Democrats issue call for candidates

Sparta - The Sussex County Democratic Committee issued a county-wide call for candidates at its first full committee meeting of 2006. At the gathering, held Jan. 30 in Sparta, chairman Howard Burrell called on all residents who would like to have a greater voice in directing the county’s future to step forward and run for office on the local or county level. “The Democratic Party wants real people with real solutions,” said Burrell. “We want people to know that if you have ideas and you share our ideals, there’s a place for you on the Democratic Party ticket.” To support its call for candidates, the committee will hold a seminar titled, “So, You Want to Run for Office,” where the basics of running a campaign, from filing paperwork, to fund raising, to voter outreach will be reviewed. The seminar is designed to help potential candidates seeking any level of elected office, including county committee, school board, council person, mayor, freeholder or higher office, Burrell said. The session will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 93 Spring St., Suite 501. Prospective candidates are asked to call 1-800-WIN-SCDC, ext. 3, to get the process started. Those who do not wish to run but want to help elect like-minded people are also invited to attend. “We’re doing more than just taking names,” said Richard Ecke, executive director of the committee. “If you’re interested in running, we will help you learn about the process. If you choose to run, we will support you in any way we can.” “There are many smart, passionate Sussex citizens out there who want to serve their community and county, but they’ve hesitated for one reason or another,” added Burrell. “We want them to know that they will be welcomed in the Democratic Party. Ultimately, this call for candidates is about giving the best and brightest in Sussex County an opportunity to serve.”