MCDC 2010 Committee Person Handbook

8/4/2019 MCDC 2010 Committee Person Handbook

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/mcdc-2010-committee-person-handbook 1/47

Paid for by the Montgomery County Democratic Committee. Printed in House.

Montgomery County

Democratic Committee

Committee

Person’sHandbook

2010 Adopted 2/1/09

Edited 10/5/09Edited 6/15/10



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Welcome to theMontgomery County Democratic Committee

Your Mission: Your mission, as a committee person of the Montgomery County DemocraticCommittee (MCDC), is to help elect Democratic candidates, not just inWashington, but in Harrisburg, in Norristown, and in your township or borough.

Our Mission: As organizers and staff at MCDC, our mission is to help you be the bestcommittee person you can be. So we’ve put together this handbook to describe your (and our) responsibilities; outline the structure of MCDC; and provide youwith resources to make your job more effective and efficient.

Dianna DiIllio

MCDC thanks Betsy Whitman, Steve McCarter, and Bill Leopold for their hard work designing thishandbook.

MCDC contact information

Montgomery County Democratic Committee Street address: 21 E. Airy Street, Norristown, PA 19401

Mailing address: P.O. Box 857, Norristown, PA 19404-0857

610-272-2000 Fax: 610-272-2005

[email protected]

Executive Director .....................Dianna DiIllio, [email protected]

My Area Leader: _____________________________________________________

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.mcdems.org/




MCDC Committee Person’s Handbook, 2/1/09

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Table of Contents

What is a Committee Person?........................................................................................5

One size does not fit all................................................................................................5

Election Day ......................................................................................................................... 7

Preparation and set up.................................................................................................7

While the polls are open .............................................................................................9

End of the day.............................................................................................................. 11

Your Constituents............................................................................................................ 13

Voter registration lists................................................................................................ 13

VoterWeb: on-line voter data base....................................................................... 13

Introducing yourself................................................................................................... 14

Registering people to vote....................................................................................... 15

Informing your constituents.................................................................................... 16

Maintaining your lists................................................................................................. 16

Your Democratic Candidates ...................................................................................... 18

Circulating Nominating Petitions .......................................................................... 18

Other Candidate Support......................................................................................... 19

MCDC & the Democratic Party ................................................................................... 20Structure......................................................................................................................... 20

What MCDC can do for you.................................................................................... 21

Get Out the Vote (GOTV) ............................................................................................ 23

Appendices

MCDC Contact Information......................................................................................... 25MCDC By-Laws (a Committee Person’s summary) ............................................. 26

MCDC Areas ...................................................................................................................... 28

Federal Contact Information ....................................................................................... 32

United States Senate .................................................................................................. 32

United States House of Representatives ............................................................. 32




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State Contact Information ............................................................................................ 34

Pennsylvania State Senators.................................................................................... 34

Pennsylvania State Representatives...................................................................... 36

Writing Editorials & Letters to the Editor ................................................................ 39

Tips on Letter Writing................................................................................................ 39

Contacting Local Editorial Boards......................................................................... 39

Nominating Petitions ..................................................................................................... 41

Absentee Ballots .............................................................................................................. 42

Guidelines for Poll Watchers ....................................................................................... 43

Sample Instructions for Poll Watchers...................................................................... 44

Why We Are Democrats ............................................................................................... 45

Important Contact Information .................................................................................. 47




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What is a Committee Person?

As a committee person, you are the face of the Democratic Party in yourcommunity . Voters will see you at the polls and come to view you as a resourcefor questions about candidates, issues, and voting. Being visible and accessible to

voters is one of the biggest impacts you can make toward establishing aDemocratic presence and building a Democratic community in your hometown.

A committee person is an elected official of the Democratic Party. Each votingprecinct can have up to two committee people, elected by the Democratic votersof that precinct once every four years, in the spring primary of a gubernatorialelection year. As such, you assist the county Democratic Party with the businessof electing Democratic candidates—at the local, county, state, and national level.You have a vote at your local monthly Democratic committee meetings, at annualcounty-wide endorsement conventions, and at the county-wide committeemeeting and nominating convention held once every four years. (Business at the

county level—MCDC—is conducted by the executive committee which meetsonce a month.)

Committee people report to their Municipal Chair, or, if no Municipal Chair exists,to their Area Leader.

To become a committee person, you must circulate a nominating petition(pp. 18, 42) and obtain at least 10 signatures of registered Democrats living in your precinct. If you are running for the first time, contact your Area Leader (p.28) or MCDC to obtain a petition and list of registered Democrats. You can alsobecome a committee person by appointment, should a vacancy occur.

One size does not fit all

The more time and energy you have for this job, thegreater the benefit to our Democratic candidates—andto your community. But we recognize that noteveryone has limitless resources to commit to politicalwork, so we like to think of T-shirt sizes—small, medium,and large—to describe your commitment options.Regardless of which size you fit—or grow into—you will

be making a valuable contribution.

Size Small: “Covering the Basics”

· Provide coverage for your polling place on primary day (spring) andgeneral election day (November). You can ask volunteers to help you out.

· Attend your Area and/or Municipal meetings (monthly).

· Attend county-wide endorsement conventions (annually). · Circulate a nominating petition and obtain 10 signatures (annually).




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· Attend county-wide general meeting and nominating convention (onceevery four years—year following a gubernatorial election).

Size Medium: “Having a Democratic Presence”

· Meet responsibilities for “Size Small” committee person.

· Circulate one or more nominating petitions for local, state, or nationalcandidates and obtain 30+ signatures (annually).

· Attend a monthly meeting of the MCDC Executive Committee (3rd

Thursday of the month; check www.mcdems.org for time and location).

· Establish a Democratic presence by:o Canvassing precinct regularly—introducing yourself, registering

new voters, distributing literature for candidate(s).o Recruiting poll volunteers & block captains.o Building lists of yard sign “hosts.”

Size Large: “Building a Democratic Community”

· Meet responsibilities for “Sizes Small & Medium” Committee People. · Build a Democratic Community by:

o Holding “house parties” for business and/or fun.o Hosting fundraisers.o Building an e-mail list to disseminate information on candidates,

elections, MCDC functions and fundraisers.o Recruiting volunteers to circulate petitions, “lit drop,” and distribute

yard signs.

· Increase voter turnout with GOTV (Get Out The Vote) plan.o Distribute literature door-to-door.o Mail GOTV letters to Democrats in your precinct.

o Set up phone banking before and during Election Day.o Set up poll watchers (inside the polls).





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Election Day

In a nutshell, your responsibility on Election Day can be reduced to two activities:Poll Coverage and Maximizing Turnout. Coverage means having at least oneperson outside the poll to greet voters, distribute sample Democratic ballots and

campaign literature, and answer questions. Coverage is vital because itestablishes a Democratic presence in your community, and because, in a few

instances, can help influence a person’s vote.

Having a poll watcher inside (pp.44-45) to check off the names of all voters willallow for late afternoon calling to identified supporters who have not yet voted.

Poll coverage and other responsibilities are described in detail below:

Preparation and set up

Gather materials Your Area Leader is responsible for providing several materials for E-Day:

· sample ballots (yellow; to be handed out)

· specimen ballot (large; white; for display only) · campaign literature

· your precinct street list

· your poll watcher certificate (You need a watcher’s certificate to enter thevoting area where you can monitor the number of people votingthroughout the day, and, where you can get final vote numbers at theend of the day.)

You will also need to bring:

· yard signs and posters (Area Leaders may also help procure yard signs,though many committee people bring signs posted at their homes.)

