what is the process to get on a "november" ballot?
what forms what signatures how much cash cost of signs cost of mailing
and to cover the costs the endorsement process
and in the end is it worth $10,000
Tippy,
It depends on if the candidate is looking to run on an established party ballot line or as an independent.
If looking to run with an established party, there are party committee interviews that usually happen early in the year of the elections. Your chance of receiving the endorsement improves with the amount of cash of your own that you can commit to the race and (in my opinion) if you are willing to do the bidding of the party bosses rather than governing as an independent minded representative of the constituents.
If you are campaigning for an established party line, whether or not you are awarded the endorsement, you will have to collect signatures on Designating Petitions for that party. You need to collect a minimum of 5% of the enrolled voters in the party. Better to aim for double that number as your opponents will challenge your petitions to have them tossed out and your campaign ended. The signatures must be from registered voters in the party for which you intend to run. If the voter signs more than one petition for more than one candidate, the first one counts. The signature collection period begins in June (see the Schenectady County Board of Elections website for a political calendar).
If you intend to run on an independent ballot line, you will need to gather the signature of a minimum of 5% (again better to double that) of the number of voters in the last election for the position for which you are running. These signatures are collected beginning sometime in July on Independent Nominating Petitions. You can obtain the signatures of any registered voter in the election district who has not already signed another petition.
The petitions must stand up to scrutiny and must be notarized prior to submitting to the Board of Elections.
As for the amount of money required to run, it really depends on the office and how much of your campaign will be waged by mail. Campaign signs will run you on the order of $3 per (including the metal stand and shipping charges). The price varies by quantity ordered, number of colors, materials, etc.
The question of if it is worth the salary paid for the part-time position is one that you must answer. My contention is that if you are running for the salary, it isn't worth the time away from your family and work and the cost of campaign expenses. If, however, you are running out of a sincere desire to serve your community and represent the interests of your friends, family, neighbors, etc., the salary doesn't enter into the equation. I had pledged to donate 1/2 of my after tax salary to the volunteer fire departments and volunteer ambulance corps (DVAC) in Schenectady County District 4 had I won the election (which I didn't, of course).
I would be pleased to speak w/ you by phone to share my knowledge and experience, If you are interested, send to me a IM and I will respond with my contact information.
I should qualify my earlier post by stating that you can only petition for a party ballot line if you are an enrolled member of that party. That would result in a primary election if you are not the party endorsed candidate.
Of course, you can be awarded the backing of other parties to which you are not a member by cross-endorsement which is common for minor parties (e.g., Conservative, Independent, Working Families, etc.) in this region. In such a case, you would be required to collect signatures of enrolled party members on Designating Petitions for that party also.
starting on the month of june reps for reps 5% 0f 6017 or 301 dems for dems 5% of 7396 or 369 con for con 5% of 1197 or 60 ind for ind 5% of 1074 or 54 wor for wor 5% of 152 or 8 grn for grn 5% of 30 or 2
how many days to collect??? 30, 45, 60???
starting in the month of july unsigned reps, dems, con, ind, wor, grn and all remaining blanks for blanks
Supervisor 5% of 8166 or 409 Town Clerk 5% of 7658 or 383 town board seat 1 5% of 7405 or 371 town board seat 2 5% of 7171 or 359 Justice 5% of 7195 or 360 Highway Super 5% of 3914 or 196 Rec of Tax 5% of 6141 or 307
how many days to collect??? 30, 45, 60???
this seems weighted against the person running on the "sincere desire to serve your community and represent the interests of your friends, family, neighbors, etc.,"
how about donation limits or the spending of one's own cash
Talking to each other is better than talking about each other
I should qualify my earlier post by stating that you can only petition for a party ballot line if you are an enrolled member of that party. That would result in a primary election if you are not the party endorsed candidate.
You may indeed petition for the ballot line of a party to which you do not belong despite the lack of an authorization...it's called a write-in...for which such a candidate may file an Opportunity to Ballot petition.
Logged
