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# Ladies and gentlemen, start your campaigns
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/ladies-and-gentlemen-start-your-campaigns/
- Published: 2002-07-13T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:30:24.000Z
- Author: Andrew Fixmer
- Tags: Government & Politics, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*Workshop allows candidates to find out what they’re getting into*

To Santa Monica politicos, this weekend unofficially marks the beginning of the city’s campaign season.

The League of Women Voters of Santa Monica will hold a candidate training workshop Saturday to instruct those vying for public office on the rigors of campaigning, election laws and what happens once a candidate becomes elected.

The event is expected to draw dozens of candidates considering a run for public office but who are now taking one last step before making it official on Monday — the first day candidates are allowed to officially file their candidacy with the city clerk.

“The concept behind it is that better informed potential candidates result in a better informed public official,” said Karen Carrey, the league’s president.

> “The concept behind it is that better informed potential candidates result in a better informed public official.” — — KAREN CARREY League of Women Voters of Santa Monica

Leading the workshop will be a panel of eight current and former office-holders who will discuss how to become a candidate, what to expect during the campaign and the time commitments of holding public office.

Serving on the panel will be: Judy Abdo — former mayor and city council member, school board member Pam Brady, Neil Carrey — a 1994 school board candidate, Kip Dellinger — an accountant and frequent Republican campaign treasurer, Councilman Herb Katz, school board member Maria Leon Vazquez, Ann Williams — the league’s voter service director, and Dennis Zane — former mayor and city council member.

Carrey said the league tried to balance the panel along Santa Monica’s political lines, which typically consists of candidates endorsed by Santa Monicans for Renters Rights, and those who run independently. Abdo and Zane are co-presidents of SMRR.

“I think it is a good service by the league,” said Katz, who is not aligned with SMRR. “Their goal is to take people who think they want to run and make sure they know what’s really involved.”

Abdo said she felt the event was not about politics but about telling potential candidates about what’s ahead of them if they decide to run.

“From my perspective it’s about sharing my experience about what it’s like to run,” she said. “It’s not about what side you are on.”

For Emily Bloomfield, a school board candidate, the event is a chance to find out what she is getting herself before making it official. At this point, Bloomfield said she isn’t thinking about turning back and, in fact, already has held two fundraisers.

496,“I want to find out more about the process of running for school board,” she said. “I’m well on my way with my plans to run but this will give me more information on what’s going to be required of me.”

But there’s also the curiosity factor.

“It will be a good first opportunity to see who is running that I don’t already know about,” she said. “I think a lot of people will be interested to see who comes and who is serious about running.”

The event will be the first time candidates for various offices will have a chance to meet and see who is their competition.

“They probably have a pretty good idea by now if they are running,” Carrey said. “It will be obvious if they are attending these workshops if they’re running — I mean why else would they be attending this workshop?”

The workshop will be held in the Ken Edwards Center from 1- 4 p.m. on Saturday. There is a $25 charge to cover materials and food. Persons interested in attending the even can reach the league at (310) 394-4661.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 13, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/071302.pdf?ref=smdp.com)