Prince William County Republican Committee Precinct Organization Manual Prince William County Republican Committee 4431 Prince William Parkway Woodbridge, Va. 22192 703-680-7388 www.pwcgop.org
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Table of Contents Introduction to the Manual ---------------------------------------- 1 I. Precinct Teams ---------------------------------------------------- 1 II. Precinct Captain & Team Tasks -------- --------------------- 2 III. Key Team Members---------------------------------------- ---- 3 IV. Coordinating Team Member Efforts ------------------------ 6 List of Form s 1. Precinct Team Volunteer Assignments 2. Sign Sites- Large 4 x 8 (owner approved) 3. Polling Place Schedule 4. Volunteer Sign Up Form 5. Yard Sign & Large Sign Installation Volunteers 6. Headquarters Manning Schedule Note: The forms mentioned in this manual are reproduced separately and are available at the Prince William County Republican Committee Headquarters or by E-file. Thanks to the 1st District Congressional Committee for allowing us to use their Precinct manual as a guide. Developed for Prince William County Republican Committee use by Tom Whitmore Prince William County Republican Committee 4431 Prince William Parkway Woodbridge, Va. 22192
PWCRC District/Precinct Organization Manual I. Int roducti on This manual is meant to be a guide for the day-to-day grassroots operations at the precinct level. It is not involved with the promulgation of policies and issues or the development of campaign strategies. It does describe the grassroots tasks necessary to have a winning campaign, and provides guidance for successful completion of those tasks. It also provides an outline of how the duties of the committee s key team members interface. It takes a great deal of coordination and hard work between the individual campaigns and the Committee s grassroots volunteers to have a winning campaign. The Thrill of Victory only comes after many hours of hard work and sacrifice. Once you have had a taste, you will be back for more. Let s all work together, and keep coming back!! II. Precin ct Teams The purpose of organizing teams at the precinct, or grassroots level, is to allow volunteers to work in their local communities to foster better relations, and to promote, and eventually elect, our candidates for local, state and federal elections. Using a team approach will help provide better coordination of the tasks necessary to run an effective campaign, and reduce the risk of duplication and missed opportunities. A focused, grassroots level, operation is able to report and address the concerns of the local communities. By operating under a standard and coordinated plan, teams will be better organized and thus be more effective. The District Chairman chooses the precinct captains and the precinct captains head up the teams in their precincts. The teams consist of volunteers from the precinct. The teams work at the campaign tasks that were developed by the Committee Chairman and the candidate s campaign staff, and were assigned by the District Chairman/Operations or Membership Chairmen. -1-
III. Precin ct Captain and Team Task s Specific tasks included for the Committee Precinct Teams are: A. Ensure that at least 3-4 fundraising events, such as coffees, bake sales, yard sales, ice cream socials, campaign meet and greets, etc. are held each year. B. Acquire All Campaign signs and materials, during an election, from the District Chairman/District Operations Chairman, as directed. C. Assign the distribution of signs and installation/removal of same to team members. D. Set deadlines for completion of all tasks. E. Hold 4 quarterly meetings with the precinct team members, one of which will be for poll worker training. F. Report any problems for resolution. G. Door knocking and walks including: 1. Distribution of yard signs, bumper stickers, door hangers, etc. 2. Dissemination of literature as directed by Committee Chairman 3. Collection of information as directed by the Committee Chairman 4. Providing progress and completion reports, as directed H. Phone banking duties including: 1. Assign/make calls and completion of call sheets as directed. 2. Distribution of call sheets to callers as directed by the campaigns or the Committee Chairman. 3. Adhere to start and quit times as directed by the Campaign or Committee Chairman. 4. Complete and turn in call sheets as directed. 5. Provide progress and completion reports as directed. -2-
I. Refer membership requests/applications to the District Membership Chairman. J. Election Day duties 1. Assign/man outside volunteer and inside monitor positions. 2. Distribute yard signs to be installed and literature including sample ballots, to be passed out. 3. Provide letters of authorization for poll monitors. 4. Make sure lists of registered/likely voters are available for monitors to verify voters and check off. 5. Report any irregularities to the Headquarters Hotline. 6. Make Get Out The Vote calls as directed. 7. Remove signs after the election. 8. Complete the Poll Closing Report and forward to the Committee or District Chairman with the Precinct Bin. IV. Ke y Team Members At the heart of any successful campaign are the key team members who, like the grassroots volunteers, are also volunteers. These key team members are the ones that ensure the campaign flows smoothly, by adhering to the organizational plan and policies. A well-managed and organized campaign is the basis for a Victorious campaign. In this manual we will illustrate how the key team members fit into the overall picture, identify who they are, and detail how they interact with each other, and with the grassroots volunteers. The key team members facilitate the flow of materials and information, provide concise communication, and eliminate wasted time and energy, thereby promoting an efficient and orderly campaign. The key team members are: Committee Chairman and Vice Chairman as directed, District Chairman and Vice Chairman as directed, District Operations Chairman, District Membership Chairman, Precinct Captain and Campaign Coordinators who work directly with the Committee Chairman and District Chairman The Committee Chairman will designate coordinators for each local, district or statewide candidate. In some cases, the campaign organization will designate its own coordinators. -3-
The overall organization will look like this: A Candidate Candidate Coordinator Candidate Candidate Coordinator Candidate Candidate Coordinator Office: Name: Tel #: Cell#: Email: Office: Name: Tel #: Cell#: Email: Office: Name: Tel #: Cell#: Email: B. Committee Chairman Name: Unit: Tel #: Cell #: Email: C. District Chairman Name: Tel #: Cell#: Email: D. District Operations Chairman Name: Tel #: Cell #: Email: E. District Membership Chairman Name: Tel #: Cell #: Email: F. Precinct Captain Name: Tel #: Cell #: Email: -4-
