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PRECINCT ORGANIZATION


A Manual for Precinct Chairs and Workers


The whole state must be so well organized that every Whig can be brought to the polls.  So divide the county into small districts and appoint in each a committee. Make a perfect list of the voters and ascertain with certainty for whom they will vote. . . . Keep a constant watch on the doubtful voters and have them talked to by those in whom they have the most confidence. . . . On Election Day see that every Whig is brought to the polls.
Abraham Lincoln, Letter to a Friend, 1840


INTRODUCTION


The basics of precinct organization are the same today as they were more than 150 years ago when Abraham Lincoln wrote this letter.  Computers, targeting, and modern media have changed the face of campaigns, but the basic battle plan to achieve victory at the polls remains the same.

Our job is straightforward: Find Democratic voters, get them registered to vote, and get them to the polls. Whether you are now a Precinct Chair or want to be a Precinct Chair or just want to help organize your precinct, this manual is for you.


WHAT IS A PRECINCT CHAIR, AND HOW DO I BECOME ONE?


A Precinct Chair is a Democratic Party publicly elected party official at the local level.  When precincts are organized, the Democratic vote is maximized and our candidates win elections.  In addition to statutory responsibilities for the conduct of elections, the Precinct Chair is responsible for canvassing the precinct and coordinating all campaign work in that precinct, arranging coffees, recruiting volunteers, and training and directing those volunteers.  The Precinct Chair carries out all the Party's strategies in the precinct.  A good Precinct Chair is the soul of the Party.

The Precinct Chair is elected by the Democratic voters in a precinct in the first (general) primary election (or in the second primary, or runoff election, if no candidate gets a majority in the first primary).  The names of candidates for Precinct Chair in a precinct are on the Democratic primary ballot for that precinct (if the candidate is unopposed, they will not be listed).

TERM OF OFFICE


A Precinct Chair's term of office begins on the 20th day following the runoff primary and continues for two years, or until a successor is elected or appointed and certified.


QUALIFICATIONS


To be eligible for the office of Precinct Chair, an individual must be
  • Eighteen years of age or older;
  • A qualified voter who votes in all Democratic primaries (not counting runoffs) in the voting year;
  • A resident of the precinct from which he or she is seeking election; and
  • Not a candidate for, or holder of an elective office of the federal, state, or county government.

FILING TO RUN FOR PRECINCT CHAIR


A qualified individual interested in running for Precinct Chair must obtain a filing form from the County Chair or Secretary of State website at http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/forms/a2-2.pdf. Applications can be submitted beginning in early October before a general election year, and must be submitted by 6:00 p.m. on the filing deadline in January. This is almost always January 2, unless January 2 falls on a weekend or legal holiday--be sure to check! An application may be mailed to the County Chair but must be received by the filing deadline.

Write-in votes for Precinct Chair are permitted in the first primary, whether or not there are other candidates on the ballot. Write-in votes for Precinct Chair are not permitted in the runoff.


PRECINCT CHAIR VACANCIES


From time to time, vacancies in the office of Precinct Chair occur. These vacancies may be filled by a majority vote of the County Executive Committee at a meeting at which a majority of the committee is present. The Precinct Chair that is appointed will then serve out the term remaining.



WHAT ARE THE PRECINCT CHAIR'S DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES?


The Precinct Chair has both political and statutory duties and responsibilities. An active, effective, and knowledgeable Precinct Chair makes a huge difference in the success of the Party and our candidates.
  • The Precinct Chair's primary responsibility is to get as many Democrats and other voters in the precinct as possible to vote for Democratic nominees.
  • As a member of the County Democratic Executive Committee (which is made up of the County Chair and all the precinct chairs), the Precinct Chair will be required to attend certain meetings to conduct business related to elections. These meetings are detailed later.
  • The Precinct Chair serves as acting precinct convention chair on primary election day in March.

HOW DOES A PRECINCT CHAIR PERFORM THESE DUTIES?


Assume the Responsibility to Lead.
A good Precinct Chair must be a good leader. In order to motivate others to work and vote for Democrats, you must assume the responsibilities of leadership for a good cause. The Precinct Chair must be depended on to carry out responsibilities capably and efficiently. He or she should be an outgoing person who likes people because the basis of all precinct organization is person-to-person contact.

Know Your Precinct.
  • You can obtain a precinct map from your County Clerk or elections office. You may also download precinct maps from the Denton County website by visiting http://elections.dentoncounty.com
  • Using your precinct map, drive or walk around your precinct and learn its geographical boundaries, the characteristics of the neighborhoods, places to have meetings, distribute literature, register voters, etc.

