Precinct Chairs — The Lifeblood of the Party
You can’t have an organized party unless you have volunteers and your precinct chairs are the most devoted volunteers that a party can have to organize voters. Precinct chairs are the lifeblood of the party — they are the boots on the ground and they make up the roots in grassroots. For most grassroots activists, your activism is solidified and formalized once you get elected or get appointed to be a precinct chair. All parties have them. This is not just a Democratic thing. The Precinct Chair is the most important position in organizing for the entire Democratic Party and Democratic candidates. The Chair of the county party communicates the Democratic party’s platform to the precinct chairs. The chairs organize volunteers in their individual precincts to educate voters and encouraging them to vote in every election.
A few important terms . . . .
Precinct — A local election district with specified natural and artificial boundaries. In Texas, current election law states that precincts are defined by each county’s commissioner’s court. A precinct contains at least 100 but not more than 5,000 registered voters. Read more about election precincts in the State of Texas Election Code, Chapter 42, Subsection A. (full link: https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/EL/htm/EL.42.htm)
Precinct Chair — a precinct chair is an elected official of each political party. They are the direct link between the party and voters in a local election district aka precinct. Election to this office is by ballot or by appointment via the county party executive committee if the current precinct has no existing chair. Once elected during the primary, the chair will serve as long as they are eligible or until seeking reelection in the subsequent district primary. Responsibilities include: facilitating voter registration and absentee ballot access; leading get out the vote outreach efforts; distributing campaign and party literature; promoting the party; educating the voters about the party platform; and addressing voter concerns. Precinct chairs can establish their own teams and organize their own fundraising committees. Precinct chairs organize and conduct the precinct and district conventions and encourage primary voters to attend their precinct conventions. Precinct chairs are also members that serve on the CEC or the County Executive Commitee — voting on proposals brought up in the quarterly CEC meetings. The term of office shall be for two (2) years, commencing on the twentieth (20th) day after the Run-Off Primary Election Day, as provided for in Section 171.022(c) of the Texas Election Code.
CEC — County Executive Committee — The purpose of the County Executive Committee (CEC) shall be: to establish general policy of the Democratic Party in the county, subject to direction of the County/Senatorial District Convention; to represent the Democratic Party of this county, state, and nation, articulating the Party’s candidates; to cooperate in carrying out programs initiated by the Democratic Party of Texas, including but not limited to: 1. conducting a Democratic Primary in as many election precincts within the county as practicable, but, at a minimum, having a voting location in each County Commissioner’s precinct; and 2. organizing a coordinated effort, including Get-Out-The Vote, preceding each general election, to publicize the Party’s candidates. This committee is comprised of the voting members that include the County Chairperson and the Precinct Chairs. Officers and Committee Chairs who are not Precinct Chairs may serve as ex-officio (non-voting) members of the County Executive Committee (CEC).
VAN (Voter Activation Network) — aka NGP VAN — this is the leading technology provider to Democratic and progressive campaigns and organizations, as well as nonprofits, municipalities, and other groups, offering clients an integrated platform of the best fundraising, compliance, field, organizing, digital, and social networking products. This is the database to keep track of voters and your volunteers. This tool is used by the Texas Democratic Party and the county parties and access is granted with a login and password to precinct chairs and volunteers.
Democratic Neighborhood Leader aka Precinct Leader — aka DNL, these volunteers support the precinct chair. They perform all of the same duties, are given access to VAN BUT they do not have voting privileges at CEC meetings.
Block Captains — block captains are responsible for voter outreach in a section of the precinct. They support the precinct chair. They are responsible for anywhere from 20 to 35 Democratic voters in a precinct.
Election Judge — an election judge is a paid poll worker appointed to an election precinct in which an election is held. There is an election judge and an alternate election judge. They settle disputes about election law at a polling location. It was once thought that a precinct chair had to also be the election judge — that is no longer the case. There are certain rules that pertain to who can be an election judge and on election day each party appoints election judges for the precincts.
How do I become a Precinct Chair for the Tarrant County Democratic Party?
The Tarrant County Democratic Party has all the information available to you if you are interested in becoming a precinct chair.
For a list of Tarrant County Democratic Party Precinct Chairs click HERE.
Download an application for appointment as a precinct chair HERE and submit to precincts@tarrantdemocrats.org
