Registrars Offering Workshops On How To Run For Office

By John Voket

Maybe you can go to 7-Eleven to get a Slushee this summer, but on 7/11, as well as next Thursday, June 28, eligible voters can attend a workshop that might help them get a spot on the ballot for elected office in the fall. The workshops will be held in the Alexandria Room at Edmond Town Hall beginning promptly at 7 pm.

Having just served on the Charter Revision Commission, Registrar of Voters LeReine Frampton said she experienced an extreme amount of exposure to residents and even elected officials who believe Newtowners are not given enough choices to motivate them to go out to the polls and vote in local elections.

“Many people, I’ve heard, feel many of the positions are appointed, so why should they bother voting?” she said. “We’re hoping these workshops help attract everyone into the process who is even thinking about running for elected office.”

Registrar Karen Aurelia said most major party candidates are nominated for positions on the ballot during their party caucus. The Democratic and Republican caucuses will be set between July 17 and 24.

“But in reality, anyone who is eligible to vote in Newtown can become a candidate for any office on the ballot,” Ms Aurelia said.

“We think this November there will be many openings due to lack of incumbents,” she said. “We want to fill the ballot and give people choices.”

Participants at the workshop will learn many of the elementary rules for participating in the election process, and go home with a kit containing printed information, web resources, and many of the forms and information they may require to participate in the process.

Ms Frampton said getting on the local ballot can be accomplished through a simple petition process that may involve getting as few as 40 or 50 qualified signatures.

“It involves obtaining a percentage of the total votes cast for that same office in the last election, and the turnout in the last election was very low,” she said. “That means the number of signatures for most offices this year will be very low if anyone chooses to petition for that slot.”

Both registrars say they have never heard of a community offering what amounts to a “How to Get Elected” workshop before.

“We thought the idea had merit because we need to do something to get more people involved in elected offices,” Ms Aurelia said. “Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t get involved because they don’t know what is involved. And it is actually quite easy to become a part of the process.”

Ms Frampton said residents are welcome to go to regular biweekly or monthly meetings to learn how boards and commissions function, but even those who belong to one of the two major political parties may not be fully aware of what’s involved, and the support system that is already in place to get candidates on the local ballot.

“We want everyone out there to know that there is plenty of help available for aspiring candidates at the local level,” she said. “It is not as overwhelming as they might think.”

Given the level of attention certain local matters have been getting in recent months, they are hoping the turnout for these information sessions will include anyone who is interested in making a difference in their neighborhood, their school, and their community.

“Anybody can go — it’s open to anybody,” Ms Frampton said. She suggested the workshop may also be helpful to those participating in minor political parties. And the registrars hope people who ran for elected office before will go to help answer questions from newcomers, as well as to learn about the latest rules and regulations that might not have been in place when they ran previously.

“Campaign finance reform has created some fundamental changes in the way candidates can raise money and the way it must be reported to the state,” Ms Aurelia said. “So even those who have been there, done that could learn a thing or two about recent laws related to running for office.”

She said going to the workshop does not mean a person has to run.

“It’s always good to have the information if you’re thinking of running in the future, or if a spouse or friend has talked about possibly running,” she said.

Ms Frampton said since there is not a lot of notice for the first workshop, the registrars are hoping the July 11 workshop will give everybody who needs information the chance to get it.

“They can even go to both if the first one prompts any questions,” she said. Following the first workshop, any questions from attendees, or those planning to attend just the July 11 workshop can be submitted to registrars office in advance, so the necessary answers can be provided to everyone attending.

“It’s just information, and there is no further obligation on the part of anyone attending, so residents only need to come with questions or a desire to learn about running for public office,” Ms Frampton said.

“We aren’t even going to ask attendees to identify themselves if they don’t feel comfortable — we want to make this as comfortable and inclusive as possible,” Ms Aurelia added.

Attendees to one or both registrars’ election workshops must be eligible to vote in Newtown to attend the free session. Anyone wishing to attend who has not yet registered to vote in Newtown may register at the session.

For more information, contact the registrars’ office Tuesday–Thursday between 8 am and 2 pm at 270-4250.