To Run or Not to Run

Some run for local public office without ever taking stock of their skills and experience. Others decide on a whim and file at the last minute. What about holding public office appeals to you? If it is prestige and/or money, know that voters see through candidates in politics for the wrong reasons. But if a passion for, and belief in, change drives you, that passion can sustain a credible campaign.

Candidates face challenging questions, so how comfortable are you with that? Does mastering unanticipated situations energize and excite you? Building a solid foundation for a strong campaign consumes more time than you can imagine, so are you ready to give it the required 18-month preparation? If you are, know that the most visible months are the final six, but it is the groundwork done in the first 12 that shows off the last six to best advantage as you emerge a real contender in the eyes of voters.

Running for the Right Reasons

“Being in local government is all about making a difference in people’s lives.”

Jim Thompson, (former) City Manager, Casa Grande, Arizona

Do Jim Thompson’s words ring true to you? Local candidates can run for office for good reasons both personal and public. Among public ones are a wish to make their communities better places to live and work; to see projects through or make certain improvements; to improve how local government works; to protect quality of life. Whatever the reason, they believe that they are the right people for the job. So what are your reasons?

As you work toward your right decision, consider this from Donald Rumsfeld:

"We know, there are known knowns; there are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns -- the ones we don't know we don't know."

Donald Rumsfeld, (former) US Defense Secretary

The message lies between the lines: Knowing what you do not know is best because it spurs you to search for answers. To sort what you know from what you do not, follow this critiquing procedure before ever setting foot on the campaign trail.

Answering Preliminary Questions.

Now consider these thought-provoking questions to help you learn what underpins your decision to run, or not. There is no right or wrong answer. Take your time. Be honest. Anything short results in a decision based on faulty notions.

• What prompts me to consider a run for office? A thoughtful answer is essential because throughout your campaign, you can expect to be asked it many times by media, potential contributors, and voters. The importance of your answer cannot be overstated.

Begin by asking yourself how you will serve the community once in office. Make a

list of issues that excite you. Tally up your personal, professional and civic qualifications. Then define your personal, professional, civic qualifications and how they relate to success in the

office you seek.

• Do I have the fire in the belly? Feeling an obligation to seek the office held by his brother, Jack, and sought by his brother Bobby, Ted Kennedy threw his hat in the presidential ring in 1980. But his true passion lay in being US Senator from Massachusetts, and it surfaced on national television. He lacked the fire in the belly, an essential for success on the campaign trail. Voters sense it and know when it is missing. If you alone contemplate your run for office, do you have the fire? If another is urging you to run, he or she may have the fire, but do you? Only you know the answer.

• Will I be a one-issue candidate? Years ago a well-known basketball coach retired from the University of Washington and was drafted to run for city council of the city where he lived. He ran on one issue only, name recognition, and won by a solid margin. Once in office though, he arrived at each week’s council meeting unprepared, agenda packet still sealed. Those who voted for him and the overall community lost with him in office.

One issue candidates find it tough to get traction and are frequently unsuccessful as elected officials. Often they lose interest in the sea of issues they face, grow bored, and avoid

meetings. Many resign before their terms expire.

• Do I dislike the incumbent? In 2011, an incumbent mayor of a mid-sized city in Washington State was challenged by a sitting council member. The council member filed against the popular mayor at the end of the last filing day only because no one had filed against the mayor. The result on Election Day: The popular mayor won by a 60/40 percent margin. The take away is that to base your campaign on dislike of the incumbent makes your race more difficult. Short of the incumbent showing obvious faults, your efforts may well be a losing one.

• Do I find the prestige or salary too attractive? If you do, look for another avocation. The fact is that when hours spent preparing for, and attending, meetings are factored in along with those spent networking with citizens, salaries paid to most local-office holders fail to meet effective minimum wage. And though prestige can be nice, but it is not a reason to seek public office.

• Will I commit to a credible campaign? If you do run for local office, run to win. Give it your all. To do any less harms you and your supporters and contributors. So will you dedicate the necessary time and personal funds to waging a credible campaign? To help you answer, consider how much time you have for campaigning in any given week. Can you devote even more time during the closing weeks of a primary and/or general election? Then ask yourself how much personal money you are willing to put toward launching your campaign, assuming that later contributions would not reimburse you.

• Do I have a sense of what I must give up to wage a effective campaign? Everyone’s day has twenty four hours, period. As a candidate you will find giving your candidacy your all at 110% will mandate you relinquish pursuits you enjoy or must undertake. Think about them early on so you can better allocate your limited time during the heat of the campaign. Note, one time requirement you must not short change yourself is limiting sleep to free up time for your campaign is getting enough sleep. Remember the old adage “A sleepy candidate is a poor candidate.”

• Is asking for help easy for me? Any credible, winning campaign has at its center a candidate who believes in him or herself, one who promotes the candidacy to everyone with confidence, especially to voters. Are you comfortable promoting yourself and asking friends and strangers alike to support you with their time, money, and votes?

• How do I handle rejection? As with any sales effort, rejection goes with the territory. In politics it comes from voters and potential contributors. Does the prospect of being rejected bother you? Do you have a thick skin? As a candidate, you can expect to have everything about you criticized, so be honest.

• What issues face my district? First list them. Then rank each issue either hot or sleeper, meaning one that may heat up later. Include appropriate regional and national issues which may affect your district. Form your position on each and how you will deal with it if elected.

• What is the potential political climate? How will contested, up-ballot races affect voter turnout? Will high turnout in the general election help or hinder my candidacy? Will up-ballot candidates from my party help or hinder me? Will political activist groups, like the Tea Party, alter voter mix? Has a major political scandal occurred pushing the electorate to the political left to aid progressive candidates.

Are voters satisfied with the direction of government in general and my district in particular? Or is my community so agitated that change is expected? Might I be a part of that change?

• What happens after I win? Assuming the office you seek is part-time, how many hours are devoted to performing duties of the office? For a realistic answer, contact current and/or past office holders, or the top manager in the city, county, or school district in which you may run. Or contact the state association representing the jurisdiction.

Does the office require advance training or certification? Will I receive financial

compensation? For example: Are travel expenses reimbursed for trips to out-of-town.

• Does my family support my decision to run? Anything less than complete support from your family limits your effectiveness as a candidate. So if you decide to run, ask them first if you have their full support.

The Take Away

Congratulations on finishing this rigorous, thought provoking exercise. If you determined that voters and the community at large benefit with you in office, you have a solid basis to run. If you confirmed that you have the experience, temperament, and desire to serve your community, then pursue your chosen office. Good luck!