by Karen Brune Mathis
Managing Editor
Disappearing yard signs. Volunteers who are sympathetic to an opponent. Volumes of questionnaires. Sunshine Laws.
First-time candidates for public office should be aware of those issues and dozens more, advised a panel of four newly elected Northeast Florida graduates of the Jacksonville Regional Political Leadership Institute.
Once those officials take office, there are many more lessons to be learned.
“I never thought that dog poop on the beach was such a big issue,” said Philip Green, who was elected in November to the Municipal Service District of Ponte Vedra Beach, Seat 1.
“What the people who live in my district care about is very different than what I thought it would be,” Green said Thursday at the monthly meeting of institute members.
Green is the only graduate of the institute, part of the Jacksonville Chamber Foundation, to have taken office already and the only one to have had no opposition.
Three others who were elected to Jacksonville City Council and take office July 1 also took part in the discussion.
Greg Anderson was elected in a runoff in the May 17 general election to the At-Large Group 4 seat. Lori Boyer won the District 5 seat in the first election March 22. Jim Love won the District 14 seat in a general election runoff as well. All are Republicans.
All graduated from the chamber’s nonpartisan political institute, which is designed to educate potential candidates for public office about campaigning, issues and leadership. Ten of the institute graduates were on the spring ballot in Duval County.
The institute, part of the Jacksonville Chamber Foundation Inc., began its classes in 2009 and the current class is the third.
The institute consists of 78 members of the three classes.
Each enrolls about 25 students. They begin with a two-day leadership school and continue with half-day quarterly meetings as well as monthly meetings. Workshops and networking opportunities also are offered.
The four-member panel met with about 45 graduates and current members of the institute to share their campaign insights. Another successful graduate is Mayor-elect Alvin Brown, a Democrat who is preparing to take over from Republican Mayor John Peyton.
“You truly are the future,” institute Executive Board Chair Mike Hightower told the panelists and members. “It will be different because you have stepped up. You will be setting the mood, setting the direction, setting the bar.”
Hightower set his own mark. “Four years from now, my goal is that 50 percent of the City Council and school board will be PLI graduates,” he said.
The panelists were asked to share their campaign insights.
“You have to start early,” said Love, who came in second in the first election to make the runoff. Love said he started to think about seeking office eight years ago and launched his campaign July 1, 2010.
“Start now,” he advised aspiring candidates. “Work in your community. Do something. Even if you don’t run, make a difference now.”
Anderson, who also came in second to make the runoff, brought a list of lessons learned.
“You will be taken completely out of your comfort zone,” he said of campaigning. “You will find out who your friends are.”
Anderson also talked about the dedication that’s needed.
“When you’re running the first time, you’re all in,” he said, adding another point. “Once you’re in the runoff, it starts all over.”
He also stressed the need to walk the district, regardless of how large it is. He ran for an At-Large seat, which covers the entire county.
“If you run,” he said, “you better walk.”
Boyer said meeting the district constituents was paramount, and also said that building a support team of management and volunteers was essential.
“In my case, if you didn’t have a significant grassroots effort, you won’t win,” she said.
Boyer also said she tried to complete all of her fundraising in personal meetings so that she could meet with constituents to discuss issues.
“My meet-and-greets weren’t to raise money. My meet-and-greets were to raise votes,” she said.
Green emphasized the need to know and follow the Sunshine Law, referring to Florida’s open-meetings law as well as the public records.
He said he leaned over at a meeting to speak to another member and was called out on it.
Green advised the institute members to realize that as an elected official, “everything I say and every action is to be scrutinized.”
“Think about that,” he said. “Everything you do can be anybody’s business if they want it to be.”
The candidates also were asked their comments about proposals to move the spring elections to November. Love said that walking door-to-door is better done during daylight.
“In November, it makes it a little bit harder,” he said.
Boyer said spring is more reasonable to find volunteers. Anderson said it would be more difficult to differentiate yourself as a candidate in a more crowded November election.
Among their individual observations:
Anderson: Have thick skin. Make sure your family and employer are “110 percent” in support of your effort. Teams are important. Thank your volunteers. Fundraising is hard and “you will quickly run through your family and friends.” Grassroots work is essential. He decided upfront not to go negative on his opponents.
Boyer: Research your district and the voting patterns during past races. Use your intuition and rely on your gut instincts. Assemble an 8-10 person “kitchen cabinet” to use for advice. Expect the campaign to be a full-time endeavor. Don’t expect any consultant to run and manage your entire campaign and don’t expect anyone to raise money for you or to run your calendar. While walking the district is important, women are told not to walk alone, so finding a companion who can take the time to join you is a factor to consider.
Green: It’s important to understand the dynamics of the organization you will serve. The media will see the news differently than the elected official. “I have three reporters who cover the meetings and all three write very differently about the exact same circumstances.”
Love: Love said a good political consultant is critical and repeated often that he used consultant John Daigle. To find a consultant, Love suggested candidates “find out who won and who they used.” He also said to keep a list of the names, addresses and emails of people who want to support your campaign with time or money. Then ask them. He also said that by walking the district, you will discover the real issues in your community. It was clear that his constituents were concerned about jobs and the economy.
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Elected officials weigh in
A panel of four Jacksonville Regional Political Leadership Institute graduates who were recently elected to their first seats offered insights into specific areas.
•Endorsements: Greg Anderson said they are important, but realize you likely won’t get them all. Other panelists said that it was surprising that some endorsements did not result in much help, such as a membership mailing list or with donations.
•Public disclosure: Philip Green said he wasn’t prepared for the public disclosure that is required. Love was surprised as well. “I was totally blown away that I had to do that, but you have to do that.”
•Money: You need it. Probably lots of it. “You will never raise enough money (to satisfy) your campaign manager,” said Anderson. “You have to raise money,” said Jim Love.
•Runoffs: Love said that just because a candidate came in second in the initial election to make the runoff doesn’t mean he or she won’t win the general election. Both he and Anderson came in second and prevailed in the general election, as did Brown.
•Questionnaires: “Do every single survey,” said Love. Lori Boyer said to be aware they take time. “You will be surprised at the amount of time it takes and the number of questionnaires you get.”
•Signs: Don’t be surprised if you put out yard signs one day and they’re gone the next, ostensibly removed by opponents. Be sure to have the property owner’s permission before putting up a sign. Anderson said candidates might struggle to raise money for signs. “You get them all out and with so much pride and then they all go away.” Also, be sure to remove your signs after the election.
•Teamwork: Anderson said communication with your team is essential. Also, those who help with yard signs are “worth every penny.” Be careful about who volunteers however. Boyer said a relative of an opponent volunteered. “We were careful when someone came in we didn’t know,” she said. Love said he had “one young fella who just wanted to help” and went door-to-door. “When you win by 134 votes, he might have made the difference.”