It’s not that I want to lose in November, but we need more candidates to bring a constant stream of new ideas and fresh viewpoints to the table. In our last election, we only had five candidates for four At Large seats; and two ward seats were completely unopposed. A little healthy competition should help our elected officials avoid being complacent.
These are the main steps to run for a local seat (city council or school committee):
- Sign up at City Hall on June 23rd, 24th or 25th (2 minutes)
- Get 50-100 Voter Signatures from July 1st -11th (an hour or two)
- Make a flyer and walk neighborhoods in the fall (a few hours each weekend)
- Get your friends and supporters to vote on November 4th
There are other minor steps along the way, but those are the important ones. Perhaps the best way to fully prepare for a local campaign is by attending the Operation Clean Government Candidate School. This completely non-partisan event is scheduled for Saturday at Rhode Island College. You can learn more, or register at http://www.ocgri.org/operation-clean-government-candidate-school-2014-press-release/. And again, it’s a non-partisan organization. They help everyone regardless of political stripe: Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Socialist, Independent, Tea Party, even Unaffiliated candidates.
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If you can’t make the OCG event, check out the RI Secretary of State’s booklet “How to Run for Office 2014”. See http://sos.ri.gov/documents/elections/RunForOffice2014.pdf . It covers all of the critical deadlines.
Newport has the potential to diversify and strengthen our economy. Tourism has been very good to us, and has fostered many small-business opportunities. But with the right leadership, we can expand in the areas of technology and engineering, providing stable, year-round employment. This type of expansion would be beneficial to all, including our tourism-based businesses.
Find out what's happening in Newportfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
There are great opportunities in front of us - but we need smart, curious and motivated individuals to serve on the city council. We could use your voice and your common sense in working toward solutions.
All seven City Council positions are up for grabs this year - Four (4) At-Large seats, and three (3) Ward seats. If you don’t know your ward (and it’s OK if you don’t), just call the Canvasser’s Office in City Hall. They can tell you your ward very quickly. Or find your home on the map used by the Canvasser’s Office: http://www.cityofnewport.com/home/showdocument?id=2838.
The time commitment is very manageable, even for small business owners. Council Meetings are in the evening twice per month (once only in November and December). In late April and early May, there might be 2-3 evening budget workshops. Our docket paperwork is prepared seven days before each council meeting, so you can pick it up and review the issues over the weekend.
If you’ve served on a board, or followed a particular issue, or even commented on message boards, then maybe it’s time to throw your hat in the ring. You won’t regret it.
The OCG “Candidate School” is a great first step – with no commitment. It’s a one-day school which provides practical tips for running an effective local campaign. Think about attending their event this Saturday. For more information, call OCG at (401) 861-3900.
