2010 promises to be a good year for conservative campaigns both in North Carolina and across the country. Whether you are running a campaign for town council or a statewide Senate campaign, Twitter can play an important role in helping you win.

I’ve compiled ten tips and observations to help conservative campaigns engage conservative voters in 2010. These important (and perhaps obvious) Twitter tips are based on what I’ve seen campaigns do and not do with their Twitter strategies in the past year.

Take a look, remember that followers are potential voters, and get tweeting!

1. Realize Successful Twitter Accounts Do Not Come Overnight.

Campaigns need to be prepared to invest in this new media tool. Twitter accounts, like all other aspects of your campaign, will require staff time and resources. Start by creating a long term Twitter strategy that focuses on reaching and educating your potential voters. As you continue, remember that successful Twitter accounts are not measured by the amount of followers you have, but the impact your message has on those you are trying to target.

2. Customize Your Twitter Account

Fill in any possible information on the Twitter Profile (name, website, and bio at minimum), including dates for primary or general elections. Create a custom background that corresponds to the branding on your website and Facebook Page or use the background space to list url information for your other social media accounts. There are multiple options for customization, but the point here is to create a Twitter profile that is engaging and informative.
3. Remember You Have a Twitter Account

This seems obvious, but I can’t tell you how many campaigns I have seen start accounts on social networks and then fail to follow through. Twitter should be your second new media priority (after Facebook), but if your campaign hasn’t developed a strategy for using Twitter, don’t launch an account yet. It does you no favors for potential voters to see a campaign Twitter account that hasn’t been updated in months. (Of course, if you are itching to start using Twitter and just can’t seem to come up with a strategy, let’s talk).

4. Know Who Is Tweeting

For most organizations, parties, groups, and online grassroots movements, I recommend keeping personal and business accounts completely separate. However, for campaigns it’s effective for candidates to show a personal side. The trick here is to make sure it’s clear who is tweeting. If campaign staff will tweet sometimes and the candidate others, create an easy way for followers to distinguish the tweets.

5. Hashtags. Use them.

Hashtags are my favorite part of Twitter because they allow you to reach new people and categorize your tweets.  I am continually amazed that there are candidates running for any office, especially Congress or Senate, who are still not using hashtags. Look around and find out which hashtags your potential followers are using and use them constantly. You could also create your own hashtag and feed it to your campaign website (warning: don’t forget that anyone can tweet anything with any hashtag). Either way, encourage your supporters to retweet or tweet about you using the hashtags your campaign is using.

6. Stop Expecting People to Come to You.

Many savvy political tweeters will seek out your Twitter account, but many, many more potential supporters will not. The best way to increase your base is to follow the people you hope will follow you. My tip for finding your followers is to pick influential tweeters in your district and follow the tweeters who are following them. You might even ask those same influential tweeters to recommend people for you to follow.

7. See Follower, Think Voter

When you see the word follower, think “potential voter” and engage tweeters in every way possible. For example, thank followers for retweeting important links and encourage them to do so in the future. Consider encouraging followers to ask questions and use the Twitter account to respond to those questions. However you go about engaging your followers, remember that followers are potential voters and you need them come Election Day.

8. Use Twitter Lists

Engage and recognize your supporters by grouping them in specific Twitter lists. Consider sending the people on these lists your press releases and links to your latest blogs first. It’s likely they will appreciate the recognition and start spreading your content. Twitter lists are an easy and quick way to see what your supporters are tweeting about.

9. Know What People Are Tweeting About Your Campaign

Don’t rely on Google alerts and the Twitter @ reply function (which is unreliable at best) for Twitter reputation management. It’s important to take time to use the Twitter search function to search for your name, district, your opponent’s name, and other relevant keywords. Follow the people who are supporting you and address any questions that have been raised by other Tweeters.

10.  Don’t Stop Tweeting Once You Win

Change your account name from @nameforcongress to @RepName and tweet more than ever. You will be glad you did when the next election cycle rolls around.

(Note: This blog has also been posted at majorityconnections.com and runsmart2win.com.  Comments or suggestions? Connect with me on Twitter @jessicanwood.)

