Precinct Chair: what is it?

● Structural support for a political party

● Soil in which the grassroots grows

● A volunteer — elected or appointed — who coordinates political involvement in his own neighborhood within his own party.

A Precinct Chair can affect . . .

● Election integrity

● Voter turnout

● Candidates winning

● Party brand

● State policy

● The area’s influence with lawmakers

Political Party: what is it?

A political party is a group of like-minded voters organized for the purpose of implementing their shared beliefs as public policy

Divisions:

Precincts —> Counties —> State —> National

Party Organization

● State Party

    ○ Managed by SREC (State Republican Executive Committee)

● County Party

    ○ County Executive Committee (CEC)

    ○ CEC = County Chair & all the Precinct Chairs in that county!

● Commissioners Precinct Executive Committee

    ○ Precinct Chairs within a Commissioners Precinct  

Does your precinct have a Precinct Chair?

Identify your County & Precinct #

○ VoteTexas.gov —> “Am I Registered To Vote?”

● Go to county party website or contact county

chair

○ Info: www.texasgop.org/county_chairs/

○ Some county party websites list Precinct Chairs

If your precinct already has a Precinct Chair:

Ask if he/she is active

● Ask if he/she plans to run again

● If possible, before running against him/her:

○ Get to know your precinct chair

○ Ask if you can help him/her

Precinct Chair Obligations

(What do I have to do if I become Precinct Chair?)

Main Obligation: Participate in the CEC

CEC = County Executive Committee

○ Runs the business of the County GOP

● Attend meetings

○ At least quarterly

○ Usually more frequently in larger counties

● Vote; participate in debate

● Can serve on committees

CEC Responsibilities

Elections:

○ Oversee primary elections (county chair is

responsible; precinct chairs help)

○ Sometimes, select Republican nominee for ballot

● Conventions:

○ Set time for precinct conventions

○ Pick SD convention chair; set time & location

CECs often fill many additional roles to grow the part

Precinct Chair Opportunities

(What do I get to do if I become Precinct Chair?)

Guidelines & Suggestions

RPT Precinct Chair Handbook

● Your County Chair

● Other Precinct Chairs

● Be creative — effect change

    ○ Party of the grassroots

General

Get to know your precinct

● Recruit volunteers

● Grow the party

● Obtain voter data

     ○ County elections office

     ○ GOP Data Center

In general: ORGANIZE YOUR PRECINCT!

Neighborhood captains

● Walk / group leaders

● Recruit volunteers

● Give people tasks

    ○ Share tools & skills to achieve common goals!

Elections

GOTV!

● Work the polls

● Support Republican candidates

● Blockwalk, phone bank

And / or recruit volunteers to do all of the above!

Conventions

If present, serve as temporary precinct convention chair

● Educate your precinct, recruit delegates

    ○ Party Rules

    ○ Party Platform

    ○ Party Leadership

“But I don’t like what the (county / State) party is doing.”

Be the change

● Use position of precinct chair to improve structure, brand, outreach, tools

Qualifications

Resident of the precinct

● Qualified voter in that county

● NOT officeholder or candidate for

    ○ County, state, or federal public office

● Be affiliated with Republican Party

    ○ Vote in R primary election or runoff

    ○ Or give oath of affiliation

   ○ Must NOT participate in another party process

Disqualifications

Finally convicted of a felony

● Affiliate with another political party

(vote/convention/oath)

● Cease to be a resident of the precinct from which elected

● Abandonment of Office

○ miss 4 consecutive meetings & CEC follows process

Can be . . .

Elected (Done during the primary elections) or Appointed (By the executive committee during a regular meeting)

Source (Rachel Malone for Texas Young Republican Federation Fall 2019)