Here are three things to do at the end of an election campaign:

1. If you are entering the homestretch of an election campaign, and the race is close, I suggest you hit your opponent harder. This doesn’t mean to be nasty. Depending on the cultural context, this can be done elegantly and maybe even implicitly. The key is to draw the lines of distinction clearer. Because the bottom line is this: you can’t win a close race on the defense.

2. If you are ahead, double down on what is working. Nervous candidates sometimes react too much to what their opponents do. Instead, listen and react to the voters. If research shows that your ad is converting votes, air more of it.

3. Lastly, and either way, you have to turn out the base. In a local election, physical presence is key for that. In every election, there are votes left on the table. I wrote about this in one of my previous updates: there is no king without a kingdom. You therefore have to maximize the votes of the kingdom (which can be a geographically defined area, a sociodemographic part of the electorate, or a pressure group or organization supporting your candidacy).

And for heaven’s sake, spend the money you have in the bank. Don’t spend more, however, as raising money for a past campaign is a big headache.