For Barbara ‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak Blake one of the signs of being an experienced candidate for local office is knowing she needs more signs.<\/p>\n
The time for aspiring office seekers to get their running shoes on is fast approaching, with an annual “toolkit” for candidates and corresponding how to run for local office workshop happening this week. But longtime and relatively new Juneau Assembly and Board of Education members say that beyond the proverbial classroom there’s plenty of shoe-leather lessons they’ve gotten on the trail.<\/p>\n
“If I did run again I would definitely do a better job of guestimation,” said Blake, a first-term Assembly member who isn’t sure yet if she will seek reelection. “I have a better idea of how many signs are needed…we ran out of signs really quick.”<\/p>\n
Campaigning just months after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic also meant some on-the-fly lessons about trying to meet with organizers and reach out to constituents via means such as Zoom, she said. And, as with many other candidates, there were definitely lessons to be learned about money.<\/p>\n
“I guess there’s a whole side to fundraising that was just totally unexpected for me,” she said. “We talked about it during the workshop, but the level of activity was surprising to me.”<\/p>\n
The filing period for local candidates in the Oct. 4 municipal election is July 15-25. The Assembly will fill one seat each for areawide, District 1 and District 2, and the school board is filling two open seats.<\/p>\n
Emil Mackey, a school board member since 2015, said his biggest practical lesson from the trail isn’t about wisdom as much as courage.<\/p>\n
“You have to overcome your fears to knock on people’s doors,” he said. “I think the less narcissistic you are, the harder it gets to make that plea.”<\/p>\n
But Mackey has his own lessons learned about signs.<\/p>\n
“The thing I still hate is the sign waving on the side of the road,” he said. “When I see it when it’s not my campaign it seems contrived.”<\/p>\n
There’s also safety concerns with some people too close to the road, plus the reality that it’s not always a fun early-fall activity in one of the rainiest cities in the U.S.<\/p>\n
“I don’t feel like calling people asking them to stand out in the cold and rain waving a sign for me,” he said. “It feels like that should be my responsibility.”<\/p>\n
When it comes to public events like meet-and-greets, second-term Assembly member Wade Bryson suggests a warm and sunny approach.<\/p>\n
“Only politicians like to talk about politics,” he said. “Making it a fun event that makes it less political is the best way to go.”<\/p>\n
Still, there’s the inevitable cloud of asking people for money because “it’s tougher to ask…than people might think,” Bryson said, adding it’s gotten easier for him over time.<\/p>\n
Common-sense advice such as attending Assembly or school board meetings, listening to voters and becoming well-educated on local issues is an obvious foundation of so-called classroom instruction. But local candidates said there are reasons for that not immediately obvious to new office seekers.<\/p>\n
“All the easy fixes have already been tried, so it’s important to understand why things are the way they are before you try to change them,” said Brian Holst, a school board member since 2014. He said when he goes door-to-door “I get asked what my positions are, but I find I learn much more if I ask them what issues they’re interested in.”<\/p>\n
Alicia Hughes-Skandijs, a second-term Assembly member, said being able to discuss a wide variety of topics helps navigate the often-impromptu aspects of local campaigning.<\/p>\n
“Two things I felt like you don’t fully appreciate until you’re campaigning,” she wrote in a text message. “One, being prepared to answer literally any question. People asked me so many off-the-wall questions that I didn’t expect to answer because they weren’t directly related to\/with city stuff that had recently happened. They just might want your opinion on whatever random topic is important to them.”<\/p>\n
Hughes-Skandijs continued: “Two, the lived experience of just how quickly a minute (or 30 seconds) can pass when attending forums. That’s something you can practice ahead of time for, but there’s nothing like the real deal first one to get you ready\/teach you before the rest of the campaign.”<\/p>\n
Lest such tales sound overwhelming, second-term Assembly member Michelle Bonnet Hale said local campaigns don’t have to be a whirlwind of tugging and advice from people in all directions.<\/p>\n
“You can do it yourself with your own team,” she said. “You can be your campaign manager. Learn everything you can and then trust your instincts.”<\/p>\n