Running for County Committee used to be good way?for someone without money or political connections to get started in politics. The Republican and Democratic parties were each run by a County Committee consisting of one unpaid man and one unpaid woman from each neighborhood or district of each city or township. They were elected every June for one year terms. Besides choosing the county chairperson, the County Committee members took party candidates around their districts before elections, and made party leaders aware of local problems. Because districts were small, only a handful of signatures were needed to get on the ballot, and a hardworking candidate could get elected without party backing. But during the past ten years, Republican leaders in Atlantic County changed everything. County Committee now has 4 year terms, and are elected at-large for whole towns or large districts. Because so many signatures now needed to get on ballot, and so many votes needed to win, very few people other than those hand-picked by party leaders run today.?www.libertyandprosperity.org.