Local Leader Organizes Event to Enlist More Candidates

“Just do it.” That’s the message one of our New Leaders Project signers has for conservatives who are considering running for local office.

After watching several local election cycles in his Illinois community, Mike Shorten noticed that there often weren’t enough candidates running for all of the offices up for election where he lies in McHenry county. He explained, “Often the incumbent would run again and you’d be lucky to get another person challenging. Then sometimes no one will run for a seat, so someone has to be appointed to the position later.” He realized that a large percentage of the money he was paying in property taxes was being spent by people who were not elected, and not being held accountable by voters.

So Mike, who is a project manager for an office supply store, signed the New Leaders Project pledge in 2011. When the next local elections cycle came around in 2013 he ran for office and was elected to the board of Nunda Township Trustees.

Read the rest at the New Leaders Project.