Ned Ryun begins this five part series entitled “Power to the People.”

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

I do not pretend to be a lawyer.  While many of my friends in undergrad chose to enter the legal arena, I chose the second least honorable field: politics.  If you think about it, law and politics are inseparably woven together.  Many lawyers become politicians and many politicians need lawyers.  I promise I’ll end the sarcasm here (maybe).

Among the myriad of legal issues in the United States today, there are few as politically charged as the subject of eminent domain.  In layman’s terms, eminent domain is the act of government seizing private property when efforts to purchase the property from the owner have failed.  There can be many reasons for eminent domain, usually for the purpose of public use (utilities, roads, national defense, “economic development,” etc.), often loosely defined.  This article gives a good overview of the process.

The issue of eminent domain made headlines in 2005 when the Supreme Court decided in the 5-4 Kelo v. City of New London that it was acceptable for the city to seize private property (after negotiations to purchase the properties failed) for the purpose of selling that property to developers to redevelop an blighted (in the city’s eyes) part of town.

The case is particularly important to me because New London, CT is my hometown.  I remember as a teenager reading and watching the debates between private citizens and the unelected New London Development Corporation (a quasi-public entity who received the funds from the sale) and how the City of New London ignored the rights of property owners in favor of a dream of becoming “the next Baltimore.”  In case you were wondering, Pfizer, the pharmaceutical giant who benefited the most from the eminent domain recently decided to vacate their New London complex after a merger with Wyeth.

This was not the only time New London ran after dollar signs.  In the mid 1990s, the New London Zoning Board told my parents who had founded a small Assemblies of God church in the downtown that they could not buy any property in the city because “there were enough churches in New London.”  Never mind that such a decision violated the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment, and probably the then recently passed Religious Freedom Restoration Act (1993).  The city was in desperate need of tax revenues for its pet projects and they despised the fact that churches were tax-exempt (as they should be).  Today the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 specifically protects churches against the abuses of activist zoning boards and where there is still abuse, organizations like The Beckett Fund, Alliance Defense Fund and American Center for Law and Justice continue to win case after case in favor of religious assemblies.

Despite 43 states passing laws attempting to limit the effects of Kelo, local governments seem emboldened by the Supreme Court case.  In a January 4 column, George Will in the Washington Post wrote an op-ed about ongoing abuses in New York.  In one case, developers are trying to define condos worth close to $600,000 as blighted in effort to pave the way for a multi-billion dollar development project (including a new home for the New Jersey Nets – do not get me started on taxpayer subsidies for private stadiums).  The New York Supreme Court sided with the developers in a 6-1 decision.

Will also talks about a Columbia University attempt to expand, but was resisted by local businesses that did not want to close their doors.  The university tried to have to properties seized by the city of Manhattan by defining the properties as blighted.  Thankfully a state court held in favor of the taxpayers in this one.

The abuse isn’t just limited to New York.

• In Washington, property owners are fighting against Sea Tac who wants their land as part of a light rail line.  The owners paid over $10 million for the property, but are being offered only $8.6 million.  Now the city wants to claim the land via eminent domain.
• In Florida, a man is charging the government with deliberately lowering the value of his property in order to offer less to homeowners when the government wanted to expand the size of Everglades National Park.
• In St. Louis, the city is letting private developers clear out traditional African-American communities in order to redevelop the part of the city in the developer’s vision.
• In Corona, California the city has extended their eminent domain authority by twelve years in a move that could affect businesses across the city.

What does this mean for ordinary citizens like us?  Politicians that do not respect the Constitution rule of law and natural rights are going to be more likely to abuse the practice of eminent domain, if they decide to use it at all.  Conservatives and libertarians can hash out if there is such thing as a need for eminent domain.  My purpose is not to solve that debate.  What is clear, however, is that eminent domain abuses are on the rise and it is an issue that every voter should consider when electing local officials.

