elected as national chairman for the American Institute of
Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). In this role, he served as the national leader for the 377,000
members of the organization. He now serves as the chairman for the groups AICPA National Financial
Literacy Commission.
Ernie has served for the past three years as the Chairman of the U.S. Department of Defense Audit
Committee a role which he was proudly appointed to by the U.S. Secretary of Defense. He has also
served as an appointee of the Comptroller General of the United States to the Government Auditing
Standards Committee, is past president of the Rhode Island Society of CPAs, and a past president of the
National Association of State Auditors. Ernie is a past chairman of the Rhode Island Employer Support of
the Guard and Reserve. He attended the 54th National Security Forum at the Air War College after
being selected as a participant by the Secretary of the Air Force.
Accounting Today named Ernie as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the Accounting
Profession in 2005 and 2008.

Recognized as someone who exercises leadership
Department of the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal
RIPEC Robert M. Goodrich Distinguished Public Award
Giovanni da Verrazzano Man of the Year For Outstanding Service to the Rhode Island
Community
The Rhode Island Society of CPAs Centennial Outstanding CPA in Government

Family
Ernie is the proud father of five sons, all of whom attended schools in Rhode Island, and dedicated
husband of 39 years to Rhode Island native Kathy (Nangle) Almonte.

1.3 POSITIONING

The campaign must position Ernie as the experienced, fiscally responsible choice among three
candidates. (FILL MORE IN HERE)

2 CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION

2.1 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Candidate
Ernie Almonte is the candidate. Ernies responsibilities include raising funds, contacting voters,
and maintaining regular contact with the Campaign Manager.
Campaign Manager
Josh OBrien is the Campaign Manager. Josh is the chief executive of the campaign, and directs
all day-to-day operations of the campaign. His responsibilities will include ownership over the campaign
plan and strategy (in consultation with the GC), including communications, finance, and political
operations. Josh will be the primary decision making authority on campaign spending (in consultation
with GC and Candidate, as needed). Josh will serve as the candidates primary point of contact for all
campaign matters. Josh will have full authority to hire and manage all staff and vendors (in consultation
with the GC and Candidate, as needed). Until otherwise delegated, Josh will oversee the campaign
finance, field, and political operations
General Consultant
Pete Kavanaugh and Kelli Augustine, of Hilltop Public Solutions, will serve as the General
Consultants of the campaign. Pete and Kelli will be responsible for maintaining general strategic
oversight, and assisting the CM with strategic development as needed. Pete will manage external
consultants (ie. Research, Polling, media, and mail), as needed, in consultation with the CM. Kelli will
assist with the management and maintenance of the campaigns fundraising database and prospect
research. Pete and Kelli will jointly oversee and assist with management of the communications
strategy.
Treasurer
Kevin Currier is the Campaign Treasurer. Kevin will be the chief financial officer of the campaign.
Kevin is responsible for the management of the campaigns financial accounts and state mandated
compliance. Kevin maintains records of all deposits and expenditures, including the management of
payroll expenses. The Treasurer works in conjunction with the Campaign Manager.
Finance Assistant
The Finance Assistant has yet to be named. The FA will be responsible for the daily
implementation of finance plan. Responsibilities of the FA will include managing candidate call-time,
financial data entry, prospect research, developing and managing fundraising events, and tracking
pledges. The FA will administer the Finance Committee in consultation with the Campaign Manager. As
needed, the FA will assist the Campaign Treasurer with compliance management. The FA reports to the
Campaign Manager, with some oversight from the GC.
Communications Director
Alicia Vanasse will serve as the Communications Director. Alicia is a volunteer. Alicias
responsibilities will include the day-to-day implementation of the communications and social media
plans. Alicia will chair the communications committee/working group, in place of the CM. Alicia will be
the primary authority on social media strategy and implementation. Alicia will act as the spokesperson,
and press point of contact as needed. Alicia will report to the CM, with direction provided by the GC for
communication strategy.
Outreach Director
Jhomphy Ventura will serve as the Outreach Director. Jhomphy is a volunteer. Jhomphy will be
responsible for the management of outreach to the Latino community, as well as assisting with the
general membership of the Rhode Island Democratic Party State Committee. Jhomphy will be
responsible for the formation and management of the outreach committee. Jhomphy will also be a point
of contact for Latino media relations. Jhomphy will report directly to the Campaign Manager, and advise
the Candidate on community relations (in consultation with the CM).
Field Organizer
The Field Organizer has yet to be named. The FO will likely be a volunteer. The FO will be
responsible for organizing phone banking and canvassing operations. The FO will work with the
Volunteer Coordinator to schedule and train volunteers for the necessary positions. The FO will also be
responsible for sign distribution. The FO will report directly to the Campaign Manager.
Volunteer Coordinator
The Volunteer Coordinator has yet to be named. The VC will be a volunteer position. The VC will
be responsible for recruiting, retaining, and scheduling volunteers for various campaign functions. The
VC will report directly to the Campaign Manager, but will assist other senior staff to fulfill volunteer
staffing needs.
Scheduler
Janine Hessford will serve as the campaign Scheduler. Janine is a volunteer. Janine is responsible
for managing the candidates schedule. Janine is the ultimate authority on event confirmations,
approvals, and denials. Janine will ensure all data is available for the candidate and staff. Janine will
work with the Body Man and intern staff to ensure the candidate is staffed at meetings and events.
Janine will manage scheduling requests and present them for review by the CM and GC. There will be a
weekly call with Janine, Josh, Pete, and Ernie to review the schedule. The Scheduler will report directly
to the Campaign Manager.
Body Man
Ennio Cordon will serve as the candidates primary Body Man. Ennio is a volunteer. It will be
Ennios responsibility to accompany and assist the candidate at all events and public functions. Ennio
will be able to enlist interns and other volunteers to accommodate scheduling needs. Ennio will report
directly to the Campaign Manager.
Fellows and Interns
Multiple unpaid hires will fill the roles of Fellows and Interns. Campaign Fellowships will be given
to post-graduates or graduate students. Campaign Internships will be given to undergraduate students.
The Fellows and Interns will work in a project team format, with each team specializing in their areas of
study. The Fellows will be team leaders. Each team will be responsible to the senior staff member who
oversees their particular area, with final authority resting with the Campaign Manager.

