This year, Operation Clean Government’s will host its 5th-biannual Candidate School session. The Candidate School was originated in 2002 by Bruce Lange, founding chairman of Operation Clean Government, and has been conducted in every election year since. Governor Donald Carcieri and former Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey attended the inaugural session. Providence Mayor David Cicilline is an alum, along with Cranston Mayor Alan Fung. Independent Senator Ed O’Neill, who won an upset victory over Senate President Joseph Montalbano in the last election, was a 2008 attendee, along with Republican Representative Brian Newberry and Democrat Representative Deborah Ruggerio. They also beat incumbents in 2008. This year all three will be members of a panel in the afternoon session, How to Beat an Entrenched-Incumbent, a first time offering on the curriculum.
Like OCG, the Candidate School is non-partisan with a focus on local and state office races. It is suited for both candidates and campaign workers.
2010 is shaping up to be an extraordinary election year. The rise of the Tea Party movement, the disastrous economy, high unemployment figures, the surprise win by Scott Brown in Massachusetts and the overall anti-incumbent mood just about everywhere have awakened the people, motivating action to change the direction in which our state and country is moving. Already OCG has double the applicants to Candidate School than at the same time two years ago — and that was before the bulk of the registrations which usually happen in the last week prior to the event, so record turnout is expected, especially since there may be more primary contests in 2008. There are many first-time participants in the political arena ready to take an active roll in changing government in Rhode Island.
Citizens new to the political process can be overwhelmed at first by the requirements and challenges involved in seeking office. Our program gives these citizen activists the tools they need to run a successful campaign, with topics ranging from the nuts and bolts of filing, to setting up the structure of a campaign and raising funds, to background on key issues, to developing a message and using the media, the web and social networking to deliver that message and target potential voters. Two workshops are dedicated to minority and women candidates.
The registration fee is $95 which includes a full breakfast, lunch, coffee breaks and a comprehensive manual on campaign know how. The Date is Saturday, March 6, all day at the Quonset ‘O’ Club in North Kingstown. Registration closes on February 28. Click on the link here to learn more details and sign up on line.