Senate District 19 Political Conference San Antonio Claude

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Senate District 19 Political
Conference San Antonio Claude Black
Center 10.27.07
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Precinct Chair / Grassroots Training
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Precinct Chair Training
Party Structure
What is a Precinct Chair?
Statutory Duties
Precinct Organizing
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Party Structure
The Texas Democratic Party
The Texas Democratic Party is governed by the
State Democratic Executive Committee. The SDEC is
made up of its elected officers, 2
representatives (1 male and 1 female) from each
State Senate District as well representatives
from certain statewide caucuses and
organizations.
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Party Structure
The County Party
The governing body of the county Democratic party
is the County Executive Committee. The CEC is
chaired by the County Chair and composed of the
County Chair and all Precinct Chairs within the
county.
 
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Party Structure
What is a Precinct Chair?
Every two years, in the Democratic Primary, each
voting precinct elects a representative called a
Precinct Chair County Commissioners Courts, not
the Texas Democratic Party, determine precinct
boundaries. By virtue of Texas law and party
rules, the County Party and its voter precincts
are subdivisions of the State Party.
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The Precinct Chair
Qualifications
Democrats 18 years of age or older are eligible
for the offices of Precinct Chair or County
Chair, provided they meet the following criteria
(a) They are qualified voters (Texas Election
Code 161.005(a)(1)) and vote in the Democratic
Primary, not including runoffs, in the voting
year and
(b) They are not candidates for nor holders of an
elective office of the federal, state, or county
government (Texas Election Code 161.005(a)(2))
and
(c) They are residents of the precinct or county
from which they seek election (Texas Election
Code 171.023 (a) and 161.005(a)(1)).
The Rules of the Texas Democratic Party. Article
III E Part 3(a)(b)(c)
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The Precinct Chair
Election Procedure
(a) A Qualified Party member may become a
candidate forPrecinct Chair by filing a written
application in the county using a form which
shall be provided by the County Chair upon
request.
(c) The applicationshall be signed and duly
acknowledged by the candidate, then filed with
the County Chair or with the Secretary of the
County Executive Committee if there is one (Texas
Election Code 171.022(a)(2), 172.021 and
172.023)
(b) Any vacancy on the Committee shall be filled
by majority vote of the County Executive
Committee at a meeting at which a majority of the
membership shall constitute a quorum. (Texas
Election Code 171.024)
The Rules of the Texas Democratic Party. Article
III E Part 4(a)(c) and Part 5(b)
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www.bexardemocrats.org
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The Precinct Chair
Statutory Duties
Precinct Chairs shall be further responsible for
publicizing the time, place, and purpose of their
respective conventions, including posting the
time, date, place, and purpose of the convention
at the polling place on election day.
Serving as Temporary Chair, call the Precinct
Convention to order at 715 after the polls close
Represent the precinct as a member of the County
Executive Committee
The Rules of the Texas Democratic Party. Article
IV B Part 2 and Part 6(a) And Article III E
Part 1(a)(b)(c)
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The County Executive Committee
Statutory Duties
Statutory Duties of the County Executive
Committee include
collecting filing fees
appointing watchers,
determining the order of names on the ballot
canvassing Primary results
and setting and publicizing times and places for
Precinct and County Conventions.
The Rules of the Texas Democratic Party. Article
III E Part 6(a)
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The County Executive Committee
Non-Statutory Duties
In addition to its statutory duties, the County
Executive Committee shall have primary
responsibility for planning and for coordinating
the General Election Campaigns of the Democratic
Partys nominees within the county. This
responsibility shall include raising funds for
conducting local campaigns, supporting the
statewide effort for the entire ticket, producing
materials, and coordinating local services for
the Democratic campaigns.
The Rules of the Texas Democratic Party. Article
III E Part 6(b)
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The County Executive Committee
Non-Statutory Duties
The County Executive Committee may establish such
committees as it deems appropriate to carry our
its non-statutory duties and may appoint
committee members who are not members of the
County Executive Committee.
The Rules of the Texas Democratic Party. Article
III E Part 6(c)
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The Precinct Chair
Precinct Organizing
While learning all the rules, watching all the
debates, familiarizing yourself with all the
issues, attending all the meetings, events,
trainings, conventions, caucuses, conferences,
rallies Its important not to lose sight of our
ultimate goal get Democrats elected
And that begins with precinct organizing.
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Precinct Organizing
Why is this Important?
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Precinct Organizing
Why is this Important?
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Precinct Organizing
Why is this Important?
Reversing these trends requires us to be
organized at the grassroots level. Organization
means having a plan, knowing your neighborhood
and neighbors, and making sure that they know
you.
Nothing beats local Expertise
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Precinct Organizing
Get to Know Your Precinct
Canvass for IDs and Info
Input Data Back Into VAN
Registration and Activation
Outreach
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Precinct Organizing
Get to Know Your Precinct
Get a precinct map
Can be obtained from County Party or county
elections office What are the boundaries of your
precinct?
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Precinct Organizing
Get to Know Your Precinct
County maps often focus on precinct boundaries
and do not accurately display streets within the
precinct. Compare the county map to another
source before canvassing
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Precinct Organizing
Learn to use VAN
Organizing a precinct can be hard work. To help
you, the Texas Democratic Party makes the Voter
Activation Network available to all Precinct
Chairs completely free of charge.
VAN makes it possible for you to translate your
local expertise into useable data that will help
the County Party
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Precinct Organizing
VAN Overview

