Saturday, October 9, 2010

Election experience

I promised to share my election experience with you so here goes in case any of you want to stand in the future. 

I did not win any seat but it was a great journey of learning with some very experienced mayors and councillors showing me how. What I learnt was that if one wants to stand for election:

It cannot be a last minute decision, start at least 18 months in advance.

Budget, set aside money for billboards($80.00 - $350.00 each), flyers/brochures, ads in papers.

Be prepared to answer questions, do a lot of reading and research.

Get involved in the community early.

Use the social media to connect.

Go out and door knock, attend candidate meetings, visit community centres, bus stops and shopping centres and malls.

Most important stay focused, I lost a bit of my focus because my husband got transferred to another city in August and I was in two minds all the time. But now we can all move together as a family.

We can be what ever we want to be in this country, it is paradise. We must encourage our children to study and study hard. If our community is to thrive we must also opt for subjects like law and political science and governance besides science and engineering.

In the end I am proud that it was an honest campaign and I want to thank all those who wished me good luck and best wishes. I really appreciated them. Thank you and remember you can be whatever you want to be if you work hard at it.

Uzra Casuri-Balouch

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