Know the People in Your Precinct.
  • A Precinct Chair can be a "bridge" or liaison between the people in the community and their elected officials. Get to know people through neighborhood, civic, church or other community activities. As the person who helps organize and elect people, the Precinct Chair can go to the County Commissioner or legislator to help a citizen or community group to secure appropriate assistance with a particular problem or concern.

Learn the Election Law and the Rules of the Texas Democratic Party.
  • You can probably still obtain a hard copy of the election code, however your easiest way to browse it is on the Secretary of State’s website http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/index.shtml
  • You need to understand the law so that you will know the rules for voter registration, campaigning, elections, precinct conventions, etc.
  • You can obtain a hard copy of the party Rules at no charge from the state party office. You may also download a copy on the state party website http://www.txdemocrats.org.


Canvass and Organize Your Precinct.
  • This is not last on the list because it is unimportant—it is the basic and most important job of the Precinct Chair, and it is a job that is never finished. Voters move, die, or become disillusioned; volunteers get burnt-out or have other obligations. Although the focus of all your efforts is Election Day (and the Early Voting period), your organization must be maintained and your information must be current year-round.

WHAT MEETINGS DOES A PRECINCT CHAIR ATTEND?


As a member of the Denton County Executive Committee, the Precinct Chair should attend all meetings of the committee. Everyone in understanding there may be conflicts in your schedule that do not allow you to attend every meeting, but your effort to do so is part of the job.

The Denton County Executive Committee meets every 2nd Thursday of the month at the Courthouse on The Square in Denton, unless otherwise stated. There may be times where the time and the place will change. You will be notified of these changes by telephone and email. You may also keep up to date by regularly checking the county website at http://www.dentondemocrats.org.

You may also be asked to hold a seat on any one or more of these sub committees:
  • Candidate Recruitment
  • Communication
  • Events
  • Fundraising
  • Outreach
  • Precinct Chair Leadership
  • Technology Support
  • Volunteer Organizing
  • Issues

 

HOW DO I CANVASS MY PRECINCT?


In most instances, you will be starting with a base of information gathered from past campaigns, but often a new Precinct Chair or precinct volunteer has to start from scratch, with a door-to-door canvass of the precinct. Even long-time Precinct Chairs must re-canvass their precincts on an on-going basis, to make sure their information is as up-to-date as possible.

A precinct canvass is like a political census. You will be visiting or phoning every household in the precinct. Your goals are to:

  • Verify that people you know voted in past Democratic primaries still self-identify as Democrats.
  • Identify people who do not vote in primaries but support Democrats in the general election.
  • Identify people who are not registered but would probably support Democrats. And then register them!
  • Update lists by correcting or adding voters' phone numbers.
  • Register to vote any eligible but unregistered individuals in Democratic households.
  • Find volunteers who will help with the campaign.

 

PREPARING FOR THE PRECINCT CANVASS


To get ready for your canvass, you will need:

  • A block walking list
  • Precinct maps
  • Canvassing question chart/survey
  • Other people to help you- don’t expect to have to do this alone!


Technology has made this simpler than in the past, however you still need to be prepared. We now have two website tools that can pull a walking list in your precinct. One is http://www.texasvan.com which is maintained by the state party. The other is http://www.trueblueaction.com which is maintained by the True Blue Action PAC (effort led by Glen Maxey). If you sign up for the Texas VAN (Voter Action Network), the party will give you access to your own precinct. If you need countywide access, you may borrow the access from the County Party. If you use True Blue Action, you may access any precinct in the state, as it has a different format.

As stated before, precinct maps can be obtained from the county website.

The last part is tailored to your liking. Some canvassers have found by creating a survey that they voter can fill out works best for them. Others have found that creating a simple chart on Microsoft Excel, and having the canvasser fill in the blanks as they ask the voter questions works best for them. Questions on either will be along the lines of the voter’s name, are they registered to vote, what party do they identify with, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR CANVASSERS


The impression you make at the voter's door will last in his or her mind longer than anything you say.  Always be polite and dress neatly and conservatively; you will find that people are friendlier, easier to canvass and more receptive to whatever you say.  Wear a nametag so that you will look more "official" and make the voter more comfortable.  It is also important to be familiar with any material that you are distributing so that you will appear knowledgeable and intelligent.  Remember that the impression that you make will affect the voter's attitude toward the Party.  To them you are the Democratic Party.  Also, be sure to wear comfortable shoes.


