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The 2012 Mecklenburg County Democratic Party Precinct Organization training manual. Everything you need to start building a road form your neighborhood to victory in 2012!
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TRAINING FOR
MARCH 6
PRECINCT MEETINGS
CHARLOTTE, NC
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
Agenda
Precinct Packages
Precinct Meeting Instructions
NC Democratic National Convention Delegate Selection Process
Meeting Tips
Important Upcoming Dates
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
Contents of Precinct Package
Precinct Meeting Instructions
Precinct Officer duties
Precinct Meeting signs
Meeting Agenda
Form to record meeting attendees and certify meeting
Letters from Gov. Perdue and NCDP Chair, David Parker
Letter from Organizing for America
Neighborhood Headquarters program information
Instructions on “how to become a delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention”
List of Active Democrats in Your Precinct
Partial list of Democratic Voters in your precinct
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
Precinct Meeting Details
When Must Meeting Be Held?
Must occur on Tue, Mar 6 and begin no earlier than 6:00 pm and no later than 7:30 pm
Is an alternative date available?
If a quorum of 5 registered democrats is not reached at scheduled Mar 6 meeting or due to inclement weather, meeting can be rescheduled for Sat, Mar 10 with meeting being held between 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Where can meeting be held?
At the polling place for that precinct or at another public location approved in advance by the county chair with notice posted at the polling place.
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
Precinct Meeting Details
What happens if a meeting is not held on Mar 6 or Mar 10 or a quorum (minimum number of democrats necessary to hold a precinct meeting) not reached?
Delegates will not be recognized at the county convention
Can multiple precincts meet at the same location?
Must be agreed to in advance by the county Chair, and by the precinct chair or acting precinct chair of the affected precincts.
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
Tips to Reach a Quorum
What are some tips to reach a quorum?
Contact democrats included in your precinct package by phone and email if you have it
Make follow-up calls 1 to 2 days before the meeting date to remind them
Call people using phonevites.com with 25 free calls.
Ask the people you contact to contact 5 more people in your precinct
Try to get at least 10 people committed to attend to ensure you end up with 5+ people
Contact democrats in your neighborhood to attend
Collect email addresses from meeting attendees to continue communication
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
Precinct Meeting Details
What occurs at the meeting?
The election of active Democrats from the precinct as delegates to the county convention
You can elect up to 2 times as many delegates as the votes you have for the county convention (i.e. you have 6 votes then you can elect 12 delegates)
Elected delegates don’t have to be present at the meeting
If you elect less than your precinct votes, you will lose votes in a weighted elected
Proposing and adopting resolutions for consideration at the county convention.
Election of officers “if” there are any officer vacancies
Collection of Sustaining Fund
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
What is the Sustaining Fund Used For?
Each county has a goal in this annual program to contribute $0.10 for every vote cast in the county for Governor in the last gubernatorial election. Contributions to the
Sustaining Fund helps NCDP to do the following:
Employ State Party staff in critical areas of communications, political outreach and data management
Communicate our message to the public and rapidly respond to Republican attacks
Maintain and update the State Party website and support local county party websites
Provide our county parties with an updated, online voter file
Recruit and train candidates
Provide support and expertise to local parties
Protect voter rights
In previous years, MCDP like other larger counties (i.e. Wake) have kept their sustaining fund to help operate their offices and other expenses
MCDP Needs support in addition to NCDP
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
Donating to the MCDP
The MCDP is asking each precinct to raise $1,200…above and beyond the sustaining fund
What have previous donations to the MCDP been used for?
Pay for rent, staff
Basic Office Operations, keeping office open 6 – 7 days a week near election time
Coordinated Campaign efforts (manager, lunches for poll workers, radio ads, et)
Helped win 22 out of 25 seats in Mecklenburg County in 2011
City council was swept by a 9-2 margin Democrat to Republican.
Unprecedented endorsement in the school board race made us successful in electing two Democrats at large
In 2011 reached 24,000 doors, made 35,356 calls and distributed 67,000 voter guides
Ways to raise $1,200
Ask for additional donations at March 6 Meeting
12 precinct members donate $100 each
Host a House Party
$20 in 2012 (Give $20 for 12 months)
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
Unorganized Precincts
Can unorganized precincts organize during Mar 6 meeting?
An acting chair must be named by the county chair, Aisha Dew, in advance of the meeting
A location for meeting must be publicized
The acting precinct chair shall preside over the special meeting
The Meeting must have a quorum of 5 democrats
What can occur at this meeting
1. A meeting must first be held to elect Officers (Chair, vice-chair, secretary/treasurer); can be done on March 6
If held on March 6, that meeting must be adjourned before the official delegate selection meeting can begin
You will need to have a separate set of sign in sheets and meeting certification for this meeting
2. Second meeting will follow the agenda in the precinct package
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
Tips for a Successful Meeting
1. Start your meetings, presentations and training sessions with an ice-breaker or warm-up activity.
2. Never underestimate the power of food at a meeting. Food relaxes the atmosphere, helps make people feel comfortable, helps people sustain positive energy levels and builds the camaraderie of the team.
3. Organize the physical environment so people are attentive to the meeting content. Make sure there are seats for all attendees. Make sure visuals are visible and that people can hear.
4. Formulate the agenda carefully.
5. Start on time and end on time. Allot each speaker the amount of time necessary to cover their topic. Hold them to their time limit - nicely.
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
Important Convention Dates
March 6 Precinct Meetings
March 17 NCDP Fundraiser
April 13 MCDP Fundraiser
April 14 County Conventions
April 27 Deadline for filing Notice of Candidacy forms for district level delegate or alternate
May 19 District Conventions
June 1 Deadline for filing Notice of Candidacy forms for at-large and/or party leader/elected official delegate or alternate positions
June 16 State Convention in Raleigh. Mandatory meeting of national delegates and alternates immediately following the State Convention
September 3-7 Democratic National Convention, Time Warner Arena, Charlotte, NC
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party
Important Election Dates
2012 PRIMARY ELECTION
March 19 - First Day Absentee (By Mail)
April 13 - Deadline for Primary Registration
April 19 - First Day Absentee (ONE STOP)
May 1 - Last Day Absentee (By-Mail)
May 5 - Last Day Absentee (ONE STOP)
May 7 - Last Day to Return Absentee Ballots
May 8 - PRIMARY ELECTION
June 26 - 2nd Primary (if necessary)
2012 GENERAL ELECTION
September 7 - First Day Absentee (By Mail)
October 12 - Deadline for Registration
October 18 - First Day Absentee (ONE STOP)
October 30 - Last Day Absentee (By Mail)
November 3 Last Day Absentee (ONE STOP)
November 5 5:00 PM Last Day to Return Absentee Ballots
Tuesday, November 6 6:30 AM-7:30 PM GENERAL ELECTION
Mecklenburg County Democratic Party