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Joyce Clark Unfiltered

For "the rest of the story"

Apr 16

20

Campaign update

Posted by Joyce Clark on April 20, 2016
Posted in City issue and actions • City of Glendale  | Tagged With: , , , , , | No Comments yet, please leave one

It has been 18 years and 124 days since the city’s pledge to build the West Branch Library.

Since I and volunteers have been walking for nominating petition signatures I have lost 15 lbs. It seems I have become living proof of the benefits of walking.  As I walk and reconnect with people even those who are not registered wish me luck or urge me to be safe or offer me water. People are amazing.

We are on track to acquire the maximum number of signatures needed by May. Why not settle for getting the minimum number needed? There is usually about a 40% error rate. Some people claim to be registered and are not. Some people who sign the petitions do not live in the district but rather just across a district border. All of the signatures will be verified before turning them in to insure that there is at least the minimum number of “good” signatures. It is tedious and time consuming work.

Fundraising continues and will continue throughout the entire campaign and after. The most expensive element of any campaign is the political mailers. It can easily cost $5,000 to do one district mailing. I have been incredibly touched by handwritten notes sent with campaign donations. Here is just a brief sampling:

  • “We are glad you are running for city council again. You have our support.thermometer w new numbers Ap 20 2016 We will continue to help any way we can.”
  • “We are not in your district but we need your voice and community commitment more than ever.”
  • “Welcome back! Our neighborhood has gone down since you left.”
  • “I don’t live in your district so I can’t support you with a yard sign. I will be happy to help in any way that I can.”
  • “You will bring wisdom and leadership, again, to Glendale.”
  • “Glendale sure needs you back.”

What is even more incredible is that contributions are coming in not just from Yucca district residents but from all over Glendale…from north Glendale, zip code 85308 to central Glendale, zip codes 85304 and 85302 to south Glendale, zip code 85301. All of my contributions to date are coming from people just like you in amounts of $25, $50, $100 up to $500. It is truly astonishing and I am humbled by the outpouring of good wishes as well as a distinct yearning for leadership and representation.

Running for office is difficult. One has to be truly committed to take up the challenge. Your days become consumed…answering resident phone calls; making phone calls for contributions; walking the district; and attending small, neighborhood meetings.

In the meantime, I and my campaign group are designing campaign signs, drafting the beginnings of a campaign message for a mailing and setting up neighborhood meetings. It is a busy time. Everyone is excited. They can feel change coming and so do I.

© Joyce Clark, 2016

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.

Mar 16

10

Starting a campaign, Day 1

Posted by Joyce Clark on March 10, 2016
Posted in City of Glendale  | Tagged With: , , , , , , | 4 Comments

It has been 18 years and 84 days since the city’s pledge to build the West Branch Library.

March 9, 2016 I picked up a nominating petition packet and established a political

Joyce and City Clerk Pam Hanna in her office

Joyce and City Clerk Pam Hanna in her office

committee called “Clark for Council.” Let me tell you how things work at city hall.  Whether you go to the clerk’s office or file online for an Information Request about a council member or something about the city, the minute you leave the office or file online councilmembers and/or staff members are immediately notified. I left the clerk’s office knowing that council and senior staff was notified that I had formed a political committee and pulled a packet. It’s not the city clerk’s fault. It’s policy that was created many, many years ago.

Visiting any office on city hall’s fourth floor (location of City Clerk’s office, the City Attorney’s office, the Mayor’s office, the City Manager’s office and the Council offices) requires passage through security these days. When you arrive on the fourth floor the security officer calls the department you are seeking to visit. Someone from that department comes to you and escorts you through secured double doors to his or her office. When you leave you are again escorted out through those secured double doors to the fourth floor elevators.

The City Clerk has prepared packets of information for anyone wishing to become a candidate. In it is a large map of the city; a pamphlet on Glendale’s campaign sign regulations; City of

Information provided to every candidate

Information provided to every candidate

Glendale signature requirements (in the Yucca district the minimum number of signatures required is 464 and the maximum is 927); two City Clerk welcome letters; City of Glendale Election Calendar, a CD that includes the County Elections Department manual for candidates; and a blank Political Committee Statement of Organization.

I filled out the Statement of Organization as the City Clerk and Assistant City Clerk offered immediate, relevant information. Both women were helpful and courteous. They did an excellent job of relaying immediate information that a candidate should know. Half an hour later I was done.

Nominating Petition

Nominating Petition

Today, March 10, 2016 I will visit my local bank and establish a campaign bank account and get copies made of the nominating petitions. The City Clerk’s office can make copies for 20 cents a page. Going to a local copy store can get the same job done at a much lower price.

Before and after my excursion I answered more phone calls and emails and got pledges for my first three campaign contributions. It appears I am not the only one excited about running – so are a lot of other people, in and out of my district. I even received an unsolicited campaign pledge from a friend in California who reads this blog faithfully. Lesson learned. You don’t have to live in the Yucca district or even in Glendale for that matter, to contribute to my campaign. I hope readers who don’t live here but have followed me faithfully for the past three years will consider making a campaign donation as well.

The campaign mechanics have begun.  It is exciting and somewhat busy. It promises to become very busy shortly when we begin walking for nominating petition signatures. Thanks for following me on this journey. Together I will be reminded and you will learn just what goes into running a local campaign.

© Joyce Clark, 2016

FAIR USE NOTICE

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which is in accordance with Title 17 U.S. C., Section 107. The ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law and who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democratic, scientific and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such material. For more information go to http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond ‘fair use,’ you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.