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Media Contact:                                         For Immediate Release:

Alex Carabelli, 212.400.0531                                       June 24, 2008

Email: press@gograssroots.org

In response to growing demand, Grassroots Initiative schedules two last-minute trainings

New York - Spurred by heightened political interest in the 2008 Presidential Election, new community initiatives have taken root in the Bronx and Queens to help recruit community leaders to fill more than 2,000 vacant seats in the boroughs' Democratic County Committees. Similar efforts were announced in Brooklyn earlier this year; together, these efforts hope to help more than 100 community residents break into politics for the first time.

"The controversy over super delegates during this year's Presidential Primary Elections opened a lot of people's eyes regarding the important role of political party representatives in deciding our elected officials," said Greg Faulkner, a Bronx resident who serves as Chair of Community Board 7 and recently committed to recruiting new candidates. "As an active member of my community, I feel like I have a moral responsibility to make sure we are being adequately represented."

This year, there are more than 6,000 County Committee seats up for election in the Bronx and Queens Democratic Party; yet many will remain vacant due to a shortage of candidates. County Committee members have few formal responsibilities - they vote to elect the party's Chairperson and Executive Committee, select candidates to fill vacancies in the State Senate and Assembly, and are critical to local get-out-the-vote efforts. For the community leaders who are involved in current recruitment efforts, the goal is simple - ensuring that community residents have their voices heard.

"We have a unique opportunity to help redefine the role and importance of the County Committee," said Miguel Santana, who was first elected to the County Committee in 2006 and is helping recruit new candidates to run this year. "As a County Committee member in my district, I've organized town-hall meetings and worked to raise awareness about issues that matter to local residents; it's a small contribution to the community I love, but the response from other residents has been great."

This year's election cycle is currently underway and the deadline for candidates to file petitions for County Committee seats is July 10th. In response to growing demand, Grassroots Initiative - a non-partisan, non-profit election consulting firm - and the Bronx-based Community Empowerment Network have organized two last-minute trainings in the Bronx and Queens to help candidates with the technical process of running for office.

Bronx Training
Friday, June 27th, 6:30 pm
Bronx Public Library, 310 East Kingsbridge Road

Queens Training
Monday, June 30th, 6:30 pm
Queens Public Library, 54-22 Skillman Avenue, Woodside

Seating at the trainings is limited; to guarantee a space, interested persons should register by calling Grassroots Initiative at (212) 400-0531 or by sending an email to info@gograssroots.org.

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Grassroots Initiative is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization committed to rebuilding democracy by opening doors, breaking down barriers and establishing effective dialogue between community residents and public decision makers. Grassroots Initiative promotes community involvement, assists first-time candidates for public office and enables decision makers to better utilize public input. For more information, visit www.gograssroots.org