2.2 CHAIN OF COMMAND


Ernie
Almonte
Candidate
Josh O'Brien
Campaign Manager
Kevin
Currier
Treasurer Finance Assistant
Alicia
Vanasse
Communicatuions Dir.
Jhomphy
Ventura
Outreach Director
Janine
Hessford
Scheduler
Ennio
Cordon
Bodyman Volunteer Coord. Field Organizer
Pete
Kavanaugh
General Consultant
2.3 STANDING COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS
Advisory Committee
The campaigns Advisory Committee will be comprised of the Candidates closest advisors, family
members, and colleagues. The Advisory Committee will meet on specific occasions when called upon by
the Candidate, Campaign Manager, or General Consultant. The Campaign Manager will administer
meetings of the Advisory Committee.
Finance Committee
The Finance Committee will be comprised of the campaigns fundraising and compliance teams.
The role of the Finance Committee will be primarily to focus on driving the campaigns fundraising
operations and to address any compliance issues as they arise. The Finance Committee will be chaired
by influential donors with a significant network of potential contributors. These chairs will need to be
recruited early in the campaign. The Finance Assistant will be responsible for administering this
committee under the guidance of the Campaign Manager and General Consultant.
Communications Working Group
The Communications Working Group is a virtual group comprised of the General Consultant,
Communications Director, and volunteers: Chris Almonte, Cindy Elder, and Kathy Almonte. The
Campaign Manager will monitor the groups efforts and contribute as needed. Due to geographical
limitations and time constraints, the working group will function through the use of Google Apps project
software and email communications. This group will assist the candidate directly as needed, and will
publish work with the final consent of the General Consultant and Campaign Manager.
Outreach Committee
The Outreach Committee will be comprised of well-established community leaders and activists
with a focus on key demographics. This committee will be the primary vehicle for message delivery to
the Latino community. The Outreach Committee will be led by the Outreach Director, and overseen by
the Campaign Manager.

2.4 CONSULTANTS AND VENDORS
Consultants
Campaign Consultants will be retained to facilitate specific areas of focus within the campaign
plan. The General Consultant, Hilltop Public Solutions, will be responsible for the administration of
consultant bidding, searches, and consultant strategy development. The Campaign Manager will direct
the campaign consultants in fulfillment of the campaign strategy.
Consultants will be hired for Media (TV/Radio), Polling, and Research. Consultants may be
retained for Mail services if the General Consultant and Campaign Manager determine this may be
necessary at a later time.
Vendors
Vendors will be hired to deliver specific products, tasks, and services. Vendors will be hired, on
an as needed basis, by the Campaign Manager (in consultation with the General Consultant as
necessary). Vendors will be required to communicate directly with the Campaign Manager and will not
be granted direct access to the candidate.

