FORT MITCHELL — The Northern Kentucky Chamber is inviting political candidates to school.

        And political heavyweights, administrators and experts will be the teachers.

        Making good on its pledge to become more politically active, the region's largest business group is offering a free Political Candidate Clinic.

        The two-day seminar, set for Jan. 12 and 29 at the chamber's Fort Mitchell office, is designed to give prospective candidates a working knowledge of the election process for city, county and state office.

        The chamber is hoping to attract businesspeople, but non-chamber members and current officeholders are invited, too, said chamber President Gary Toebben.

        “We are doing this because we want to encourage businesspeople particularly to be involved in political office,” Mr. Toebben said Friday.

        “Businesspeople are used to running their own organizations. We think they can bring some good insight to various political offices,” he said.

        Steve Stevens, the chamber's director of government affairs and its top political lobbyist, said the chamber came up with the idea for the clinics after the last major election two years ago.

        “During the last election cycle, we saw all these empty seats before the filing deadline, and we said "This is just wrong,'” Mr. Stevens said.

        “People wait for the 11th hour, and then they are recruited by their friends just because there is a seat open and they feel they can win. We'd like to see a more thoughtful process and a few more businesspeople get involved.”

        The program is especially for those who think they may not have time or patience. Participants will be offered a copy of the chamber's business plan, Mr. Stevens said. But the clinics will not espouse the chamber's political agenda, added Mr. Toebben.

        Topics include:

        • Filing for office and reporting campaign contributions.

        • What a potential candidate should consider before running for office.

        • Building a political organization.

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