1. Starting in your own backyard

2. What is a “Precinct?”
• Also known as ‘Electoral
Districts’, ‘Towns’ or
‘Wards’
• All voters have the same
ballot and elected officials
• Have a set number of
voters
• Have continuous
boundaries

3. What is a “Precinct?”
Smallest administrative electoral unit
Nation State District County Precinct

4. Campaigning and Party Building
• Two types of precinct
organizing
– Campaign precinct
organizing
– Neighborhood precinct
organizing or party
building
• Different goals &
strategies
• Both are important

5. Campaign Precinct Organizing
• Short term: June through November of
election years
• Organized by campaign staff
• Focused on winning a particular election
• Centered around a candidate
Campaign Organizing Strengths
1. Professionally staffed
2. Controlled message
3. Access to campaign resources (media, volunteers, etc)

6. Neighborhood Precinct Organizing
• Long term: Not limited by election calendar
• Focused on long range goals
• Organized by local volunteers
Neighborhood Organizing Strengths
1. Familiarity
2. Continuity
3. Access to community resources

7. A Mutually Beneficial Partnership
Campaigns This
• Bring an influx of money helps…
and people
• Get new people involved
locally Neighborhood Precinct
Organizations
• Create a permanent
Which volunteer pool
benefits… • Build institutional
knowledge about an area

8. Get Started
• Know the players
• Know the rules
• Know the numbers
• Set your goals

9. Know the Players
• Existing precinct leaders
• Local party officials
• Local elected officials
• Active local campaigns
• Community leaders

10. Do the research
• Election dates
• Important deadlines
• Precinct maps and boundaries
• Polling locations
• Party rules and by-laws

11. Know the Numbers
• Voter registration
• Voter turnout
• Democratic
performance
• Other demographic
info
• Individual voter history

12. The Voter File
• Voter File vs. Voter Roll
• Usually available
through the county or
state party
• Contains voter contact
info and voting history
• More effective if
updated frequently

13. Setting Your Goals
• Important first step
– Focuses and motivates volunteers
– Helps develop strategies, tactics and timelines
– Helps gain institutional party support
• Potential goals
– Increase Democratic voter registration X%
– Increase Democratic Performance X%
– Get X% of district voters to vote early
– Build a community of party activists

14. Setting Your Goals
Goal: Raise the Democratic Performance of my
district from 20% to 33%
Current Goal
Registered Voters 1000 1050
Registered 300 350
Democrats
Total precinct 500 600
turnout
Total D Turnout 100 200
Democratic 20% 33%
performance

15. Good Advice
The only way I know how
to organize people is to
talk to one person, then
talk to another person,
then talk to another
person…
--César Chávez

16. Making a List
First: Relational - Family, Friends, Neighbors
• Start close to home — literally
• Friends, co-workers, neighbors
• Utilize social networks
– The best recruiters are current volunteers
Primary Motivation:
Personal ties to the one asking

17. Making a List:
Second: The Voter File
• Contact info & voting history of your precinct
• Which strangers on your block vote in every
election?
• Which ones vote in Democratic Primaries?
• Bulk of your list
Primary Motivation:
Sense of civic or partisan duty

18. Making a List:
Third: Public Displays of Affiliation
• Look for signs, stickers, statements
• Displays political passions publicly
• Caution: It’s easier to wear a button than to
act on it
Primary Motivation
Passion for an issue or candidate

19. Let’s Get Together
• Community is about face time
– See each other
– See the context
– See the plan
• Invite your list over
– Lit drop invitations to your list
– Call to follow up
– Informal, intimate, neighborly setting
to gather

20. Delegate!
• Invest your team members
into the plan
Common Precinct Roles
• Ask each person for an • Block Captain
individual commitment • Data Director
• Research Director
• People can take on • Early Vote Coordinator
multiple roles • Poll Captain
• Social Chair
• Everyone belongs to a
block team

21. Always Be Recruiting
Build volunteer recruitment into all your
precinct activities
– Canvassing
– Socials
– Conduct new recruitment drives every 6
months

22. Keep Them Coming Back
• Your team is valuable — Let them know!
• Always provide the context for any action
• Specific tasks and clear goals
• Keep it social, keep it fun
Remember what
motivated them to
come the first time.