THE BATTALION
MONDAY, JANUARY 29, 1979
Page 7
Organized staff is essential
Plan your campaign soon
(well
By SCOTT PENDLETON
Battalion Staff
“Government at all levels is suffering from a lack of trust, Penny
eaumont, president of the League of Women Voters of Brazos
ounty, said at a forum on elections Saturday.
The only way to solve the trust problem, Beaumont said, is to get
more people to support political candidates or to be candidates them-
elves.
But anyone planning to tun for a council or school board position in
ryan or College Station this spring should organize his campaign
in advance, Beaumont advised.
A potential candidate should decide how campaigning will affect
> family life. Perhaps it will be an overcommitment, Beaumont
aid.
But once he has decided to run, the candidate should “plan, plan,
^ind plan some more, Beaumont said.
A candidate should realize that he can’t run his campaign alone; he
[should find a campaign manager, she said.
"Your campaign manager must be able to put in long hours and put
up with lots of telephone calls at all hours, Beaumont said.
A candidate also needs a finance chairman to raise funds, file con
tribution reports and handle expenditures.
A research assistant can help a candidate by discovering issues in
the community.
A public relations director handles all the publicity for a candidate,
Beaumont said. Since the campaign will use promotional materials
such as bumper stickers and placards, it is helpful to find a public
relations director who is familiar with the printing business, Beau
mont said.
Once a candidate has a staff, he must decide what kind of volunteer
activities to pursue, such as canvassing, campaigning door-to-door, or
campaigning by telephone.
Beaumont recommends recruiting volunteers from groups in the
community. Students, senior citizens, and members of civic groups
are potential volunteers. Since a civic group is unlikely to furnish
anyone with its membership list, a candidate or his staff member
should attend one of the group’s meetings to establish contact,
Beaumont said.
After recruiting volunteers, a candidate must give them something
to do immediately, Beaumont said.
“Nothing is worse than volunteering in a great burst of enthusiasm
and then not hearing anything (from the campaign headquarters) for
two or three weeks,” Beaumont said.
Volunteers need something specific to do, as well as a place, a
time, a reason, a way to have fun, a deadline, and — most important
— recognition.
“You’ve got to tell them thank you a lot, Beaumont said.
Showing appreciation is also important after the election.
“Win or lose, you’ve got to thank those people again, Beaumont
said. “You may need these folks again.”
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ne of the most common mis-
s political candidates make is to
their filing fee before they file
he name of their campaign trea-
[er.
his constitutes an illegal cam-
;n expenditure under the Texas
fetion Codes, said Ramon Dasch
ihe Secretary of State’s office in
itin.
lasch spoke Saturday at a forum
[running for office sponsored by
League of Women Voters of
[zos County.
candidate may neither accept
ipaign contributions nor make
nditures until that name has
leln filed with the clerk of the
iper authority, Dasch said. A
lidate may be his own treasurer,
must still file as such.
Candidates, office holders, and
litical committees must also file
ic contribution and expenditure
orts, Dasch said.
[he first must be filed not later
30 days prior to the election,
period covered begins on the
of the campaign treasurer’s de
lation and ends on and includes
ic40th day prior to the election.
The second report must be filed
not later than seven days before the
election. It covers the 39th day up
to and including the 10th day before
the election.
The last report must be filed not
later than 30 days after the election.
It must include from the ninth day 7
before to the 25th day following the
election.
The reports must state the dates,
amounts, full names, and complete
addresses of each person from
whom contributions in an aggregate
amount of more than $50 was re
ceived or borrowed during the ap
propriate reporting period, Dasch
said.
The report must also state the
dates, amounts, full names, and
complete addresses of all persons to
whom any expenditures aggregating
more than $50 were made during
the appropriate reporting period,
and the purpose of the expendi
tures, he said.
These reports are public record,
and should be available to the public
immediately upon receipt, Dasch
said.
Dasch emphasized that the can-,
didate must sign his own statement
of contributions and expenditures.
