Newspapers / Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.) / Aug. 28, 1986, edition 1 / Page 14
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Black PAC sponsors campaign class From Page A1 (Hill ■mill Ill Minn judgeship. Foster, also a Democrat, serves as treasurer for the 8th Congressional District Black Leadership Caucus. Ms. Huff is a Republican who said she is considering working for senatorial candidate James Broyhill. Robinson and M. Colleen Jones, a seminar coordinator, gave the participants information on how to conduct a winning political campaign. “The black community can in fluence the political process by increasing the pool of talent that can run effective campaigns,” Ms. Jones said. “The only way to increase that pool, which is still very small after years of neglect from the major parties and tradi tional political groups, is through training seminars like this one.” Many blacks lack the training to conduct a successful cam paign, Robinson said. “We need to increase the pool of talented black people in this area.” The 21st Century Club plans to train 300 campaign workers for both parties over the next 10 years, says a press release from the organization. Campaign workers first must know the party affiliations of the voters, Robinson said. Most peo ple are socialized by the time they are 18 to vote for Democratic or Republican candidates, he said. “Most people vote on partisan appeals,” Robinson said. “But party voting is on the decline, and there are more independent voters who can be persuaded to vote for your candidate.” The candidates must be charismatic and likable enough to attract those votes, Robinson said. “Candidate sentiment has to be manufactured in order for (the candidate) to get 50 percent of the vote plus 1 percent to win,” he said. Campaign workers also have to identify issues that their can didate can support to win votes, Robinson said. “Only 14 percent of the elec torate follows issues,” he said. “Issues are important in primaries, off-year elections and special elections.” Campaigners must be concern ed as well with different groups within the electorate, Robinson said. “You have to get opinion leaders within the black com munity to retransmit your can didate’s message and mobilize voters for the candidates,” Robinson said. “As a group, you must take black voters into con sideration. Black voters in the South tend to vote for Democrats.” Campaigners should consider the demographics of the elec torate, Robinson said. “Twenty percent of the American public moves every year,” Robinson said. “People move in and out of districts. Can didates must realize that people who voted for for them in the previous elections may not be mil mil mum mu A year later From Page A5 has done a good job to ac complish what we have ac complished,” he said. “The defi ciency has been in trying to make adjustments to new things.” Several staff members are holdovers from the Winston Lake branch. They include Robert Dunlap, aquatics direc tor, and Moses Lucas, director of the Youth Incentive Program. Joyner said that he would also like to improve the facility’s maintenance, and that he wants the Y to team with other institu tions. “I believe we will have to col laborate with other agencies,” he said. “We definitely need to do more with churches. We need to be involved more with the school system.” Joyner said that, while these things may not happen in the next 12 to 18 months, the time is now to begin to work on them. “It’s easy for us to sit back and criticize and have hindsight about Stop Being The Perfect Hostess! 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Call; 722-1193 • Winston-Salem 838-2491 • North Wilkesboro PEST CONTROL Serving The Triad and Southwest Virginia From Offices In Winston-Salem • Greensboro Eden • North Wilkesboro there to vote for them again.” The electorate is dominated by “baby boomers,” Robinson said. “Older voters are dying off; younger voters are coming of age,” he said. “The fight is now between the Democrats and Republicans for the control of the baby boomers’ vote.” Voter turnout is important, too, Robinson said. “You don’t want everybody to turn out,” he said. “You just want people who will support you or are undecided and predisposed to support your candidate.” Campaigners must find out the voters who are likely to support their candidate, he said. “You need to get these people to the polls,” Robinson said. “But you also may need to per suade people who are registered but don’t vote to support your candidate. You may need to get unregistered voters to the polls as well to make up that 50 percent plus 1 percent.” Equally as important, Robin son said, is knowing the opposi tion. “A candidate should avoid the opponent’s strengths and exploit his weaknesses,” Robinson said. “You should analyze the oppos ing candidate’s voting record and absentee rates.” A campaign staff should also poll the electorate “to find out what the voters are thinking about,” Robinson said. “You can test your campaign themes with polls.” Ms. Jones told the participants how to use the media to get their campaign messages to the public. “Eighty-sbi percent of the elec torate will be impressed with your candidate’s media message,” she said. Campaign workers need to reach activists, the general public and opinion leaders with theii message, Ms. Jones said. Candidates also must raise money to fund their campaign ef. forts, Robinson said. “Most campaigns need to raise monej when they can really use it,” he said. “Most people don’t like to raise money, but it is necessarj, for a campaign to survive.” Cke ^ OUticiUE. PRE-LABOR DAY SALE! All Jeans V2 Price Incoming fali and winter sweaters 10% off All major credit cards accepted. PHONE: 723-3551 STORE HOURS: 10-6 Mon.-Thurs.; 10-8 Fri. & Sat. Parkway Plaza Shopping Center how things happened and why they happened,” he said. “The way we change and improve things we want to do is by input. “I open my door and my telephone, and 1 encourage the staff to do the same, to any peo ple who want to make sugges tions,” he said. “This YMCA is the community’s YMCA, and the more input and involvement the people have in the growth, the quicker we get to where I hope to be.” Joyner gives credit to the facili ty’s Branch Board of Managers for its help during the first year of operation. “Kenneth Rocker, chairman of the board, has done an outstan ding job in leading our board,” Joyner said. “Our board has been a very hard-working board who are committed to the success of this YMCA. People like Kupid Kellum, Ernest Hairston, Mar shall Hairston, Carl Miller and Please see page A15
Winston-Salem Chronicle (Winston-Salem, N.C.)
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