Odd numbered years mean municipal elections. Counties and cities will be holding elections for executives, mayors, commissioners, councils, supervisors, auditors, school directors, and other local offices. Each one has many elected officials with varying degrees of influence. Although there are usually contested races in the larger municipalities for offices such as County Commissioner or Mayor, many of the offices in smaller municipalities often go uncontested and sometimes without any candidates for the post! This is usually because the posts are part-time and offer no pay or a minimal stipend for attending meetings. There is no easier method by which to influence the established order than by carefully identifying the offices for which there are no challengers and becoming a candidate yourself.
Nearly all municipal offices require no special qualifications.
Becoming a municipal official offers an advantage in that an elected official automatically receives greater attention from other elected officials at all levels. Elected officials respect the fact that other elected officials have been chosen by a constituency whose viewpoints they purportedly represent. It can also be a stepping-stone to higher office.
Right now is a particularly good time to be seeking office for the first time.
Voters are restless and want change! They are willing to support someone new to government. Now is the time to evaluate if you may wish to become an elected advocate! Begin by contacting your county voter/elections administration office to determine what public offices will be on the ballot in your municipality. Pay close attention to deadlines.
Some of the information for this article was provided courtesy of Senator Roy C. Afflerbach, Ret., Treasurer of the Humane PA PAC.