In my last two posts, I have talked about the petitioning process. I want to take a step back from that and talk about just who runs for office, and why.
People run for office for various reasons. Sometimes, they are already active in politics, or they have family connections. Sometimes, they get active through their civic association, school advisory committee, or something like that. Often (in Philadelphia, at least) they are committee people.
Almost anyone may run for office, barring criminal convictions, if they meet the citizenship and residency requirements. That means you – yes, you – can throw your name in the ring if you have lived in your neighborhood long enough, and are a U.S. Citizen.
And that is why we have the petition system. Imagine how long (and perhaps silly) the ballot would get if everyone who wanted to could just sign up and run? Forcing people to get signatures on a petition to get on the ballot prevents that.
Also, it means that candidates must show that they have support from the general public, and can organize the rudimentary elements of a campaign. Getting volunteers, or even paid signature gatherers together to get signatures requires a bit of organization. Not just anyone can pull that off.
If you are interested in running for office, a great way to start is to get involved in someone else’s campaign. There are lots of opportunities to volunteer.