On Becoming A Candidate For Public Office. Steve Williamson and Karen McClelland welcome Sedona City Councilor Kathy Kinsella to discuss how to become a candidate for public office and run a successful campaign. Before moving to Arizona, Kinsella was elected to five two-year terms as highway superintendent in Reinbeck, New York. And, since arriving in Sedona, she served on the Planning and Zoning Commission before running for City Council.
Kinsella says the biggest obstacle in running for office is the decision-making process: Which office do I want to run for? What qualifies me to run? What skills are needed? What can I bring to the office? How much time will it require? She recommends that you make a list and really find your fit. “There should be a dating app – I want to run for office. Here’s my profile,” she wryly suggests.
As for the frustrations of serving in a public office, she lists misinformation as the biggest one. “For all the people who are out there posting on Facebook or Next Door or have lots of opinions, well, opinions are great. But you need to sort of step up and put your money where your mouth is and run for office because that’s where decisions are made.”
Perhaps one of Kinsella’s best bits of advice is to remember the distinction between running a political campaign and serving in office. “Campaigns are competitive,” she says. “Governing should not be.”
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