The need is great for public officials that do err on the side of the people and not special interests or bloated bureaucracies.  The stakes are high when you consider the kind of authority local governments exercise when it comes to eminent domain, but they become all the more high when you consider that many of these abusers of the public trust become candidates for higher office.  The same attitudes in Congress today are reflected in many City Councils and Town and County Commissions: the politician knows best and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.  Thankfully neither is true, particularly the latter.  All it takes is a few voters that care and a few good candidates to run.

I wrote this blog entry before the 09′ Municipal elections but believe it is still relevant today as many groups are trying to enact Minneapolis and St. Paul IRV models for state wide elections. Given the historic 08′ senate recount many election law changes may be coming in the state of MN including a Photo ID push, Judicial Selection method changes, primary date changes, and several others. Below is my contention with the municipal IRV changes.

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I recently moved across the River from St. Paul to Minneapolis. The first piece of mail I received was an informational piece put out by the Minneapolis Elections Department. I failed to realize that other than switching my billing address with Comcast and Excel energy, I needed to learn how to vote again. Hopefully in the coming years you won’t have to.

Minneapolis is the first City in Minnesota to switch from traditional voting to “Ranked Choice Voting” (RCV) for their municipal elections. Some people may know the system as Instant Runoff Voting or IRV. This is a result of a public referendum in 2006 where the voters of Minneapolis chose this system by a slight majority of 52%. I’m not concerned about who voted, who didn’t vote. I’m most certainly not concerned about discussing ACORN or any of the things our 24-hour news cycle has taken from a YouTube clip simply to get my attention.  I am concerned that this system is a drastic change that will rock the fundamentals of our electoral system. The flaws that people see in the system could have been solved with simple common sense solutions.

The voters of Minneapolis will not use Ranked Choice Voting for all elections, but rather just for municipal elections. Obviously the city recognizes it does not have jurisdiction over statewide elections or elections reaching beyond the city limits. However, are we to imagine that voters will not be more confused or perplexed in those non-municipal elections? Nobody could think this after witnessing all the voting irregularities in this state last November. No voter could be that naïve after coming off the heels of one of the longest and most expensive recounts between Norm Coleman and Al Franken. Not to mention that voters will have to wait longer for the results of RCV according to recent reports, you cannot leave a choice blank, and ultimately your vote and mine are not considered equal.

We can all agree that things need to change about our flawed voting system where thousands of absentee ballots were wrongfully rejected last November. However, to completely overhaul the process by implementing this system is not the answer. Fair Vote Minnesota, one of several groups who successfully pushed for Ranked Choice Voting, claim that the RCV “maintains the majority rule”. Let us examine this. What this means is that a candidate running for Mayor must cross the 50% threshold to be considered victorious. Sounds simple enough. How you get there is a bit trickier. If candidate A and candidate B both receive 40% of the vote and candidate C receives 20% of the vote, the race would go to the “second choice” on the ballot. What happens here is important. Those 20% of voters who voted for candidate C have their votes re-allocated to candidates A and B pushing either of them across the finish line.

I agree that it sounds great and terrific that the person elected received 51% or more of the vote, but the way that candidate got there is fundamentally flawed. Doesn’t it seem as if the voters supporting candidate C chose the winner ultimately? Didn’t candidate C voters essentially have their vote counted twice? What happened to the idea of one person, one vote? Isn’t their something flawed with a Ranked Choice Voting system where the candidate who receives the most 1^st choice votes could lose based on a second choice or even third choice ballots?

When Coleman and Franken were tied we didn’t have Secretary of State Mark Ritchie summon all Dean Barkley voters to come back to the polls on November 5^th2008 and cast their ballots another time to decide the winner between Coleman and Franken. Why would we accept a system where that is our definition of fair and equal representation? We have taken a short cut because it is not politically expedient rather than forcing our elected officials to make tough decisions. Every voter has the ability to select his or her choice, not his or her choice if those people aren’t running, or are tied.

Everyone likes to imagine new ways to encourage people to vote or be more pro-active in public policy. This inherently un-democratic and flawed system is not the answer. The answer is political leaders who don’t disenfranchise the citizens, actually better our lives in a small but substantial way for once, and actually deliver on promises that at this point are all just empty rhetoric. The reason this is important is Minneapolis, and potentially St. Paul (voters will have a similar referendum this November) are test drives of the RCV system that many groups want to see implemented state wide. I believe there will be some changes in our voting system addressed at the capitol this session or next.  However, I hope to see more common sense changes rather than disenfranchising the citizens of Minnesotans whose vote only counts once.

