Your support, participation and a relentless commitment to these priorities will be the keys to our success in 2016, 2018 and beyond.

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Aileen Barrett
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2 Friend, Thank you for your interest in the Ohio Democratic Party s 1618 Plan. Our plan is a reflection of the best practices and input we gathered from activists, stakeholders and experts within Ohio and across the country. As we effectively implement this strategic plan, we are confident we can be competitive in every election cycle, and recruit, elect and protect public servants at all levels of government from city council to President of the United States who give Ohio families a fighting chance. Our 1618 Plan contains three fundamental strategies: 1) Building a bench of strong public servants. 2) Creating a robust, permanent infrastructure that increases voter engagement and participation every year 3) Making it crystal clear why we are Democrats and what we are fighting for. Your support, participation and a relentless commitment to these priorities will be the keys to our success in 2016, 2018 and beyond. We encourage you to review the enclosed 1618 Plan, and we welcome your honest feedback and suggestions. Most importantly, we invite you to get involved! Sincerely, David Pepper Chairman 1

THE VISION The Ohio Democratic Party's vision is to build a strong, energized Party that shoulders our unique responsibility to win the Presidency and U.S. Senate in 2016, keep the momentum going to win all statewide offices and re-elect U.

THREE STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES To achieve our vision, ODP will relentlessly focus on three strategic imperatives. 1.

That s why the ODP is committed to recruiting and cultivating candidates who connect with voters, win elections at all levels, and once they enter office, make a difference on the issues that matter

3 THE VISION The Ohio Democratic Party's vision is to build a strong, energized Party that shoulders our unique responsibility to win the Presidency and U.S. Senate in 2016, keep the momentum going to win all statewide offices and re-elect U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown in 2018, and maintain our strength for success in 2020 and beyond. THREE STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES To achieve our vision, ODP will relentlessly focus on three strategic imperatives. 1. Building Our Bench A strong bench of effective public servants at all levels comprises the heart of a strong state party. That s why the ODP is committed to recruiting and cultivating candidates who connect with voters, win elections at all levels, and once they enter office, make a difference on the issues that matter most in the lives of their constituents. The first stage of building our bench begins with our Main Street Initiative, which provides candidates with the training and ongoing support they need to be successful in races at the local level, starting this November. From Bowling Green to Dover to Toledo, our Main Street candidates have already gone through phase one of the training component and are receiving voter file support and extensive, hands-on assistance from ODP staff in the implementation of their campaign plans and call time programs. Our Main Street Initiative will be active in every election cycle, focusing on municipal and school board elections in odd years and county seats in even years. To find out more about our Main Street Initiative, please contact our Main Street Campaign Manager at or cmyers@ohiodems.org. 2

The next stage is to build and expand our Next Generation Farm Team Democrats Program to help our elected leaders be the best public servants they can be.

4 The next stage is to build and expand our Next Generation Farm Team Democrats Program to help our elected leaders be the best public servants they can be. Next Gen Dems is designed to educate and empower current officeholders so they develop their messaging, fundraising, and managing skills, gain access to networking opportunities, and implement policies that result in progress for those they serve. We want our next generation of leaders to have strong records of accomplishment and to have built relationships with key stakeholders across the state if and when they choose to seek higher office down the road. Finally, we are reorganizing our Democratic Leadership Institute to proactively assist all elected officials in a variety of ways. The DLI will educate our elected officials on ethics, compliance, messaging, best practices, and progressive, high-impact policies. Utilizing this knowledge, our Democratic officeholders will work hard to achieve real results that inspire voters to once again believe their vote matters in every election cycle. To find out more about the Democratic Leadership Institute or our Next Gen Dem Program, please contact our Party Engagement Director at or lshirey@ohiodems.org. 3

2. Investing In Our Infrastructure We are committed to rebuilding and reforming the ODP s infrastructure so it is up and running in all 88 counties every year, not just every four years.

We are working with one of the nation s top data experts to create a Data Map of a Blue Ohio in all 88-counties showing blue counties how much they need to win by and where those voters are and

Through our reformed and reenergized neighbor-to-neighbor based Precinct Organizing Program, we will set clear goals and expectations, then train and empower volunteers, activist groups, and

5 2. Investing In Our Infrastructure We are committed to rebuilding and reforming the ODP s infrastructure so it is up and running in all 88 counties every year, not just every four years. Our first step is to understand the voters of Ohio, which comes from building a robust, 21-century data model of precisely what winning Ohio looks like in 2016 and We are working with one of the nation s top data experts to create a Data Map of a Blue Ohio in all 88-counties showing blue counties how much they need to win by and where those voters are and red counties how many Democrats they must turn out to secure a statewide victory. Step two is converting our Data Map of a Blue Ohio into reality with our statewide ground game. Through our reformed and reenergized neighbor-to-neighbor based Precinct Organizing Program, we will set clear goals and expectations, then train and empower volunteers, activist groups, and precinct executives with the necessary tools to turn out Democrats and persuade swing voters to support our candidates. To find out more about our Precinct Organizing Program, please contact our Executive Director at or gbeswick@ohiodems.org. 4

Ultimately, the most strategic and on-going refinement at the Party is an investment in our most important asset PEOPLE.

To do this, the ODP is reforming its political shop into a broader Party Engagement Department, chaired by Senator Nina Turner.

