Taking the Next Step: Getting into Politics - a Basic Guide

[Paradigm]

If you're tired of writing letters that end up in the trash, take the next step and make a difference from the inside! Civics, baby! It's quite easy. Most local offices are up for election this year. The following is a basic primer for those who may be interested in running for office. It may vary slightly from town to town, so always do your research.

Why become a politician? To protect the Constitution and change bad laws! But aren’t all politicians the same? Aren’t they all bums/crooks/cheats? No! The higher up people get, the more power tends to corrupt. There are always exceptions. At the local level, offices are typically filled by people who genuinely care about their communities and want to make a difference. There are always exceptions. Just remember: the national level may have the glamour, but most political decisions that affect your life happen at the local level.

So, you think you want to look into becoming a *gasp* politician. The first thing you need to know: do you live in a borough, city, or township?

Boroughs have a strong-council/weak mayor system. The council makes all the rules, the mayor is there to break ties. There are likely 5-10 councilmen. They may be "at large" which means that anyone in the borough can run for any available seat. The other option is that the borough is divided into "wards" or sections, and each ward has at least one representative. The job of the mayor is to be the head of the police department. He is the in-between guy for the council and the police department. If your local PD stinks, this may be the job for you. If your town laws stink, you want to be a councilman.

Cities have a strong-mayor system. The council acts like congress and the mayor acts like the president. The council is likely an at-large setup.

Townships have a board of supervisors that make the decisions. There are usually three. Some townships have very little action, while some are highly populated and require constant attention.

Either way, you need to find out your specifics, then find out the available seats, then determine if that person needs to go (my state representative is fabulous, so I'd never dream of booting him from office). If he/she does need to go, you need to determine if you are the best person to replace him/her. If you're lucky, it's an open seat.

As far as time commitment, that depends on the size of your borough/city/township. A small borough or township may require little time. Meetings are generally once a month, but committee work or special meetings may take up more time. During budget season, you'll meet more. In the summer, you may meet a lot less. Our town of 8000 people is fairly active and we're in the middle of a bunch of projects. I'm also on three committees and I chair two. I'm also the head of our planning commission and serve on our library board. I'm usually busy one night a week...sometimes two. Other times I might only have two meetings a month. It just depends on what's going on. Large municipalities may be full-time jobs. My position is 100% voluntary. Some may offer some stipend to cover travel. It depends.

The next thing to do is locate your county election office, which is likely in your courthouse. Here’s a link to help out: http://www.dos.state.pa.us/elections...electionsNav=|

Once you find your office, you need to go there and pick up the nomination petition packet. You are under no obligation to go any further. Your name won’t appear on any ballot until you file the petition. Asking for a petition is public info, so if someone asks who has picked up petitions, your name is going to be given out.

The first day to circulate nominations petitions is 2/17. You pick up the petition packet at your county election office. The packet contains a petition and “walking list” – a spreadsheet of the names, addresses, and party affiliations of all registered people in your district.

For most things like borough councils, school boards, township commissioners, etc, you only need ten signatures of people in your district that have the same voter's registration as you do. Republicans sign for republicans, democrats sign for democrats. If you belong to a third party, check with your county election office for signature requirements. You should gather 50% more signatures than needed in case some of the signatures are rejected.

The last day to file nomination petitions is March 10. If you are interested in running for office, this is your “drop dead” due date. If you miss this one, you won’t be on the ballot in the primary. You’ll still be able to run a write-in campaign, but those are tough. Winnable, but tough.

Once you file a valid petition, you are guaranteed to be on the ballot. Write a short announcement to give to your local paper. Describe your accomplishments and your goals. Don’t attack others – offer what your vision is for your community. Divulge only as much information as you think will help you. Seek endorsements from local politicians, business leaders, and police/fire personnel. Start a Web site to provide information about yourself.

Get out and knock on some doors. Meet the people around you. Invite them to the polls to vote for you. You can meet everyone in your area, but if they don’t come out to vote, you’re in trouble. Keep in mind that only 30-35% of the people in your district will actually take the time to vote. It’s sad, but it’s reality. Dress in business casual attire. If you wear a white shirt and tie, they’ll think you’re a Mormon or JW, or worse – a salesman. Be prepared for all kinds of questions and know how you plan on answering them. Never, ever get confrontational.

The most important thing: be at the polling location all day during the primary election in May. Make a little handout for the voters, shake a lot of hands, and ask for votes. If you are running for a position (like school board or mayor) that has multiple polling locations, make sure you have someone at each place all day. Give them handouts and make sure they know your positions in case someone asks.

Best wishes! If you win the primary, get ready to do it all over again in the general election in November.


Let me know if you have any questions. I'm an elected official and I’m glad to help!

[Paradigm]

If you're interested in running for office this year, petition packets are available at your county election office this Friday (2/13)!

[bloomautomatic]

Paradigm, what office are you gonna run for?

Vince

[Paradigm]

I'm finishing up my first term as a borough councilman. I'm running for re-election.

Our borough has had a balanced budget for 27 straight years. I gotta do my part to keep that streak going! Woohoo!

[bloomautomatic]

how big is the boro?

i'm probably going to run for our boro council, but with 500 people in the town, and council members who don't want to show up now, it shouldn't be too hard to get on.

vince

[Paradigm]

Best wishes on your run! It's sad to see empty offices, but it's even worse to see someone give up on their duties once they are elected.

Our borough has about 8000 residents and 2200 college students.

[FFEMT128]

I too am considering running for Borough Council. From what I heard we are going to quite a number of members not seeking re-election.

[Paradigm]

There aren't too many conservatives in Allegheny County. And when you see the messes made my Onerato, Ravenstahl, and the Pgh council, the need for good candidates becomes much more clear.

If Pittsburgh continues their anti-gun rantings, expect the surrounding boroughs to follow.

[5711-Marine]

You can purchase a voter list from the State of PA here
http://www.campaignscientific.com/Pu...RequestDoS.pdf

Costs $20 and is essential if you want to target your communications to the voters in your area.

I am planning a run for Township commissioner in 2011 in a township with just under 50,000 about 5,000 in my ward.

[Paradigm]

Originally Posted by 5711-Marine

You can purchase a voter list from the State of PA here
http://www.campaignscientific.com/Pu...RequestDoS.pdf

Costs $20 and is essential if you want to target your communications to the voters in your area.

You should be able to go to your county election office and get it for free..