As I described in part one of this blog piece, contacting your representatives is not a difficult task, but there are a few guidelines to follow which will increase the impact you have. We covered general constituent contact, how to fax effectively and email best practices in the first part. Now we will round out the series with an overview of how to use traditional mail and phone calls.

Snail mail is my favorite means of contact. It is also the medium which takes the most time in transit and is the most time consuming to put together. Because of these barriers, snail mail is not a good means of contact when you want to call attention to a bill being voted on in the very near future. However, in many cases it can be a great tool. When the staff gets a personal letter, it is clear that a significant amount of work has gone into its construction. Hand written notes are by far the best. Letters make it clear that the constituent cares enough to take time to write out a letter, peel a stamp and walk the envelope out to the mailbox. The difference in time commitment between a handwritten letter and a form email is about 15 minutes but the impact of a handwritten, well thought out letter has much more than 15 times the impact of a form email. Well written letters are also the most likely type of contact to actually make it to the Representative’s desk for personal reading.

Phone calls are very obviously a personal interaction. Courtesy is the number one factor in helping your call have the maximum impact. Consider the staffer you’re going to be talking to: He or she is most likely to be an unpaid intern or a Staff Assistant/Office Manager. The vast majority of congressional staffers are paid very low salaries, especially considering the cost of living in DC and state capitols. Regardless of the position your congressman is taking or the party affiliation he holds, there is no excuse for verbally abusing the staff. I can’t count the number of times that my peers and I were subjected to yelling, cursing and other patently rude outbursts on the phone. Save your rants for another time.

When you are on the phone be clear what your issue is, know the relevant bill number and make sure that you are calling the right house of Congress. We often had people call our office about bills being voted on in the Senate or about issues on which they were very uneducated. This ignorance shows that you are not on top of the issue and makes the staff roll their eyes and not give you as much credence as you might actually deserve. Also, realize that the person you are talking to is not in a position to tell you how the representative is going to vote or give you a breakdown of the congressman’s thought processes. They are there to take a message and pass along the word. In short, know your issue, be courteous and thank the staffer for their hard work before the call is over. Make sure that you give the staffer your mailing address so that you can be mailed a response to your contact. If they don’t have a way to follow up with you and prove that you are a constituent then your call will be disregarded.

Effectively contacting your representatives is not a hard thing to do. It takes a few minutes of mental effort to write or type out a letter or give their office a call. Make sure that your contact is personalized, well informed and courteous. If it meets these three criteria then your contact will be taken seriously. If you have questions about contacting your representatives then leave a comment and I will answer it as soon as possible!

While it often seems that they have forgotten this crucial fact, our elected representatives work for us: We the People.

I spent some time working in DC for my Congressman back in 2007 and, in addition to my other duties, I worked a great deal with constituent correspondence. During my time there I handled tens of thousands of phone calls, emails, faxes and letters. My congressman’s office was above average in responsiveness to constituents and we worked hard to make sure that every form of contact got a response. However, some letters, faxes, emails and phone calls grabbed our attention more than others. These were the contacts which were most likely to carry weight and get mentioned to the Congressman.

With activism on the rise, more and more organizations encourage people to contact their representatives. Many employ blast faxes, form emails, phone scripts or postcards that you just have to sign and drop in the mail. These are all legitimate forms of contact but none of them will grab a staffer or Congressman’s attention. In my congressman’s office it was not unusual for us to make 1000 constituent contacts in a given day (emails+phone calls+faxes+letters). Out of that large number of contacts there might be only 10 that really grabbed our attention. The rest are tallied and responded to but don’t have much of an impact.
What I want to do here is give you some tips for effectively contacting your elected officials. The same rules generally apply whether you are calling Congress, your state legislature or your city councilman. If you follow these rules, your time will be much better spent and you are more likely to have a substantive impact on your representative’s actions!

