When you are a candidate, you want to know what happens in endorsement meetings. The answer-it all depends.

Two years ago, I was the chair of Campaigns and Working Issues (aka Endorsement) Committee for the San Francisco Greens. By acclamation, we endorsed Mark Sanchez, the first Green to be elected into office and who was running for re-election. (I recused myself when the motion came up since I was his acting campaign manager throughout his campaign.)

Another Green, Jane Kim was also running for SF School Board. Since Jane had recently become a Green, we didn’t know her. So we interviewed Jane along with others who were running for the same race. Since the interview was the first time that most of us meet Jane, the discussion was centered on what she brought to the ticket.

I pointed out that as a program manager for a youth leadership program in Chinatown, Jane brought a new set of voters to a School Board campaigns. Others also brought up that with Matt Gonzalez as her treasurer, her campaign could help to continue to energize volunteers from his mayoral campaign. So the Green Party agreed by consensus to endorse her.

But sometimes political clubs will surprise you with their endorsements. We were all surprised that the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association endorsed Matt Gonzalez for Mayor. I remember that Matt was prouder of that endorsement than he was of the San Francisco Green Party’s endorsement-because it was unexpected.

The best part of the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association was that they worked on the campaign-and worked hard. Under the leadership of David Wong (now a member of the DCCC and their fifth vice chair), the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association always had a group of people walking precincts or phonebanking on their days off.

The key is to go to every endorsement meeting that you are invited to-and do your best.