Frankly, running for office is the worst way to effect change of this sort. Zoning isn't really driven by politicians in most polities in the US as it is the p

Frankly, running for office is the worst way to effect change of this sort. Zoning isn't really driven by politicians in most polities in the US as it is the public who firmly believe their NIMBY-ism is necessary to protect their children, property values, and way of life (although not necessarily in that order of priorities). The local planning boards and town councils are mostly responding to whatever signals they receive from their constituents. If you want to change things, you need to change public opinion. The best case scenario of jumping to the top with some sort of majority cabal and changing things against public opinion is that you'll be voted out in the next cycle and all of your changes undone. Instead of campaigning for public office, you should start a campaign to inform the public with concrete, incremental, individual proposals for changes to zoning and explain how those proposals will increase property values, protect children, and improve the quality of life in a way consistent with people's desires. If you succeed, whoever is currently in office will happily put your proposals into practice as a feather in their own cap. And if you can't convince a majority of the people in your community, well, should your desires and opinions have priority over theirs?