Before I start breaking things down in terms of specific mediums of communication let me share some general rules: Put as much effort into preparing to contact your representative as you want them to put into their reply. Just like when you write a letter to a friend, if you want a substantive, well thought out reply then make sure your initial contact is more than a form letter or a flame email. One well thought out constituent contact has a greater impact than 50 form emails. In fact, in many cases we couldn’t even verify that an actual constituent had any part in the contact process. A number of organizations collect email address from members and then blast out form emails to congressmen without getting input from the members. This just makes life difficult for staffers and gives little advantage to your cause.

The number one key is to make the contact personal. The office is unlikely to respond unless they have reason to believe that a real, live constituent was the origin of the contact. If you show that you care, they will pay attention.
If you are sending a fax, sign it. Due to the prevalence of “blast-faxing,” we would not respond to a fax that was not personally signed. I’m not familiar with the systems on the state level but at the US Capitol all faxes show up basically as email. However, a well-written, signed fax makes a bigger impact than an email. Hand writing is better than typing, unless your handwriting is unclear, since this is further evidence of the strength of your conviction and that you are not some kind of machine.

Email is by far the most common medium of communication with Congressmen. They are easy to send, no postage is required and the time needed to type one up is low. However, the vast majority of the emails we received were form emails which were not customized at all. If it was clear that they were sent from a third party organization or website, then the emails were deleted. If they were just a form email submitted by the constituent then they were given a pretty formulaic response. However, if it was clear that the email was personally written, it received a personal answer. Make sure that you include a mailing address with your email. If you do, then it’s likely that you will get a physical piece of mail which lends itself to a greater feeling of accomplishment.

Part two of this blog piece will be posted shortly!

For well over 200 years we have enjoyed freedoms and liberties which have been unparalleled in the catalogue of human history. No nation, state or people have for such a length of time been afforded the protection and blessings which have been experienced under the American republic.

We often take these blessings for granted but each 4th of July affords us an opportunity to pay homage to the singularity of our nation and the unique sacrifices which our founding fathers, and generations of patriots since their day, have lain on the altar of liberty. Today we’re several months away from that day of celebration but we should find more opportunities than once a year to remind ourselves of this country’s beginning.

Our founding fathers pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honors when they signed that Declaration of Independence. This was no idle pledge. Many lost their lives in battle. Most lost what wealth they had in the support of the war that followed their declaration. What remained universally intact was their honor.

Every day, not just on the 4th of July, we should recall the sacrifices which have provided for our freedoms. Thank those who have served in our military, actively protecting our liberty. Make your voice known to those who represent you in our government.

A friend and fellow Sigma Chi, Pat Maloney (@PatMaloney on Twitter), passed on a link to this video. It’s a clip from the HBO Miniseries, John Adams, of the first reading of the Declaration of Independence. It’s quite a moving piece.

I wish we could have a better feeling of the emotions that the colonists felt upon first hearing the Declaration. It changed their world and has made ours possible!

Happy New Year!~ 

I  labored over my New Year’s resolutions, commitments, pledges and over all, what I like to call, the Hoo Ya. You know the “rally call.” I see 2010 as not just a new year and a new decade but the continuation of a new era. An era of American Patriots who are informed, engaged and stepping out of mediocrity and complacence to protect and defend the American way of life.

I have come to realize that freedom is not a destination, it is a lifestyle, a process by which one lives, and it needs constant and vigilant effort to maintain. Given that I have decided instead of making the typical New Year’s resolutions, to embrace a change of living techniques, ways of thinking and viewing of life

My family and I will survey our personal lives, our own home and our local community for changes needed to coalesce people, be bridge builders and ensure freedom.
We will continue connecting with those around us, interacting and discussing our concerns, steadily building networks of friends. After all a nation by definition is a community of people. If we intend on mending our nation we have to mend its people. There is a saying- “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.” Having a vested interest in our neighbors and them in us is a huge step in the protection of individual freedoms.
In our home will use our time wisely cutting out those things that are time suckers such as TV, video games, etc, so we can read truly important books like, “The 5000 Year Leap” and “The Real George Washington”. We will do our due diligence to research the daily news for truth and the too-often inaccurate e-mails we receive in an effort to be genuinely informed and not merely reactionary. And we will re-evaluate frequently our motivations.

