The Harvard League of Women Voters sponsored a panel presentation Feb. 13 titled “How to Run for Office, and More.” Three incumbents on town boards shared their experiences with running for election and what their current volunteer positions mean to them.Town Clerk Marlene Kenney described the necessary steps to get on the town ballot, and Jason Tait from the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance gave examples of possible conflicts of interest and discussed what financial reports need to be filed after the election. Only a sprinkling of people attended the event, but it is available on cable TV for wider viewing.
Harvard League President Meg Bagdonas introduced the program and expressed a desire for more residents, including those new to town, to get involved in civic matters. She explained a bit about the work of the nonpartisan League, saying the group works to educate residents on local issues, and it takes a position on an issue only after extensive research and investigation. The League works to encourage participation in state and local government. Bagdonas quoted the popular adage, “Democracy is not a spectator sport,” and said the evening’s forum had grown out of the League’s desire for increased citizen engagement. She introduced state Rep. Jen Benson, who told the audience that serving on a town board is “one of the hardest and yet most important and rewarding things you can do.”
Kara Minar, current selectwoman and a 10-year Planning Board member, spoke first. She said she had worked in the Clinton White House and in the State Department. When she and her family moved to Harvard, she wasn’t planning to get involved in government, but she said she saw things she would have changed and decided to run for Planning Board. She said, “In Washington, you see things from a 5,000-foot elevation, but locally you see where the rubber hits the road.” Her involvement with the Master Plan was a memorable time on the Planning Board for her because it involved collaboration with all sorts of different groups and individuals.
Giving back
Serving in office is a way to give back to a town you love, Minar said. You discover that townspeople have a wide range of expertise, and they volunteer in a variety of activities. She said that joining a board is an excellent way to meet people and to get to know the town. Citing the need to engage new residents and more volunteers in general, she urged people to “find a position that fits your skill set.” Later Minar shared some campaign tips, saying that townwide postcard mailing is effective, with the cost about $1,200. Putting an ad in the Press, asking supporters to host neighborhood coffees, and holding signs outside the schools are all good campaign strategies.
New to town, Shannon Malloy, now a member of the Warner Free Lecture Trustees, said hers is a “cautionary tale.” She wanted to get involved in town, and learning that there was no opening on her first choice, the Library Trustees, she chose Warner. “But I wasn’t ready to run,” she said, and there were only two days to get herself on the ballot. Not knowing what steps she had to take, she contacted the League and received a lot of help on how to get signatures, file papers, and other steps in the process. So far she’s “enjoying life on Warner.” Recently she organized her first lecture and learned a great deal. She assured the audience, “Everyone sitting out there or watching, you’re more ready to run for office than I was.”
“I have the ultimate cautionary tale,” said Wyona Lynch-McWhite, explaining that she became familiar with the Parks and Recreation Commission while serving as executive director of Fruitlands Museum, when she agreed to let cross-country teams practice and have meets at Fruitlands. When asked to run for the Parks and Rec board, she was naive about its range of responsibilities. “I had no idea that it’s the board that holds all of the contentious spaces in town: the Common, the playing fields, and the pond.” What’s more, she was immediately chosen as chairwoman. She said she was unaware of the number of administrative duties and the huge time commitment. She said she learned by doing, learned from mistakes she made, and came to rely on the “amazing people” at Town Hall to help her out. She joked that people may feel kindly disposed to her now, but “they’ll hate me again over the canoes and kayaks.” On a more serious note, she said she didn’t know “all the amazing things there are about Harvard” until she got into office.
Practicalities
The next two speakers talked about the more practical aspects of running for office. “Nothing prepares you [for a position] but doing it,” said Town Clerk Kenney. She added that there are lots of resources and people to help. Kenney described three ways to get on the ballot for Town Election, to be held this year on May 8. Nomination at Town Caucus (March 24) is the most popular way to become a candidate. Another way is to take out nomination papers (due back at the town clerk’s office March 27) and collect 27 signatures that can be certified. In a question-and-answer period, Kenney said she recommends getting at least 10 percent more than 27, in case some names are illegible or otherwise noncertifiable. The least-recommended way to get elected is as a write-in candidate, which requires lining up supporters in advance and advising Kenney that you are taking this route.
Financial considerations
Tait, of the the Office of Campaign and Political Finance, said his office wants to help local campaigns understand fundraising and reportage of financial information. He said anyone with questions should feel free to call his office. He described some of the rules of campaign financing, illustrating them with lively examples. No public employee can raise funds for someone running for office—even in a different town. No soliciting of funding can take place in a public building. A person running for election cannot use public resources (such as a copier) for his or her campaign. There can be no anonymous donors; all contributors to a campaign must give their name and address. Tait, pronouncing himself “a nerd about this,” had more information about liabilities, dark money, and dates for filing financial reports. “Call my office,” he said again.
In the question-and-answer period that followed, Sharon McCarthy of West Bare Hill Road asked if a town could hold two caucuses, perhaps two weeks apart, so people could see what vacancies remained and maybe be motivated to run. Kenney said a town can have only one caucus, and she would post the results immediately. She added that she will soon post a list of incumbents who do not plan to run this spring.
Willow Road resident Brint Ferguson asked the panelists for their opinions on the Charter Commission’s proposal to change some elected positions to appointed ones. Both Minar and Lynch-McWhite said most boards should remain elected, Lynch-McWhite saying that it was the fact of having been elected that made her willing to work so hard.
Clarifying how the caucus works, Kenney said that it is the top two candidates nominated at the caucus who are on the ballot. She also said that someone voting for a write-in candidate doesn’t need the write-in candidate’s name and address spelled correctly, as long as the clerk can recognize the intended name.
Bagdonas thanked the participants and urged people to run for office. She ended by saying, “Let’s start having some contested offices.”
