Dear District Chair: Sincerely, Casey Steinau State Chair

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1 Dear District Chair: Welcome to election year 2018! It is almost time for our upcoming House District Caucuses. As District Chair, one of your responsibilities is to organize a caucus meeting in your district where delegates will be elected to the State Convention. Thank you for everything you do. The materials in this packet are designed to help you plan and execute a successful House District Caucus. I urge you to reach out to the Democrats in your district to help energize them and motivate their participation in this vitally important election cycle. In your packet, you ll find a Caucus Handbook that includes: How to organize a District Caucus; Timeline of key dates; Procedure for District Caucus meetings; A sample District Caucus agenda and budget; Delegate Apportionment Chart showing how many delegates will be elected from each District to the State Convention. Official forms to help you track and report participation at your caucus. If you have any questions or need any assistance in the process of planning your House District Caucus, please contact Executive Director Jay Parmley at jay@akdems.org; Phone: (907) Your outreach to friends, colleagues and neighbors plays a vital role in motivating Democrats to attend. Ultimately, your caucus is as successful as you choose to make it so please get the word out! Thank you so much for all you are doing to build a better Alaska. I look forward to working with you toward a successful caucus and a victorious Election 2018! Sincerely, Casey Steinau State Chair

2 Caucus Handbook 2018 House District Caucuses Contents Page Overview How to organize a District Caucus Timeline of key dates Sample District Caucus agenda and budget Procedure for District Caucus meetings Delegate Apportionment Chart Official forms for reporting Raffle ticket information

3 Overview House District Caucuses House District Chairs: Reserve location ADA accessible Advertise time/date and location Social media Newspaper (paid and earned) Phone bank Robo calls (state party will sponsor) Give time/location info to state party by January 10 Prepare Agenda Conduct meeting Report Caucus results to State Party ASAP but no later than March 30 Duties of State Party Statewide publicity- , robocalls, and social media What happens at a District Caucus? Officer elections Select Delegates and Alternates to State Convention Send items to state convention for consideration Other business District Caucus Elections District Chair Central Committee Member District Vice-Chair Secretary Treasurer Nomination of a person to serve on the State Grievance Committee State Convention Delegates (each district gets 1 delegate for each 250 votes cast for statewide Democratic candidate receiving most votes in last statewide election) One representative each to the Credentials, Platform, Resolutions, and Party Plan Committees What is Expected of Delegates to State Convention? Attend state convention in Talkeetna May 4-6 Time will need to travel on one to two work days 3

4 Costs o Trip expenses to Talkeetna o Convention Registration o Food and Entertainment o Hotel o Land travel (taxi, rental car) Forward Items to State Convention Districts may by a majority vote move to the Convention for consideration: Proposed changes to the Party Platform Proposed changes to the Party Plan of Organization Other Caucus business (optional) Introduce local candidates Candidate speeches Speakers Announcements Plans for future of local organization Making Your Caucus Successful Food/snacks Outreach to community Local interests, local speakers Outreach to local media and bloggers Childcare Reporting the Results of Your Caucus Names of officers, delegates Proposed amendments to draft Party Plan Platform Planks It s important to report this info promptly to the state party by the March 30 deadline. 4

5 How to Organize a District Caucus There will be at least one caucus meeting in each state legislative district. Caucuses will be between March 10 and March 24, Set time and location(s). Your first task is to set the time and location. Districts within the regional centers (Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Mat Su) may choose to meet together same time and location. Time and location should be set as soon as possible. If your district contains multiple communities not connected by road, you are encouraged to recruit leaders to hold caucuses in each community where there is interest in having a caucus. You will need to work with each local leader recruited to identify and secure an appropriate location. You must identify a responsible individual to serve as the leader in each location in order to have a caucus there. Requirements of the location. When selecting a location, consider how many people are likely to come and plan accordingly. The caucus can be held in a church, community hall, café meeting room, school gym, etc. Look for space that will be easy for participants to find and is inexpensive or free. The space must accommodate access for disabled persons. If your district contains multiple communities not connected by road, your location needs a speaker phone so that multiple locations can meet via teleconference. You need to reserve your location venue as soon as possible. In small communities, the caucus may be held in a home as long as it is open to any member of the public. Individuals will not be able to call in from their homes but must gather in a central location and call in as a group. Publicity. Getting the word out is crucial and there are many free or inexpensive ways to do this. Don t forget to answer the five basic questions on your announcements: who, what, when, where and why. Publicity could include public service announcements on radio stations; community television; announcements in the local newspaper; flyers posted in public places; letters to the editor; and phone calling. The State Party will publicize the times/locations for all Caucuses on the state party web site. Some elements of publicity will be done by the state party. This is discussed in more detail later. Outreach. The ADP is at all levels an open Party that includes rather than excludes people from participation. To that end we encourage you to reach out and invite individuals and groups historically underrepresented in the Democratic Party s affairs. Who can participate? Everyone must be a registered Democrat in your district in order to participate. You or an appointed volunteer will verify this with your voter registration list. People can register to vote the day of the caucuses, change their party affiliation, and change their address to be eligible. 5