Last, but by far the most important act is that we continue to pray. We will ask questions daily based on a list of priorities we prepared as a family; God, Family, Church/friends, Country and Career. We will ask for guidance in how we can most effectively spend our time, energy and resources. We resolve to pray earnestly for our leaders to become and remain men and women of godly principles and ask that holy and wise leaders be raised up to help guide us from this present darkness and confusion.
It will take time to get back to daylight, there is no quick fix. If we commit to work diligently together and vow to never again become complacent, to teach our children to be vigilant, I am confident we will prevail!
I look forward to meeting many of you as I travel across our state to help encourage Arkansans to become informed, engaged and empowered!

Happy New Year and richest blessing to you and your family. May God continue to bless America.

God’s Speed,

Laurie Masterson

American Majority is holding an Activist Training in Fort Worth, TX on Monday, January 11th.  The training will be held during the weekly meeting of the Fort Worth 912 Organization, which runs from 7:00 PM to about 8:30 PM.  The event will be at Painless Performance Products, 2501 Ludelle Street, Fort Worth, TX 76105.

The goal of this training is to empower common citizens to make a difference in their communities by using tools of information, technology and by networking with other like-minded individuals and organizations.  If you or anyone you know would be interested in attending, we would be pleased if you would join us.

The event will cost $10 for each attendee and includes resources and training. Some refreshments will also be available.

At the special request of the Fort Worth 912 Organization leadership we will focus the training solely on Precinct work and how to hardwire your neighborhood. If you’ve ever wanted to have more control over the political environment around you, this training will give you the tools to make that difference.

Online pre-registration is strongly encouraged!  Please bring your receipt if you register online.

American Majority believes that all change begins on the local level. This training will equip citizens to be an active voice for change in their communities and the nation.

To register, please click here. For more information, please contact Raz Shafer at raz@americanmajority.org or call 254-592-3361.

American Majority is holding an Activist Training in Conway, AR on Thursday, January 14.  The training will be held from 7:00 – 8:30 PM at a Faulkner Co. Library, 1900 Tyler St.

The goal of this training is to enable common citizens to make a difference in their communities by using tools of information, resources, and by networking with other like-minded individuals and organizations. If you or anyone you know would be interested in attending, we would be pleased if you would join us.

The event is FREE and open to the public.

Presentations that will be offered include:

• Building Coalitions and Reaching Your Community
• Organizing Meaningful Events
• Holding Your Elected Officials Accountable
• Getting Involved in State and Local Political Campaigns
• New Media: Opinion Editorials, Blogs, Wiki Projects and more

American Majority believes that all change begins on the local level. This training will equip citizens to be an active voice for change in their communities and the nation.

To register, please click here.  For more information, please contact Laurie Masterson at laurie@americanmajority.org.

American Majority is holding an Candidate & Activist Training in Texarkana, TX on Saturday, January 16th. The event will be held from 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM at Smokey Joe’s BBQ, 300 East New Boston Road, Nash, TX 75569-2714. The registration table will open at 8:40 AM.

The goal of this training is to empower common citizens to make a difference in their communities by using tools of information, technology and by networking with other like-minded individuals and organizations. If you or anyone you know would be interested in attending, we would be pleased if you would join us.

The event will include both Candidate and Activist tracks. Cost will be $25 for each activist. Candidates will pay $50 and $25 for each additional attendee (spouse, campaign staff, campaign volunteers, etc.) Lunch, training and training support materials will be provided.

Online pre-registration is strongly encouraged to insure that your seat is reserved! Space is limited is expected to fill quickly.

Presentations that will be offered include:

• Building Coalitions and Reaching Your Community
• Precinct Ownership Workshop
• Patriotism 2.0
• Holding Representatives Accountable
• Master Your Campaign Strategy

American Majority believes that all change begins on the local level. This training will equip citizens to be an active voice for change in their communities and the nation.