We will broaden and deepen our constituency work even further, through the creation of an official Hispanic Latino Caucus and a Minority Engagement Initiative to build true partnerships with minority

6 Ultimately, the most strategic and on-going refinement at the Party is an investment in our most important asset PEOPLE. We must do a far better job building a robust and energized network of the constituency groups that form the anchor and the heart of the Democratic coalition. To do this, the ODP is reforming its political shop into a broader Party Engagement Department, chaired by Senator Nina Turner. We will continue to support the work of our Ohio Democratic Women s Caucus, and we will invest to expand the reach of Ohio Young Democrats, Ohio Young Black Democrats and College Democrats of Ohio. We will broaden and deepen our constituency work even further, through the creation of an official Hispanic Latino Caucus and a Minority Engagement Initiative to build true partnerships with minority groups and increase their economic inclusion within the Party. We will reinvest and refocus our outreach efforts with other critical constituency groups, including LGBTQ Democrats and allied organizations, veterans (lead by former State Rep. Connie Pillich), and elected officials. Key parts of the Democratic coalition will now have an on-going partnership with the ODP 365 days of the year. To find out more about our constituency and caucus programs, please contact our Party Engagement Director at or lshirey@ohiodems.org. 5

7 3. Making It Clear Why We Are Democrats As Democrats we need to make it crystal clear what we stand for and who we stand with. When our message is muddled, we lose. So at all levels of our infrastructure, our message must be crystal clear Democrats are fighting for authentic, equal economic opportunity for all Ohioans. Our mission is to give all Ohio families a fighting chance. Period. Institutionally, we must create an echo chamber that delivers this message consistently and concisely across the state through every possible outlet. This begins with improved communications internally to our Democratic officeholders, activists and stakeholders so everyone knows what we stand for and can communicate it to their networks. From better use of social media, to a weekly newsletter highlighting Democratic accomplishments across the state, to our Ohio Democrat of the Week initiative, we will pursue every means to get our message out. Additionally, we must clearly communicate externally to Democrats and swing voters the stark difference between the policies promoted by our Democratic officeholders and the extreme, divisive policies enacted by our Republican counterparts who want to take us in the wrong direction. The ODP has bolstered our communications team to enhance our communications at the national, state and local levels. This team is already assisting our local candidates with their message, pushing the agenda forward at the statehouse, and working to ensure we understand and define our opponents at all levels. 6

www.nojobsrob.com Finally, we are working to establish a strong Grassroots Rapid Response Network with teams of trained surrogates all over the state.

8 Finally, we are working to establish a strong Grassroots Rapid Response Network with teams of trained surrogates all over the state. Once engaged and fully activated, this network will allow us to continuously share our message with key stakeholder groups and Ohio voters through earned, owned and paid media. To find out more about our improved communications, or to be part of our Grassroots Rapid Response Network, please contact our Communications Director at or kirstin@ohiodems.org. 7

INVESTING TO WIN: DIVERSIFYING OUR FUNDING In order to build a sustained, robust infrastructure to get the job done every year, the ODP will expand and diversify our fundraising.

9 INVESTING TO WIN: DIVERSIFYING OUR FUNDING In order to build a sustained, robust infrastructure to get the job done every year, the ODP will expand and diversify our fundraising. The key to President Obama s incredible fundraising operation over the years has been his grassroots support, and that s exactly where we must focus our efforts to do better. Here is how you can take ownership of YOUR Ohio Democratic Party. The 1618 Club Our goal is to enlist thousands of Democrats across Ohio to participate in and support our 1618 Plan through membership in our 1618 Club. To join the club and be part of the 1618 team, we simply ask you to provide a monthly recurring contribution of $ Benefits of membership include less fundraising s, special events, and more regular communication about what is going on with our Democrats across the state. Blue Cocktail Hours & Regional Fundraising Events Many people want to support the Party and attend events with elected officials and Party leaders, but have been priced out by high-dollar events in the past. Our plan is to greatly expand our Blue Cocktail Hours, which are grassroots fundraising events that allow far more people to participate all over the state. To join our 1618 Club or host a Blue Cocktail Hour, please contact our Finance Department at or mdetota@ohiodems.org. Additionally, all of ODP s major fundraising events have in the past taken place in Columbus every year, which makes it difficult for many of our strongest supporters outside of Central Ohio to attend. To be more inclusive and tap into the energy and excitement of Democrats throughout Ohio, the ODP will regionalize our fundraising by hosting major events outside of Central Ohio. 8

Buckeye and Chair Circle Supporters We need far more activists and supporters to help us get the job done to not just contribute to

Those who help us should feel like you re part of something bigger.

Through regular briefings, tailored communications, and access to special events throughout the year, Chair and Buckeye Circle

10 Buckeye and Chair Circle Supporters We need far more activists and supporters to help us get the job done to not just contribute to the party, but to proactively raise money for the Party from your friends, neighbors, and work colleagues. Those who help us should feel like you re part of something bigger. Supporters who give or raise $5,000 or $2,500 over the course of a year will become members of our Chair and Buckeye Circles. Through regular briefings, tailored communications, and access to special events throughout the year, Chair and Buckeye Circle members will have a front row seat for our historic victories in 2016 and To join our Buckeye and Chair Circle programs, please contact our Finance Department at , cmiller@ohiodems.org or adecarlo@ohiodems.org. 9

Friend, Our 1618 Plan contains three fundamental strategies:

Friend, Our 1618 Plan contains three fundamental strategies: Friend, Thank you for your interest in the Ohio Democratic Party s 1618 Plan. Our plan is a reflection of the best practices and input we gathered from activists, stakeholders and experts within Ohio and