The Most Meaningful Thing You Can Do in this Age of Trump

“Everything is dumb right now.”

“From nose to tail, we have become the dumbest, saddest pig at the county fair.”

The best counter to fret, worry, anxiety, and depression is action, connection, involvement, and optimism. Feeling bad? Do something! Volunteer, join your closest Indivisible group and Neighborhood Council. Take action! Run for office?  

Yes! Run for office! Local office! Not everybody, of course. But more than do now.

Osita Nwanevu says it with outstanding precision in a piece called Run for Office in Slate (January 16, 2017):

“The most meaningful thing you can do in the age of Trump, for your community, for your country, is run for office. Across America, Republican politicians stand ready to do their part in the implementation of the Trump and GOP agenda. Beat them. Across America, Democrats blind to the stakes of the moment, comfortable in their positions or too timid to fight effectively against the Republican Party, stand, like bowling pins, ready to be knocked down again. Replace them. Not with some milquetoast professional or former lobbyist groomed by the state party. You. You, with the undocumented parents; you, who remembers when your town was a steel town; you, PTA regular; you, professor; you, concerned citizen, should run.”

Generation Progress offers solid resources available to anyone prepared to do the work here in So, You Want To Run For Local Office:  

These are just a few organizations dedicated to this mission:

• League of Women Voters: Dedicated to helping women get involved in the election process, LWV offers resources that explain how to run for local office. This includes step by step instructions that applies to multiple states. 
• Latino Center for Leadership Development: This organization focused on lifting up Latinos who are interested in getting involved in leadership positions. The center holds leadership courses and seminars that can help any potential elected official. 
• Victory Fund: Primarily focusing on LGBTQ+ advocates, the Victory Fund informs voters on these issues and supports those who want to run for office.  
• She Should Run: Much like LWV, She Should Run also focuses on involving women in the political process. However, its specific target is having women elected into office on local, state and federal levels.  
• Vote Run Lead: This organization also offers support for women running for elections. It has special training sessions and events to teach members about leadership. 
• Off the Sidelines: Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has created this organization to encourage women and girls to make their voices heard. It includes multiple resources for women who want to run for office.  

In Los Angeles County – in 2017 (this year, that is) – there are elections set in 11 local school districts, four water districts, two recreation districts, five irrigation districts, one community service district, one library district, and seven local municipalities. (I’ve made a list. See below.) The list for 2018 is longer.

Additionally, LAFCO (remember them?) lists even more special districts: trash, cemeteries, lots of water.

Wherever you are, there’s a local entity in need of community involvement and oversight.

So many resources:

Start with Run for Office: “Our democracy depends upon citizens deeply engaging in the democratic process and choosing to lead by running for office.” They’re partnering with NationBuilder for detailed campaign assistance and have begun to build a good database of Los Angeles elections.

She Should Run – “Our commitment starts with asking women to run and continues along their journey towards public office by demystifying the experience and empowering them to unleash their leadership potential. We ask, encourage, and connect.”

Emily’s List Run to Win excellent step-by-step

League of Women Voters’ How & Why to Run for Local Elected Office detailed guidebook

Centrist Project’s Run for Office – “Our movement to break through political dysfunction begins with you.”

Great guide and resources from Slate If You Want to Run for Office (and You Should), Start With These Resources

I like this one: Is My Name Too Long to Run for Political Office? and this Learn How to Run and Win Your Local Election

Again, this guide from Generation Progress: So, You Want To Run For Local Office

And finally, Aristotle's So you want to Run for Office? 

“You. You, with the undocumented parents; you, who remembers when your town was a steel town; you, PTA regular; you, professor; you, concerned citizen, should run.” 

Here’s the list of upcoming local elections in Los Angeles County in 2017 and 2018. It is a work in progress as many agencies are in the process of changing the dates of their elections. Some are moving from at-large to district elections. Many of these offices are currently held by longtime incumbents, and many of these elections will go unchallenged unless you run for office!

ELECTION: November 7, 2017       # Seats           Specific Trustee Area or Seat #s open

SCHOOL DISTRICTS

ABC Unified                                    3                      Trustee Areas 2, 3, 6

Compton Unified                             4                      Seats 2, 3, 6

Downey Unified                              3                      Trustee Areas 1, 5, 7

El Monte Union High                       3                      Seats 2, 3, 5

Garvey                                          3                      Seats 2, 3, 4

Glendora Unified                            3                      Seats 3, 4, 5

Hughes-Elizabeth Lakes Union         3                      Seats 1, 3, 4

La Cañada Unified                          3                      Seats 3, 4, 5

Montebello                                    3                      Seats 2, 3, 4

Whittier City                                  3                      Seats 2, 4, 5

Whittier Union High                        3                      Seats 1, 2, 3

COMMUNITY SERVICES DISTRICT

Point Dume                                   2                      Seats 2 & 4

COUNTY WATER DISTRICTS

Green Valley                                  3                      Seats 3, 4, 5

Quartz Hill Water                           3                      Seats 1, 2, 4

Sativa                                           2                      Seats 1 & 2

West Valley                                   3                      Seats 1, 3, 4

IRRIGATION DISTRICTS

Kinneloa                                       2                      Seats 2 & 3

La Cañada                                    2                      Seats 1 & 4

Littlerock Creek                             3                      Seats 2, 3, 5

Palm Ranch                                  2                      Seats 2 & 4

South Montebello                          2                      Seats 1 & 2

LIBRARY DISTRICTS

Palos Verdes                                 2                      Seats 2 & 3

RECREATION & PARK DISTRICTS

Miraleste                                      2                      Seats 2 & 3

Ridgecrest Ranchos                       3                      Seats 3, 4, 5

GENERAL & SPECIAL MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Hermosa Beach                            3                      Council Seats 2, 3, 4

Long Beach                                  3                      Council Seats 1, 2, 3

Montebello                                   3                      Council Seats 2, 4, 5

Rancho Palos Verdes                     2                      Council Seats 3 & 5

Rolling Hills Estates                       2                      Council Seats 2 & 3

San Marino                                  3                       Council Seats 2, 4, 5

South El Monte                            2                       Council Seats 2 & 3

ELECTION: April 10, 2018                              GENERAL LAW & CHARTER CITIES

Arcadia                                       3                       Council Seats 3, 4, 5

Avalon                                        2                       Council Seats 4 & 5

Bradbury

Culver City                                  3                       Council Seats 3, 4, 5

El Segundo                                  2                      Council Seats 1 & 5

Lancaster                                    2                                                 

Lawndale                                    3                       Seats 1 & 3 + City Clerk

Long Beach – primary                  6                       City Attorney, Auditor, Mayor,   

                                                                          Prosecutor, Council Seats 1 & 5

Long Beach USD                          2                      Areas 1 & 3

Long Beach CC District                 3                      Areas 1, 3, & 5

Sierra Madre                               3                      Seats 2, 3, 5

Vernon                                       1                      Seat 2

Walnut                                       2                      Seats 3 & 4

Whittier                                      2                      Mayor & Seat 4

ELECTION: November 6, 2018                      GENERAL ELECTION

(Julie Butcher writes for CityWatch and is a retired union leader now enjoying her new La Crescenta home and her first grandchild. She can be reached at [email protected] or on her new blog ‘The Butcher Shop - No Bones about It.’)

-cw