To register, please click here. For more information, please contact Raz Shafer at Raz@americanmajority.org or call 254-592-3361.

American Majority is holding an Activist Training in Mesquite, TX on Tuesday, January 19th. The event will be held from 6:45 PM – 8:45 PM at the La Prada Church of Christ, 2724 La Prada Dr., Mesquite, Tx. 75150. The registration table will open at 6:15 PM.

The goal of this training is to empower common citizens to make a difference in their communities by using tools of information, technology and by networking with other like-minded individuals and organizations. If you or anyone you know would be interested in attending, we would be pleased if you would join us.

The event will cost $10 for each attendee and includes resources and training.
Online pre-registration is strongly encouraged to insure that your seat is reserved! Space is limited to 300 individuals and is seats are expected to fill quickly.

Presentations that will be offered include:

• Building Coalitions and Reaching Your Community
• Hardwiring Your Precinct
• Precinct Ownership Workshop

American Majority believes that all change begins on the local level. This training will equip citizens to be an active voice for change in their communities and the nation.

To register, please click here. For more information, please contact Raz Shafer at Raz@americanmajority.org or call 254-592-3361.

**** SORRY, DUE TO MAXIMUM CAPACITY, REGISTRATION FOR THIS TRAINING HAS CLOSED

If you have any questions, please contact American Majority Minnesota at 651-261-0954 or email tom@americanmajority.org. ****

Every elected official, from school board member to State Legislator to the President of the United States plays a vital role in shaping the policies and direction of our communities, states, and nation. These offices deserve men and women who are grounded in the principles of liberty and individual freedom.

American Majority is hosting a Candidate Training on January 23rd at the Medina Entertainment Center, 500 Highway 55, Hamel, MN 55340. Registration begins at 8:30 am and the training will run from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Regardless of experience, American Majority’s Candidate Training Program makes it easier! American Majority Candidate Training Seminars are designed specifically to educate candidates on every level how to run effective and victorious campaigns and prepare them to become successful elected officials.

Topics to be covered in the seminar include:

• Usage of traditional and new media
• Campaign planning
• Successful fundraising tactics
• Grassroots organization

Upon completion of the seminar, candidates will receive continuing education materials, access to podcasts and other presentations, communications curriculum, and suggestions to help them utilize think-tank resources.

The cost is $50 per candidate and $25 for each additional attendees (spouse, campaign staff, campaign volunteers, etc.).

Please click here to use our online reservation system and secure your place now! If you have any questions, please contact American Majority Minnesota at 651-261-0954 or email tom@americanmajority.org.

You are Invited to Learn how YOU Can Make a Difference in Your Community!

American Majority will be holding an Activist Training in the Charleston, SC area.  This training will build upon the momentum from the tea parties in April 2009 by answering the question “what next?” and providing practical how-to steps for keeping the liberty movement going.

The training will be from 5:30pm to 9:30pm on the evening of January 28th and will equip citizens to be more effective in their communities.  The training will take place at the Holiday Inn Express in Summerville at 120 Holiday Drive.  Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.

Topics to be covered during the Training include:

• Building Coalitions and Reaching Your Community (ideas and practical steps to engage your community and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Organizing Meaningful Events (step-by-step instruction on how to organize an effective event for a cause, issue group or organization)
• South Carolina Government 101 (how government operates, how legislative and executive bodies work, how to get involved)
• Campaigns and Accountability (how to be an effective campaign volunteer, how to hold leaders accountable once they are in office)
• Effectively Communicating Your Views (how to write effective letters to the editor, opinion editorials and blogs, using social networking tools and wiki projects)

Registration is available online by clicking here and includes full training materials.  Registration is $25 online pre-registration prior to event, $35 at the door (if space is available, see note below).  A light dinner will be provided.

NOTE: Space is limited to 50 attendees.  Pre-registration is the only way to reserve your seat.

If you have any questions or would like additional information, call Beka Romm at 913-940-7369 or e-mail Rebekah@americanmajority.org.

American Majority is a non-profit and non-partisan organization whose mission is to train and equip a national network of leaders committed to individual freedom through limited government and the free market.