• Contains extensive information on every
  registered voter in Texas
• Voting History including every General Election
  and Primary dating back to 1992 (2
  Constitutional Elections)
• Allows all users to enter data back into the
  system that will be saved for future election
  cycles

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Precinct Organizing
VAN Access
SDEC Members County Chairs Precinct Chairs
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Precinct Organizing
VAN Capabilities

• Allows you to enter data
• Ph s, IDs, Codes, Notes, E-mails more
• Customizable Walklists, Phonelists Mailing
  Labels
• Precise Targeting
• Utilize numerous targeting variables
• Find base and swing voters
• Identify potential volunteers

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Precinct Organizing
VAN Capabilities

• Counts Crosstabs
• Search Voting History
• Random Sampling
• Voters filtered out from GOTV lists
• Precinct Organizing
• Activist Codes (gated, union, educator, needs
  ride)
• Canvass results, Answers to Survey Questions
• Track best times to contact

• Counts Crosstabs
• Search Voting History
• Random Sampling
• Voters filtered out from GOTV lists
• Precinct Organizing
• Activist Codes (gated, union, educator, needs
  ride)
• Canvass results, Answers to Survey Questions
• Track best times to contact

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Precinct Organizing
VAN Crosstabs
Identify and prioritize your targets
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Precinct Organizing
Canvass for IDs and Info
IDs and data gathered and entered by Precinct
Chairs is shared and can be used by the County
Party

• Identify Democratic leaning voters
• Gather info campaigns will need later
• Sign locations
• Staging points
• People who will need rides
• Unwalkable households
• gated communities / apartments / inaccessible
• Get to know your neighbors and let them get to
  know you

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Precinct Organizing
Canvass for IDs and Info
Survey Questions The question youre asking has
multiple meaningful answers
Can candidate X count on your support? 1 strong
supporter 2 weak supporter 3 undecided 4
weak opponent 5- strong opponent
What issue is most important to you? 1
education 2 utility rates 3 corruption 4
Iraq 5 immigration
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Precinct Organizing
Canvass for IDs and Info
Activist Codes The question youre asking has
only one meaningful answer
Are you a County Chair? Did you sign Kinky
Freidmans petition? Is any member of this
household a union member? Is this house in city
council district 10? Have you attended a
Democratic Party training? Are you a member of
Northwest Democrats?
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Precinct Organizing
Canvass Materials
VAN Walklist Precinct Map Literature Water/Snack A
ll pertinent contact info (County Party, fellow
canvassers, driver)
VAN Walklist Precinct Map Literature Water/Snack A
ll pertinent contact info (County Party, fellow
canvassers, driver)
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Barcoded w/Party ID Issue Question
Walklist Examples
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Rodriguez for Congress w/ID
Walklist Examples
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Rodriguez for Congress EV
Walklist Examples
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Barcoded w/Voting History
Walklist Examples
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Barcodes removed w/Voting History
Walklist Examples
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Precinct Organizing
Canvass Preparation
Map out a circular route Familiarize yourself
with script or talking points Make sure anyone
working with you understands script and
procedure Wear something identifying
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Precinct Organizing
Canvass Procedure

• Walk with a co-worker for safety
• One person on even side of the street, other on
  odd
• Follow script and be on the lookout for any info
  that be useful in GOTV
• Track responses (moved, phs, deceased)
• Leave literature on doors where not home with
  sorry we missed you note

