Somebody's Gotta Do It

January 13, 2020
Journalist Martini (Hillbilly Gothic) documents her anguish in the wake of the 2016 election and traces her path to becoming a county board member in Upstate New York in this entertaining political memoir. Though Martini quickly discovered that there was a lack of resources for neophytes interested in running for local offices, she attended “candidate school” to learn the rules of campaigning, went door to door to collect the signatures needed to get on the ballot in Otsego County, and eventually won, becoming one of 14 delegates overseeing a budget of $105 million. Through the process, Martini discovered that local politics matter more than national races: “It’s not that federal races aren’t important. It’s that local offices have more control over your services and, sometimes, your life.” Offering self-deprecating humor, practical advice (such as packing snacks for long committee meetings), and insights into obscure but important issues (among them flaws in the county coroner system that lead to conflicts of interest and a lack of transparency), Martini elevates her story above the minutiae of county board proceedings. The result is a useful guide for those contemplating the plunge into electoral politics.

January 15, 2020
A fresh and funny memoir by a progressive wife, mother, and writer/editor who ran for local office for the first time in middle age--and won--on a shoestring budget. After the 2016 presidential election, Martini (Sweater Quest: My Year of Knitting Dangerously, 2010, etc.) channeled her rage into knitting pink pussyhats for the #Resist movement from her home in Oneonta, New York. When that didn't banish her anger, she asked a locally active Democrat how else she might help, and he urged her to run against the Republican incumbent for the District 12 seat on the Otsego County Board of Representatives. As a political newbie, Martini was skeptical, but she signed on after learning that she could keep out-of-pocket costs low ("in the hundreds, not...thousands" of dollars) and continue to work for the alumni magazine for SUNY Oneonta. Local officials' decisions, she realized, could affect people's daily lives more than state or federal politics: "North Korea is important," but it won't matter "if everyone in your neighborhood has rabies because the county Board of Health has no money." In this entertaining memoir, the author describes the highs and lows of her successful campaign and first two years of representing a rural area with about 800 voters in a "deep, deep red" county. She also chronicles her interviews with officials in other states, including Liz Walters, a member of the Summit County (Ohio) Council, who warned the author, "you go in expecting The West Wing. What you really get is a combination of Parks and Recreation and Veep." With self-deprecating wit, Martini recalls the victories of the Otsego board, such as getting smartphones for social services workers who, until 2017, used "county-issued flip phones," and problems like the "dark money" that floods even into small-town races. She doesn't sugarcoat the challenges, from five-hour meetings to family time lost to doorbell-ringing, but she frequently offers strategies for meeting them, and her overall message is hopeful: Democracy works--at least at the local level. Comic relief--and lots of useful tips--from a journalist with a side hustle as a county official.

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October 1, 2019

Frustrated after the 2016 election, award-winning journalist Martin was told by the friend of a friend that she should run for office. That year, she was one of 26,000 women (vs. 960 the year before) who contacted Emily's List about seeking office. Now she's the representative for District 12 to the Otsego County Board of Representatives in upstate New York. As she says, someone's gotta do it, whatever your political persuasion.

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2020

Martini (Hillbilly Gothic) decided to run for the Otsego (NY) County Board in the wake of the 2016 presidential election. Here she recounts the steps she took to get her name on the ballot, and the process she followed to decide what issues to promote in her campaign. The author describes her tireless effort of knocking on doors and holding meet and greets in order to secure the District 12 seat. Martini stresses that every race is different; her book isn't necessarily a guide on how to run for office. However, she wants to show why local offices are often the ones that have the most impact on peoples' lives. Martini describes how difficult it can be to enact change, even in a small county, and provides insight into the complexities of government operations. VERDICT Using humor and anecdotes, Martini shows the importance of running for local office and helps provide a broader understanding of local government. Readers interested in learning about government organization and policy, and those who might want to run for office one day will enjoy the insights and lessons offered throughout.--Jill Ortner, SUNY Buffalo Libs.

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.