Book review: "The Candidate's Handbook"

In this issue: Green City, Part I: Remedial environmentalism is so 20th Century! California faces a fiscal and political crisis California enfrenta una crisis política y fiscal Dear Dennis Kucinich Prop 54 is racist and dumb Tom Hutchings runs for Assembly Form and Function On the "Progressive Democrat", and their threat to progressives Military Recruiters: Stop marketing war to our children Stay Green! New Way of Thinking Needed Book review: "The Candidate's Handbook" Book review: Once upon a time in the future Recall FAQ Letters to the Editor News Clips

Interested in running for office? The Candidate's Handbook provides non-partisan help for both novice and seasoned campaigners.

by Warren Bloomberg

"The Candidate's Handbook: For Winning State And Local Elections" by Harvey Yorke (1982), revised and updated by Carl Yorke, 2002 (Self-published as Political Net Press, Palo Alto, CA, www.candidateshandbook.com).

"The Candidate's Handbook", written for both novice and seasoned campaigners, is a collection of campaign common sense which can be read in sequence or by topic. The Table of Contents serves as a "to do" list for a first-time candidate or campaign volunteer.

The book is bare, concise-without partisanship or philosophy (or warmth or inspiration). Because it covers so many topics in a limited number of pages, there is no detailed discussion on any topic.

There is no bad advice in this book-even if some of the topics infer significant volunteer and financial resources. As with any advice book, the reader will need to decide what is useful and what is not. It could be a resource for Green Party locals or committees who do not have other ready-made organizing lists for potential candidates.

There are at least two topics which should be in the book but appear to be missing: absentee ballot voting, and webpage-i.e. credit card-fundraising. According to the editor, these will be added in the next update.

"The Candidate's Handbook" belongs in public libraries to provide ideas for anyone thinking about running for elected office. The publisher's webpage offers links to the Table of Contents, sample text, and checklist examples.

Individuals trying to decide whether to become candidates might first attend training programs where they can hear live presenters, ask questions and receive program handouts. After that orientation, "The Candidate's Handbook" will make a lot of sense and be very helpful.

Warner S. Bloomberg III was a first-time candidate when he ran for State Assembly in San Jose, California in 2002.

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