3 FINANCE PLAN

3.1 OVERVIEW
This finance plan will provide a basic outline for the development and deployment of financial
assets for the campaign. The budget is currently proposed at $615.816, however the true cost for this
campaign will likely reach, or exceed, $650,000. To date, the campaign has raised $317, 845. This will
mean fundraising will be among the highest priorities within the campaign. Rhode Islands campaign
finance laws will further increase our need to dedicate significant time and resources to fundraising. We
are estimating an average monthly fundraising goal of $50,000. Multiple methodologies will be
employed to reach these goals. The primary responsibility for fundraising will rest with the candidate.
The Fundraising Assistant, supported by the General Consultant and Campaign Manager will administer
the fundraising operations. The Finance Committee will drive the momentum for fundraising. Account
management and compliance reporting will be managed by the Treasurer. Expenses will be approved,
through an agreed upon process, by the Campaign Manager.
3.2 BUDGET
A conservative analysis of anticipated campaign costs have allowed us to develop a budget of
$615,816 to start the 2014 cycle. The bulk of expenses will occur during the late months of the primary
cycle, with larger crucial fundraising periods peaking in June and July. To provide a clearer understanding
of where funds will be utilized, the budget has been broken into categories below.
Category Expenses % of Total
Administrative $ 46,114.53 7.80%
Staff $ 48,700.00 8.24%
Fundraising $ 10,287.33 1.74%
Consultants $ 103,349.80 17.48%
Field/Convention $ 4,340.00 0.73%
Paid Communication $ 352,050.00 59.54%
Web/Database $ 26,425.00 4.47%
Total $ 591,266.66 100.00%
The chart above illustrates the campaigns focus on a large paid media effort, which currently
accounts for 59.5% of the overall budget. The paid communications plan currently focuses on television
media only. This could change as we progress through the cycle, but ultimately, this method of
communication will be our priority. Availability and demand will play a role in fluctuating media pricing.
Additionally, the budget only accounts for minimal field operation, which will likely expand beyond
the .73% that it currently accounts for.
3.3 FUNDRAISING GOALS
The overall fundraising goals for the 2014 cycle will need to account for the remaining $297,971
of the budget yet to be raised. The average monthly goal will be approximately $50,000, with some
months ranging as high as $75,000. As the campaign progresses through the cycle, a failure to meet or
exceed this goal each month will result in exponential growth of future months goals. Monthly
fundraising goals are as follows:

January February March April May June July August September
$9,800 $5,000 $40,000 $50,000 $50,000 $75,000 $70,000 $60,000 $40,000

