Political and Government Press Release Templates and Examples
You've just hired a new campaign manager, your candidate announced their stance on a hot-button issue or your government agency approved funding for a major infrastructure project. Now you need to tell the world—and that sends you searching for political press release templates. Whether you're wondering how to write a press release for a political candidate or want to share news from a government agency, learning about the proper format gives your news credibility and makes it easier for journalists to quickly understand the information.
Structure and Format of a Political Press Release
Political and government press releases follow the Associated Press (AP) style and format, which helps you clearly communicate your message and ensure you’re providing all the information that journalists and the public need.
Headline and Dateline
Your headline needs to grab attention while clearly stating the main point of your press release. It should be direct, factual and include the name of the candidate, official or government agency involved. The dateline, located before the first paragraph, establishes the date and location from which the news is coming. Including these details is especially important in political and government press release templates, where timing and location often matter greatly.
Body Content
Start with a summary of the essential details in the first paragraph using the five Ws: who, what, when, where and why. This gives reporters all the essential information they need immediately, which is particularly helpful during busy political news cycles. Expand on these details in the following paragraphs, adding context and background information. Keep press releases concise, aiming for no more than 500 words.
Call to Action
A strong call to action (CTA) tells readers what to do with the information you've shared. For political and government agencies, the CTA might invite constituents to attend a rally, visit a campaign website, read a policy paper or contact a government office for more information. It should be clear, specific and aligned with your campaign goals or agency mission.
Boilerplate and Contact Information
Press release boilerplate provides standard information about your candidate, campaign or government agency for consistent messaging. It should highlight your key accomplishments, core values and mission in a few sentences that don't change from release to release. Media contact information comes after the boilerplate and lists a specific press contact who can respond quickly to media inquiries.
How to Write a Political Press Release: Tips and Key Elements
A good political press release template is important, but to truly write like a pro, there are a few best practices to keep in mind. These tips will help bring political and government press releases to life, establish credibility and make your message more likely to be covered by the media.
Use Quotes
For political press releases, quotes provide an opportunity to directly share your message in your own words. Using strong quotes from candidates, elected officials or subject matter experts also adds a human element and provides ready-made content for journalists. Quotes should sound natural, offer insight not found elsewhere in the release and reflect the speaker's authentic voice.
Incorporate Data
There’s plenty of data in the world of politics—that’s why political campaign press release examples often include relevant statistics, poll results or budget figures. Data helps back up policy positions, demonstrate public support or highlight the impact of government initiatives. Always make sure your data comes from credible sources and present it accurately to maintain trust with journalists and the public.
Include Photos
High-quality photos are a must-have element of today’s political press release templates. Including an image of your candidate, government official or project site provides ready-to-use visual content for media outlets. For political campaigns in particular, photos help build recognition and humanise the candidate. Your images should be high-resolution and include a descriptive caption and proper credit.
Provide Additional Multimedia
Political campaigns and government agencies can use multimedia to explain complex topics in accessible ways that resonate with voters and constituents. Beyond static images, consider including videos of speeches, infographics explaining policy positions or audio clips from press conferences. Multimedia elements make your press release more engaging and give journalists additional content they can use in their reporting.
The Best Government and Political Press Release Template
Even experienced PR professionals appreciate the efficiency of starting with a well-structured press release template. This sample political press release works for most types of government or campaign news.
[Campaign Logo/Government Agency Seal]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Headline [Clear, attention-grabbing headline that tells the reader why they should care about your news]
Subheadline [Optional secondary headline that provides more context about the announcement]
[CITY, STATE, DATE]
Lead Paragraph: [Summarise who (candidate/agency), what (announcement/event), when (date/time), where (location) and why (significance). Keep this to two to three sentences that provide a complete overview.]
Body Content: [Expand on the announcement with two to three paragraphs of supporting details. This is where you’d include relevant data, poll results, budget figures and historical context.]
