‘What about YOU?’

By Ronica Shannon
Register News Writer

November 15, 2008 06:26 pm

— Many people shy away from entering a political race because they assume they are not qualified or do not have enough time, said Elizabeth Crowe, president of the League of Women Voters of Berea and Madison County.
The league is hosting a workshop for those who may have a misconception of what it takes to run for a political office.
“Running for Office: What about YOU?” is a public workshop being sponsored by the league and the Kentucky Institute of Public Government and Civic Engagement at Eastern Kentucky University.
The workshop delves into the process of running for public office, will help participants find motivation and teach them the nuts and bolts and strategies used to run for government office.
The event will be conducted Saturday, Nov. 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Perkins Building on the Eastern Kentucky University campus. Registration and breakfast begin at 8:30 a.m., cost is $20 or $5 for students with a valid EKU student identification card.
Mary Sue Helm will be representing the office of Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson. Helm will be able to explain all legal requirements for filing candidacy.
Dale Emmons of Emmons and Co., a Kentucky political consultant group, will help those interested in creating creative campaign strategies.
Guest speakers will include: Eleanor Jordan, former Kentucky senator and current executive director of the Kentucky Commission on Women, a panel of elected officials from central Kentucky; District Judge Brandy Oliver Brown; Richmond City Commissioner Robert Blythe; Madison County Clerk Billy Gabbard; and Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Council member Linda Gorton.
“We’re studying political history, focusing on specific cases where women and people of color have run for office, the social context and why they won or lost,” said Women and African-Americans in Politics professor Meta Mendel-Reyes of Berea College. “It’s a wonderful thing to see these young people to get excited about our electoral history and current politics, and feel that they themselves could run for office someday.”
The younger generation is provided with very little information about formal civics education, Crowe said.
“Not enough children have a positive or accurate view of the importance or relevance of the role of government,” she said. “As a result, they don’t often see the link between everyday life choices and events.
“What job might be available when they get out of school? Can they afford to buy a house? Are they inheriting a clean environment or a hundred-billion-dollar deficit that their generation will have to repay? What will happen if they get sick and don’t have health insurance? Will there be a military draft and local, state or federal policies? It is critical that our youth understand these connections and the power they have to influence government leaders and policy decisions. Their voices and their votes are just as legitimate and valuable as those of older people.”
The fact that the November elections are over is no reason to put the importance of civic action on the back burner, according to league member Jeanne Hibberd.
“We think this is a good time to build on the excitement of the presidential election displayed by so many people and encourage more people to think about running for office themselves,” Hibberd said.
“This workshop is open to anyone who is either mildly curious about what it takes to run for office, or has already decided they want to throw their name in the hat for the next election,” said Joe Gershtenson, director of EKU’s Kentucky Institute of Public Governance and Civic Engagement. “We’re hoping for a good turnout.”
Visit the league’s Web site at www.lwvbmc.org to print off a registration form and mail it along with the registration fee to: League of Women Voters of Berea and Madison County, PO Box 254, Berea, KY 40403.
Call Crowe at 985-0641 or send an e-mail to lwvbmc@yahoo.com for more details.

Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.