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Political Candidate Training Seminar
On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas joined with the Arkansas Broadcasters Association to produce their biennial training seminar for candidates for public office. Thirty-nine hopefuls of all persuasions paid their fees to hear expert consultants discuss the finer points of fundraising, political communications, reporting requirements and ethics laws. Polling, get-out-the-vote techniques, the effectiveness and how-to of direct mail advertising, and social networking (Twitter, Facebook, websites, etc.) were topics of interest to all.
“We have a two-fold purpose in hosting political candidate training,” said Carmie Henry, Vice President for Governmental Affairs at the Arkansas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. “First, we have an interest in getting to know future policy makers and having them get to know the electric cooperatives a little. Secondly, we consider it a civic duty to the communities we serve to help qualified people who aspire to public service.”
Arkansas’s term limits law has enticed more and more people to seek public office. For many ordinary citizens who have never sought elective office the task can be daunting. It’s been said many times that in public life “sometimes getting the job is harder than doing the job.” This seminar is about helping first time candidates learn the ropes.
The offices the candidates are exploring ranged from county sheriff to United States Senator. Democrats, republicans, green party and independents were represented in the class. Attendees were provided with helpful hand-outs from the Secretary of State’s office and from the Arkansas Ethics Commission.
Filing for public office in Arkansas begins on March 1st and ends on March 8th. This is a departure from past election years when the last two weeks of March were the normal filing period. Primary elections will be held on May 18th and the general election is set for November 2nd.
Secretary of State’s Office – Candidate and Filing Information:
http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections.html#candidate_info