· voter registration forms (applicable only for the following election)

· absentee ballot applications · a cell phone (and phone numbers of your Municipal and Area Leader and

MCDC office).

· a calculator (to add up election results at the end of the day)

Schedule poll greeters It is vital that your polling place have coverage for the entire election day—7:00 am till 8:00 pm. You and youcommittee persons and any volunteers are the bestpeople to do this job. This way, voters in your precinctwill begin to see you as the “go to” person for any campaign and election questions. But 13 hours is along day, so we encourage you to recruit volunteers.

TIP: Recruiting friends andneighbors to be pollgreeters is often a firststep in getting themmore involved in theDemocratic Party.




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Pack water and snacks It’s a long day. You’ll get hungry and thirsty. Bringing a snack to share promotesgood will “across the aisle.”

Dress sensibly

· Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be standing most of the day. (It’s OK to bringa folding chair for occasional rests as long as you’re not sitting “hiddenaway,” such as behind a table.)

· Dress in layers. Temperatures can change 20˚ over a day. (Depending onpolling location as you may be inside.)

· Bring hat and gloves. You lose 80% of your body heat through your head. And, when you’re handing out literature, it’s hard to keep your hands in your pockets.

Organize contact information Part of your responsibility is trouble shooting. If you suspect that anything isamiss, and don’t feel comfortable handling it yourself, call immediately:

• Your Municipal or Area Leader, or• MCDC office. Lawyers will be on call all day.

Prepare an A-frame easel (optional) Having an A-frame easel decked out with campaign literature, yard signs, and“Welcome Democrats” is not a requirement, but it certainly has a commandingpresence at the entrance to a polling place. (You can purchase a plastic A-frame

at your local hardware store or online.)

Display yard signs and literature

· Yard signs. Arrive by 6:30 am. If youwant “prime real estate” for signs and an A-frame, arrive earlier—or place signs thenight before. (Check with your AreaLeader about any ordinances or local“traditions” that would argue againstnight-time placement.)

· Campaign literature. Some sites havetables available for displaying literature;if not, you may set up a card table, spacepermitting.

Note: All political signs orliterature, as well as allcandidates, campaigners,and committee peoplemust be at least 10 feetfrom the entrance of apolling place. (“Entrance”has many interpretations.Consult your Judge of Elections if you have any questions.)




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Introduce yourself to other election workers Outside the polls (volunteers):

· Republican committee people

· Candidates & their representativesInside the polls (official workers; paid):

· Judge of the Elections* · Majority Inspector*

· Minority Inspector*

· Clerk* · Machine Operator*

* While it is technically legal for a committee person to serve as one of the paid staff on election day, it is never a good idea for a committee person to do this. As a staff person, you would be inside all day, thus unable to provide any poll coverage.

Inside the polls (volunteer): · Poll Watcher: a volunteer from a campaign or a party charged with

observing the voting process and, often, checking off names of voters asthey vote. Unchecked names can be used later in the day to call voters toget them out to the polls. (For more information, see pp. 44-45.)

While the polls are openGreet voters It’s important to smile and greet every voter as she/he arrives. You might say, for

example, “Good morning. Would you like a sample Democratic ballot? Do youhave any questions about voting?” Explain that the sample ballot is the list of endorsed Democratic candidates. A greeter is usually more effective whenstanding. However, if you need to sit down part of the time, be sure to be in aprominent location so you can welcome every voter.

Promote voting “down the ticket” Stress the importance of voting for ALL endorsed Democratic candidates. HavingDemocrats at the local and county levels increases the effectiveness of any elected Democrat “up the ticket”--from state representative to President.

Offer campaign literature Many voters will have made up their minds by the time they come to the poll, butsome may seek information on one or more of the candidates. You can offer itwith a simple, “Do you need information on any of the Democratic candidates?”

Exit literature. Sometimes, in a primary election, a candidate will ask you to hand out literature to every voter as she/he exits the polling place.




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Be prepared to answer questions about voting procedure Frequently asked questions include:

1. How do I vote? Show specimen ballot (large, white). Point out each office/question tobe voted on. Caution against pushing the “Choose not to Vote” button.

2. Are there any questions on the ballot? Show specimen ballot (large, white) so the voter can read the questionin full. Offer explanatory literature. Point out MCDC endorsed position,if any, on sample ballot (yellow).

3. My nam e wasn’t on the registration list inside. How do I know where I

should go to vote? The Judge of the Election (JoE) has access to all registered voters inMontgomery County and can look up this information. If the JoErefuses or if the voter’s name is not found, advise the voter that she/hemay ask for a provisional ballot and cast a vote that way. If the JoEobjects to giving a provisional ballot, call MCDC (610-272-2000)immediately.

4. How do I change my address (or name) on my registration? Offer a Voter Registration Form.

5. I might be out of town for the general election. How ca n I get an absentee

ballot? Offer an Absentee Ballot Application form. Note filing date. Point outthat voting absentee is a two-step process: applying for a ballot, thencasting a paper ballot. Both have strict deadlines and procedures. (See Absentee Ballots, p. 43.)

6. My daughter/son will be going away to college next year. Where should

she/he register to vote? Either place is acceptable. Note: If student registers at parents’ home

but cannot return home to vote, she/he must apply for an absenteeballot. Hand out an absentee ballot, then ask voter’s name andphone/email so you can give them a reminder about approachingabsentee ballot deadlines. (See Absentee Ballots, p. 43.)

Be on the lookout You are the eyes and ears of open and honest elections. Mistakes can be made—unintentional or intentional—that can disenfranchise a voter. Below is a list of themost common.

If you witness any of the following, call MCDC (610-272-2000)

IMMEDIATELY. 1. Long voting lines.2. Voter being denied a provisional ballot.3. Voting machines “down” or not working.4. ALL voters being asked to produce ID. The only voters required to

provide ID are new voters and anyone voting for the first time at that

polling location .




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End of the day At 8:00 pm the Judge of the Elections (JoE) will check to see if there are any voters in line; anyone in line must be allowed to vote. When the last voter leaves,the JoE will lock the door. Be sure you are on the inside and have your pollwatcher’s certificate with you. (Candidates do not need a certificate to be in thepoll after closing.)

While tapes from the voting machines are printing, you andany other committee people, watchers, and candidates muststay back from the JoE’s table and the machines. (There willusually be a designated table for you to sit at.) As the tapesprint, the JoE and other election officials will open and countthe absentee ballots. Your job, at this time, is to be patient.

Get election results When the tapes have finished printing, you will get the results one of two ways:

1. The judge or one of the other election workers will announce the resultsfrom each machine out loud, beginning with the “public counter” (thenumber of people who voted on that machine). The worker will thenannounce the results for each office, stating the name of the office, anidentifying code for each candidate, the candidate’s name, and thenumber of votes recorded, for example:“United States Senator: B11, Robert Casey--203; C11, Richard Santorum--2.” Any ballot question(s) will also be announced (in the form of “yes” and“no” votes) --OR--

2. An election worker will carry one tape from each machine to the table

where you’re sitting. Trade the tapes back and forth with the Republicancommittee persons until you have votes from all the voting machinesrecorded. (Remember to first record the public counter number for eachmachine,)

Either way, record the results on your specimen ballot (large, white).

Next, record the total number of absentee ballots cast, then the number of votescast for each candidate (and for any question). Add these numbers to the totalsfrom the machines.

For a primary election only: Get the total count of voters for each party (calledthe “option switch”) from each machine and the absentee ballots. (On themachine tapes, this number will be at the bottom.)

Alert! Absentee

Ballots are NOT tobe opened until thepoll doors arelocked.




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Report election results… …to whomever has requested them—your Municipal and Area Leaders, MCDC,and/or a candidate.