Quote: [Include a direct quote from the candidate, elected official or agency spokesperson that offers perspective not already stated in the release.]
Call to Action: [Direct readers to take a specific next step, such as visiting a website, attending an event, contacting an office or following on social media.]
Boilerplate: [Standard paragraph about the candidate's background and campaign platform OR about the government agency's mission and jurisdiction. ]
Contact Information:
[Press Contact Name]
[Title]
[Campaign/Agency Name]
[Phone Number]
[Email Address]
[Website] [Social Media Handles]
Government Press Release Examples
Government press release examples focus on topics like public services, policy implementation and official announcements. Whether from federal, state or local agencies, they should explain the news in detail while maintaining a neutral, authoritative tone.
Infrastructure Improvements
Government agencies need to inform the public about investments they’ve made in infrastructure. These press releases should detail the project scope, budget, timeline and public benefits and include statements from relevant officials. The example below announces a celebration of a completed project.
Example: Town of Fairview to Host Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for New Road
Government Reports
Both federal and local government agencies issue reports that affect their constituents. They should clearly state the key findings, methodology and implications for policy or public interest. Include information on how the public can access the full report and follow-up contact information for further inquiries.
Example: U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to Release Two Significant Reports
Government Permitting
Permit approval can be a long and detailed process, one that affects the environment, property values and the public’s lives. These press releases should explain what was approved, the review process that led to the decision and next steps in the project. Include details about public comment periods, environmental considerations and economic impacts.
Political Press Release Examples
Looking at real political press release examples helps you understand how to apply these principles to different types of stories. Each type of announcement requires slightly different elements and information.
Candidate Announcement
This type of press release introduces the candidate, explains why they're running and outlines their key platform positions. This type of release should include biographical information, a photograph and a powerful quote expressing the candidate's vision.
Example: Judge Margaret O'Connell Announces Candidacy for Illinois Appellate Court
Political Rally
A political rally requires an event press release highlighting the key speakers, location, time and purpose. The political press release sample below does a good job of showcasing the candidate's message and explaining why this rally is important in the broader campaign context.
Example: Loomis to Headline Pre-Election Rally with Jerry Torres
Political Polling
Press releases about polling results should clearly present the key findings and methodology used to collect the data. Include the sample size, margin of error and demographic breakdown, along with quotes from leaders involved in the study.
Example: New AARP Poll Shows Older Voters Prioritized Economic Concerns
Send Press Releases That Break Through the Political Noise
A well-crafted press release with a clear structure, compelling quotes and relevant data can help your civic or political message rise above the noise. It starts with a strong governmental or political press release template, but distribution is just as important. Using PR Newswire's press release distribution network gets your message in front of the right journalists at the right time, increasing your chances of media coverage.
Ready to share your governmental or political news with the world? Start sending press releases with PR Newswire today.
FAQs
What are examples of government press releases?
Government press release examples include announcements about infrastructure projects, emergency alerts, public health notices, budget allocations and new service programs from local, state or federal agencies. They explain how government actions or decisions will affect residents, providing essential details about timing, location, any eligibility requirements or required actions and contact information.
What is the best format for a political press release?
The best political press release format follows AP style with a compelling headline, clear dateline and concise first paragraph that answers who, what, when, where and why. Your release should be about 500 words long with short paragraphs, bullet points, strong quotes and contact information for media follow-up. Including website links, social media handles and multimedia elements can help increase engagement.
What should be included in a press release for a political candidate?
A press release for a political candidate should include their name, at least one high-quality photo, relevant policy positions and direct quotes from the candidate, their team and any endorsers. Include biographical information in the boilerplate and clear contact information for media follow-up.
Ready to start creating press releases that deliver results for your political campaign or government agency? To boost your chances of getting your story covered, use captivating headlines, incorporate multimedia elements, include data points, and craft persuasive calls to action. For more in-depth advice, download our Definitive Guide to Writing an Engaging Press Release.
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