NSBE - Convention 2018 - 71

"If you are a citizen of the U.S. and meet the age and residency
requirements, you are probably qualified to run for the political
office you desire."

ust as our nation represents a wide spectrum of political
interests from conservative to liberal, we NSBE members can also represent a spectrum of political engagement, from apathetic to elected. No matter where you
fall on either spectrum, here are tips and resources to help you
get more involved and #StayWokeNSBE.
"Innocent Bystanders" make up one end of our political
spectrum, with the least amount of experience in politics. They
are sporadically active, mostly voting in major elections. If this
sounds like you, the best way to get more involved in policy is
to find out who represents you and what they stand for, which
can lead you to determine whether you agree with them or
not. Use this search to inform your voting in the future or to
contact your representatives and share your views on their
policymaking.
Further along our spectrum, "#StayWokeNSBE Supporters"
strive to be as politically engaged as possible and can be motivated to stay involved beyond elections. To move from motivation to action, Supporters are encouraged to "follow the money"
and serve their elected officials as technical experts. How your
elected officials get and spend money tends to be a good indicator of their influence while in office. With your STEM background, you can lend your expertise, particularly on issues that
reach into your pockets.
Even further along the spectrum are "Prospective
Candidates," our most politically active members, who may be
ready to run and yet wonder whether they are even qualified.
If you are a citizen of the U.S. and meet the age and residency
requirements, you are probably qualified to run for the political

office you desire. Unless you are a prospective POTUS or vice
POTUS candidate, your birthplace may not even have to be
within the U.S. Also, you may not need any specific educational
background or previous political experience. In fact, 18 members of the 115th House of Representatives have no educational
credentials beyond a high school diploma.
According to VoteRunLead.org, running for office may be
as simple as asking: "Why, When and Where?" The "why"
is knowing what you care about, within and/or beyond your
area of technical expertise. The "when" is answered by doing
research on elected offices opening soon. The "where" narrows your scope to one or two upcoming offices. Once you've
decided to run, take one or more of the following actions. Yes,
running could be as easy as "A-B-C."

12 WAYS TO START RUNNING AND
#STAYWOKENSBE
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Apply for NSBE roles to hone your skills.
Analyze the landscape with @L2Political.
Activate a @314Action STEM endorsement.
Advocate for women with @SheShouldRun.
Begin campaigning on NationBuilder.com.
Brush up on your civics at ed.TED.com.
Build a LGBTQ platform with @VictoryInst.
Be on alert with the @BallotReady app.
Canvass with eCanvasser.com.
Capture a swing district with @Flippable.
Comment as a STEM expert on 5Calls.org.
Contribute to a PAC on GuideStar.org.

#STEMinCongress

Approximately 7 percent of members of Congress have a STEM background.

HOUSE
1
1
3
2

SENATE

Engineer
Optometrist
Physicians
Software Company Executives

1
4
7
1
2
1
11
1
3
6
3

Chemist
Dentists
Engineers
Microbiologist
Nurses
Pharmacist
Physicians
Physicist
Psychologists
Software Company Executives
Veterinarians

Source: U.S. Congressional Research Service

www.nsbe.org

* CAREER ENGINEER * CONVENTION 2018 * 71

http://www.VoteRunLead.org http://www.NationBuilder.com http://ed.TED.com http://www.eCanvasser.com http://www.5Calls.org http://www.GuideStar.org http://www.nsbe.org

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