RSJ News
Leverage resources with social media skills
10-14-2009
Scott Kelley, Washoe County School Board official and Reynolds School alum, speaks in the Reading Room Oct. 13.
By Tammy Krikorian
Scott Kelley was outspent five to one when he campaigned for a seat on the Washoe County School Board in 2008.
But with a background in public relations and social media skills in his tool belt, Kelley won 65 percent of the vote.
A Reynolds School of Journalism alumnus, Kelley spoke to the University of Nevada PRSSA chapter on Tuesday, explaining how his use of social media and door-to-door campaigning helped him win the election.
Two years prior to being elected as Washoe County School Board District E trustee, Kelley ran for city council against an incumbent who was able to raise far more campaign funds. But the race was close, Kelley said, because he was the first in the state to use MySpace as a campaign tool.
When he ran for the school board, he added Facebook and Twitter and today, he said, he can "literally talk to over 7,000 friends" online each day.
"You gotta make the most of your resources," he said. "You don't always have to have a big war chest of money (to run a successful campaign)."
Kelley was the editor of his high school newspaper and went on to be a paratrooper journalist for the military before enrolling at UNR in 2000. After graduating in 2004, he decided public office was the best way he could give back to the community.
He advised the students to join networking groups as soon as they can afford it.
"Anything you want to be good at, you have to give time to," he said.