Take down Remove all Democratic campaign signs from your polling place before you leave.If it is a primary election, save any campaign signs or literature that can be used

again in the general election. If possible, please recycle any remaining materials.Thanks to Jeanne Bland and Penny Cutler for supplying information for “End of the Day.”

Note: If the election results are not read out loud, then it is your right to request aset of printouts—even if it means staying a little later. Should the judgerefuse, notify the Election Board and MCDC. If all else fails, you can getresults from the machine printouts that have to be posted outside the polling

place—even if it takes two people and a flashlight!




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Your Constituents

The meat of your responsibility as a committee person occurs between election days, reaching out to and serving your constituents. Your constituents are all residents in your precinct of voting age— Democrats, independents, people not

yet registered, even Republicans. You serve by registering people to vote andbecoming an information source about election dates; voting rules andprocedures; local, state, and national issues; and Democratic candidates.

Walk around your precinct and get to know your neighbors. Attend as many community meetings as possible. Become an advocate to help people with theirconcerns and questions. As you reach out, you create a Democratic presenceand, eventually, build a Democratic community. Presence and community say success, and nothing builds more success like existing success.

Voter registration lists As a committee person, you will receive a printed street list with the names,addresses, and party affiliations of all registered voters in your precinct. As itsname suggests, this list is organized by streets, and by even/odd house numberswithin a street. You can contact MCDC at 610-272-2000 to receive an excel file of the registered voters in your precinct.

VoterWeb: on-line voter data base All committee people also have access to a user-friendly, on-line voter data baseat www.voterweb.org.

VoterWeb allows you to build custom lists for door knocking, mailings, andphone banking. For example:

• All registered Democrats (good for circulating nomination petitions, seepp. 18, 42)

• All Republican women under 35• All Democrats who voted in three of the past four elections

General reports and functions provided by VoterWeb:• On-line voter search• Street lists printed in mailing label format• Polling place locations (along with driving directions)• Polling place look-up by street• List of “blank” houses (addresses with no registered voters) for voter

registration efforts

Election Day reports available from VoterWeb:• Strike lists (alphabetical lists for recording who has voted—to be used for

GOTV [Get Out The Vote] phone banking. See pp. 24-25)

http://www.voterweb.org/




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• Voter turnout statistics (helps determine target voter turnout to win)• Voter registration statistics (to show annual trends).

Other VoterWeb features include:• On-line phone bank to track calls

• List of “Volunteer Recruitment Households” (households comprised of mostly Democrats)• Contact information for candidates running in your precinct.

Introducing yourself It’s important to let your constituents know you are their Democratic CommitteePerson and that you’re there to help them. The best way to do this is to walk yourprecinct and knock on doors. In rural areas, it might be easier to make phonecalls. Introduce yourself as a neighbor and a Democratic committee person andexplain, in a sentence or two, how you can be of assistance. Be sure to leavecontact information so anyone can get back to you with questions or concerns.For your convenience, MCDC can provide you with a sample “welcomebrochure” you can customize, print up, and hand out and/or leave behind if noone is home.

If you are not comfortable with the idea of introducing yourself to perfectstrangers, read this “Introduction Script” aloud to yourself a couple of times.

Hi. I’m Chris, a neighbor of yours. I live over on the next block.I’m the Democratic Committee person for this area. I just want tointroduce myself and give you my contact information. Don’thesitate to call me if you have any questions about voting, wantinformation about Democratic candidates, need an absenteeballot, or are looking for a candidate sign for your yard. Oh, by the way, are there any 17-year-olds or other adults in yourhousehold who need to register to vote? Anyone who wants to

TIP: One of the best ways to introduce yourself to Democratic votersis by circulating nominating petitions in mid-February (pp. 18,42). This may not be the most weather-friendly time to be goingdoor-to-door, so you make a big impression on voters when youdo. Plus, you can empower a voter to “get involved”—signing anominating petition—without asking her/him for any commitment of time or money.

To obtain your password and to get help usingVoterWeb, contact MCDC Executive Director DiannaDiIllio at [email protected].





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change registration status from Republican (or Independent) toDemocrat? (I’ve got some voter registration forms if you needthem.)

Then, repeat this (true) mantra: Many of the Democrats you meet will be

delighted to meet a fellow Democrat and contact person for their election questions .

Alternatively, you can mail post cards with contact information, though with firstclass postage, this, of course, can get expensive.

Registering people to vote Voter registration is one of the most important responsibilities of a committeeperson and should be an on-going task. Stash a couple of voter registration formsin your glove compartment, your briefcase, your purse, your laptop carrier. Bringthem to the polls on Election Day and carry them with you whenever you walk your precinct or canvas for a candidate. As you engage in any discussion onpolitics, ask if anyone needs to register to vote or wants to reregister as aDemocrat.

While voter registration should be an on-going task, the best time to focus yourefforts on registration is just before the Primary and General elections.

Go Door-to-door. The best way to register new voters is to walk yourprecinct, street list in hand, on a Saturday or a Sunday or on a weekday evening.

As you go to each house:

· Check your street list for the registered voters in a house and ask if there is anyone else who needs to be registered.

· Ask if there are children about to turn 18. Note: Voters can registeranytime after the spring or fall election that precedes their 18th

birthday.

As you walk:

· Look for gaps in house numbers. Check to see if there are houses forthose missing numbers and if residents are registered to vote.Compare to the list of “blank houses” available from VoterWeb (p.13.)

· Note “For Sale” signs and jot down address; go back when new people move in.

Follow up with another visit or phone call. This is the single most effectivemethod of persuading someone to register to vote.




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Volunteer at a registration table. If you don’t feel comfortable going door-to-door as described above, call MCDC to ask if you can set up or help at aregistration table at a college campus, shopping mall, or other public venue.

Informing your constituents As you introduce yourself to your constituents, ask for their email address so youcan keep them informed on Democratic events, important election deadlines,candidates, and local issues. Send email updates periodically, but sparingly—notmore than once a week; twice a week as election approaches.

An old-fashioned paper newsletter or a GOTV letter still packs a punch. It takesmore time and money than an email update to produce and distribute, but it’sworth it. Consider your audience as well; you may want to just mail to Super Ds.Plan for it to “hit” one to two weeks before an election to have maximum impact.If you can organize 10-12 volunteers to “drop” these newsletters (NOT inmailboxes) in neighborhoods you’ll save on mailing--the bulk of the expense. Youmay want to work with your co-committee people to save time and money. Wecan provide you with ideas to help you get started.

Maintaining your lists Every election cycle, you will receive an updated copy of your street list from theBoard of Elections (through your Area Leader). Even with official updates, you’llnote that information is not always correct as you walk your precinct or peruse your lists. People move, get married, and die. Information about these changesdoesn’t always make it to Voter Services in a timely fashion.

TIP: If you’re registering voters in the spring, remind people that, inPennsylvania, only registered Democrats and Republicans can

vote for candidates in the primary elections.

TIP: Many voters registered as “Independents” do so because they view themselves as “independent thinkers.” Point out thatanyone can be an independent thinker , but Independent registrants disenfranchise themselves from voting for candidatesin Primary elections.




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It’s important to record any changes you encounter, crossing out names of votersno longer living at the listed address. Send this information to your Area Leaderso she/he can notify Voter Services.

In addition, you might make note of any households that receive mail at post

office box addresses. Enter this information into your VoterWeb file or keep a listof P.O. Box addresses for the next time you or your Area does a mailing.




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Your Democratic Candidates

Part of your job as committee person is to help Democratic candidates run foroffice in your precinct--—be they candidates for school board, county commissioner, state representative, U.S. Senator, or President of the United States.