6 Persons who are not registered Democrats are allowed to remain at the caucus as an observer. Registration Fee. If there is to be a registration fee, this needs to be decided in advance. You may need and want a registration fee to re-coup the costs of photo-copying materials, space rental fees (if any), or the cost of providing a coffee service or lunch (only districts that are registered with APOC, have a bank account, and a treasurer are authorized to accept money). No one may be denied the right to participate due to an inability to pay. Agenda. You will prepare the agenda for your district meeting. See Sample Agenda on page 11. You need to make and bring copies of the agenda. Certain business must be accomplished, including election of District officers and delegates to the State Convention and Convention Committees. At your caucus the group may propose changes to the party plan and party platform. Again, see Sample Agenda on page 11 for examples. District Officers Elected Officers/Delegates Each District elects its own set of officers, including: District Chair, State Central Committee (SCC) member, Vice-Chair District Secretary, and District Treasurer (Secretary/Treasurer may be one person). If a District raises/spends money, it must have a Treasurer. State Convention Committees One (1) Delegate will be elected from the district s delegation to serve on each of these State Convention Committees: Credentials Committee, which will certify the eligibility of delegates to the State Convention). The Platform Committee, which formulates a State Platform with input from the Districts for final approval by the Convention. The Plan Committee, which proposes and considers proposed Amendments to the Plan of Organization (the formal name of the Party By-Laws) and brings their proposals to the Convention for final approval. The Resolutions Committee, which proposes and considers resolutions. 6

7 Timeline of Key Dates Jan 10 Deadline to finalize all caucus locations/time/caucus leaders Jan. 20 Update on District Caucuses for all district chairs (in Juneau at Central Committee meeting and by video conference) February 27 and 28 at noon and 7 p.m. - Caucus Leader Training. More information will be sent in February with details. March House District Caucuses in all 40 State House Districts March 30 Deadline for District Chairs to report Caucus results to State Party. March 30 Deadline for District chairs to fill delegation. The District Chair may fill any unfilled Delegate or Alternate slot. The name and contact information of the person must be provided to the Alaska Democratic Party no later than March 30. May 4-6 State Convention in Talkeetna Reporting to ADP After the caucus ends, the District Chair must send the group s results to the Party Headquarters as soon as possible, but no later than March 30, See forms at end for recording and reporting this information. Electronic forms will be provided to House District Chairs before March 1, Fairbanks St, Anchorage, AK, ADP Fax (907) Jay Parmley jay@akdems.org, (907) Leighan Gonzales - leighan@akdems.org - (907) Matt Greene matt@akdems.org (907) Caucus Checklists - Not all checklist items will pertain to every gathering. Items with an Asterisk (*) are suggested, but optional. 7

8 Preparation Checklists Location Checklist Finding a location is the first step in the process and should be accomplished ASAP. Find a location & report to ADP Your location should meet the following criteria: Adequate space to accommodate expected turnout. For house districts meeting together ensure there is a central space to meet as a group, and breakout space for each district (*) Internet access for one or more laptop/pc Handicap accessible Telephone access w/ Speakerphone capability for multiple location districts Volunteer Checklist You will need help from volunteers for the caucus to run smoothly. Below is a checklist of suggested volunteer responsibilities. Leader Assistant/Note Taker (1 per District/location) Sign-in table (1-5 volunteers) each with a portion of the Democratic voter registrants list (*) Look-up table (1 volunteer) with laptops/pc to look-up voter information on latest voter list Registration table (1-2 volunteer voter registrars) to sign-up new Democrats Technology (1 volunteer) to manage telephone/laptop hookup etc. (*) Logistics (2-3 volunteers) to help things move smooth (*) Mediators (1-3 volunteers) to manage any contentious votes/elections Materials Checklist Use this checklist to make sure that you have everything you will need to General Materials The Alaska Democratic Party will send a packet of materials to every caucus location that is identified. Materials will be mailed by March 1. Items that will be sent to you by the Alaska Democratic Party 8

