Every election season, a few candidates fail before a single vote is cast.
A judge removes a political neophyte from the ballot because a competitor finds a campaign-ending goof in a sheaf of nominations, ethics statements and financial disclosures.
"I have candidates show up at 4 p.m. on the day of the deadline to file," said Mark Wolosik, manager of the Allegheny County Elections Division. "If you wait to the last minute to do this, you're going to be susceptible to error."
Now, there's a class to help candidates be prepared.
The nonprofit Local Government Academy is offering "Contemplating Governing: A Course of Potential Candidates for Local Offices," a three-session primer for would-be politicians trying to navigate a thicket of legal filings and deadlines required to run for office.
Tuesday is the deadline to submit nominating petitions to run in the May 17 primary election. The academy's next course begins March 16 in Cranberry.
Wolosik estimated there will be about 800 races countywide this year and 50 to 60 court challenges filed against candidates. Fewer than half will be successful.
Judges tend to allow candidates to remain on the ballots, but some mistakes leave them no choice under the law. Fatal mistakes include not collecting enough valid nominating signatures and neglecting to file ethics statements.
"I wanted to learn the mechanics of how to run for office, and I think I got that. They delivered," said Ron Summerhill, who attended the course's inaugural session and was elected to a spot on Murrysville Council in 2009.
"It was valuable to have the awareness that there are all kinds of nuances and rules you wouldn't normally think about," said Summerhill, a Democrat.
With only three full-time staff members, the nonprofit relies heavily on a group of about 75 volunteer instructors, guest speakers and alumni to teach its students.
"I tell them (candidates) they're elected to set the course, to set the vision of the community," said academy instructor Tim Little, Monroeville manager.
Public officials who forget to focus on policy-making might get bogged down in a sea of administrative minutia, Little said, which can make them less effective.
Local Government Academy is nonpartisan, so it doesn't offer political advice, said spokeswoman Sarah Welch.
Alumni of the academy's long-running "Newly Elected Officials Course" -- offered after municipal election years -- include state Auditor General Jack Wagner (1985); Bruce Kraus, Ricky Burgess and Natalia Rudiak, three of Pittsburgh City Council's nine members; and Pittsburgh City Controller Michael Lamb (1987).
More than 800 officials from the academy's 12-county service region have taken the course since it began 25 years ago.
In addition to the classes, the academy raises money for a grant program that covers 50 to 60 percent of the wages paid to interns at 15 municipalities that otherwise would not be able to afford to hire paid interns, she said. Wages range from $9 to $11 an hour. The municipalities are in seven counties.
Judy Oskin, 64, of North Versailles attended the course for potential officeholders that started Feb. 10. She was gathering nomination signatures to run for a township commissioner seat.
She learned to avoid some common pitfalls.
For instance, she didn't know corporations can't donate to campaigns; donations must come from individuals. She learned to gather more nominating signatures than the 10 required in case an opponent challenges the validity of some signatures.
Oskin, a retired Verizon Yellow Pages supervisor, said she was inspired to run when commissioners voted on a controversial budget plan without permitting public comment.
She has studied Pennsylvania's rules about allowing public comment on agenda and non-agenda items.
"If I'm going to be accountable, I need to know what I'm accountable for," she said.
John Bendel, 46, a candidate for Mt. Lebanon commissioner, attended the course and said it serves a dual purpose.
"The more people who are educated about public office, the better," said Bendel, a Democrat. "And it may filter out some people who learn it's more than they're up for."
Pondering politics:
By the numbers
27 -- Students registered this year for Contemplating Governing, the course's second run, from 18 municipalities in Allegheny, Beaver, Washington and Westmoreland counties
44 -- Students who attended "Contemplating Governing" in 2009, its first year
29 -- Municipalities in Allegheny, Butler, Fayette and Westmoreland counties from which students hailed
20 -- Students who won their May 2009 primary election races (22 ran)
13 -- Students who won their November 2009 general election races
Additional Information:
Thinking of a run?
Local Government Academy
What: 'Contemplating Governing: A Course of Potential Candidates for Local Offices'
When: 6 p.m. March 16 and March 23
Where: Cranberry Township Municipal Building, 2525 Rochester Road
Fee: $45 per person. Registration is required by March 15.
More info: Call 412-237-3171
On the Web: online