You will need to take on your canvass:

  • Your precinct map
  • Pencil/pens
  • Your walk list and survey/chart
  • A pad of paper for notes
  • Candidate or Party literature, if available
  • Voter registration cards

 

SAMPLE CANVASSING SCRIPT


"Hello, (voter name, if known). My name is __________ a neighbor of yours living over on ___________ Street and I am representing the Democratic Party. I'd like to talk to you for just a moment. Can you spare a minute or two?"

If NO: Leave immediately and return at a later date.
If YES: “May I ask your name?"

"If you don't mind my asking, would you say you usually support Democratic candidates, or Republican candidates?"

Mark your index card appropriately ("R" for Republican, "D" for Democrat, "U" for Undecided, "I" for Independent, and "N" for none of your business, not saying, not voting, neither).

If they are Republicans, just say “Thank you for your time” and leave. If they are independents, leave them some candidate or Party literature and leave.

If they are Democrats, you can ask a "survey" question if your precinct chair or your county chair would like some additional information. Remember that survey questions should produce a "yes" or "no" answer and that you do NOT want to survey on divisive or emotional issues.

You can also give them information about your county headquarters, an upcoming fundraising event, the location of their polling place, the name and phone number of their precinct chair, the business of the precinct convention (our convention process is particularly mystifying to new Texans).

Ask for the party affiliation information on other adult members of the household. Be sure to interview only people who are old enough (or almost old enough) to vote.

Confirm the telephone number that you have listed on your card so that you can contact the voter on Election Day. This is the most accurate way to correct phone lists.

Immediately after you leave make sure that you have recorded all the information accurately.

Other general rules of canvassing are:

  • Never argue.
  • Spend no more than 5 minutes per household.
  • Don't try to answer questions you don't know the answers to. Tell the voter that you don't know but will get back to them when you have the answer.
  • Travel as a team, with one working each side of a street. Male-female teams are more effective than all-male or all-female teams.
  • Know your polling place.

 

VOTER REGISTRATION


Turning out the vote in your precinct also means to register new voters. Many people in your precinct will move, let their current registration lapse for some reason, or pass away. It is your job to try and replace lost Democratic voters.


There are two ways for you to register voters. One, the most simple, is to obtain a blank voter registration card from your local post office, library, or elections office. You may hand these cards to potential new voters. They must then fill it out and mail it to Denton, TX 76201 using the prepaid postage on the card.


Your other option is to become a Deputy Voter Registrar. Anyone may take on this role. You must visit the Denton County Elections Administration office. Ask to become deputized, and it is a 15-minute process of filling out a form and swearing an oath of office. As a Deputy Voter Registrar you are able to register new voters immediately in your registration book. The only draw back to this process, is that all new registrations must be personally delivered back to the Denton County Elections Administration office by 5 p.m. during business days. Of course if you live in Denton itself and do not work, this may not be a problem for you.

HOW DO I GET OUT THE VOTE IN MY PRECINCT?


You've canvassed your precinct.  You've registered new voters.  Your lists are up-to-date and you know who is likely to vote for Democratic candidates.  You have friends or other volunteers who are ready to help.

Ideally, you will be part--the most important part--of a larger coordinated campaign plan and organization. Precinct Chairs, as part of the County Executive Committee, and other precinct organizers should be involved from the beginning in planning the campaign for the whole county, including specific activities for Election Day and the Early Voting period.

These are the basic tenets for election time:

  • Contact every known Democratic voter to make sure they vote (or have already voted during the Early Voting period or by mail).
  • Contact voters you have identified as likely to vote for Democrats to make sure they vote.
  • Keep records of your contacts throughout the day and the turnout at your polling place so that you can report this information to your headquarters.
  • Provide or know who is your area is providing rides to the polls (many candidates help to arrange this service, or the County Party may have arranged for a pool of volunteer drivers).
  • Know what to do or where to call in your county for answers to questions about election law, voting fraud, or unfair practices taking place at your poll.


**Note that you should make the effort to contact your Democratic voters by phone to remind them to vote on election day.

PHONE BANKING IN LIEU OF WALKING


If you are not able to walk your precinct, the phone and internet are the best way to canvass your area. You may use the Texas VAN to pull a call list, just as you pulled a walk list before. You may ask the voters you call the same questions as you would have if you were walking.

Your other option is part of True Blue Action. It is called Online Phone Banking. During the campaign season, various issues and candidates have their own web pages on this site. You can then choose which precinct to call for the issue/candidate you so choose. It will then provide you with a script, and a simple point & click answer form which is then submitted back to the website when the call is finished.