9 Updated voter list (all Democratic voters at your location) [we will send you an copy that is current through February 28, A hard copy will be mailed to you upon request] Voter registration forms (Individuals may register as a Democrat on-site and Voter Registration Applications should be forwarded to the Division of Elections promptly.) Forms to record results of the elections and actions by district: o Delegate Reporting Form to report names and contact information for delegates to the State Convention. This form should be completed following the caucus and returned to the Alaska Democratic Party by March 30. o Election Reporting Form to report delegates elected to State Convention Committees. This form should be completed following the caucus and returned to the Alaska Democratic Party headquarters in Anchorage by March 30. o Forms for Proposed Changes to the Party Platform & Plan Democratic Party donor envelopes Copies of the Party Plan and Platform Copies of Sign-in sheets In addition to the items listed above, each District Chair and Local Site Leader should obtain/bring to caucus meeting: Copies of Agenda Speakerphone (must have one in each location meeting by teleconference) Writing implements (pencils/pens), paper & chart/whiteboard markers Tape or thumbtacks to post candidate sign(s) (check rules in your location to determine whether it is allowed for materials to be taped or tacked to wall) Delegate Apportionment for your District (see chart below) (*) laptop computer (so you can verify if necessary the names of people who changed their party affiliation or newly registered at last minute) (*) Flipchart/whiteboard to track results (if large crowd expected) (*) cell phone for questions (*) Digital camera/video camera (*) Directional signs and parking signs (if circumstances warrant) (*) Podium sign (*) District signs for each room (in locations where more than one district is meeting) (*) Name tags (*) Table for candidate materials (*) Internet access (*) Surge protectors and extension cords 9

10 Publicity Checklist Each District is responsible for publicizing their local Caucus. This includes location, day/time, and eligibility details. Below is a list of potential outlets/tools for publicizing your caucus. (*) Talk Radio (call in to local shows) (*) Newspaper/Community Bulletins (free calendar listing or paid ad) (*) Volunteer phone calls (FREE!) (*) Communications (*) Earned Media (*) Door-to-door invites/literature drops (*) Direct Mail (expensive) (*) Radio Ads & PSA s (*) Local progressive organizations & member lists (*) University Campuses Publicity tasks to be done by state party: Set up Toll-free phone lines for each multiple-community district Organize robo-calls in each caucus location Publicity to statewide media (summarizing all caucus times/locations) Legal ads (published in major newspapers) Raffle ticket sales This is a great opportunity to sell the party s raffle tickets. Tickets can be sold at the sign-in, and an announcement can be made during the caucus that tickets are available. First prize is $10,000. Tickets are $100 and can be split among multiple participants. Drawing will be on May 2018 during the state convention in Talkeetna. Need not be present to win. Contact Nathaniel Markowitz at (907) or (907) to receive a book of raffle tickets. 10

11 Sample Agenda DISTRICT DEMOCRATS House District Caucus 2018 (Date) (Time) (Location) AGENDA 9:30 AM Doors open, Registration, Coffee 10:00 AM Welcome, announcements 10:10 am Call to Order Review of Agenda Update on State Convention 10:30 AM Elect District Officers District Chair Central Committee Member District Vice-Chair Secretary Treasurer Nomination of a person to serve on the State Grievance Committee Election of Delegates and Alternates to the State Convention Elect one (1) Delegate each to these State Convention Committees: o Credentials Committee o Platform Committee o Party Plan Organization Committee Nomination of State Convention Officers: The District Caucus may also nominate the following officers who will be elected at the State Convention: o Convention Chair o Convention Secretary o State Chair o State Secretary o State Treasurer 11

12 o Regional Vice Chairs Consideration of Party Plan, and Party Platform: The District Caucus may also recommend: o Changes to the Party Plan o Changes to the Party Platform o Resolutions to be considered by the State Convention Review of election goals for the District Adjourn SAMPLE DISTRICT CAUCUS BUDGET: ITEM INCOME EXPENSE # OF PEOPLE Room Rental Copies Publicity Coffee Lunch 12

