On Saturday July 12, the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce hosted a “Candidate School” and invited all eight of the listed candidates. The agenda started at 8:30, ended at 5:30 followed up by a cocktail reception at a nearby restaurant. Seven of the eight Council candidates showed up, plus a school district board candidate as well as a candidate for the local water district. The first two hours were devoted to how to run and think about campaigning. The hours that followed had to do with how to get your message out, targeting voters, etc. By the end of the day, we had all gotten to know each other a bit better. Given we are going to be together for the next few months, I’d say that was an important first step.
Your servant, to the right of the woman in pink. And yes, that's my photo on the wall, lower right as this is the Chamber of Commerce, and I just ended my term as Chair. :-)
I remember when I was in college and the professor would hand out the syllabus first thing. We’d spend the first class reviewing it…and I’d get anxious. When you see how much work you have in front of you, it’s intimidating. That’s how yesterday felt at the campaign school. It’s not like I haven’t been thinking about all of this, but it somehow becomes very real when someone is explaining it to you.
One of the things that was hammered into our heads yesterday was how important walking precincts is. A person could probably win a campaign doing only three things: (1) Walking, (2) having yard signs, (3) doing well in the candidate forums. I have been building my precinct walk lists for several weeks, so today, Sunday July 13, I decided to go out and walk for the first time. Since the election is in November, this is VERY early (I’m told most voters don’t pay attention to candidates until after labor day). However, if one is interested in walking a decent percentage of the city, you have to start early.
The information on my list had addresses with names, birthdates, political party and if they vote at the polls or vote by mail. My very first home was an apartment. The woman had never had a candidate knock on her door. She was extremely nice and happens to work at a local company that makes, among other things, buttons. As I need campaign buttons, I asked her to email me the details. How’s that for networking! I only walked for about two hours as I didn’t have the supplies with me to keep going. It’s a fun, if not time a consuming experience. I saw three neighborhoods of Mountain View that I had never seen before. And when you tell someone you’re a candidate, they’re very fast to talk with you. I think I’m going to like this!
The window to become an “official” candidate opens tomorrow. I have an appointment with the City Clerk to receive my packet and get instructions on how to get the requisite signatures from registered voters to be put on the ballot. Also, and I learned this yesterday, that I have to write the ballot statement as part of the process. You know, that short paragraph you read when you’re deciding who to vote for when you’ve never met the person? Yeah, that. It has to be fewer than 200 words. One of the consultants yesterday called it the most important 200 words you’ll ever write as many folks decide who they will vote for based on that. Eeks.
So wish me luck as the campaign goes live, officially. For those who have been following my diaries, you know it’s been a long process so far! And it’s only beginning!!!
I appreciate your help in getting out the word and any contributions you can make. Nobody wins an election by themselves.
Website: www.mountainviewken.com
Donations: CLICK HERE!!
Facebook: Ken Rosenberg for Mountain View City Council
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~Ken