The District members caucus and elect an individual within the district, to be the District Chairman and another to be the Vice Chairman. The District Chairman appoints a District Membership Chairman and a District Operations Chairman. Each precinct has a Precinct Captain. The District Chairman assigns these Captains. If a Captain cannot be found, then the Committee Chairman will assign a Precinct Captain from within the committee. The Precinct Captains are responsible for: 1. Assigning volunteers to the tasks, previously listed 2. Assigning volunteers to work outside the polls to pass out sample ballots and literature 3. Assigning poll watchers to work inside the polls as monitors on election day The outside volunteers must maintain a minimum distance from the entrance to the polls, of 40 (forty) feet at all times. The inside monitors must verify and check off the voters as they present themselves and be on the lookout for any improper conduct inside the poll. The Captains, with the help of the District Chairmen, are responsible for: 1. Making sure all volunteers for poll operations have been trained 2. Having an authorization signed by the Committee Chairman for inside monitors 3. Having the proper forms and instruction to initiate a challenge with the Election Official The District Chairman/District Operations Chairman will ensure that all Precinct Captains are supplied with: 1. Canvassing questionnaires/lists 2. Phone banking lists 3. Yard signs 4. Bumper stickers 5. Literature 6. Election Day registered/likely voter lists as approved by the Committee Chairman. The Captains must make sure the volunteers have their materials in a timely fashion in order to complete their assigned tasks successfully, prior to and on Election Day. Attention to detail and consistent team performance are crucial to the success of the campaign and will be rewarded when election day comes, -5-
V. Coordinating the Team Members Efforts A. The Candidate or candidate coordinator will ensure that sufficient quantities of yard signs, bumper stickers, and literature are delivered to the Committee Headquarters or to the individual District Chairmen/Operations Chairman for distribution. The quantities should be based on past history, and by considering the scope of the door knocking effort. Communications concerning campaign materials should be directed through the District Chairman. Disposition of excess material after the election, will be determined by the campaign coordinator. B. If the Candidates campaign staff has any rules or guidelines it wants to enforce, these should be communicated through the Committee Chairman and the District Chairmen/District Operations Chairmen. C. The District Chairman/Operations Chairman will make sure that all the Precinct Captains get the necessary materials and guidance from the campaigns, and will provide progress reports as received from the Precinct Captains to the Committee Chairman and the Campaign Coordinator. Completed walk lists and phone bank lists will be forwarded as determined by the Committee Chairman. Any problems that arise, and need further resolution, should be reported to the Campaign coordinator or the Committee Chairman as appropriate. D. The District Membership Chairman coordinates efforts between the Committee Membership Chairman and the Precinct Captains/Volunteers to increase membership. These efforts may encompass a number of strategies, including recruitment at Events, Meet & Greets, Committee meetings, Conventions and direct email or phone contact. In addition the District Membership Chairman will be provided a list, on a monthly basis, of those Committee Members by district who are in danger of lapsing. The District Membership Chairman may elect to contact the, at risk members directly, or delegate the task to the Precinct Captain. E. The Precinct Captains will assign the prescribed precinct team tasks to the volunteers using the Precinct Team Volunteer Assignments form, and make progress reports to the District Chairman/Operations Chairman. The preferred method for reporting is via Email. Completed walk and phone bank lists should be turned into the District Chairman/Operations Chair. Requests for additional campaign materials should be made through the District Chairman/Operations Chairman or as otherwise directed. If any problems arise, they should be reported to the District Chairman/Operations Chairman for resolution. -6-
F. Volunteers will receive their assignments and materials from the Precinct Captain. They should report their progress to the Captain. Any walk lists or phone bank lists should be turned in immediately after completing so that data may be compiled in a timely manner. Excess campaign material should also be turned in, so it may be redistributed. If any problems are encountered, they should be reported to the Captain immediately for resolution. Inside poll workers must have a Letter of Authorization signed by the Committee Chairman, and they should be provided a list of voters to verify and check off. G. Scheduling of Special Events and Meet & Greets involving candidates, should be scheduled between the campaign coordinator and the Committee Chairman or the District Chairman/Operations Chairman. From time to time the District Chairman may be called upon to provide support at these events. SPECIAL NOTE: In order to streamline operational efforts and to help preclude duplication of efforts, it is very important that the lines of communication outlined above be adhered to. E-mail is the preferred means of communication for reporting and making assignments, however phone contact info, preferably cell phone numbers should be maintained for all volunteers, especially the poll workers. Also remember that this document is strictly an operational plan to help guide our committee in its campaign efforts. This is not meant to be a guide for developing strategies or platform issues. That responsibility rests with the Candidates and their campaign staff. Our mission here is to be the feet in the street to promote the principles of the Republican Party of Virginia and to support our duly chosen candidates. JOIN. WORK HARD STAY FREE!! Note: The forms mentioned in this manual are reproduced separately and are available at the Prince William County Republican Committee Headquarters or by E-file. Developed by Tom Whitmore for Prince William County Republican Committee usage. Prince William County Republican Committee 4431 Prince William Parkway Woodbridge, Va. 22192 703-680-7388 www.pwcgop.org Paid for and Authorized by the Prince William County Republican Committee. -7-