Circulating Nominating Petitions Circulating a nomination petition is one of the most important responsibilities you have to your Democratic candidates. Before any candidate can be placed on theballot she/he must collect a specified number of signatures. Because most officesrequire 100 signatures or more, and because the circulation period only laststhree weeks, candidates will need your help collecting these signatures.

As a committee person you are expected to circulate at least one petition and

obtain at least 10 signatures every year. However, the sky’s the limit should youwish to circulate additional petitions and collect more signatures.

Number of signatures required… …depends on the office sought:

Rules for collecting signatures There are strict rules for collecting signatures, concerning who can circulate andwhen, who can sign and information required. Any violation of a rule willinvalidate a signature, if challenged. A buffer of 25-50% additional signatures is strongly recommended to ensure that the minimum count is obtained. This isparticularly true for a targeted race.

Office* Number of signatures U.S. Congress......................................................1000State Senate............................................................500State House ............................................................300County office..........................................................250

District Justice** ...................................................100Township or Borough office............................. 10School Director** .................................................. 10State Committee people ...................................100Committee person................................................. 10

*For a complete list of offices, number of signatures, andcandidate filing fee, visit www.dos.state.pa.us/elections .**These positions can be “cross filed,” meaning a candidate cancirculate two sets of petitions—one to Democrats, one toRepublicans. The latter can only be circulated by a registeredRepublican.




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Other Candidate Support A candidate will introduce her/himself to you at your Area meeting or with apersonal phone call. It’s important to have this face-to-face meeting orconversation to get a sense of the candidate as a person.

Ways you can help a candidate:

· Hold a coffee, reception, or house party for the candidate to speak to agroup of your friends and neighbors. Don’t hesitate to invite Republicansand Independents, but let the candidate know she/he might be speakingto a “mixed audience.”

· Write a letter to the editor to local newspapers in support of the candidate.(See pp. 40-41 for submission information and tips on letter writing.) Inlocal, county, and state races, citizen endorsements have a significantimpact. You can use the candidate’s literature or website to get specificinformation. Or contact a candidate’s office to inquire about specific issuesit wants emphasized.

· Canvas your precinct with or for a candidate. If you like to canvas, don’twait for a campaign to call you; visit www.mcdems.org for contactinformation for candidates in your precinct.*

· Distribute literature for the candidate. Commonly called “lit drops,” this isoften done in the evening. Unlike canvassing, the purpose of lit drops isnot to engage the voter, but merely distribute printed information.*

· Increase voter turnout in your precinct. (See the section, Get Out the Vote,pp. 23-24.)

*Warning:

Campaign material cannot be placed

inside mailboxes!





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MCDC & the Democratic Party

It is MCDC’s responsibility to provide you the information, training, materials, andassistance you need to be a strong committee person.

It is your responsibility to see that these tools are used effectively to grow Democratic voter registration, increase Democratic voter turnout, and supportand elect Democratic candidates.

Structure Montgomery County is divided into 62 municipalities—24 boroughs and 38townships. Most of these municipalities are divided into wards and/or precincts.Each ward/precinct contains one polling site and may be represented by up totwo Democratic committee persons. Montgomery County has 425 polling sites,so MCDC can have up to 850 committee people. (Precinct data is from 2010;

numbers may change upon redistricting.)

MCDC is divided into 15 sub-committees called Areas (see chart and map, pp. 28-30). Many Areas are further divided into sub-committees by municipality. As acommittee person, you report to your Municipal Chair (or directly to your AreaLeader if you have no municipal chair). Municipal Chairs report to Area Leaders,who, in turn, report to the County Executive Committee and the County Chairperson.

Municipal and Area Committees hold meetings throughout the year. One of yourmost important duties is to attend these meetings. It is here that ideas are

exchanged, political strategies discussed, advice given, and questions answered.It is here, also, that you will meet your Democratic candidates and learn of theirpositions and volunteer needs.

The full Montgomery County Democratic Committee meets for endorsementconventions and once every four years for reorganization.

MCDC Executive Committee In between the meetings of the full MCDC, the Executive Committee meets thethird Thursday of each month to handle the business of MCDC. The ExecutiveCommittee comprises the Chair, First Vice-Chair, Second Vice-Chair, Treasurer,

Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Executive Director, Area Leaders,and Representatives from each Area. (For a list of members, see pp. 25, 28-29, orvisit www.mcdems.org . )





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What MCDC can do for you

Here’s a list of specific services MCDC offers to committee people.

Access to VoterWeb.org Voter Web is an online voter database, and, as such, is a powerful tool forcommittee people to create multiple types of lists or labels from their computer.(For examples of lists, see pp. 13-14.) This database is also very useful for lookingup a person’s party registration or contact information. This system is a freeservice for committee people. To sign up for access to voterweb.org, contactMCDC.

Printouts and electronic files:

1. Street lists of voters (organized alpha-numerically by street and residencenumber; printed by precinct)

2. Walk lists of voters (organized by logical canvassing routes)

3. Excel lists of voters (good for use in a mail merge)

4. Mailing labels (Please provide blank labels or reimburse MCDC for the costof using its labels.)

5. Voter Registration Forms and Absentee Ballot Applications

6. List of homes with no registered voters (for voter registration drives)

7. List of individuals who have requested an absentee ballot during anelection season (updated daily)

8. Rules and regulations on placement of political signs for each municipality in Montgomery County

9. Municipal Maps showing ward and precinct boundaries (Cost: $5.00 permap)

10. Volunteer lists from past campaigns (if available)

11. Phone lists (we have phone numbers for 70-80% of Montgomery County’sregistered voters)

12. Election Day strike lists (good tool for tracking who has voted)

Advice and assistance:

1. Help publicizing your event(s) on our website (mcdems.org) calendar.

2. Help obtaining watcher certificates for committee people and volunteers

3. Help setting up automated calls (“robo calls”)

4. Use of MCDC bulk mail indicia (to reduce postage for political mailings).Members of the Democratic Committee may use with written permission.




22

5. General assistance with campaign strategy, finances and fundraising, and“get out the vote” (GOTV) questions

6. Legal guidance pertaining to political matters

7. Press advice

8. If you do not utilize a Union shop for printing (yard signs, campaignliterature, etc.) you must indicate it is done and paid for “In House.”

9. Contact information for other organizations, campaigns, and electedofficials

10. Election Day troubleshooting (MCDC Legal Team). Call 610-272-2000.




23

Get Out the Vote (GOTV)

The goal of every election-day is guaranteeing that supporters of Democraticcandidates come out to vote. The term Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV) refers to thelast stage of the campaign, occurring over the last week or last 72 hours beforeelection day. Entering the GOTV stage signifies a switch from persuading votersto choose your candidate to making sure all identified supporters actually come out to the polls .

The tactics are as simple as 1-2-3-4.

1. Get candidate signs out on the street First, set aside enough lawn signs or posters for your polling place on electionday. Next, make sure that ALL other signs for any Democratic candidate aredisplayed some where (for example, key intersections) in your precinct.. Yard signsdo not do any good sitting in someone’s garage.

2. Do one last literature “drop” (last week before election day) For this step, you’ll need volunteers who can walk part of your district and leave aflyer or door hanger at individual households. (Material may NOT be placed inmailboxes!) Give each volunteer a list of identified supporters in a neighborhoodand a map to accompany the list.

3. Make phone calls or set up a phone bank (last weekend before election day) Get a list of Democrats or other supportive voters and their phone numbers from your Area Leader, Municipal Chair, a campaign, or MCDC. Write a simple script,for example:

“Hello, this is Chris. I’m calling to remind you to get out andvote this Tuesday, November 4. The polls are open from 7amto 8pm. Your polling place is the township municipalbuilding. Do you need a ride to the polls?”

