How to Run For Local Office

Getting involved, making a difference in your community, and having fun while doing it all.

“People voting in a election” prompt, Canva, Magic Media, 27 Feb. 2024.

“Just be yourself, involve people that you want to be around, and have fun.” Says Amber Corrieri, who is in her third term on the Ames City Council, and has worked for other political campaigns in her time. Running for elected office is not easy. It is a frustrating but rewarding process that allows you to serve your community and make a difference. 

When considering running for office, it is important to involve yourself in your community, and gain an understanding of the kinds of changes your community wants to see. Corrieri is frustrated by people who want to run for office, but have never made an effort to serve their community. “If you’re going to serve the people and be a community leader, you should at least have some experience whether that’s volunteering for a nonprofit or a school or in your church,” Says Corrieri. Community engagement is crucial before, during, and even after your campaign. After your campaign it’s important to ensure you avoid letting your personal beliefs get in the way of what your job is. “As difficult as it is sometimes, my responsibility is to make decisions that are in the best interest of the entire community…One of the first things I learned as a council member is to be responsible, not responsive,” Corrieri says. 

Running for office takes more than just one person, and it takes much more than just saying you’re running for office. For Corrieri, this meant having a group of people in charge of fundraising, as well as a treasurer who tracked expenses. 

Another big goal for Corrieri was to get more younger people voting, since the turnout for local campaigns is typically 12%.  “Our goal was to connect to younger voters and people who didn’t normally vote in local elections…We also spent a lot of money on mail as we knew it was impossible to knock on every door.” During Corrieri’s first City Council campaign, she had many friends working for her to plan events, do social media campaigns, and go door knocking, in order to engage more younger people. “A typical campaign will usually look at voter lists and pay a lot of attention to those who vote regularly in elections. However, we wanted to reach people who didn’t always vote, so we used mailing lists of younger people in neighborhoods where we knew people were more engaged,” Said Corrieri 

Corrieri encourages anyone who wants to help serve their community in some way to get involved. There is a place for everyone in politics, and there is always an opportunity to get involved. “Even if you’re not running the most professional campaign operation, it should be authentic and reflect your personality and value…I learned the hard way”, says Corrieri,  “Oh, and don’t pay attention to comments on social media.” 

Benefits of Legalization and Decriminalization of Marijuana

Seven in ten American voters support the legalization of marijuana, highlighting a significant divide between public opinion and the federal government’s stance. Despite this popular sentiment, the 1970 Controlled Substances Act classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, deeming it federally illegal due to its high potential for abuse.

Several states have challenged this federal stance, legalizing marijuana for medical and recreational use within their borders. However, even in states where marijuana is legal, it remains a federal offense. Federal officials, concerned about public health risks, don’t support nationwide legalization.

Oregon stands out as the first state to decriminalize small marijuana possession, making it similar to a minor traffic offense. In 1998, Oregon also became one of the first states to legalize medical cannabis through Ballot Measure 67 (Marijuana Policy Project (MPP)).

Recently states in the midwest have also made advancements. In 2020, Illinois permitted adults over 21 to buy marijuana for recreational use, aligning with its existing medical marijuana laws. Similarly, Minnesota joined the other states when Governor Tim Walz signed House File 100 into law on May 30, 2023.

Governor Walz (Minnesota) signs bill legalizing marijuana

As marijuana legalization gains momentum, it is crucial to acknowledge its positive impacts on both the economy and society when advocating for federal decriminalization. Beyond social and economic benefits, legalization creates job opportunities, fosters social justice, and has demonstrated crime reduction in some states.

For example, Illinois generated $443 million in tax revenue within the first year of legalization, this shows the economic potential. And, in Ohio there could be an annual boost of $260 million to its economy upon marijuana legalization. (New York Times) 

Federal decriminalization also holds potential social justice benefits. According to the Marijuana Policy Project Someone is arrested for a cannabis offense every two minutes, and in 2022 There were 225,000 marijuana arrests in the country. 92% of these arrests were for just cannabis possession. And there have been over 600,000 annual marijuana arrests in the last two decades, Black individuals are disproportionately affected, facing four times higher arrest rates than their white counterparts, despite similar usage rates (CAP 20). Decriminalization could address this racial disparity perpetuated by the war on drugs.

Overall, the federal government should consider the economic and social justice advantages when contemplating the decriminalization and legalization of marijuana. With public support exceeding 50%, elected officials bear the responsibility to represent the majority’s interests and evolve federal policies in line with changing societal attitudes.

Works Cited

Marijuana Policy Project – We Change Laws!, https://www.mpp.org/. Accessed 14 December 2023.

“The Facts on Marijuana Equity and Decriminalization.” Center for American Progress, 20 April 2021, https://www.americanprogress.org/article/facts-marijuana-equity-decriminalization/. Accessed 14 December 2023.