3.4 FUNDRAISING METHODOLOGIES
Various methods will be employed to allow us to reach our overall goal. The primary focus will be
on raising money through the use of candidate call time and fundraising events. Due to the
unpredictable nature of organizational endorsements in a RI down-ticket race, external sources of
revenue may be limited. Therefore, an ideal goal for a monthly breakdown would be 50% of the monthly
goal deriving from candidate call time, with the remaining 50% coming from events, fundraising mail
appeals, and organizational support.
Candidate Call-Time
Candidate call-time will be conducted every available business day. Call-time is usually
scheduled in minimum increments of 4 hours. There are an average of 20 useable days for call-time per
month, resulting in a minimum of 80 hours of call-time monthly. Each hour should produce a minimum
of 10 calls per hour with a minimum of a 25% connection rate. The average dollar per connect ratio will
begin with $200 in March and grow to $400 per connect by September. If this call-time plan is executed
with maximum impact, it is plausible for call-time to fully fund our budget. The greater the effectiveness
of call-time, the fewer resources will need to be spent on more time consuming and costly fundraising
methods.
Fundraising Events
Due to various anticipated limitations on candidate call-time, fundraising events will be targeted
to account for nearly 50% of our fundraising goals.
VolunteerHostedEvents
These events should be designed so that the bulk of the organization is handled by
volunteer event hosts. By policy, these events will need to be kept to a minimal budget to
maximize the return on investment. The campaign will not fund events from our accounts,
therefore hosts will be responsible for covering the expenses of any events. We will leverage any
advantages within RI Campaign Finance Law to enable the ROI of these events to be maximized.
The candidate will not be involved in the organization of these events beyond the initial ask.
OrganizationReceptions
There will be various opportunities for fundraising receptions to be held at organization
functions. Many of these events will occur in other states. These types of receptions can be
utilized to leverage contributions from professional organizations (i.e. AICPA, AGA, etc.) for
which Ernie led or maintains membership. These types of events are often extremely costly, and
should only be utilized if a significant financial return can be assured. We will investigate and
leverage any aspect to RI Campaign Finance Law that may allow for a greater impact from
events of this nature. These events will be organized by the campaigns senior staff with the
assistance of contacts from the various organizations.
Political Action Committees and Endorsements
The extent of Political Action Committee involvement in the General Treasurer race has yet to
be fully discovered. However, given the high profile of both Frank Caprio and Seth Magaziner, we should
anticipate the standard PACs to be out of reach. Labor endorsements are a plausible funding source.
However, these sources may also be limited by the nature of a three-way primary. Ultimately these
resources will be considered as supplemental to the overall fundraising plan of call-time and fundraising
events.
Fundraising Appeal Letters
The overall effectiveness of this basic fundraising method is relatively ineffective at this level of
campaigning. However, given the professional profile of the candidate, the ability to raise fund from
specific professional groups (i.e. CPAs, Financial Community Professionals, and Non-Profit Board
Members) could be an effective method to supplement the overall fundraising plan. The cost of this
method is somewhat greater considering production costs and man hours. The initial focus for this
method should include RI statewide groups, as the appeal will serve as both a fundraising tool and a
messaging device.
Email and Social Media
Utilizing the tools provided in the NGP system, regular fundraising blast emails will be delivered
to our donor database. These emails will be delivered on a weekly basis. Though the cost of this method
is minimal, so is the overall response and contribution rate. This method should always be combined
with a message delivery mechanism to maximize our impact. We will regulate the number of blast
emails during specific periods to avoid the desensitization of our audience.
Social and other digital media can also be utilized to leverage contributions. These methods are
relatively cost effective, but do not yield a high return. Social media is only as effective as the campaigns
following. Therefore, we will make an initial investment to expand our following. Various social media
fundraising strategies will be deployed through our social media plan.
Rhode Island Public Matching Funds Program
Full details of the 2014 program have not been released yet. (Fill In HERE)

