Nikole Babb
nbabb@cherryroad.com
Just in time for the next local city elections, the Butler County Farm Bureau Association, (BCFBA), has invited a mini political campaign school to take place in El Dorado. The campaign school will teach participants how to run a successful political campaign at any level as well as give them the blueprint for any future campaigns.
The four-hour long campaign school will dive into the logistical, operational and “why” behind participant’s political campaigns while removing the mystery and daunting aspect of them. Bringing this opportunity to Butler County was an easy “yes” for the Farm Bureau Association, as they center their service around advocacy and education.
The goal of the mini campaign school is to encourage strong leaders to take on local political seats in order to strengthen the areas in which they live.
“The Butler County Farm Bureau Association is committed to advocacy, education and service for the farm and rach families as well as all citizens of Butler County,” said Shelly Black, BCFBA Board President. “This is yet another opportunity to serve and educate and to open opportunities for those seeking local offices.”
The campaign schools are nonpartisan, unbiased and are reported to result in an 80% campaign success rate for attendees. The agenda for the school will include exploring the participant’s why behind running, crafting a running statement, how to manage a campaign budget, fundraising, requirements and effective communication with voters.
“Whether it’s for school board, city, county, state or federal legislation, anyone can participate in this school, even if they aren’t from Butler County or if they aren’t Farm Bureau Association members,” said Jeff Varner, BCFBA Board Policy Chair. “We are proud to be a part of the legislative grassroots process by providing access to this campaign school.”
All potential candidates are encouraged to participate as well as current candidates, campaign managers and campaign volunteer leaders. The mini campaign school is traveling throughout the state of Kansas, making El Dorado the fourth stop on the map. Before El Dorado, the mini session stopped in Minneapolis, Ottawa and Scott City. The rest of the full schedule is as follows:
May 13, Kansas Oil Museum, 383 E Central Ave., El Dorado
July 10, Jackson County Courthouse Memorial Hall, 400 New York Ave., Holton
July 16, Huck Boyd Community Center, 860 Park St., Phillipsburg
Sept. 4, American Ag Credit, 5634 10th St., Great Bend
The mini campaign schools run from 1-5pm. To participate, a fee and online registration are required. Only 20 participants will be accepted to attend the mini session. To register for the mini school, fill out the form online at https://www.kfb.org/Article/Campaign-School.
