How do I influence my local political community and create change on the ground?
I've become more and more upset with how my township and city politicians conduct themselves. I've always voted in major and minor elections, but never really paid much attention to my local leaders. I fear this has been a mistake as much of what affects my everyday life seems to stem from my local leaders.
It may be too late for this election cycle, but I'd like to pave the way to make a larger impact in the next few years.
That probably means a few things:
- Get more involved in my local community meetings and political functions today.
- Build my name up as someone who cares and would like to make things better.
- Lay a foundation for running for a local office in 2022
Now, I have no idea really how to do any of that. I could probably put together a piecemeal approach that may work, but I'd prefer to get advice from others who have tread similar ground in the past. Is the above the right approach? Am I missing anything? And how would you put together a comprehensive plan to achieve this?
Thanks in advance!
Answers ( 1 )
You have a good start:
-Get more involved in my local community meetings and political functions today.
-Build my name up as someone who cares and would like to make things better.
-Lay a foundation for running for a local office in 2022
What you appear to be missing right now is action. You have to start somewhere, so get going!
Attend City Council meetings, County Board of Supervisor meetings, get involved with your local Chamber of Commerce, Parks and Recreation, school board, local transportation council, utilities- you need to spend a year or so learning everything you can about how your community works- and doesn't. Take copious notes, but don't try to solve issues yet- right now, you need far more information than you have. Talk to interest groups outside your own areas of concern; for instance, what are the problems being encountered by the building trades in your area? What are the problems residents encounter when applying for needed permits for improvement of property? Does your waste management agency support actual recycle, or does all collected materials short of mulch material go into the same container truck once past the eyes of citizens? How's your water? Learn about it- find out how to access past council minutes and read them- learn what problems were, what solutions were implemented, and then do the legwork to discover if it worked.
So, now you have a head full of knowledge wbout how things work where you live, and it is time to consider playing your part in the process. Step One: Clean up your on-line life. Your life, once you decide to step into politics, is going to be examined minutely by those who run against you, do not agree with you, simply do not like any politicians- just be prepared for all of the details of your life to be found by someone, if that someone desires.
Step Two: Make your self new, "candidate-ready" social media accounts- Facebook, Twitter, Instagram right now- and keep them going even if just to say, "Hang in there! It will get better!" Tell people about yourself in a friendly, non-politicized manner. Pics or it isn't happenning. Use these sites later, when you need to communicate with-- everyone.
Step Three: You need to be certain what you stand for on all the myriad of sides involved in all that learning about your community, and the good and bad in it. You need to start writing out your "planks" so that. when you announce your candidacy, you know what your platform is- and what those you wnat to vote for you are concerned about.
Step Four: Examine the various council/board positions which interest you; learn the parameters of the seat, the relative strengths and weaknesses of the person there now, and consider how strong the ties of that person to the movers and shakers in your city already are. This is politics, now- trying to unseat someone who is relatively harmless, but is related to three other people holding and office or position, plus has strong working relationships with business leaders- well, you might not have enough ooommph! to unseat that person. Be picky- be a hunter: Pick the weak spot.
Step Five: Start holding focus meetings on different planks of your platform at least nine months before the election. Use your Facebook page to hold "virtual" meet and greets, Q&As, "townhall" meetings. Let people know who you are, and what you stand for- Hint: the most important quality you stand for is listening to your fellow citizens.
Step Six: Throw your hat in the ring. Pick out some Lieutenants and design your yard signs. You're going to run for office.
I have watched two people I knew run for- and achieve- office on a City Council. One, a strong business man, campaigned effectively about the business oportunities of the area and gained a seat on the Council where he was so pro-business, people began to dislike him. He voted down all recreational matters, problems people had with a somewhat predatory cable/internet company, all spending bills which did nothing concrete for what he considered to be "important" businesses, and was dismissive of fellow citizens who questioned his seemingly "instinctive" conclusions on issues. He went on next cycle to run for Mayor, lost badly, and has drifted away from anything not in his own baliwick.
He is not missed. He didn't want to work for his fellow citizens, he wanted to be The Boss.
The other person had a small business, herself, campaigned in a low-key but blanketing manner, spoke persuasively of what she wanted to see our little town like in a decade, even two decades, and listed the questions she wanted consitituents to answer so she could work for them. She won in a landslide- which surprised me, but there she is, sitting on City Council, making a difference in her community.
In conclusion, you've got some work to do, lots to learn, and you need to practice the humility needed to hold a seat as a public servant- because that's what you want to be.