Precinct Organizing: Making an Impact

1
Precinct Organizing Making an Impact
September 25th, 2007
Paid for by Democracy for America,
www.democracyforamerica.com, and not authorized
by any candidate or candidates committee.
2
Tonights Trainers
Arshad Hasan Training Director Night School
Host
Martha Gamez California Democratic Party
Organizer
2 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforameri
ca.com
3
Goals for this Session

1. Review goal setting and precinct
   strategy
2. Examine which tactics will work best for your
   precinct

3 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforameri
ca.com
4
Either Find a Way or Make One
Tactics mean doing what you can with what you
have. -Saul Alinsky
4 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica.
com
5
Whats Your Plan?

• A solid plan has 5 components
• Goals What are you trying to accomplish?
• Strategies How can you best accomplish your
  goal?
• Tactics What actions make up your strategy?
• Timelines When will you use these tactics?
• Benchmarks How will you measure your success?

5 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforameri
ca.com
6
Set Your Precinct Goals

• How will you make an impact next election?
• Look at your numbers

This is your focus. How can you increase this
number?
6 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforameri
ca.com
7
Strategy Targets

• Choose targets based on your goal
• Potential targets
• New residents
• Infrequent voters
• Frequent voters
• Potential volunteers
• Republican leaners

7 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforameri
ca.com
8
Tactics and Targets
Potential Tactics - Precinct Walking - Phone
banks - Lit drops - Voter registration - Early
voting - Social events - Whatever else works

• Different tactics for different targets
• Tailor to your neighbors
• Tailor to your geography
• The more personal the better
• Incorporate social events into your tactics

8 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforameri
ca.com
9
Create a Timeline

• Map out when you will use each tactic
• Just saying when isnt enough

If its not written down, it doesnt exist!
9 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforameri
ca.com
10
Set Benchmarks for Success

• Start with your goal and figure out how to get
  there
• Take good notes Keep a precinct journal

10 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica
.com
11
Listener Submitted Questions
11 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica.
com
12
Tactics Case Study CA-11thVoter Registration

• Mountain House, CA Conservative area, trending
  blue, hundreds of new residents
• Goal Identify Democrats in high growth areas
• Strategy Voter registration drives

12 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica.
com
13
Tactics Case Study CA-11th Voter Registration

• September 2006
• 256 Democrats registered
• 78 registration advantage
• Today
• 536 Democrats registered
• 230 registration advantage
• Last November
• Previous Democratic Performance 42
• Final result McNerney 64.16 Pombo 35.84

13 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica
.com
14
Tactics Case Study CA-11th Voter Registration

• Benefits of precinct based voter registration
• Democrats seen as performing a civil service
• Identifies and engages potential voters
• Repeated contacts build relationships
• Easy start for volunteers

Best used in high turnover or high growth areas
14 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica.
com
15
Tactics The Canvass

• Most basic and essential tactic
• Combine with voter registration, early voting,
  lit drops
• Personal connection is powerful

15 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica.
com
16
Tactics Lit Drops

• Cheaper than mail
• Faster than the canvass
• Far more personal than most mail

Stay away from mailboxes!
16 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica
.com
17
Tactics Early Voting

• Know the laws
• Target unlikely or infrequent voters
• Conserves GOTV resources
• Drop off applications, schedule a time to pick
  them up

17 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica.
com
18
Tactics Social Events

• BBQs, House Parties, Movie nights, picnics,
  service projects, etc
• Builds community
• Volunteer recruitment and retention
• Puts a human face on the party

18 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica
.com
19
Listener Submitted Questions
19 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica.
com
20
Homework

1. Develop a strategy, tactics, timelines and
   benchmarks to the goal you set in the first
   session.
2. Engage voters or volunteers using one of
   tonights tactics

20 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica
.com
21
Our 4 Part Series

• Getting Started
• Recruiting Your Precinct Team
• Making an Impact
• Audio presentations available online
• www.democracyforamerica.com/nightschool
• Building Networks Across Precincts
• Tuesday, October 2nd - 830pm Eastern
• www.dfalink.com/buildingnetworks

21 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica.
com
22
Thank you for joining us!
Need to catch up on earlier Night School
presentations? Order previous semesters on DVD
(and help keep Night School free) Summer 2007
Semester on Fundraising now available! www.democra
cyforamerica.com/nightschooldvd
22 Questions? Email training_at_democracyforamerica
.com