I've learned something very basic about the structure of our country over the past two years, and I think that it's very important that I share it with you.
There are a number of things a good Precinct Committeeman does:
- Delivers campaign literature to voters.
- Walks door-to-door reminding voters when elections are imminent.
- Gets paid not a dime.
- Walks door-to-door trying to talk to voters and gather opinions and ideas for the Party.
- Walks door-to-door gathering petition signatures for candidates to get on the election ballots.
- Talks to small businesses within the precinct.
- Attends Township and County meetings.
- Relays precinct voters' concerns to Township and County Party officers and Party candidates for all governmental offices. (If the PC has a clue what their voters think.)
- Issues ideas and action suggestions for Township and County Party actions.
- Volunteers for various committees and actions within the County and Township Parties and for candidate campaigns.
- Votes at Township meetings, including for Township officers.
- Votes at the County Convention for County Party officers. *
- Nominates County Party officers. *
- Votes at the State Convention for State Party officers.*
(* Must be an ELECTED rather than an appointed Precinct Committeeman by law.)
As you can see, that is a lot of work for an infinitely small recompense. Someone who does this must be motivated by something. Is it a sense of community? A willingness to serve their fellow citizens? An agenda to influence legislation and help determine who gets into office? The reality is that it can be any or all of these reasons or more. I do it for all of these reasons.
That's right, I'm here to serve my fellow citizens - the Democrats and the Republicans and the Greens and the Socialists and the Independents and the Libertarians, whether any of them (including the Democrats) know that they need to such service. I'm trying to make all their lives better in the best way I personally can.
A different PC might be doing it to influence local business conditions, or for other reasons. Not in my house.
Now, to become an elected PC, and be able to do two of those three things that say "votes" up there and the one that says "nominates," you need to get ten signatures from registered Democratic voters, and you might want to get double or triple that in case someone from another Party challenges some of your signatures, just to be safe. Then someone has to vote for you - in the PRIMARY election.
That's right, in order for your precinct to have an elected PC who can nominate candidates for County and State Party officers and vote for those officers, somebody has to vote for that PC in the primary election. There is no voting for PC's in the general election. You win the primary, you are the person representing your precinct for two years for your Party.
That's one reason to vote in a primary! So you can have someone come around once in awhile and knock on your door and ask for signatures and give you campaign pamphlets and tell you it's time to go vote next Tuesday and otherwise bug you, right? They even have the nerve to want to talk politics with you if you'll let them! What a galling thing to have to do!
Does your Precinct Committeeman have a clue who you think should be an officer in the County or State Parties, or the Township Parties for that matter? Do they even know what your values are? Do you even know if you HAVE a PC? Go on, raise that figurative hand if you can answer any of these questions in the affirmative. Most people can't.
Most people don't have a Democratic Precinct committeeman at all around here. Out of over 700 precincts in DuPage county, there are less than 300 elected PC's. I wonder if it has to do with all that walking and volunteering and not getting paid stuff?
That means that those 200+ people get to vote for all of DuPage county on who the Democratic officers of the State and county Parties are. If your precinct doesn't have an elected PC, your precinct has no voice. Your precinct has no say in who your Party officers are unless you get out and vote in a Democratic primary election - and unless somebody can be persuaded to run for the position in the first place.
Oh, sure, the newly-elected County Party Chair can appoint a PC for you - if he or she can find someone willing to do it. However, an appointed PC can't vote for officers of the Party above the Township level, because they are beholden to the Chair who appointed them instead of the voters in their precinct.
"But that's only one reason to vote in a Democratic primary!" you say. There's another. Your ELECTED Precinct Committeeman - if you have one - has what is called a weighted vote in the State and County Party elections. That's right, some elected PC's have a stronger vote than others. How is your PC's - if you're lucky enough to have one - vote weighted? Anyone know? Go ahead, raise the figurative hand if you do. It's weighted by THE NUMBER OF DEMOCRATIC BALLOTS PULLED BY VOTERS IN THE PRIMARY ELECTION WITHIN THAT PRECINCT.
That means that if there are a thousand Democrats registered to vote in a given precinct, but only forty-three actually show up and ask for a Democratic ballot in the primary election and cast their votes, your PC - if you have one - gets only 43 votes, not a thousand votes. That's right, folk, a little precinct that has 150 Democrats where all of them voted in the primary could out-vote a precinct that has a thousand Dems if less than 150 of them vote.
See, I just KNEW there was another reason in there somewhere for voting in a primary election!!!
~
So, when WAS the last time you were nice to your PC - if you have one - and talked to them, and told them what you think the Party should be doing or who should be running it? And if you don't have a PC, have you thought about maybe doing some of that walking and volunteering and not getting paid and voting? After all, if only people you don't like get involved in our government, then only people you don't like will be involved in our government, and if you don't talk to your PC - if you have one - they won't have a clue what you think.
The voters in York 112 have me - and all you have to do to tell me what you think is go click on my picture on the upper right of this blog and e-mail me your opinion. I do that, because I want to know what my voters think and need, and relay that to the rest of our Party. After all, that's what a PC is REALLY supposed to do.
Rest assured, I have no plans to run for some higher office. I am good with staying right here to represent York precinct 112 to the Democratic Party in York, DuPage, and Illinois. You can talk to me. I don't bite, and I don't even yell much. Just click on my picture in the upper right corner of this blog.
If you're not in York 112, but are in DuPage county, or somewhere in Illinois, and don't know who your PC is or how to reach your township or county Party, e-mail me and I will get you in touch with the county leaders here, who should be able to help you find your organization - if you have one.
If you DON'T have a local Democratic PC or organization, think about becoming one or forming one. The State Party most likely would help you. Your fellow Democrats might also help you. I will try to help you.
You can bet the Republicans have been organizing for over 30 years, and the Tea Party has been taking over their Party by showing up at the primary when the moderates don't bother.
If you are outside of Illinois, the basic structure of government will have some differences from what is described above. Much of what I have described here is codified in State law. Your State law likely will be different in many ways. However, there will be SOME basic structure to political Parties and local government in your State. PLEASE, find out how this works in your State, and make the ground under the feet of your politicians be comprised of people who actually care what happens to our country.
All the best, if you work and vote for it,
Dan
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