Why local elections are critical in the Golden State

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Want to Rule the World? Run for Local Office
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Dear John,

The 2024 election season is now in full swing. In his latest column ([link removed]) in The Epoch Times, shared below, CPC’s Lance Christensen explains why local elections are so important in California, and how California Policy Center is training the “deep bench” when it comes to candidates committed to a free market perspective and limited government.

When interviewing for a legislative fellowship in Sacramento over two decades ago, the panel asked about my career plans. I worked through a progression I thought was essential for any aspiring politico, concluding confidently that I was eventually going to run for Congress. In my mind, that’s where all the important political action was. Or so I thought.

After receiving the fellowship, I began to see the serious work done in the state legislature and adjusted my sights. Congress was no longer of any interest. Shortly thereafter, a former college professor introduced me to the president of a significant educational association in Sacramento. We arranged a meeting where I could talk to someone who had capital city experience and could mentor me with career advice.

Our first meeting was cordial. After sharing my wide-eyed perceptions of the legislature, he asked about my aspirations. I told him I thought about running for office one day. He quickly responded, “Whatever you do, never run for local office.” Confused at his response, I naively queried, “Why?” His response has stuck with me ever since:

“Local officials have to be immediately accountable to the people. You will never go to so much as the grocery store without being confronted by the results of your decisions.”

He wasn’t wrong.

As the adage goes, all politics are local. And despite the current furor over presidential and congressional races taking place in media circles, the most consequential campaigns are going to be for local officials in your community. Hundreds of candidates for school board, city council, county supervisor, sheriff, water board, and so on are canvassing your neighborhoods and feeling their way through a complex process that is alien to a vast majority of them. For the most part, they are intent on fixing things, not simply posturing, as legislators do in Sacramento and D.C.

Right before my oldest child began kindergarten, our local school board decided to make an odd change in the schedule for the coming year. Though the district’s finances were relatively stable at that time, there were serious conversations about shuttering underused buildings, boundary realignments, long-term unfunded liabilities with employee retirement costs, and so on. These issues and a determined ally led me to run for the board in 2008, and that experience completely altered my view on politics.

Local conflicts are rarely—if ever—partisan issues. I found that when one begins to make consequential decisions about someone else’s children, especially school board trustees, things get heated quickly. Parents are unabashed in their priorities and rarely interested in compromise.

I also saw how much control the local teachers’ union had over the district’s decisions. In an effort to feel me out—the union wasn’t thrilled with one of the three incumbents running—they asked me to meet with their leadership. They wondered if I might be more amenable to their interests. I wasn’t, and they were willing to spend six figures to keep me out of office. It would be an uphill battle to secure one of the top-three slots that November despite support from a fairly robust grassroots campaign. While I lost in the final vote count, I won in so many other ways.

As I took on a statewide campaign for Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2022, I saw more clearly how critical local races were, especially when trying to make the case for education reform across the state’s 944 school districts.

At the same time, my colleague at California Policy Center, Mari Barke, and I were developing a Leadership Academy ([link removed]) practicum for those who win their elections and may not know the first thing about governing. We quickly realized that before those candidates won their elections—and there were thousands of local candidates on the ballot in the primary and general elections in 2022—there were few nonpartisan resources from a limited government, free market perspective to train them in running for office. The programs that existed barely understood the unique nature of California policy and politics.

So, we immediately developed a Candidate Academy ([link removed]) to help those brave enough to pursue local elected office navigate a complex and onerous process. Within days, we were on Zoom, in parking lots, business centers and people’s homes, training hundreds of interested office seekers of all political stripes on the basics of building campaigns.

And as we’ve continued our training in 2024, we can see the enthusiasm for the opportunities to fix our communities through local elections, even as the legislature and Congress make our lives more difficult.

Running for office isn’t for everyone. But if you want to be part of ruling the world, get on a local board or office. Much more can be accomplished from your local city hall or high school gymnasium than the marbled halls of Sacramento and Washington, D.C.

Help CPC ramp up our candidate trainings for 2024 by making a donation of any amount today! Learn more. ([link removed])

SUPPORT CPC ([link removed])
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** Virtual Event: The Free Speech Case Against L.A. County
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Have you registered yet for CLEO's virtual event, The Free Speech Case Against L.A. County, on Tuesday, January 23, 2024 from 12:00-1:00pm?

Our special guest is attorney and Palos Verdes School Board trustee Julie Hamill, founder of the Alliance of Los Angeles County Parents. Julie represents the Alliance in their ongoing lawsuit against the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health for its campaign to silence critics of Director Barbara Ferrer’s universal mask mandate in July 2022.

At issue in the case are the fundamental issues of citizens' First Amendment right to challenge government action in the public forum, and the abuse of authority by local government officials who shut down public comment features on government websites and bullied social media companies to suppress unfavorable content.

Don't miss this important conversation!

Date: Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Time: 12:00-1:00pm
Register for the Webinar Here ([link removed])

Register for CLEO's Virtual Event ([link removed])
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** CPC celebrates National School Choice Week with community events in Southern California
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Join CPC's Parent Union tomorrow to kick off National School Choice Week! Join us for our school choice fair from 10am-2pm on Saturday, January 20th, 2024 at Vista Charter Middle School in Los Angeles. Learn about school choice options for K-12 students in L.A. County, enjoy family-friendly entertainment and more!

And next week, don't miss our school choice fair on Saturday, January 27, 2024 from 10am-2pm at Palm Lane Global Academy in Anaheim.

Learn more about both school choice fairs at parentunion.org/school-choice-week-2024. ([link removed])

SUPPORT CPC ([link removed])
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** Register now for CPC's Parents, Not Partisans Summit in Sacramento
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Registration is open for California Policy Center's 3rd annual Parents, Not Partisans Summit in Sacramento on Tuesday, March 12—Wednesday, March 13, 2024.

Our theme this year: Who Controls the Classroom? Teachers unions, education bureaucrats, and radical legislators in Sacramento want to control California classrooms — but ultimate authority lies with parents and the local school boards accountable to them.

Make no mistake, the 2024 election has crucial implications for parental rights in California's public schools! Join parent advocates, school board members, and education experts from across California for this free 2-day event to mobilize and make parent voices heard!

RSVP NOW ([link removed]) using the promo code PARENTUNION.

Support CPC's Parents, Not Partisans Summit by making a donation today! Donate online here ([link removed]) or for information on becoming an event sponsor, contact Jackson Reese. (mailto:[email protected])

New Podcast ()
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** Radio Free California #314: Mo’ Monkey, Mo’ Problems
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CPC president Will Swaim and CPC board member David Bahnsen break down Gavin Newsom’s “Li’l Governor’s Broken-Budget-Fix-it-Kit,” the Biden administration’s adoption of California’s A.B. 5, and new state laws that will undermine California’s already troubled housing market. Listen now. ([link removed])

SUPPORT CPC ([link removed])

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ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA POLICY CENTER

The California Policy Center promotes prosperity for all Californians through limited government and individual liberty.

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