• Use MFOA voting bloc structure and resources. MFOA has the state divided into 14 population districts, each with a District Coordinator (DC) who has a master list of all the MFOA members and supporters in that district. Contact the DC in your area and see if there may be someone who might be a potential state legislative candidate.

• Organize politically at the grassroots level. Work with your DC to form a group of animal protection activists in your area to work together to support an animal-friendly candidate.

• Attend your party’s monthly meetings (ex: Brunswick Republican Town Committee meeting) and get a copy of the local party rules on electing candidates; see if there is someone in that group we would want to encourage to run for the state legislature.

• Ask people about civic or business leaders and community activists who may be a good candidate to be a state legislator, and then call, email, or write them to see how they feel about some animal-protection issues. A potential candidate should realize a political campaign requires a seven-day-a-week commitment for many months before the election. All the more reason why volunteering a few hours a week in the fall is important in helping candidates.

• Do opposition research on incumbent votes, and does he or she have any controversial positions, or has the legislator become lazy and not represented the district with any distinction, or does a new candidate lack the experience that would make them a good legislator, or have they voted against animal protection.