“In the Weeds.” Rockefeller Institute of Government, https://rockinst.org/intheweeds/. Accessed 14 December 2023.

McGraw, Daniel. “Ohio Is Voting on Whether to Legalize Recreational Marijuana.” The New York Times, 7 November 2023, https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/07/us/politics/ohio-marijuana-vote.html?searchResultPosition=4. Accessed 14 December 2023.

Peltz, Jennifer. “U.S. regulators might loosen restrictions on marijuana. Here’s what that would mean.” PBS, 31 August 2023, https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/u-s-regulators-might-loosen-restrictions-on-marijuana-heres-what-that-would-mean. Accessed 14 December 2023.

“Controlled Substance Act.” PubMed, 24 March 2023, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34662058/. Accessed 15 December 2023.

“H.F. 100.” Minnesota House of Representatives, https://www.house.mn.gov/hrd/bs/93/hf0100.pdf. Accessed 15 December 2023.

“Parks and Recreation Department Budget Shortfall and Park Closures.” Parks and Recreation Department Budget Shortfall and Park Closures, 2 April 2016, https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/lfo/Documents/ReportOnMarijuanaPrograms0429_2016.pdf. Accessed 15 December 2023.“Which States Are Riding The Recreational Marijuana Wave?” CBS News, 6 November 2019, https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/which-states-are-riding-the-recreational-marijuana-wave/. Accessed 15 December 2023.

My Meaningful Personal Experience

This summer, I attended the Student Climate and Conservation Congress (SC3) hosted at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in West Virginia. This was a program that I had hesitated to apply for, fearing that I might not be accepted.

As I was filling out the application I had some doubts, I was confident that I wouldn’t get accepted because the questions on the application seemed advanced, and I didn’t feel like I knew enough. The program was described as one of the most prestigious environmental leadership programs , leaving me convinced that my application did not meet the mark. The anticipation only added to my anxiety, as the information regarding the time of acceptance emails was vague. I checked my email probably every 10 minutes, including my spam because I was convinced every time it would just appear. After anxiously waiting, I opened my email, and there was an email that said I had been accepted. I had never applied to any program like this. I was absolutely shocked they thought my application was good enough. Now all I had to do was just wait. 

Finally, in July 2023 I got to actually go to NCTC and do all the things I had been looking forward to. But the first day we had to do something horrible…Public speaking. We had to get up on a microphone in front of all the people and say what we thought were the biggest threats to our environment. Not once, not twice, but at least 3 times. As I watched everyone casually go up there with confidence, I started to get the feeling that I wasn’t really cut out for this. Everyone’s answers sounded so smart, and I didn’t think I should even read my cards. While I stood in line, I recited my lines in my head to ensure I wouldn’t stumble. Now I’m on the stage, there were so many eyes on me, and I nervously read my card.Then, I looked up in front of me and saw head nods, and heard the sound of snapping fingers. Were these genuine signs of agreement with what I had to say?

All week I gradually became more confident around the people around me and realized that we all had a common interest. We all were smarter than we thought, wanted to learn more, and liked being outside. I participated more in our discussions there than I ever did in class discussions at school, because for once I really felt like I knew what I was saying. This was nothing like math class where I would keep my head down hoping I didn’t get called on. This experience made me realize that I did belong there, and I know more than I think I do.

What High School is Like in 2023

Life for high schoolers has progressed and changed dramatically over the years. The whole structure of school, our schedules, the things we learn, and the freedoms we have within our learning experience. In 2023, high school education is at a turning point, and we need to acknowledge its problems, make improvements, and utilize the resources we have to improve learning.  

Older generations believe schools today have failed, that we are not learning the way we should, or that students now are “lazy” They are not necessarily wrong. But the reality is that it isn’t the schools that are the only ones failing us. Students are not able to get the full high school learning experience that we should, because many schools are disadvantaged in lots of ways. Schools are underfunded by the government, and are becoming heavily regulated on what books they can show students, and what kinds of things teachers can say and teach. We are not able to learn about certain parts of history, social justice movements, and even climate change, these are the things that shape us into better people.

On the other hand, schools are failing us because of their inability to change. We have been learning almost completely the same way for decades. Books, writing, listening, while these are obviously important many kids now just do not get the full benefit of education from this. Learning should be an opportunity that people are excited about, but it has become boring, and repetitive, and it is not sustainable. High schoolers do not want to be at school, most will take the least amount of classes possible just so that they don’t have to go, not having those daily interactions can be detrimental to an already severe mental health problem in this country, especially among middle and high schoolers. 

The issues in our schools go beyond the classroom. There are many outside issues that contribute to the weaknesses in our education system. With technology that exists, there is an opportunity to turn school into something high schoolers want to do. Something meaningful that will truly shape us into better people, and make the world better.