Local and state candidates offered guidance at Co-op Campaign Academy

Press release

HELENA — Running for office is not an easy feat.

No one can predict the range of obstacles candidates may face, but learning from local and national cooperative professionals can guide you to a winning campaign. That’s what the 2019 nonpartisan Co-op Campaign Academy offers to prospective candidates and campaign workers.

  Montana’s Credit Unions, Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association and their national counterparts the Credit Union National Association, and National Rural Electric Cooperative Association are joining forces to host a nonpartisan Co-op Campaign Academy to arm you with the tools you need for a successful campaign.

This training is beneficial to anyone considering a run for local office — such as city council mayor, sheriff and district judge — or state Legislature. People assisting as a campaign manager or volunteer coordinator also can gain useful information for the campaign they are supporting. No matter the level of office for which people are running for or the party with which they are involved, the training will provide the proper resources to help you in a political journey.

“This academy is intended to encourage people to run for public office,” said Gary Wiens, assistant general manager of Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association. “If voters want better government, then they need choices when they cast their ballots, because good government doesn’t just happen.”

Each training is a day-and-a-half long and will be offered in three Montana communities: 

Missoula, Nov. 2-4

Helena, Nov. 6-7

Billings, Nov 8-9.

The Co-op Campaign Academy presents a variety of topics, not specific to any party or issue, making the experience unique and useful for each individual, whether they are simply interested in the idea of running for office or already committed to doing so. Some of the topics that will be covered include: candidate self-assessment, developing a winning strategy, crafting your message and delivery, and field targeting and Get Out The Vote strategy.

With the ever-changing world of electoral processes, the cooperatives have revamped their agenda to include interactive breakouts where people will get the chance to practice what they learned throughout the course of the training. In addition, a new session solely dedicated to the use of digital and social media.

“We want our community to know we are here to support them in their political endeavors,” said Karen Smith, vice president advocacy at Montana’s Credit Unions. “This training provides one-and-a-half days of unique activities allowing the attendees to have interactive, hands-on practice they can take outside of the training and use within their run for public office.”

  As Montana cooperatives, MCU and MECA have a common objective to support political action and create healthy communities around them. These organizations are committed to supporting democratic ideals and representative government.

  The cost for the Co-op Campaign Academy is $110 per registrant. Lunch and a networking reception on the first day of each session is included. For more information or to register, visit http://www.coopcampaignacademy.coop .

Based in Helena, Montana’s Credit Unions exists to promote and enhance a thriving credit union community. Its various entities support this mission. Montana currently boasts 50 credit unions, with 124 branches in communities across the state. Those credit unions currently serve more than 407,000 Montanans — who are members and owners.

The Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association is a not-for-profit, statewide trade association representing 25 consumer-owned electric distribution cooperatives and three generation and transmission cooperatives. Serving more than 400,000 consumers in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, our cooperatives’ service areas can be found in all 56 Montana counties. Each cooperative is customer-owned, locally controlled and not-for-profit. In addition to overseeing legislative and regulatory relations for its members, MECA coordinates training for safety, director, and employee programs on issues of current concern to MECA member systems.