Civic Participation

2012 Citizen Lobbyist Training

It's that time of year once again! The Equality State Policy Center's 2012 Citizen Lobbyist Training is just around the corner.

The ESPC's Citizen Lobbyist Training is widely recognized as the best short-course available to understand the workings of the Wyoming Legislature. The workshop educates citizens about the legislative process and how they can effectively influence public policymaking.

This year's Citizen Lobbyist Training will be conducted Feb. 15 starting at 8 a.m. at the Plains Hotel in Cheyenne.

Participants in the training learn how a bill becomes law. Experienced lobbyists who work for ESPC member organizations outline the attributes of an effective lobbyist and teach attendees how to testify before a legislative committee. Other presentations outline how citizens can get the attention of legislators and affect their policy deliberations from home. Sitting legislators offer their perspectives on lobbying and discuss approaches that work – and that don't work – with them.

We'll offer a virtual tour of the Legislature's website, which has become a key resource for tracking developments during and following each session. The training also will include a real tour of the Wyoming Capitol and the opportunity to practice new lobbying skills on legislators.

The training attracts citizens from all walks of life, including students, representatives of nonprofit groups and people who simply want to learn more about lawmaking in Wyoming.

The training fee is $50. The fee helps us defray the cost of lunch and snacks on site. We offer a discount to $25 for attendees affiliated with ESPC groups. The fee is not meant to be prohibitive, however, and we offer scholarships to participants who need assistance.

Payments in advance are greatly appreciated. Please click here to register online. Please mail your payment to: Equality State Policy Center, Attn: 2012 Citizen Lobbyist Training, 340 West B Street Suite 203, Casper WY 82601

For more information, please call Dan Neal at 307-472-5939.

We have arranged a room block at The Plains Hotel for attendees who need accommodations for one or two nights. A limited number of rooms are available for $77/night on Feb. 14, and Feb. 15. Call The Plains at 307-638-3311 by Jan. 21 and ask for the Equality State Policy Center room block, Citizen Lobbyist Training, Group No. 196677.

Download a PDF of this information here. Download scholarship application here.

ESPC’s Citizen Lobbyist Training prepares residents to advocate their issues at the Wyoming Legislature

The ESPC’s annual Citizen Lobbyist Training, held at the start of each session of the Wyoming Legislature, educates citizens about the legislative process and how they can effectively influence public policymaking.

Participants in the ESPC’s Citizen Lobbyist Trainings learn how a bill becomes law. Experienced lobbyists who work for ESPC member organizations outline the attributes of an effective lobbyist and teach attendees how to testify before a legislative committee. Other presentations outline how citizens can get the attention of legislators and affect their policy deliberations from home. Sitting and former legislators offer their perspectives on lobbying and discuss approaches that worked – and didn’t work – with them.

The training attracts citizens from all walks of life, including students, representatives of nonprofit groups and people who simply want to learn more about lawmaking in Wyoming.

The 2011 workshop was staged Jan. 12, the second day of the general session. Veteran Wyoming reporter Ruffin Prevost attended the 2011 training.  You can read the report he posted for WyoFile, one of the best sources of in-depth reporting on Wyoming people, issues and events, here: http://wyofile.com/2011/01/citizen-lobbyists/

In 2009, K2 radio reporter Karen Snyder’s attended the training. She aired an extended report on her station’s weekly news show, Report to Wyoming.

You can listen to her report here:

Report to Wyoming Lobbyist Training Part 1 (MP3 file)

Report to Wyoming Lobbyist Training Part 2 (MP3 file)

Report to Wyoming Lobbyist Training Part 3 (MP3 file)

Please consider attending the next Citizen Lobbyist Training in 2012.

Grassroots Campaign School held the first weekend in June

Wyoming political candidates who want to campaign for election by reaching out personally to voters should consider attending the Equality State Policy Center’s biennial Grassroots Campaign School.

The purpose of the nonpartisan school is to teach a well-planned, organized style of campaigning focused on connecting directly with constituents for the office candidates seek. The ESPC believes that a candidate who campaigns door-to-door not only will connect better with constituents but will hear about the issues most important to the people the candidate hopes to serve.

The school is conducted by two trainers from M&R Strategies, Inc., a nationally-known firm based in Oregon whose clients include candidates at all levels of government as well as grassroots organizations. Candidates will learn to develop a campaign plan, set a budget, raise funds, recruit volunteers, go door-to-door, and create other elements of a winning campaign.

The ESPC encourages candidates to bring their campaign manager or other volunteers who will be assisting them in their campaigns.

People who may not plan to run for election this year but believe they will enter future elections also are encouraged to sign up for the 2010 school.

The campaign school will be held at the Wyoming Conference of Electrical Workers hall, 691 English Drive, Casper, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, June 5.  It will run to about 5 p.m. on Saturday, leaving time for homework, then resume Sunday morning, finishing between 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

The charge for the Grassroots Campaign School is $50, which includes a campaign manual and lunch on Saturday.

For further information and to sign up for the school, please send an email message to Dan Neal at dneal@equalitystate.org or call 307-472-5930.

Government Accountability and Civic Participation

The Equality State Policy Center’s first projects focused on making Wyoming state and local governments more accountable to the people they serve, and this area continues to be the ESPC’s top priority.

The Wyoming LAP* Book (*Legislative Accountability Project) provides Wyoming people with easily accessible information on Wyoming legislators’ voting records and the campaign contributions they received. The Wyoming LAP* Book has been published every two years since 1994, first in print and now online.

The ESPC also has provided analyses of campaign contributions in gubernatorial and other statewide races. We successfully worked for pre-election campaign contribution reporting, and continue to advocate for a comprehensive lobbyist reporting law.

The ESPC conducts an annual Citizen Lobbyist Training at the beginning of each legislative session, and a biennial Wyoming Campaign School, which teaches grassroots campaigning techniques for candidates and issue campaigns.

In election years, the ESPC also conducts voter education and mobilization drives to bring un- and under-represented constituencies into Wyoming politics.

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