Tools, Resources for Winning Elections Offered at College of Political Knowledge at Colorado State University

As elections draw near, many aspiring public leaders are strategizing successful campaigns and how they’ll be effective once in office. To help toward that end, the Division of Educational Outreach at Colorado State University has designed a series of workshops through the College of Political Knowledge to teach aspiring public servants the fundamentals of running for public office.

The workshops will run from 8:30 a.m.-noon beginning Sept. 14 and 5:30-9 p.m. on Sept. 19 and Sept. 26 in the community room of the City Building at 215 N. Mason in Fort Collins. The cost of the course is $75 for all three sessions.

The series is designed for Colorado residents interested in running for a local political office, campaign managers wanting to help their candidate, concerned citizens interested in getting involved in the political process and local politicians who want to run for state office.

"In our democracy, people participate in public life to learn more about what is affecting their communities," said State Sen. Peggy Reeves, who represents Larimer County. "To participate fully, individuals need to be informed and this is a great opportunity for people to gain knowledge and learn how they can successfully represent and make a difference in their communities."

Individual lectures and panel discussions have been designed for participant interaction in a wide variety of topics including civility and how government works, expectations when running for political office, leadership opportunities, how to work with the media, rules and regulations of running for office, key areas in campaign management, winning an election without a large budget and learning about the next step after winning the race.

The sessions will be lead by experts from all levels of government such as city council members; county commissioners; Fort Collins Mayor Ray Martinez; former mayor of Loveland, Roger Bates; Colorado State Sen. Peggy Reeves; and attorneys, political science professors and management faculty from Colorado State.

"The goal of the program is to provide a nonpartisan environment where anyone in the community receives not only training and networking but also the encouragement to get involved in any public-service position," said Whitney Staub, program coordinator for College of Political Knowledge. "Participants will be introduced to public servants who will share tips about things they wished they’d known when first starting out and other experiences of winning public office. Our goal is to help potential candidates feel connected and clear on how to proceed in their own development."

The College of Political Knowledge is a nonpartisan, public service presented by Colorado State in partnership with the Larimer County League of Women Voters.

For more information, contact the Division of Educational Outreach at (970) 491-5288 or register online at www.collegeofpoliticalknowledge.com.