13 Procedure for District Caucus Meetings Only persons registered as Democrats with the State of Alaska, Division of Elections may participate or persons who fill out a voter registration form at the caucus. Democrats not on the voter list as a registered Democrat must fill out a new voter registration form. All participants must sign in with their mailing address, residence address, telephone number, and if applicable. Each person who attends will be checked against the current voter list, and those eligible to participate given a Voter Card. District Caucus shall elect the number of Delegates shown in the Delegate Apportionment Chart, plus at least one (1) but no more than two (2) alternates for each Delegate. The District Chair shall complete the record of actions taken at the meeting and transmit the information to the office of the Alaska Democratic Party (call (907) ; fax (907) ; jay@akdems.org). If not enough people are willing to be elected as Delegates to fill all the slots that a district is entitled to send to the State Convention you, as District Chair, may appoint registered Democrats who reside in the district to fill these slots. These names must be provided to the state party no later than March 30, The state party plan provides: Should a district be unable to fill its allowed delegation from members present at the District Convention, that district may choose delegates from District Democrats to fill their allotment. It is the intention of the Party that delegates elected to the State Convention try to attain gender balance. 13

14 Additional Information for Caucus Leaders Observers at the Caucus Like all meetings in the Democratic Party, the House District Caucuses are open meetings. People may attend a caucus to observe the proceedings, and the Alaska Democratic Party welcomes these guests. Observers may be members of the media. Some caucuses may be visited by other non-media guests, including observers who are not registered Democrats or not residents of the district where the caucus is being held. Rules for Observers Certain rules must be followed by guests at the caucus. If guests are present, the District Chair must inform them of these rules: Only eligible, registered caucus participants may vote on caucus matters or elections. Guests must remain quiet and not become involved in caucus discussions once the caucus is called to order. The District Chair may ask that all guests be seated in an area other than the area reserved for the eligible caucus participants. Eligible caucus participants are to be considered actively participating in the caucus from the time it is convened until it is adjourned. It is not appropriate for a reporter to interview a caucus participant while the caucus is in session unless the caucus participant agrees to leave the caucus for that purpose. All facilities at the caucus have been reserved for the caucus attendees and the Democratic Party. The District Chair, as an officer or designee of the Democratic Party, has first right to these facilities. The phone at a caucus site must be available to the District Chair whenever he or she requests it. Broadcast equipment at a caucus must be set up and used in a way that will not hinder or obstruct the participation of any caucus attendee. Ballots Under the state party plan, 10% of those attending a district caucus may request a secret ballot (Article IV, sec. 33 of the State Party Plan). This issue probably won t come up, but if it does, use blank paper for the ballots and improvise. Questions? If questions arise during your caucus you may call one of these numbers for assistance: Casey Steinau- (907) Jay Parmley- (907) Matt Greene- (907)

15 Delegate Apportionment Chart House District Elected Delegates Automatic Delegates Total Delegates Total

16 2018 Delegate Form ~Please Print Clearly~ (to be completed by District Chair list all Delegates and Alternates elected at your caucus meeting) Name Address Telephone Delegate/Alternate _

17 Proposed Platform Plank House District # Plank proposed by District: Subject: Is this new plank? or an amendment of an existing plank? Text of proposed Platform Plan: I certify that the preceding proposed Platform Plank was adopted by the House District Convention in an open and public meeting held according to the Party Plan of Organization and Robert s Rules of Order. Signed: District Chair For Committee use only: Assign proposed change to section Combine proposed change into section Transfer proposed change to the Party Plan Committee 17

18 Proposed Changes to the Party Plan of Organization House District # Change proposed by District: Subject: Is this an addition to the plan? or an amendment to an existing section? Text of proposed changes to Party Plan: I certify that the preceding proposed Platform Plank was adopted by the House District Convention in an open and public meeting held according to the Party Plan of Organization and Robert s Rules of Order. Signed: District Chair 18

19 Alaska Democratic Party 2018 District Caucus Election Reporting Form House District PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY (to be completed by District Chair. List below the names of Delegates who were elected to the following State Convention Committees:) Platform Committee Name Address Phone Party Plan Committee Name Address Phone Credentials Committee Name Address Phone 19

20 Proposed Resolution House District: Whereas: Whereas: Whereas: Be It Resolved: Be It Further Resolved: 20

21 Buy Your Alaska Democratic Party RAFFLE TICKETS! Tickets - $100 Only 550 tickets sold Come to 2602 Fairbanks Street or call for tickets 7 Cash Prizes $10,000 - GRAND PRIZE $2,000-2 nd prize $1,000-3 rd prize $750 4 th Prize $250 5 th Prize Seller of Most Tickets - $1,000 PRIZE Seller of Winning Ticket - $1,000 PRIZE Raffle takes place at ADP State Convention in Talkeetna Need not be present to win To get a book of raffle tickets Contact Nathaniel Markowitz at (907)