Effective elected leaders can make a huge difference in their communities; conversely those elected who are ineffective can create significant and long term problems. The point of this book is to identify common problems that elected officials face during their service, and offer practical solutions. Since we rarely elect "perfect leaders," our democratic system is structured so ordinary citizens can become successful as long as they work at it. Interestingly, the people who find the greatest success as public officials are those who quickly pivot their attention from "Me" to "We," develop effective relationships with their colleagues, and listen more and talk less.

It's at the local level that some of the most crucial decisions are made about education, healthcare, emergency services, the environment, planning, development, and transportation -- decisions that directly affect the quality of our lives. And it's at the local level that ordinary citizens can still have a real impact on shaping their communities by getting involved. Political strategist Larry Tramutola provides practical lessons on how to win local elections and use organizing techniques to be effective politically. Originally published in 2004, this new edition is a re-framing of some of the lessons given the new challenges that communities face, and the growing appreciation that significant social change can come through organizing.