Before you file.
For architects
Is ArchElect partisan?
No. The training is nonpartisan and open to members of any party or none. ArchElect prepares architects to serve; it does not endorse candidates or parties.
Do I have to be an AIA member?
No. Members of Partner Chapters enroll free. Anyone who is not a member of a Partner Chapter, AIA member or not, can enroll individually for $500 a year. AIA members can also ask their chapter to become a partner.
Which offices could I run for?
Your Office Finder report lists every elected office, appointed board and civic association at your address, from the planning commission to the state legislature.
Can I start with an appointed board?
Yes. Many architects start on a planning, zoning or design review board. ACA 101: Deciding to Run covers appointed boards, and your report lists the ones near you.
Do the trainings earn continuing education credit?
Academy courses and webinars are designed to earn AIA continuing education credit (learning units, or LUs). Credit is offered with participating chapters and varies by state, so check the listing for your chapter or event.
How much time does it take?
It is self-paced, with rolling enrollment and twelve months of access. Start with ACA 100, a free live session of about 50 minutes, then your State Playbook (ACA 150) and seven core courses, ACA 101 to 107, of about an hour each. The While You Run library adds short resources once you file. The first courses open in December 2026.
Will ArchElect run my campaign?
No. ArchElect provides education, research reports and resources. It is not a campaign manager or consultant, and not a legal or financial adviser. For any office above a part-time local seat, we recommend hiring a professional campaign manager or campaign management firm. You make your own decisions and are responsible for your own campaign, and ArchElect is not responsible for any loss, including the outcome of a race.
For AIA chapters
How does a chapter become a partner?
Request a proposal. We prepare one with your state’s ballot and campaign finance rules, on a two-year agreement priced by chapter size.
What does the chapter need to do?
Promote enrollment, name a liaison who works with ArchElect and is a point of contact for members, share sessions at chapter events, and share the member list for program outreach only.
How do we know it is working?
Quarterly reports on enrollment, completion and members who file to run, measured against the two-year goal of up to 1% of members running, plus a year-end survey of participants for your board and leadership.
Privacy and the PAC
What do you do with my address?
We use it only to look up your offices and districts. We never sell or share your information, and you can ask us to remove it at any time.
Does ArchElect give money to campaigns?
No. ArchElect offers training and access to supplementary campaign resources. ArchElect itself does not contribute money to candidates.
How do the state ArchElect PACs relate to ArchElect?
ArchElect plans a separate ArchElect PAC in each partner state to support architect candidates there. Each will be its own political committee under that state’s law, with its own leadership and public disclosures, run separately from ArchElect’s training and from Partner Chapters, so the training stays nonpartisan and chapters never raise money for candidates. They are being formed now, subject to election-law review.