Make notes about each response. (If the person does not sound supportive of your candidate[s], remove her/him from a list of future contacts over the nextseveral days.)

If you need to setup a phone bank with a group of people making calls, talk to

your Area Leader or Municipal Chair about a possible location. Sometimes asupporter will allow a group to use her/his office for making phone calls. If that isnot available, ask others to either make calls from their homes or to haveeveryone come to a central location and use personal cell phones.

4. Election Day GOTV Activities If you have volunteers on Election Day that would like to help at the polls, it isalways a great idea to have Poll Watchers inside the polling place. The watcher’s




24

job is to not only watch for problems in the polling place, but keep track of whohas voted. (For specific information on poll watchers and their responsibilities, seepp. 44). You’ll want to supply watchers with a “strike list,” a list of all registeredDemocrats in your precinct. The watcher strikes out the names of people as they vote; sections of the strike list can then be ferried to a phone bank a couple of

times during the day; for some elections this process will begin around the end of the work-day. Phone callers then call Democrats who have not yet voted. (Strikelists are available through MCDC.)

Note: Each poll watcher needs an official watcher’s certificate. Askyour Area Leader to request one for each watcher.




25

MCDC Contact Information Executive Officers

ChairmanMarcel Groen 610-272-2000

[email protected]

1st Vice ChairJoanne Olszewski 610-277-0137 [email protected]

2nd Vice ChairJoe Foster 610-506-1167 [email protected]

Treasurer

Kelbin Carolina [email protected]

Recording Secretary Olivia Brady [email protected]

Correspondence Secretary Gregory Philips [email protected]

Council to MCDC

Brian Gocial [email protected]

MCDC ConsultantsFrank Custer 215-527-5928 [email protected]

Lee Soltysiak 215-219-1717 [email protected]

Information Technology ChairPaul Gallagher [email protected]

MCDC Headquarters

Montgomery CountyDemocratic Committee

21 E. Airy StreetP.O. Box 857

Norristown, PA 19404-0857

610-272-2000 Fax: 610-272-2005

Executive Director Dianna DiIllio [email protected]

State Committee Members*

Scott BrownPatrick CostelloDeborah Crowe

Shirley Curry Mary Jo Daley Ruth DamskerPenny GerberVince Gillen

Marcel GroenRichard Haaz

D. Bruce HanesD. Gregory HoltMurray S. Levin

Caren MoskowitzBeth Suchsland

Wendell Young IV

*as of 5/18/10

Website: www.mcdems.org










26

MCDC By-Laws (a Committee Person’s summary)

COUNTY COMMITTEES

Rule 2. Election of Committee members.

Members of the County Committee shall be elected in the followingmanner: At the spring Primary Election in each year in which theGovernor is to be elected in a regularly scheduled election, twoCounty Committeepersons shall be elected by the qualifiedDemocratic electors of each election district in the County. They shallbe elected to serve from the day following the date of election ascertified by the Montgomery County Board of Elections until the day following the next Primary Election in a regularly scheduledgubernatorial year, or until their successors are duly elected and

certified.

Rule 3. Qualifications and requirements of Committee members.

Section 1: Qualifications to serve as Committee members or officersshall be as follows: The member shall be an enrolled Democraticelector in the election district which he or she represents, and shallhave actual and physical residence and not merely legal residence insaid election district.

Section 2: No person shall be eligible to serve as a member or officer

of the County Committee or any of its subordinate committees who:(a) holds a political appointive office of profit under an administration,city, county, state or national, opposed to the Democratic Party (except positions of a judicial character or those appointed by thecourts or notaries public or commissioners of deeds or those whoseoriginal appointment to said position was made by a Democraticadministration or attained through a merit system or who arecurrently protected through a merit system or a collective bargainingcontract); (b) has entered into an agreement with opponents of theDemocratic Party to support such opponents; (c) by voice, vote,financial support or otherwise has, within two years, supported a

candidate in a General or Special Election opposed to the duly nominated candidate of the Democratic Party in that election, exceptas provided in Section 3.

Section 3: Those Democratic candidates who file for an office in whichcross filing is permitted by law and those persons supporting suchcandidates are exempt from Section 2 of this Rule.




27

Rule 4. Duties of Committee members.

It shall be the duty of Committee members to:

a. participate in meetings of the County Committee, and inmeetings of the members thereof from their respective Areas and

Municipalities;b. increase the enrollment of Democratic electors in their voting

districts to its maximum number;

c. see that at least one nomination petition shall be properly circulated and filed for each public office for which nominationsare to be made at each Primary Election in their respectiveelection districts;

d. organize political activity in their election districts thoroughly andeffectively to the end of achieving a maximum Democratic vote atthe polls and Democratic majorities in the elections;

e. champion and work for Democratic principles and integrity within the Party and the administration of government;

f. do all things necessary and proper to effectuate these Rules.

Rule 5. Filling a Committee member vacancy.

In case a vacancy occurs on the County Committee throughresignation, disqualification, or any other cause, the County Chair(s)shall fill such vacancy as soon as possible; provided however that novacancy shall be filled between the date herein fixed for the electionof members of the County Committee and the next election of County officers. It shall be mandatory upon the County Chair(s) to enforceRule 3 in filling all vacancies.

The above rules are taken from the MCDC By-Laws. The by-laws were amendedon Jan. 15, 2009. MCDC can provide a copy upon request.




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MCDC Areas Area Area Leader; Contact Info Municipalities; Monthly Meeting

1Jim Prendergast 484-433-4694

[email protected]

Municipalities: Lower Pottsgrove, Pottstown, UpperPottsgrove, West Pottsgrove

Monthly meeting: Varies. Call for more information.

2

Elaine DiGilio Hannock [email protected]

Municipalities: East Greenville, Green Lane,Marlborough, Pennsburg, Red Hill, Upper Hanover

Monthly meeting: Definitely. Call for date andlocation.

3IndianValley

Democrats

Jeanne Bland, [email protected]

www.ivdems.org

Municipalities: Franconia, Lower Salford, Salford,Souderton, Telford; Upper Salford

Monthly meeting: 4th Tuesday of the month, 7:30,Franconia Township Building, 671 Allentown Rd.,Franconia

4

Kevin Dunbar, 610 [email protected]

Municipalities: Collegeville, Limerick, LowerProvidence, Royersford, Skippack, Trappe, UpperProvidence, Worcester

Monthly meeting: 2nd Thursday of the month, 7:30IBEW Union Bldg, Ridge Pike, Collegeville

5North PennDemocrats

David Fritz, [email protected]

www.northpenndems.org

Municipalities: Hatfield Bor., Hatfield Twp., Lansdale,Montgomery Twp., North Wales, Upper Gwynedd,Towamencin

Monthly meeting: 4th Mon. of the month, 7:30 pm,North Wales Boro Hall, 300 Church Rd.

6Deborah Crowe, [email protected]

www.uddems.org

Municipalities: Horsham, Upper DublinMonthly meeting: Varies; municipal committeesmeet more regularly. Call for information.

