COPE ENDORSEMENT

The Orange County Labor Federation is currently scheduling interviews for candidates seeking endorsement for local City Council and School Board seats. Interviews will take place on Monday, August 16th for City Council candidates and Tuesday, August 17th for School Board candidates from 8 AM-8 PM each day. Candidates must call to schedule an interview and must COMPLETE and SUBMIT the corresponding questionnaires by Friday, August 6th. Candidates will not be interviewed without completed questionnaires. Please keep in mind that interviews are scheduled on a first come first serve basis. Please download bio questionnaire and appropriate questionnaire according to the office you are seeking.

STEP 1: MANDATORY CANDIDATE ACADEMY

We realize that not every candidate has a strong understanding of the issues that face today's working families and organized labor. The candidate academy is designed to familiarize candidates with the political and policy priorities of working families in the Orange County. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about pressing issues from union leaders, rank-and-file members and community leaders--ranging from wage and contract issues to the environment, education, health care and affordable housing. Our candidate academy is now mandatory as of 2009. If you are interested in receiving an endorsement or recommendation for endorsement by the Orange County Labor Federation, you must attend at least one of our sessions. Please check our web site often for dates and locations.

STEP 2: COPE ENDORSEMENT INTERVIEW

After completing a COPE candidate questionnaire focused on the issues facing today's working families and organized labor, candidates will be interviewed by the COPE Interviewing Committee made up of union members appointed by active major unions in Orange County. After the interview process an endorsement recommendation will be made by a two-thirds vote of the COPE Interviewing Committee.

STEP 3: ENDORSEMENT

The endorsement recommendation made by the COPE Interviewing Committee is then reviewed and voted on by both the Orange County Labor Council's Executive Board and the delegates of all affiliated unions. If a candidate receives at least a two-thirds vote of both the Executive Board and the delegates, then that candidate is endorsed by COPE. (Note: Federal and State Candidates are recommended to the California Labor Federation Endorsement Convention. This recommendations are final once the state delegate approve)

STEP 4: CAMPAIGN

Once a candidate is endorsed by the Orange County Labor Council's Committee on Political Education, a campaign follows that includes at least one if not all of the following components: direct mail to voters in support of the candidate, door-todoor voter education, voter education via phone, and financial contributions.