OJCL Election Guide A Comprehensive Guide To OJCL Elections | Page 5

Hear from the
Board Members!
President
What are your duties?
"The President’s duties are sometimes hard to understand, but after
almost a year serving in the office, this is my best description of them.
Your job is to help everything run smoothly and to be sure the whole
board does their jobs. This involves making sure conflicts are
resolved, and the board works as a cohesive unit with everyone doing
their job and helping others when they need it. Being a central
communicator with OJCL delegates is just as important as
communicating with the board as well because those are the people
you serve." - Ryan Burns
What campaign tips would you offer?
"There are two basic categories that you need to talk about when
campaigning: qualifications and goals. When running for President,
qualifications are more important than when running for any other
office because you are the leader of the whole OJCL. A flier with
qualifications is useful to pass out to delegates, especially if you are
well qualified. The goals section can be difficult when running for
President because you will not have a super-specific area like 1st VP
has membership, and 2nd VP has service. Think broadly when
creating goals and look at the OJCL By-Laws and Constitution
sections relating to the Presidency. Brainstorming and thinking
about the office will create goals in your head, and making a flier
with these on it is another great strategy."
The members of the board have offered
their own understanding of what their
position entails and some advice for
campaigning. This is not a complete
guide—for the complete list of duties,
see the OJCL Bylaws, Article VIII.
Ryan poses for a nice picture of him campaigning on the floor
1st Vice President
What are your duties?
"As the 1st Vice President, your duties all revolve around communication.
These can be divided into three subcategories: communication with schools
and sponsors, communication with delegates, and communication with the
board. The 1st VP is in charge of membership, an essential task. My
suggestion is to reach out to schools instead of waiting for them to reach out
to you. Be polite, be helpful, be enthusiastic. Being in charge of social media,
you are the bridge between the board and OJCLers. You will also be the face
of the organization that people will see when they look up the OJCL. Lastly,
you will also have to communicate with the other board members and be
very transparent about what you are doing. Additionally, to ensure a smooth,
productive year, good communication and good chemistry are essential
among board members." - Lucia Boadas Peña
What campaign tips would you offer?
"Since the office of 1st VP involves a lot of communication, it is also crucial
that when you talk to people and give your big speech, you come off as being
personable, professional, and an excellent communicator. No one wants to
elect someone to the board if they cannot deliver a speech and talk to a large
crowd. Confidence is key, so make sure you write a speech you believe in, and
you rehearse it so you don’t seem lost. At convention, it is not enough to print
out hundreds of fliers and have people campaigning for you, while getting
your name out there does help, you should also get out there yourself. By
doing this, you will create a lasting impression on those you talk to, and you
can answer any questions they have about your platform. Before you get to
convention, though, I would highly recommend you reach out to the previous
1st VP (me!) and ask them for any tips."
Lucia answering a question during Meet the Candidates. Using your
hands is helpful for the audience!