7

Howard Rovner, 215-953-2704215-820-9149 (c)[email protected]

Municipalities: Bryn Athyn, Hatboro, LowerMoreland, Upper Moreland

Monthly meeting: variesIssues breakfast: 3rd Saturday of alternating months,8:00am, Calloway’s Restaurant, 1902 County LineRoad, Huntington Valley (call to confirm)

8 Abington-RockledgeDemocrats

Michael Barbiero, [email protected]

www.abingtondemocrats.com

Municipalities: Abington, Rockledge

Monthly meeting: 2nd

Mon. of the month, 7:30 pm,St. Mark’s Church, Meeting House & Beverly Rd.,Rydal

9

Sean Kilkenny, [email protected] www.cheltenhamdemocrats.org www.jenkintowndemocrats.com www.springfield-democrats.org

Municipalities: Cheltenham, Jenkintown, Springfield

Monthly meeting: Varies; municipal committeesmeet monthly.








29

MCDC Areas*

Area Area Leader; Contact Info Municipalities; Monthly Meeting

10Colonial AreaDemocrats

Jason Salus, [email protected]

www.cdems.org

Municipalities: Conshohocken, Plymouth,Whitemarsh

Monthly meeting: Varies; call for moreinformation.

11

Olivia Brady, [email protected]

Municipalities: East Norriton, Norristown, WestNorriton

Monthly meeting: 4th or last Thursday of themonth. Call 610-272-2000 for location.

12

Tom Kohler, (610) [email protected]

www.umdems.org

Municipalities: Bridgeport, Upper Merion, WestConshohocken

Monthly meeting: 4th Mon. of the month, 7:30-

9:00pm, Trinity Episcopal Church, 966 Trinity Lane,King Of Prussia

13

Bill Leopold, [email protected]

Jill Stein, 610-724-1099 [email protected]

www.democratslmn.org

Municipalities: Lower Merion, Narberth

Monthly meeting: 3rd Tues. of the month, 7:30 pm,Narberth Borough Hall, 100 Conway Avenue,Narberth

14

Shelly Waldman, [email protected]

Margaret Phiambolis, 215-628-8227

[email protected] www.wissahickondems.com

Municipalities: Ambler; Lower Gwynedd,Whitpain

Monthly meeting: 1st Thursday of the month, 7:30

pm, Harleysville Bank, 1017 N. Bethlehem Pike,Spring House

15

Arthur Fairclough, [email protected]

Municipalities: Douglass, Lower Frederick, New Hanover, Perkiomen, Schwenksville, UpperFrederick

Monthly meeting: 4th Wed. of the month, 7:30pm. Call for location.

*For information on the Democratic Committees in surrounding counties:

Berks County: ...........610-376-2304 ........www.berksdems.orgBucks County: .......... 215-348-2140 ........www.bucksdemocrats.comChester County: ....... 610-692-5811 ........www.chescodems.orgDelaware County: .. 610-566-6427 ........www.delcodems.comLehigh County: ........ 610-437-2705 ........www.lehighdems.orgPhiladelphia: .............215-241-7804 ........

http://www.wissahickondems.com/

http://www.democratslmn.org/






30




31




32

Federal Contact Information The most efficient method of contacting House and Senate representatives is tomake a personal phone call or send a Fax. Letters sent by U.S. Postal Service gothrough an irradiation process that can often delay delivery and may even

damage the contents. Letters sent as e-mail have the potential of beingoverlooked.

Be courteous and concise in your correspondence. Include specific, pertinentinformation with concrete examples that support your position.

If your representative is not listed below, go to www.house.gov and enter your zipcode.

United States Senate

Senator Bob Casey (D)202-224-6324 Fax: 202-228-0604

www.casey.senate.govPhiladelphia office:215-405-9660 Fax: 215-405-9669

Senator Arlen Specter (D)202-224-4254 Fax: 202-228-1229

[email protected]

Philadelphia office:215-597-7200 Fax: 215-597-0406

United States House of RepresentativesHon. Chaka Fattah (D - 2nd)202-225-4001 Fax: 202-225-5392

www.house.gov/fattah

Main Philadelphia Office:

215-387-6404 Fax: 215-387-6407

Hon. Jim Gerlach (R - 6th)202-225-4315 Fax: 202-225-8440

www.gerlach.house.gov

Trappe office: 610-409-2780 Fax: 610-409-7988

Hon. Joe Sestak (D - 7th)202-225-2011 Fax: 202-226-0280

www.sestak.house.gov

Media office:610-892-8623 Fax: 610-892-8628

Hon. Patrick Murphy (D - 8th)202-225-4276 Fax: 202-225-9511

www.patrickmurphy.house.gov

Bristol Office:215 826-1963 Fax: 215 826-1997

Hon. Allyson Schwartz (D - 13th) 202-225-6111 Fax: 202-226-0611

www.schwartz.house.gov

Jenkintown office:215-517-6572 Fax: 215-517-6575

Hon. Charles Dent (R - 15th)202-225-6411 Fax: 202-226-0778

www.house.gov/dent

East Greenville office:215-541-4106 Fax: 215-541-4109

http://www.house.gov/dent

http://www.scwartz.house.gov/

http://www.patrickmurphy.house.gov/

http://www.sestak.house.gov/

http://www.gerlach.house.gov/

http://www.house.gov/fattah


http://www.specter.senate.gov/

http://www.casey.senate.gov/

http://www.house.gov/




33




34

State Contact InformationNOTE: You can determine who your state legislators are by visiting the PennsylvaniaGeneral Assembly website at www.legis.state.pa.us.

Pennsylvania State SenatorsHon. LeAnna Washington (D-4th)717-787-1427 Fax: 717-772-0572

[email protected]


Roslyn office:215-517-1434 Fax: 215-517-1439

Hon. Vincent Hughes (D-7th)717-787-7112 Fax: 717-772-0579

[email protected]


Hon. Charles T. McIlhinney Jr. (R-10th)717-787-6599 Fax: 717-783-7328

[email protected]

Doylestown office:215-489-5000 Fax: 215-489-5200

Hon. Stewart J. Greenleaf (R-12th)717-787-6599 Fax: 717-783-7328

[email protected]

Willow Grove office:215-657-7700 Fax: 215-657-1885

Hon. Daylin Leach (D-17th)717-787-5544 Fax: 717-705-7741

[email protected]

King of Prussia office:610-768-4200 Fax: 610-768-4204

Hon. Andrew E. Dinniman (D-19th)(717) 787-5709 Fax: 717-787-4384

[email protected]

West Chester office:610-692-2112 Fax: 610-436-1721

Hon. Bob Mensch (R-24th)

(717) 787-3110 Fax: (717) 787-8004

http://senatormensch.com/[email protected]

Quakertown office:(215) 529-1215 Fax: (215) 529-1218

Hon. John Rafferty (R-44th)717-787-1398 Fax: 717-783-4587

www.senatorrafferty.com [email protected]

Collegeville office:610-831-8830 Fax: 610-831-8837

Pottstown office:

610-469-8390 Fax: (610)469-8394


http://www.senatorrafferty.com/


http://www.senatordinniman.com/


http://www.senatorleach.com/


http://greenleaf.pasenategop.com/


http://www.senatormcilhinney.com/

http://[email protected]/

http://www.senatorhughes.com/


http://www.senatorwashington.com/

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/




35




36

State Contact Information, cont.Pennsylvania State Representatives

Hon. Robert W. Godshall (R-53rd)717-783-6428 Fax: 717-787-7424

[email protected]

Hatfield office:215-368-3500 Fax: 215-361-4220

Hon. Kate Harper (R-61st)717-787-2801 Fax: 717-787-2022

[email protected]

Blue Bell office:610-277-3230 Fax: 610-270-1677

Hon. Matthew Bradford (D-70th)717-772-2572 Fax: 717-772-9994

www.pahouse.com/bradford(to send email, go to the website, above)

Norristown office: Worcester office:

610-270-1150 610-222-3490

Hon. Thomas J. Quigley (R-146th)717-772-9963 Fax: 717-772-2434

[email protected]

