Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1133200
2 Summer 2019 | wyoea.edu Executive Director's Message Ron Sniffi n WEA Executive Director rsniffi n@wyoea.org Are You Ready to Run? It seems election season starts earlier and earlier, especially when it is a presidential election year. But in reality, the next elections are just over a year away. This past election cycle, education employees around the country ran for offi ce in record numbers. Many believe this was spawned by the Red for Ed movements in many states. In our own state, WEA helped several education- friendly candidates get elected to school boards and the legislature. WEA members have often held various offi ces, from city councils and school boards to the Wyoming state legislature. Have you ever thought about running for offi ce? Who better to advocate for the students of Wyoming than active or retired education employees? You are on the front lines of what is impacting your community and the lives of students, every day! You know better than the average citizen how the actions of the school board or the legislature directly impact what occurs in the classroom. Running for offi ce requires time, dedication and money. Fortunately, in Wyoming the resources needed typically do not compare to campaigns in more populated states. If you are considering running for offi ce, WEA can assist you in exploring options to do so. It is important to note, however: Being a WEA member in no way guarantees political endorsement of candidates by WEA. All candidates are subject to the same thorough, equitable vetting process prior to receiving political endorsement through WEA. And while I am encouraging you to consider running for offi ce, I also ask that you not run against an incumbent who has a stellar voting record supporting education. WEA can provide you with information on incumbents and offi ces that we need to fi ll with education-friendly elected offi cials. The Wyoming Education Association Political Action Committee for Education (WEA-PACE) is the political action arm of the WEA. This PAC serves independently from the WEA and provides fi nancial support to the campaigns of education-friendly candidates. Members' dues do not fund the PAC and are not used to support candidates. Several years ago, a special fund was created within WEA-PACE specifi cally intended to help WEA members seek public offi ce. This fund is called the Educators as Politicians Fund and was created in honor of our friend and WEA colleague, Harold Bovee, after he passed away. Through the years, WEA has consistently had members serving in the Wyoming Legislature. Currently, we have members serving in very prominent positions who have tremendous positive impact on education issues, but we need more. The primary election is just over a year away and now is the time for YOU to consider running for the Wyoming Legislature. Education employees already have the benefi t of excellent name recognition in their communities. You can be the voice that your community needs to continue to support excellent schools. Before deciding to run, you will want to check your school district's policy to ensure that you will be allowed adequate leave, if elected. There is a lot to consider before deciding to run, with many questions that need answers before determining if this is the best choice for you. WEA is here to help you make that decision. We can connect you with resources that will help you determine if now is the time to pursue an elected offi ce. If you are considering running for offi ce, please contact me so that we can start this conversation. Ron Sniffi n, Executive Director (800) 442-2395 ext. 104, rsniffi n@wyoea. org NEA's See Educators Run This training provides NEA members the tools to run for offi ce. In the past fi ve trainings: • 75% of those trained are seeking offi ce • 55% who ran have been elected Next Training: • October 4 -6, 2019 • Detroit, MI How Do Members Apply? By visiting http://www.seeeducatorsrun.org What Will Members Learn at this Training? 1. Life Planning to Become a Candidate 2. Fundraising 3. Managing Consultants 4. Field 5. Media 6. Policy Resources 7. Hiring Staff and Human Resources 8. Public Speaking