It starts to get kinda real…
I get on the Kentucky Secretary of State website and start digging in. I find all the necessary forms, read all the rules and regs, check out campaign finance details, and keep talking with people in the know. I am not telling many folks and trying to keep it all a bit hush-hush. My “clever” mind decides if I tell folks to kinda keep it secret, maybe tell some family and friends, that the news will slowly leak out to become water cooler conversation. I know my town.
I take my filed out document to the County Clerk to my File for Candidacy. This is a doc that says you intend to attempt to run for office. Now I have to work on my petition. I am an Independent candidate and that means I have to gather signatures (100 in KY) of registered voters in Calloway to be placed on the ballot in November. So more meetings with friends and colleagues and anyone I could pin down. I was able to score some help from super cool friends/supporters and the signatures started rolling in. I have 100 in a bit over a week, I think, “Sweet, maybe running is a good idea and I’m not crazy.”
Well now I know I am going to be on the ballot, so back to “school”. I start talking with more people about what the job is about. I meet with people in elected offices, employees of the local government, business leaders, and people on some of the boards around here. I can’t ask most of them to sign my petition, it’s a no-no while working. But it’s all good because I am still meeting with others that can and do sign. Now I have over 200 in less than a month. Rolling.
The push started coming from those in-the-know buddies to go ahead and announce my candidacy. I say “I don’t know. My wife is in track season so after school duties and a few nights and Saturdays with no momma around. It’s spring on the farm, enough said on that. Not to mention the primary hasn’t been decided. I don’t know who I will be running against. Maybe wait until after all that.” I go back to gathering signatures and they keep pushing. Then BAM! The X-factor emerges. I hear there is ANOTHER Independent doing what I am doing.
Plans change.