Pottstown office:

610-326-9563 Fax: 610-718-5787

Hon. Marcy Topel (R-147th)(717) 787-9501

Schwenksville office:

(610) 287-4181 Fax: (610) 287-4182

Hon. Michael Gerber (D-148th)717-787-9475 Fax: 717-787-0861

www.pahouse.com/gerber(to send email, go to the website, above)

Conshohocken office:610-832-1679 Fax: 610-832-1684

Hon. Tim Briggs (D-149th)717-705-7011 Fax: 717-787-0861

www.pahouse.com/briggs(to send email, go to the website, above)

King of Prussia office:610-768-3135 Fax: 610- 768-3112

Hon. Mike Vereb (R-150th)717-705-7164 Fax: 717-260-6522

[email protected]

Collegeville office:610-409-2615 Fax: 610-409-2619

Continued, p. 38


http://www.repvereb.com/


http://www.pahouse.com/


http://www.pahouse.com/gerber


http://www.repquigley.com/



http://www.kateharper.net/


http://www.bobgodshall.com/




37




38

State Contact Information, cont. Pennsylvania State Representatives

Hon. Rick Taylor (D-151st)717-705-2048 Fax: 717-780-4776

www.pahouse.com/taylor(to send email, go to the website, above)

Horsham office:215-441-1030 Fax: 215-441-1036

Hon. Kathy M. Manderino (D-194th)717-787-1254 Fax: 717-780-4770

www.pahouse.com/manderlino(to send email, go to the website, above)


Hon. Josh Shapiro (D-153rd)717-783-7619 Fax: 717-780-4754

www.pahouse.com/shapiro(to send email, go to the website, above)

Abington office:215-517-6800 Fax: 215-517-6828

Hon. Lawrence H. Curry (D-154th)717-783-1079 Fax: 717-787-2713

www.pahouse.com/curry (to send email, go to the website, above)

Jenkintown office:215-572-5210 Fax: 215-517-1423

Hon. Paul Drucker (D-157th)717-705-2003 Fax: 717-772-2943

www.pahouse.com/drucker(to send email, go to the website, above)

Wayne office: Audubon office:610-688-5691 610-631-2865

Hon. Brendan Boyle. (D-170th)717-787-8523 Fax: 717-787-4810

www.pahouse.com/boyle(to send email, go to the website, above)



http://www.carolerubley.com/


http://www.pahouse.com/drucker


http://www.pahouse.com/curry


http://www.pahouse.com/shapiro


http://www.pahouse.com/manderlino





39

Writing Editorials & Letters to the Editor Editorials and letters to the editor in local newspapers about Democraticcandidates and issues have more of an impact than you might imagine. It helpscreate a Democratic presence. And it’s valuable (and free) publicity for ourcandidates.Note: You do not have to reside in the area of a newspaper’s circulation tosubmit a letter to that newspaper. If you want to broadcast your endorsement of a candidate, you can mail/email the same letter or editorial simultaneously tomultiple newspapers.

Tips on Letter Writing 1. The purpose for writing should be stated in the first paragraph of the

letter. If the letter is endorsing a Democratic candidate, state thecandidate’s name and office. If the letter pertains to a specific piece of legislation, identify it accordingly, e.g. House bill: H.R. _____, Senate bill: S._____. If the letter is in response to an article or previous letter, include thearticle’s date and title.

2. Be positive and to the point.3. Include key information using examples to support your position.4. Mail or fax a copy of your published letter to the candidate you’re

supporting. Or mail/fax a copy of your letter to MCDC.5. Always include your name and your contact information so that your

submission can be verified.

Contacting Local Editorial Boards In most cases, letters to the editor can be submitted online by going to the

paper’s web site and clicking on the appropriate icon such as “contact us.” Listedbelow is the contact information for newspapers that circulate withinMontgomery County.

Allentown Morning Call Allentown

[email protected] listing: [email protected]

The Colonial Fort Washington215-542-0200

Letters to editor and community listing:[email protected]

Include your telephone number in the subject line

The Intellegencer Doylestown215-345-3050

Letters to editor:[email protected] listing:intell _ [email protected]

(Use intell as the subject line)

Main Line Life Wynnewood610-896-9555/ Fax: 610-896-9560

Letters to editor and community listing:[email protected]








40

Main Line Times Ardmore

Letters to editor: [email protected] listing: [email protected]

Mercury Pottstown610-323-3000/ Fax: 610-327-3308

Letters to editor: [email protected]

Montgomery Life Fort Washington215-542-0200

Letters to editor and community listing:[email protected] community listing emails use‘community listing’ as the subject line

North Penn Life Fort Washington215-542-0200

letters to editor and community listing:[email protected]

Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia215-854-2000/ Fax: 215-854-4483

Letters to editor:

[email protected]

Phoenix Phoenixville610-933-8926/ Fax: 610-933-1187

Letters to editor:

[email protected]

The Reporter Lansdale215-855-8440 / Fax: 215-855-6147

Letters to editor:[email protected] listing:[email protected]

Souderton Independent Souderton

215-723-4801 / Fax: 215-723-8779Community listing and letters to editor:[email protected]

Spring-Ford Reporter

Royersford610-948-4850

Times Herald

Norristown610-272-2500/ Fax: 610-272-1935

Letters to editor:[email protected] listing:[email protected]

Trend Leader County-wide

610-783-1185

Valley Item Royersford610-948-4850
















41

Nominating Petitions There is a limited time--three weeks--usually in February, in which petitions can becirculated. As a committee person, you are expected to circulate at least onepetition and obtain at least 10 signatures every year. However, the sky’s the limit,

should you wish to circulate additional petitions and collect more signatures.

è Note : Circulating petitions is a no-brainer way to empow er others to get

involved in the election process—it’s free and only takes a couple of minutes!ç

Rules for Collecting Signatures

These rules must be strictly adhered to in order for signatures and petitions to bevalid. This is especially true in a contested race where an opponent could decideto contest your signatures in an effort to keep you off the ballot.

1. Petitions can only be circulated after the 13th Tuesday before the Primary

and only until the 10th

Tuesday before the Primary.2. All petition circulators must be registered Democrats, living within the

candidate’s district for whom they are circulating.

3. Petition signers must write their street address—NOT a post officeaddress—and include the city, township, or borough* in which they live.

4. After signatures are collected, the circulator must sign the back of thepetition in the presence of a notary.**

5. Petitions must be submitted on deadlines established and in the collectionplace established.

* Since there are no cities in Montgomery County, all signers will have to putthe township or borough of residence.

** MCDC has a notary available in the office at a designated time toward theend of the petition signing period. Some Areas make similar arrangementsaround the county.

Tip: A signature on a nominating petition DOES NOT commit the signor to votefor that candidate in the primary or general election. Rather, it signifies thesignor’s permission to allow the candidate’s name to appear on an official

ballot.




42

Absentee Ballots As a committee person, you should be prepared to assist with absentee ballotrequests for persons who are already registered to vote but who will not be ableto go to their polling place on election day. You can obtain absentee ballotsapplications from MCDC or from the Montgomery County Election Board.

How to vote by Absentee Ballot

Voting by absentee ballot is a two-step process:

1. A registered voter must first apply for an absentee ballot at least 30calendar days before the scheduled primary or general election.

2. The voter must return the completed ballot by mail (postmark by stateddeadline) or go to the Board of Elections,1 Montgomery Plaza, SwedeStreet, Suite 602, Norristown, and submit it in person. The voter may notsend her/his ballot in with another person.