The treasurer is not authorized to
sign for him.
It is illegal for a corporation or
labor organization to contribute to a
candidate, Dasch said.
Nor may candidates accept
anonymous contributions.
"Dirty tricks’ are also outlawed,
Dasch said. For instance, no con
tributions or expenditures may be
made in the name of another per
son. And all advertisements must
say “political and disclose the name
of the person who contracted for the
advertisement.
No political communications may
be made in the name of another, nor
may such communications be mis-
representative. Dasch gave the
example of “John Brown, Governor
when the ad should read “John
Brown for Governor.” But Dasch
admitted that this kind of misrepre
sentation is so widespread as to be
unenforceable.
The penalties for violations of the
election code can lie high. Persons
knowingly making or receiving an
unlawful contribution or who fail to
provide political disclosure on an
advertisement are guilty of a class A
misdemeanor, punishable by a
$1,000 fine and a year in jail, Dasch
said.
To knowingly make or accept an
illegal corporate contribution or to
place a false advertisement is a 3rd
degree felony, punishable by a
$5,000 fine and 2-10 years in jail, he
said.
tactics.
MSC Political Forum’s
Washington D.C. Trip II
Visit Senators &
Congressmen
March 11-18
(Spring Break)
Sign up by Feb. 5
MSC 216
Presbyterians — U.C.C. —
Disciples
THE
First Christian Church
First Presbyterian Church
A&M Presbyterian Church
Friends United Church of Christ
Faith United Church of Christ
And the UCCLC Committee of Texas
Are Pleased To Announce
The United Campus Ministry of A&M has a new
Campus Minister.
The Rev. Michael Nelson Miller, BA, MA, M.Div.
Office 846-2394
Home 693-2122
Please call for information on Student Activities
FRENCH’S SCHOOLS
“Your child’s home away from home”
Call or come by one of our four locations
College Station
Wee Aggieland - 1711 Village
693-9900
French’s Care-A-Lot - 900 University Oaks
693-3011
Bryan
Royal Tot - 110 Royal Street
846-4503
Kiddo Campus - 4351 Carter Creek
846-1037
Provide your child with the best.
Infant care, pre-school care, 1st grade, night care.
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regular
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offer valid
Sun.-Wed.
Be sure and sign up to win a
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fully equipped each time you
visit on El Chico Restaurant.
Watch for cheating at polls
By KAREN ROGERS
Battalion Staff
A candidate can do several things
to insure voting procedures are car
ried out correctly both on and be
fore election day, said Fumi Sugih-
ara, state voting rights chairman for
the League of Women Voters.
“Candidates should have one of
their workers start checking now to
be sure voters are registered in the
correct precincts. Voters who are
not registered correctly will not be
able to vote,” Sugihara said at a
LWV forum in Bryan Saturday.
“Encourage your supporters to
vote absentee, but assign a poll
watcher or someone to go through
the absentee applications to be sure
it is being done properly and is not
abused.
“The processing of absentee mail
ballots has been abused before. The
candidate should have someone
there while they are being pro
cessed.
Practice computer runs can be
done two days prior to the elections
to insure that the computer is count
ing the ballots correctly,’ she said.
“Since the programs and ballots
are handled by humans, they are
subject to human error,” Sugihara
said. “We have found program er
rors in this county.
Candidates may protect them
selves on election day by posting
poll watchers to observe balloting
procedures.
“The presence, of poll watchers
decreases the possibility of flagrant
violations,” Sugihara said.
Candidates should post poll
watchers who know the election
laws at each precinct voting box to
protect their interests.
“There have been some eases of
persons who handle the ballot box
having prearranged hand signals. If
their candidate is losing, they will
signal to go out and round up more
voters. The ballots should never be
handled unless two or more people
are present.”
If a poll watcher discovers a viola
tion in a federal election, he should
write a detailed description and re
port it to either the local FBI or the
Justice Department. He should re
port violations of local elections to
the sheriff’s office or precinct judge,
Sugihara said.
