By Liz Holland

Anyone considering a run for public office or campaign activists are invited to take part in what organizers are calling a “top-to-bottom campaign review.”

“It’s for people thinking about running for office, but have no idea what’s involved,” said Mike Dunn, President and CEO of the Greater Salisbury Committee, which is cosponsoring the event with the Salisbury Area Chamber of Commerce and the Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement at Salisbury University.

The nonpartisan candidate school will be held over two evenings, Wednesday, Oct. 20, and Thursday, Oct. 21, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event is free and includes dinner. Attendees need to attend both evenings.

The event will be held in the Salisbury University Commons, Worcester Room. Anyone planning to attend should register in advance at https://bit.ly/candidateschool.

The training is open to residents of all Lower Shore counties, not just Wicomico County, Dunn said.

Several important state and local races will be on the ballot in 2022, including governor, state senator, state delegate, county council and county executive.

The training will take a local approach to topics, and will feature former elected officials, as well as Anthony Gutierrez, Director of the Wicomico County Board of Elections, who will explain state election laws including how to file as a candidate, financial disclosures and ethics, Dunn said.

Other speakers will include former Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt, former Wicomico County Councilman Phil Tilghman and Len Foxwell, former Chief of Staff to state Comptroller Peter Franchot.

The training also will cover campaign ground work, volunteers and social media, and will promote how to run a positive campaign.

Dunn, along with PACE Director Sandy Pope and Chamber CEO Bill Chambers, will serve as moderators.

Dunn said the candidate school is new, but PACE, the Chamber and Greater Salisbury Committee successfully launched candidate forms in 2018 for state senate and in 2019 for Salisbury mayor and City Council. The three groups are now planning to host more forums in 2022, including one for Maryland governor.