Run in Politics, Don’t Just March

A peaceful march is only one way of getting your voice heard. After the Women’s March on January 21, 2017, there has been a surge of more women seeking elected office nationwide. Diverse women are now building the groundwork to enable them to run for seats at all levels of government – school board, city council, state offices and Congress. The increasing number of diverse women entering politics sends a major signal to female political operatives: don’t just march, run.

Here are several ways to run as Maryland approaches 2018 elections:

1. Run a political campaign

Politics Within Politics (PWP) previously featured a number of national organizations that provide training for campaign management. Vote Run Lead (VRL) is our top pick because it makes its training accessible online. This means political operatives can take the training at their own leisure. The online resources cover topics such as what offices women should run for, communications, fundraising, and when women should decide to run.

2. Run a fundraising committee

Close the gender gap on political campaign donations by chairing a fundraising committee for a candidate that aligns with your values. Research conducted by She Should Run found a large disparity in political giving between men and women in 2010. Despite the gap in donations, trends show women tend to be successful political fundraisers because they are strong relationship builders. Get tips on how to start fundraising from the Local Victory.

3. Run a voter registration drive
   

Political operatives can focus on registering eligible voters before next year. As of January 31, 2017, the Montgomery County Board of Elections reported 44,672 inactive voter registrations. This provides ample opportunities to reach registrants who may not have participated in any election in the previous years, updated or confirmed their voter record, or provided a deliverable address. Learn about the voting process from the League of Women Voters of Montgomery County Maryland.  The League is also equipped with information for volunteers new to voter registration and other civic engagement efforts.

4. Run to become a precinct captain
   

Voter turnout in elections is broken down by precincts, which are designated locations within a county or township of voters. The political party elects precinct captains that are involved in increasing voter turnout, expanding party membership, and conducting local, county, and statewide party activities. Precinct captains serve as the liaison between their precinct voters and the political party.

If you are interested in becoming a precinct captain with the Democratic party, volunteer resources are available from the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee: http://www.mcdcc.org/precinct-organization/

For the Republican party, please contact the Montgomery County Republican Central Committee directly for more information at (301) 417-9256, or via email: info@mcgop.com. Volunteer resources were not available on the MCRCC website.

Do you have other ways to run in politics? Share it with PWP via Twitter @politicswithin, #politicswithin

About Tonia Bui

Tonia Bui is currently a strategic communications consultant. Most recently, she served as treasurer for the Hoan Dang for County Council campaign in Montgomery County. Tonia previously served as the Communications Director for the Nguyen for Delegate Campaign (VA-67) in 2013 and led the Asian American voter outreach efforts for the Darcy Burner for Congress Campaign (WA-08) in 2008. Her efforts to build stakeholder engagement stems from her experiences serving as the Member Outreach Assistant to Vice Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA-34). She also previously worked for U.S. Senator Barack Obama (IL-13) and California Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (CA-12). Her work has been published by the Harvard Asian American Policy Review and cited by scholars of the political science textbook, Campaigns on the Cutting Edge. Tonia holds a Master in Public Policy from American University and a B.A. in Mass Communications and Gender & Women’s Studies from the University of California, Berkeley. Read more of Tonia's blog Politics Within Politics.

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