4 ELECTORAL

4.1 ELECTORAL OVERVIEW

4.2 PARTY ENDORSEMENT
The Democratic Party of Rhode Island endorsement process has yet to be finalized for the 2014
cycle. However, enough of the process is now known to develop a solid strategy for seeking necessary
support to acquire or disrupt the party endorsement. This strategy will be a multi-tiered approach of
influencing individual State Committee members, as well as seeking the public support of individual City
and Town Committees. Ultimately, due to disorganization and instability the endorsement of the DPRI
will not benefit the endorsed candidate in terms of financial support or field resources. Regardless of the
results of the endorsement meeting, we will seek nomination through the appropriate process.
State Committee
The State Committee of the Democratic Party of Rhode Island is currently comprised of 244
voting seats. These seats are comprised of 150 members, that include a man and woman from each
legislative district, as well as 94 members from other positions and demographics. The State Committee
includes all elected officials of the rank Mayor and higher, who are affiliated Democrats.
City and Town Committees
Almost all cities and towns have active committees, which are at their leisure to endorse a
candidate. While the Chairs of the 39 city and town committees are also members of the State
Committee, their vote on the State Committee is not determined by a vote of the committee for which
they are Chair. It is not yet determined which committees will endorse candidates in the race for
General Treasurer. Our campaign will actively pursue an appearance before every committee prior to
the endorsement process.
Endorsement Strategy
The Endorsement Meeting of the DPRI will occur during mid-June. This gives our campaign
approximately 3.5 months to execute a strategy that will garner enough support from State Committee
members to either win a nomination or, if the rules allow, disrupt the nomination to result in an open
Primary. Beginning with City and Town Committee meetings, the campaign will begin establishing
consistent messaging to State Committee members. The campaign staff will begin tracking the support
of various committee members and will target specific entities that will further this cause. We will
employ the assistance of key elected officials to assist in shoring up the support of the legislative
members.
4.3 NOMINATION PROCESS
Declaration of Candidacy
The Declaration of Candidacy is currently available on the RI Secretary of States website. The
Declaration must be completed and submitted between June 23-25, 2014. The Declaration is the form
which establishes the candidates official candidacy and party affiliation. Any ponderance of the
candidates political affiliation will be concluded with the submission of this form. As an affiliated
Democrat in Rhode Island, the candidate may declare candidacy as a Democrat or Independent
(Unaffiliated). All candidates must complete this process.
Ethics Commission
All candidates must file a financial disclosure statement with the Rhode Island Ethics
Commission within 30 days of the filing of the candidates Declaration of Candidacy. This form must be
submitted no later than July 23, 2014. All candidates must complete this process.
Endorsements
The Party Endorsement process must be completed no later than June 27, 2014. The only entity
that may officially endorse a candidate for General Treasurer with the Secretary of State is the State
Committee. All other party committee endorsements are purely political in nature. The officially
endorsed candidate will appear first on the Primary ballot with a (*) prior to their name. This does not
the nomination petition process.
Nomination Papers
The nomination process will begin on July 1, 2014. Forms will be available at that time. To be
nominated for General Treasurer our campaign will need to collect a minimum of 500 signatures. Due to
errors and disqualification, we will need to collect a minimum total of 750 signatures. Any registered
voter of RI, regardless of political party affiliation, can sign nomination papers for General Treasurer.
Voters may only sign papers that are for the municipalities in which they are registered (each form is
designated at the top). The nomination papers must be completed and returned to the local board of
canvassers for which the petition is designated. This process must be concluded by June 11, 2014 at
4PM. All candidates, regardless of Party Endorsement, must complete this process. The final certification
of candidacy will occur by the Secretary of State on or before July 17, 2014.
4.4 PRIMARY ELECTION
The Primary Election for the 2014 Cycle will occur on September 9, 2014. Polls will open at 7AM
and close at 8AM. If our campaign has filed a Declaration of Candidacy to run as a Democrat, we must
win this election in order to continue to the General. If our Declaration was filed as an Independent,
then our candidates name will not appear on any Primary ballot.
Party Affiliation
Upon entering a polling location, a Democrat affiliated voter will receive a Democrat ballot. An
unaffiliated voter must chose to affiliate themselves with one of the three parties (Democrat, Moderate,
or Republican). Any voter wishing to vote for our candidate will need to choose to affiliate with the
Democratic Party. Voters may disaffiliate with any party upon completion of their ballot as they are
leaving the polling location. We will want to encourage all unaffiliated and Republican/Moderate
supporters to affiliate as a Democrat at the Primary polling location.
Ballot Position
The Party Endorsed candidate will appear on the ballot first, with an (*) preceding their name.
The remaining two candidates will be listed based on a position lottery conducted by the Office of the
Secretary of State. The ballot position lottery will be conducted on July 18, 2014 at 5PM. The position of
General Treasurer will appear last in the list of Statewide General Offices.
Primary Day Operations
At a later time we will determine the direction and extent of our Primary Day operations. The
candidate will likely spend the majority of the day greeting voters at major polling locations. All polling
place operations must be conducted 50 feet or more from the entrance. Additionally we will be
conducting Voter Protection efforts, given the intensity of this race and past practices of our opposition.
We will need to recruit attorneys versed in RI Election Law. Further Primary Day operations will be
detailed in our Field Plan.
4.5 GENERAL ELECTION
The Rhode Island General Election will be conducted on November 4, 2014. Polls will open at 7AM
and close at 9PM. Currently there is no announced candidate for any other Party within Rhode Island.
(Fill in HERE)

5 POLITICAL PLAN
5.1 STRATEGIC OVERVIEW
The strategy within this plan will account for the current scenario, in which we are faced with a
three-way Democratic Primary between Ernie Almonte, Frank Caprio, and Seth Magaziner. We do not
anticipate further competition, but will continue to monitor the situation. Due to the absence of
announce opposition from any Independents, Republicans, or Moderates, we are focusing our attention
on the Primary Election. Our strategy will include a three tiered Primary strategy and a full court press
General strategy. However, to fully execute an effective strategy, we will need to establish an informed
foundation from which to grow. This will be accomplished through opposition research and benchmark
polling.
5.2 RESEARCH
Internal Research
The campaign will employ a research firm to conduct research on our candidate. This will include
a detailed report of public records, background information, and business dealings. This information will
help us frame arguments and defend against attacks. This research will be sought in March.
Opposition Research

Candidacy Establishment and Name Recognition
To date, Almonte 2014 has been functional for nearly 2 years. Since most of this time has been
spent building foundations and establishing a fundraising engine, we are confronted with the need to
raise our candidates public awareness and establish him as the most qualified candidate in this race.