The worker at the counting sta
tion on election night should wit
ness the acceptance of the ballots
from each precinct and tally the
votes on the printout to be sure all
ballots were counted. If he finds an
irregularity, he should report it to
the election judge.
Since the ballots may not be ex
amined until after the election is
over, Sugihara warns poll watchers
“to be sure you have enough evi
dence before you go public.”
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693-9308
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907 Harvey Rd. (Hwy. 30)
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★ Washateria
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,he AHaNHYl
MSC
CRAFT SHOP
SCHEDULE OF
SPRING WORKSHOPS
Registration begins Monday Jan. 29,10 a.m., Craft Shop.
MONDAY
LATHE
STAINED GLASS A
DRAWING
CAKE DECORATING
SUNCATCHERS
TUESDAY
GLASS ETCHING
SILKSCREENING
SAND TERRARIUMS
QUILTING
POTTERY A
POTTERY B
BASIC FURNITURE
WATERCOLOR
STAINED GLASS C
EMBROIDERY
FRAMING & MATTING
WEDNESDAY
SHOP SAFETY A
NEEDLEPOINT
CROCHET
BATIK
BASKETS A
NOMAD FURNITURE
ANTIQUE REFINISHING
DECOUPAGE
BASKETS B
THURSDAY
SHOP SAFETY B
MACRAME
CHINA PAINTING
STAIN GLASS B
SPINNING & NATURAL DYES
POTTERY C
POTTERY D
UKRANIAN EGG PAINTING
STAIN GLASS MIRRORS
7:00-9:00 P.M.
7:00-9:30 P.M.
7:30-9:30 P.M.
7:00-9:00 P.M.
7:00-9:00 P.M.
FEB. 12 - MAR. 5
FEB. 12- MAR. 26
FEB. 19 - APR. 2
FEB. 19 - APR. 16
APRIL 2- 16
7:00-9
6:00-8
7:00-8:
7:00-9
1:00-3
7:30-9
7:00-9
7:30-9
7:00-9
7:30-9
7:00-9
00 P.M.
00 P.M.
30 P.M.
00 P.M.
:00 P.M.
:30 P.M.
:30 P.M.
:30 P.M.
30 P.M.
:00 P.M.
:00P.M.
7:00-9
6:30-7
7:30-9
7:00-9
7:00-8:
7:00-9:
7:30-9:
7:00-9:
7:00-9:
30 P.M.
30 P.M.
00P.M.
00 P.M.
30 P.M.
00P.M.
30 P.M.
00P.M.
00 P.M.
FEB. 13 -
FEB. 13-
FEB. 13-
FEB. 13-
FEB.13 -
FEB. 13 -
FEB. 20 -
FEB. 27 -
MAR. 20-
MAR. 20“
APRIL3 -
FEB. 14-
FEB.14 -
FEB. 14-
FEB. 14-
FEB. 21 -
FEB. 28 -
MAR. 21 -
MAR. 21-
MAR. 28-
MAR. 20
MAR. 27
MAR. 27
MAR. 27
APR. 10
APR. 10
APR . 3
APR. 24
APR. 24
APR. 24
24
21
MAR. 7
MAR. 7
MAR. 28
MAR. 21
APR. 18
•APR. 1 1
APR. 18
■APR. 25
PX
7:00-9
7:60-9
7:00-9
7:00-9
7:00-9
5:00-7
7:30-9
7:00-9
7:00-9:
30 P.M.
:00 P.M.
00P.M.
30 P.M.
00P.M.
00P.M.
30 P.M.
00P.M.
30 P.M.
FEB 15 - MAR. 29
FEB. 15- MAR. 29
FEB. 15 - MAR. 29
FEB. 22 - MAR. 29
FEB. 22- APR.19
FEB. 22- APR. 19
MAR 8 _ APR. 12
APR. 5— MAY 3
FOR MORE INFO, WHY NOT COME DOWN TO THE MSC BASEMENT
AND SEE US, OR CALL 845-1631.