Have you thought about running for local elected office but weren’t sure how to do it? Would you like to support your neighbors as they seek elected office? Then come to a free educational session sponsored by Belchertown Voices for Justice to learn from local experts and your neighbors who have successfully done it.

The session will be held on Wednesday, January 17, 2018 from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm in the Auditorium at Belchertown Town Hall, 2 Jabish Street.

Speakers will include the Town Clerk, Colleen Toothill-Berte, who will outline the “nuts’n’bolts” of the steps to get on the ballot as a candidate. Mary Olberding, Hampshire County Register of Deeds, and an active supporter of local and county-wide election campaigns, will address the importance of running for local office. A panel of Belchertown Voices for Justice members who have run and/or been elected to office will round out the program. There will be plenty of time for questions and discussion. Join us if you just want to learn more about the most practical ways to support candidates running for office – every campaign needs enthusiastic volunteers willing to work as well.

Belchertown Voices for Justice seeks to help its members and like-minded neighbors to seriously consider running for local office; one of BVJ’s goals is to have a more diverse, progressive range of citizens actively engaged in civic and political activities. As we have seen around the country, running for local office can have a huge impact on the community and greatly affect how issues are prioritized and crucial decisions are made.

Belchertown Voices for Justice (BVJ), established in January 2017, are residents (and friends) of Belchertown who are committed to creating a welcoming, safe, and inclusive community. We stand against the politics of hate that seek to divide us and redouble our commitment to the values of freedom, justice, and equality that bind us as a community. We embrace nonviolent direct action as a principle and guiding philosophy.

For more information, contact Belchertown Voices for Justice at: info@belchertownvoices4justice.org

We hope to see you Wednesday evening - January 17th at 7:00pm.