Anyone interested in running for local office in Santa Clara County this fall will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about navigating the election process in a public meeting, to be held in San Jose on July 14.

The free "candidate session," set to run from 10 a.m. to noon, will be hosted by the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters at 1555 Berger Drive, Building 2, in San Jose, according to a press release. The meeting comes two days before the start of the registration period, which begins on July 16 and runs through Aug. 10.

"We want candidates and potential candidates to receive the information that will guide them through and give them greater insight and understanding of the filing process," Barry Garner, head of the agency, said in the release. "We want them to feel prepared and confident, as they take or potentially take that all-important and exciting step of seeking elected office."

At the session, candidates and prospective candidates for office will be given an overview of the process -- from filing for candidacy to how to get a candidate statement in the county's voter information booklet.

The information covered at the meeting is also available on the registrar's website, sccvote.org.

Though the session is free and open to the public, registrar officials request that anyone planning to attend RSVP by July 12, by calling the registrar's office at 408-299-8693.

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