RESOURCES


One of the best resources is our County Office. You may contact by phone at 940-566-1165, or by email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  Also you should visit the party website at http://www.dentondemocrats.org.

 

More helpful information can be found at http://www.democracyfortexas.org.


Obtain a copy of the Texas Election Code by downloading it from the Texas Legislature Online Website at http://tlo2.tlc.state.tx.us/statutes/statutes.html.  The Election Code file is a very large file. You need to understand the law so that you will know the rules for voter registration, campaigning, elections, precinct conventions, etc.

 

Current information on elections is available from the Secretary of State at the website, http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/index.shtml. Questions can be directed via e-mail to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or asked via telephone at 1-800-252-VOTE (8683).


You can obtain a copy of the Party Rules at no charge from the State Party office or online at http://www.txdemocrats.org.


The State Party provides an on-line voter system called Texas VAN, which lists all of the registered voters, their addresses, phone numbers, and voter history in your voting precinct. This system will help you identify the solid Democrats so you can contact them and enlist their help, as well as target the swing voters. Visit http://www.texasvan.com to sign up for access.


You may also now use a tool online called True Blue Action. Visit http://www.trueblueaction.com for more info.  If walking is not for you, you can make phone calls by pulling a call list from the Texas VAN or using Online Phone Banking, which is part of True Blue Action.  The Online Phone Banking will help the local candidate of your choosing. True Blue Action also allows you to pull walking lists with voter history, remind people to vote, and other valuable tools.


To publicize events you may be holding, please let the party office know about them. They can add it to the calendar on the website.  Another tool is the national Democratic Party’s website, http://www.democrats.org.  In the “Action” section, you can add your own event and allow people to RSVP to it.  People looking for events to be a part of, will simply key in their zip code and quite possibly find yours!

And when in doubt, ASK OTHER PRECINCT CHAIRS OR THE COUNTY CHAIR!!  Many have numerous years of experience in Denton County politics. We’re all here for one common goal: To advance the Democratic Party.

 

APPENDIX

 

HOW AND WHEN ARE PRECINCT CONVENTIONS HELD?


Precinct conventions are held every even year, immediately following the closing of the election poll of the Democratic primary. As Precinct Chair, you are responsible for serving as the temporary precinct convention chair at precinct conventions until a permanent chair is elected by the delegates (Sec. 174.027, Texas Election Code). You may be elected permanent precinct convention chair, but regardless, the following are the procedures for precinct conventions that the precinct chair needs to get things started. More specific information about conducting party conventions can be found in the Rules of the Texas Democratic Party.

The precinct conventions are to be held at the time and place (usually the polling place) designated by the County Executive Committee at its January meeting. The purpose of the precinct convention is to elect the apportioned number of delegates from each of the precincts within the county to the County Democratic Convention. The duties of the Precinct Chair, as temporary convention chair, are to:

  • Get the letter of instructions and the minutes forms and carbon list forms from the Democratic election judge before the precinct convention so that any questions you may have can be answered before your meeting begins.
  • Call the meeting to order at 7:15 p.m., or after the last voter has voted, if later.
  • Prepare and attach to the minutes a list with names and complete addresses of all persons present that are qualified to participate; a participant must be a registered voter and have voted in your precinct in the Democratic Primary this day, or by early voting.
  • Hold nominations and an election for a permanent chair for your precinct convention, which will chair the meeting from this point until adjournment.


Under the permanent convention chair, the convention then will

  • Nominate and elect a permanent secretary for your precinct convention who will keep an accurate and proper account of the proceedings;
  • Nominate and elect your assigned number of delegates and alternates to the County Convention; there is a place on the list of participants to mark each person elected as a delegate or alternate;
  • Adopt resolutions and transact such other business as may be presented to your convention, attaching copies of adopted items to the minutes;
  • Adjourn.


The permanent convention chair and the convention secretary must then sign the minutes. The original and one copy of the minutes, the convention sign-in list with the delegates and alternates marked, and any resolutions or other adopted items MUST be delivered by the permanent chair to the County Chair EITHER in person by no later than 5:00 p.m. on the third day after the election, OR by registered mail no later than the second day after the election. Another copy of the minutes marked sign-in list and resolutions or other items MUST be sent to the state party, in the envelope provided. The permanent convention chair retains a copy of everything for his or her records. All the carbon forms for the minutes and sign-in lists are marked so that it will be clear who is to get which copy.