June 27, 2008

Seminars for November Election Candidates (Potential and Committed)
“Nuts and Bolts” Seminar offered to those running or thinking about running Upcoming dates: July 1 and 26

Redwood City, CA – Potential candidates thinking of putting their name on the ballot for the November 4 Presidential General Election are encouraged to attend one of two seminars at the Elections Office to learn more about the mechanics of running for office.

“There are some important issues that candidates must consider before throwing their hat in the ring. The Candidate Seminar was designed to help demystify the process and facilitate more interest in running for office,” explained Warren Slocum, Chief Elections Officer for San Mateo County.

“This seminar is an opportunity for any candidate interested in running for offices scheduled for the November election – or any voter simply interested in the election process – to meet with key elections staff and get answers to questions about the rules, deadlines, and procedures that apply to local candidates and campaigns,” Slocum said.

With the great number of local school districts, special districts and cities with offices on the upcoming November ballot, the goal of the seminar is to help incumbents and challengers alike be more successful in an endeavor to provide leadership in San Mateo County.

The seminars for the November 4 Presidential Election will be held on Tuesday, July 1, from
5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday, July 26 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Elections Office at 40 Tower Road in San Mateo.

Potential candidates may attend either seminar. First-time candidates are strongly encouraged to attend and for those who’ve run for office before, the seminar will be a refresher course as well as the opportunity to learn about changes in laws, forms and reporting requirements and procedures. Campaign managers or other representatives of potential candidates are also welcome to attend.

Topics for the seminar will include campaign finance reports, the candidate filing process, candidate statements, important deadlines, voter registration, Vote by Mail voting, voter and precinct information, and rules and regulations governing campaign activities.
RSVP for the seminar by contacting Candidate Filing Officer Lupe Sanchez at (650) 312-5293 or lsanchez@smcare.org. Include your name, the office you are seeking, and the number of people in your party.

Offices open for election in the November 4 Presidential General include the 12th and 14th Congressional Districts; the 12th, 19th and 21st State Assembly Districts; the 11th State Senate District; City Council seats in Atherton, Colma, East Palo Alto, Hillsborough, Menlo Park and Pacifica and Council seats, City Clerk and City Treasurer posts are open in Daly City. San Mateo County Board of Education Trustee Areas 4, 5, 6, and 7 each have one office. The school districts with offices in the upcoming November election include: Bayshore School district, Brisbane Elementary School District, Cabrillo Unified School District, Jefferson Union High School District, La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District, Las Lomitas Elementary School District, Menlo Park City Elementary School District, Pacifica School District, Ravenswood City School District and South San Francisco Unified School District. Special districts with offices on the November ballot include: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, Ward #7, North Coast County Water District, Peninsula Health Care District, Pescadero Municipal Advisory Council, San Mateo County Harbor District, and Sequoia Healthcare District. This complete list can be found online in the Candidates Guide, www.shapethefuture.org/campaignresources.

For more information about the Candidate Seminar and the responsibilities of candidates running for office, visit the Campaign Resources section of our Web site at http://www.shapethefuture.org/campaignresources. From there, you can also download our comprehensive, 79-page, 2008 Candidate Guide for the November Presidential General Election.