how early can i accept donations for a city council run for 2011, anyone know?

[BarryDonegan]

I am very serious about taking a seat on the city council in davidson county/Nashville for our revolution, but I need to know how early i can legally take donations, I need to get my name awareness up locally. Does anyone know the rules on this stuff? I would imagine the rules would be federal in nature. as it is primarily tax code stuff.

[manny]

bump

I don't know the answer but wanted to wish you good luck.

I know we've got guys going for Congress and the Senate but it will be by taking over every level that Ron's message will win in the end.

[BarryDonegan]

i asked the libertarian party chair because he was easy to reach (less busy inbox) and he said the best way to legally do it is to run first for a different bigger office first, basically to lose and get a treasure so i can legally raise money. A lot of my family has money and is involved in local business and are excited that I am becoming involved and will donate, I just have to get it all legit. I need a lot of advance time to beat the career local politicians here in nashville, but i think I can win the fundraising battle because these family members are quite rich and the Ron Paul people in Nashville are strong. it doesn't take much to win a city council fundraising war.

but does anyone on here have specific legal knowledge as to a way i could do this without running for a different office first? I don't feel confident in myself as a senator just yet, I want to begin as a city councilman, I'm only 29, and I feel confident that I can win that office and I don't want to ask for money for an office I don't plan on winning.

I'd like to start fundraising way early though and I'm having little luck finding any resources on this.

[nullvalu]

lol a better question is who's going to start giving you money now for a 2011 run? :D

[nate895]

i asked the libertarian party chair because he was easy to reach (less busy inbox) and he said the best way to legally do it is to run first for a different bigger office first, basically to lose and get a treasure so i can legally raise money. A lot of my family has money and is involved in local business and are excited that I am becoming involved and will donate, I just have to get it all legit. I need a lot of advance time to beat the career local politicians here in nashville, but i think I can win the fundraising battle because these family members are quite rich and the Ron Paul people in Nashville are strong. it doesn't take much to win a city council fundraising war.

but does anyone on here have specific legal knowledge as to a way i could do this without running for a different office first? I don't feel confident in myself as a senator just yet, I want to begin as a city councilman, I'm only 29, and I feel confident that I can win that office and I don't want to ask for money for an office I don't plan on winning.

I'd like to start fundraising way early though and I'm having little luck finding any resources on this.

I'd go ask at the County Clerk's office or Secretary of State's office.

[NeoRayden]

Ask your SoS office. In Indiana here I believe you can collect at any time however you must file your CAN-4 Finance reports.

[purplechoe]

Sorry that I can't help you with any info, but I just want to wish you good luck!

[BarryDonegan]

all the FAQ and details I have seen don't seem to have a "begin date" for anything like this, they only seem to require that you file for a treasurer and report all the receipts and expenditures.

I am working on that part now.

and to answer who is going to start giving me money now for a 2011 election... people who wan't me to win ;)

I'm not going to win a last minute run off name awareness against incumbent guys who get wild love from the Tennesseean and the Nashville Scene. I need to develop a name very far in advance to create the kind of awareness that will allow me debate opportunity.

I have willing donors, just I do not want to illegally accept their money.

i digress, has anyone heard of any laws about how early you can begin drawing a treasure for an election?

[kigol]

lol a better question is who's going to start giving you money now for a 2011 run? :D

lol

[NeoRayden]

One way to gain awareness is to get involved in local politics.

Before I ran for Mayor this is what I did.

I asked my councilman to introduce an ordinance I wrote. Also I have taken public positions on may issues ranging from privacy to property rights to police brutality and police ethics and manner of civil duty.

http://www.whas11.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8LQQUOG0.html

http://www.wndu.com/news/headlines/4846521.html

http://www.sisoc.net/lettermstrauss1.pdf

http://www4.webng.com/ms6662/52507.txt

http://www4.webng.com/ms6662/3102007.txt

http://www4.webng.com/ms6662/poolpr3907.txt

http://www4.webng.com/ms6662/312007.txt

http://www4.webng.com/ms6662/2252007.txt

My local news blog: http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?SectionID=71&SubSectionID=175&TM=42938.67 (Not really used any more since I dont have time.) I recommend that if your paper has one available grab it and use it to your advantage.

[BarryDonegan]

yeah, I've started that part for sure. I'm meeting with the libertarian party here in an hour and a half, and I've started sending letters left and right to everyone currently about every issue that irks me or that I like in the area. the main thing i am having trouble finding out though is if there is an official start time to when i can form a treasury for my campaign.

[dbhohio47]

You should be able to get the information from your County Board of Elections. They would have stuff on the legal aspects of running for office. You might also try your local Republican Party office.

Make sure you start attending council meetings and getting active prior to the start of your campaign. You need to understand the local politics....and get a "feel" for what people's issues are (the people in office and their constituency). You should also step up your public awareness profile by becoming active in different committees and clubs such as Rotary, Optimists, etc. Politics is a networking profession.....it is very much about who you know...and who knows you.

[BarryDonegan]

unfortunately city council is non-partisan so a party wouldn't have much info on that, most don't. I'll try with the elections commission, although previous efforts have resulted in me hanging up after 5 hours on hold.

[BarryDonegan]

for the record, I have found out the answer to this question. At least in my county, you have to file for a treasure, with a treasurer. This is the first step in the campaign, even before getting on the ballot. Once you have filed for this, you can accept contributions for the election you are running in, no matter how early it is. you can also spend. you just have to open an account associated with the treasure and you have to report to the finance commission of the related county.