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Precinct Organizing
Canvass Safety
Do not start on the next street until both
walkers are ready. Its not safe and splitting up
does not help you cover the area faster. Beware
of dogs, and dont go into fenced and gated
yards. Never go into a house, even if invited!
Always carry a bottle of water and a snack.
Never walk across peoples yards. Establish a
time to meet back at the headquarters or central
location. Rememberit is against the LAW to
place ANY material in a mailbox.
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Precinct Organizing
Phone Canvass
Use Democratic events as a voter contact
opportunity Track all responses (IDs, bad s,
etc)
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Precinct Organizing
Input Data Back Into VAN
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Precinct Organizing
Input Data Back Into VAN
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Precinct Organizing
Input Data Back Into VAN
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Precinct Organizing
Registration and Activation
Grow the base by registering likely Democrats and
contacting registered voters with little or no
voting history but who are likely Democrats
(Thats usually gonna be these guys)
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Precinct Organizing
Registration Regulations
Deputization
Nonpartisan
Be aware of rules and deadlines
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Precinct Organizing
Registration Targeting
Civic involvement GOOD Losing elections
because we register people who arent going to
vote Democrat BAD PTO meetings, public access
clinics, sports events, colleges, high schools,
naturalization ceremonies, stores
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Precinct Organizing
Outreach
Welcome to the neighborhood program Attend
nonpartisan meetings (neighborhood association
mtgs, community gatherings, etc) Host small
gatherings (BBQs, coffees, etc)
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Precinct Organizing
Get Out The Vote
Keep in mind that all this organizing is intended
for one purpose - to translate into an effective
Get Out The Vote program for all our Democratic
candidates
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Get Out The Vote
Components
Blockwalk Phone Bank
Rides
Working at the Polling Site
Voter Protection
Mail Ballots
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Precinct Organizing
Blockwalking
Optimal Hours Early Voting Weekdays 5 PM til
dark 9 AM til 5 PM target 65 for mail
ballots/rides Early Voting Weekends Saturdays 10
AM polls close Sundays 1 PM polls
close Election Day Walk All Day
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Precinct Organizing
Phone Banking
Poll location / hrs reminders Its time to
vote! reminders Must be coordinated with the
blockwalk/ride plan
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Get Out The Vote
Rides to the Polls
Let the County Party or appropriate campaigns
know of voters who you know may need a ride
Make sure you know who to contact if someone
you encounter needs a ride If possible, provide
rides to the polls to voters in your area
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Get Out The Vote
Working At The Polling Site
Signage Hand out literature Report turnout
numbers Be on the lookout for suspicious
activity
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Get Out The Vote
Voter Protection
Coordinate with your County Chair to ensure your
precincts polling site has an election worker
(judge or clerk). Make sure you and everyone
working with you has the phone for the TDP. If
you see or hear about anything improper
immediately CALL 512-478-9800
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Get Out The Vote
Election Judge
The first priority for a Precinct Chair is always
to get our Democratic voters to the polls. There
is no one else who can do that job as
effectively. If your precincts polling site
needs Election Judges or clerks, work with your
County Party to find people.
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Get Out the Vote
Mail Ballots
Do Not get involved with mail-ballot programs
without first familiarizing yourself with the
appropriate legal restrictions and coordinating
with your county party or the Texas Democratic
Party. In general, you may assist Democrats
requiring mail-in ballots by helping them with
the application. You can legally fill out the
application, have them sign it and then mail it
for them. However, the same is not true for the
actual mail ballot. Again, do not handle or
assist with mail ballots without first
familiarizing yourself with appropriate laws.
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Get Out The Vote
Precinct Teams
Its a big job. Get help. Recruit friends and
family to assist you Ask strong Democrats you
come across while organizing to help Give titles
and assign responsibilities
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Start Organizing to Win Your Precinct
Action Items
Become a Precinct Chair / Join Your Pct Team
Sign Up for VAN
Get to Know Your Pct and Start Canvassing
Track Everything
Sign Up to Host/Attend a Nov.3rd House Party
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You
Recruit 2 people who will commit to contacting a
group of 25 voters 3 times between now and
Election Day
Commit to contacting a group of 25 voters 3 times
between now and Election Day
http//www.democrats.org/page/event/create
Sign Up to Host a Nov.3rd House Party
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Texas Democratic Party
Precinct Chair Training
Anthony Gutierrez South Texas Regional Field
Director 210-685-6567 gutierreza_at_dnc.org