Who should apply

Any registered voter who has any concern about not being able go to her/hisvoting location on election day should apply for an absentee ballot. This wouldinclude:

· Military service personnel (and spouse)..

· Anyone who travels for business or whose job otherwise prevents her/himfrom voting at the polls.

· Any Election Day official (Judge of Elections, Majority Inspector, Minority Inspector, Clerk, Machine Operator) who will be absent from her/his

municipality of residence. · War veterans who are bedridden or hospitalized.

· Sick or disabled voters unable to attend their polling place or to operate avoting machine.

· Any county employee whose Election-Day-related job might preventher/him from voting.

· Any person who will not go to a polling place on Election Day due to theobservance of a religious holiday.

Questions?

Have voter call the Board of Elections at: 610-278-3275.

Tell the voter:

“If it turns out that you are able to vote in person on election day, you MUST goto your polling place, void your absentee ballot, and vote. Poll workers will voidthe absentee ballot you submitted earlier.”




43

Guidelines for Poll Watchers Here’s an overview of how poll watchers are appointed and what their roll isduring election day.

Who can appoint watchers?

• Each candidate is allowed two watchers in every district where thecandidate’s name appears on the ballot.

• All political parties and political bodies that have nominated candidatesare entitled to three watchers per poll. Montgomery County usually received one certificate for each Committee Person (two certificates perpolling site); an additional certificate is available upon request.

Who is qualified to be a watcher?

• Watchers must be qualified registered electors in Montgomery County.• A watcher’s certificate issued for a particular polling place can be used at

any polling place in Montgomery County. (However, if it is also issued on

behalf of a candidate, the certificate can only be used in a polling place inwhich that candidate’s name appears on the ballot.)

• A watcher must be able to produce her/his certificate upon request.

How many watchers can be in the polling place?

Only one watcher for each candidate or for each party can be in the pollingplace at any one time during voting hours.

What does a poll watcher do?

As the name implies, watchers are to watch. They are NOT allowed toelectioneer, which means they may not wear buttons, carry signs, or engage in

open discussion about the election process while in the building. (If someonewished to electioneer, she/he must be at least 10 feet from the building.)

Watchers are to be placed at least 10 feel from the enclosed area of a polling siteand remain silent while in the polling place.

At the close of the polls on Election Day, candidates may enter the polling placebut must remain OUTSIDE the enclosed area—at least 10 feet from the enclosedarea where the officials are seated--along with the watchers and constable. TheBoard of Elections suggests that the Judge of Election place them at a table andgive the group a tape from each voting machine to note the election results.Each tape tabulates all the votes and lists the write-in votes from its machine.

Under no circumstance should the watchers, candidates, or constable be at the same table with the judge, inspectors, and clerk.

Questions about watchers?

Call the Board of Elections: 610-278-3275




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Sample Instructions for Poll Watchers

Dear Volunteer Poll Watcher,

Welcome, and thank you for helping us to GOTV (Get Out The Vote) and to keep

the election process honest and open to all registered voters.

Your main job…… is to check off names of voters as they come in to vote. The list at the end of thisbinder has names of voters registered as Democrats, independents, and any Republicans identified as voting for the candidate. A few tips:

· Ask the Judge of the Election where you can sit. It must be close enoughto the sign-in table so that you can hear each voter’s name as it is calledout by the clerk.

· If you can’t hear the voter’s name, ask the clerk to repeat the name and/or

move your seat closer.

· If you miss a few names because you take a break or because voters arebeing processed rapidly, you may read the list of voters that the clerk haswritten down.

· Check off each voter in the far left-hand column of boxes.

Your second job……is to keep an eye on the election process to make sure all registered votes haveequal access to the poll and that the voting process proceeds honestly. Thefollowing five pages detail the rules and regulations. Do not worry aboutknowing them all; I have highlighted areas where problems are most likely to

occur. Your mere presence at the poll today will help tremendously to keep thevoting process open and honest. Contact information:

· If you have ANY suspicion about ANY practice by a voter or electionofficial, call the Montgomery County Democratic Committee immediately,(610) 272-2000. MCDC has a staff of lawyers available to address yourconcerns. No question is too trivial! Better to be safe than sorry.

· For other questions, contact your municipal chair or Area Leader.

At 4:00 pm…… please take this notebook to the following phone banking site:

123 Main Street, Whoville Home of Chris & Pat Jones, 215-123-4567

Directions to phone banking site and contact information are in the last page of this binder.




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In case you wondered…

Why We Are Democrats

Here’s Section 17 of The Charter & The Bylaws of the Democratic Party of the United States, as amended by the Democratic National Committee,

January 19th, 2002:

We Democrats are the oldest political

party in America and the youngest in spirit. We willremain so, because we enjoy the challenge of government. Time and again, for almost twocenturies, the Democratic Party has madegovernment work -- to build and defend a nation, to

encourage commerce, to educate our children, topromote equal opportunity, to advance science andindustry, to support the arts and humanities, torestore the land, to develop and conserve our humanand natural resources, to preserve and enhance ourbuilt environment, to relieve poverty, to explorespace. We have reached difficult and vital goals.

We recognize that the capacity of government islimited but we regard democratic government as a force forgood and a source of hope.

At the heart of our party lies a fundamental

conviction, that Americans must not only be free, but they must live in a fair society.

We believe it is the responsibility of government tohelp us achieve this fair society

· A society where the elderly and the disabled can leadlives of dignity and where Social Security remains anunshakable commitment;




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· A society where all people can find jobs in a growing full-employment economy;

· A society where all workers are guaranteed withoutquestion the legal right to join unions of their ownchoosing and to bargain collectively for decent wagesand conditions of employment;

· A society where taxes are clearly based on ability to pay;

· A society where the equal rights of women areguaranteed in the Constitution;

· A society where the civil rights of minorities are fully secured and where no one is denied the opportunity for abetter life;

· A society where both public and private discriminationbased upon race, sex, age, color, creed, national origin,religion, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, economicstatus, philosophical persuasion or physical disability arecondemned and where our government movesaggressively to end such discrimination through lawfulmeans;

· A society where we recognize that the strengthening of the family and the protection of children are essential tothe health of the nation;

· A society where a sound education, proper nutrition,quality medical care, affordable housing, safe streets and ahealthy environment are possible for every citizen;

· A society where the livelihoods of our family farmers areas stable as the values they instill in the Americancharacter;

· A society where a strong national defense is a commoneffort, where promoting human rights is a basic value of our foreign policy, and where we ensure that future by ending the nuclear arms race.

This is our purpose & our promise.




Important Contact Information

CountyMontgomery County Democratic Committee..................... 610-272-2000

Fax: 610-272-2005 [email protected]

Montgomery County government, general info................ 610-278-3000 www.montcopa.org

Voter Services—Voter Registration................................... 610-278-3280Voter Services—Election Board ......................................... 610-278-3275Court House.......................................................................... 610-278-3000

Democratic County Commissioner Joe Hoeffel .................. 610-278-3031

StatePA Democratic Party................................................................. 717-920-8470

www.padems.comPA Senate Democratic Caucus .................................... www.pasenate.comPA House Democratic Caucus......................................www.pahouse.comPennsylvania Department of State ..................www.dos.state.pa.us/dos/

Bureau of Commissions, Elections, and Legislation....... ............. ......717-787-5280Office of the Governor ...............................................................www.PA.gov

NationalDemocratic National Committee ........................................... 202-863-8000

www.democrats.orgUS Senate Democratic Caucus..................................democrats.senate.gov US House Democratic Caucus...................................democrats.house.gov Office of the President...............................................www.whitehouse.gov

http://www.democrats.org/



Documents

MCDC 2010 Committee Person Handbook