You’ve heard us talk about how to stay involved in your local community politics: register to vote, research your local reps, and so many other easy steps you can follow. But maybe, you want to go a step further. Really be in the mix and be the change maker. Well, then you can run for office!
But how do you become a politician?
First – Know your district.
Who lives in your district? Who goes out and votes? You’re going to want to make sure you are attending community events, meeting your neighbors and listening to what they want. This could be a service project, town hall, or local organization meeting. This seems pretty obvious, but you never know if your competitors are out there or not. This will allow you to know what you’re getting into and who you will be representing. So, get out there and show the people you care!
Second – You’ll need to learn what you’re getting yourself into it.
There are organizations that focus on training up and coming politicians, like Emily’s List. They provide training, specifically for women, so new faces can join the political circles. Do some research in your local community to see what sort of sort of organizations are close and offer help for newbies in the field. You could also try volunteering at an organization that focuses on some of the issues you find most important or want to learn about. This way you get not only training on the actual processes of running and best practices, but also you’re getting a chance to learn about the issues facing your local community and meet key stakeholders working to solve the problems.
Third – Know your support group
This process is going to be extremely stressful and tiring. Long hours and endless nights are definitely what await you, but no one seems to talk about this side of the experience. This is something you’ll need to have from the moment you launch your campaign to those final moments. They will not only be your support system during the campaign, they will hopefully be with you regardless of the outcome of the race!
Lastly – Ask for help
If you haven’t realized by now, this job is going to be extremely difficult! You’re going to need all the help you can get. This could be your friends, family, or people you meet in the community. Whether you’re good at asking for help or you’re someone who finds it difficult to, you’re going to need to look to your support group and really find those people who can be there when you need them most. This could be for a work emergency or when you just need someone to be there with you.
-By J.A
-Edited by K.J