Project City Hall: caucus

Showing posts with label caucus. Show all posts

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Missouri County Caucus

Missourians will elect delegates to the congressional district and state conventions at the Missouri County Caucuses on March 17, 2012.

This is another opportunity to achieve a center of power and it won't come around again for another two years.

Qualifications

Most importantly, you have to show up at the caucus.

You must live within the county boundary.

You must be registered to vote (or 18 years old by the general election in November) and indicate a party affiliation for the party you want to represent. You can change party affiliation right at the caucus

I challenge you. Do you have what it takes to actually accomplish something of lasting effect? Or will you use one of your pat excuses? I've heard them all. (See The Power Is There for the Taking.)

To answer questions so that you can get yourself elected at your county caucus, Project City Hall will produce a live teleconference on March 16th (see below) to discuss strategy and answer your questions.

What:	Missouri County Caucus Teleconference
When:	Friday, March 16, 2012 at 7:00 pm (Central)
Where:	Your home or mobile telephone
Details:	To receive teleconference call details, Sign up or text Missouri PC, {your name}, {your e-mail address} to (973)498-8066

Robert's Rules of Order

For the Missouri County Caucus Teleconference, we will be discussing Robert's Rules of Order. Here is a link to the Motion Chart which will be the reference for the discussion.

We're not going to go over the whole motion chart, but you should print it out and bring it with you to any meeting, caucus, or convention that you attend. The call will take the view of the minority and show you how to get your delegates elected or at least make sure that you don't get run over. Forewarned is forearmed, as they say.

How to Determine Your Caucus Location

Go to the Missouri Republican Party 2012 County Caucuses.

Preparing for the Caucus

When you have a plan, you don't have to guess what to do next. Written plans are always better than winging it. With that in mind, we've put together the Precinct Committee Candidate Checklist to give you a starting point for your plan.

Call your county central committee and ask how many delegates your county can elect.
Ask for the names of each of the current delegates and their contact information (e-mail address and telephone number).
Ask how many people from the county voted at the previous caucus, and how many votes were cast for each nominated delegate on the ballot.
Join other Missourians on the live teleconference call (see above) where you can ask questions.
Prepare printed information about yourself so that you can quickly communicate the information to everyone you meet from your county.
Prepare printed information about any party platform ideas that you have.

At your caucus, you have an opportunity to present planks for your party platform for approval by the caucus. If you need help writing a plank, submit your plank idea in the comment area (below). We'll use part of the question and answer period to help you refine your plank to increase that likelihood that the caucus will pass it.

Winning the Election

Winning a delegate position is a little challenging, unless no one is running against you. You can do it if you prepare in advance and have a plan. Many people are looking for leaders and will accept almost anyone who simply steps up to lead. Just look at your current set of elected officials for proof of that.

After the Election

Get a current copy of your state party central committee by-laws and of your county party central committee by-laws along with the rules of the convention you are elected to.
Keep in touch, because we'll be producing training teleconferences about all the aspects of being an effective caucus participant.

Who Should Attend?

Anyone who wants to take their country back.
Anyone who values freedom and liberty.
If you're already a precinct committeeman, attend to encourage others and to relate your own experience.

What You'll Learn

The power of the convention delegate.
What happens at a caucus.
Why you need to connect with like-minded individuals before the caucus.
Why you should bring your posse.
How to win in a competitive election.

Missouri County Precinct Contacts

All politics is local. We cannot reach the goal alone. We need your help. These people are actively recruiting precinct committeemen in their county. If you'd like to recruit for your county, add your comment to this article and a way to contact you.

County	Precincts	Population	Contact Name	Contact Method
Adair	12	24943
Andrew	23	16923
Atchison	6	6031
Audrain	18	26049
Barry	19	36301
Barton	17	12531
Bates	16	17075
Benton	13	18349
Bollinger	14	11990
Boone	103	154365
Buchanan	35	89408
Butler	27	41383
Caldwell	11	9248
Callaway	27	43464
Camden	25	40664
Cape Girardeau	35	73243
Carroll	15	9756
Carter	8	5890
Cass	48	98429
Cedar	10	13652
Chariton	13	7740
Christian	28	75479
Clark	9	7180
Clay	78	215707
Clinton	9	21094
Cole	39	74313
Cooper	11	17535
Crawford	11	23970
Dade	9	7418
Dallas	14	16844
Daviess	8	7911
DeKalb	12	12275
Dent	9	15199
Douglas	25	13438
Dunklin	22	31454
Franklin	52	100898
Gasconade	18	15261
Gentry	11	6185
Greene	82	266944
Grundy	13	10125
Harrison	11	8844
Henry	20	22179
Hickory	11	9048
Holt	7	4905
Howard	10	9918
Howell	21	39000
Iron	10	9918
Jackson	400	668417
Jasper	46	116813	John Putnam	E-mail Phone
Jefferson	73	217679
Johnson	11	52016
Knox	7	4020
Laclede	20	35524
Lafayette	15	32913
Lawrence	21	37757
Lewis	11	9951
Lincoln	28	52775
Linn	14	12580
Livingston	13	14213
Macon	15	15621
Madison	8	12276
Maries	10	9046
Marion	17	28225
McDonald	19	22731
Mercer	10	3523
Miller	21	24949
Mississippi	9	13504
Moniteau	13	15121
Monroe	8	9127
Montgomery	11	11804
Morgan	11	20861
New Madrid	23	17589
Newton	25	56120
Nodaway	19	22054
Oregon	13	10264
Osage	19	13465
Ozark	11	9227
Pemiscot	19	18515
Perry	18	18743
Pettis	26	41006
Phelps	25	42205
Pike	15	18476
Platte	35	85896
Polk	22	30404
Pulaski	10	44546
Putnam	9	4862
Ralls	8	9832
Randolph	15	25723
Ray	14	23445
Reynolds	14	6388
Ripley	14	13485
Saline	20	22505
Schuyler	6	4110
Scotland	8	4798
Scott	23	40673
Shannon	8	8423
Shelby	9	6411
St. Charles	121	349407
St. Clair	19	9270
St. Francois	27	63214
St. Louis	659	991830
St. Louis city	204	354361
Ste. Genevieve	14	17720
Stoddard	21	29537
Stone	22	31551
Sullivan	14	6629
Taney	24	47023
Texas	11	24598
Vernon	18	20009
Warren	24	31214
Washington	19	24548
Wayne	20	12652
Webster	14	36473
Worth	8	2039
Wright	10	18443

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Utah Precinct Caucus

Utahans will elect delegates to the county convention, delegates to the state convention, and precinct officers (committeemen) at the Utah Precinct Caucuses on March 15, 2012.

This is another opportunity to achieve a center of power and it won't come around again for another two years.

Qualifications

Most importantly, you have to show up at the caucus.

You must live within the precinct boundary.

You must be registered to vote (or 18 years old) and indicate a party affiliation for the party you want to represent. You can change party affiliation at the caucus.

I challenge you. Do you have what it takes to actually accomplish something of lasting effect? Or will you use one of your pat excuses? I've heard them all. (See The Power Is There for the Taking.)

To answer questions so that you can get yourself elected at your precinct caucus, Project City Hall will produce a live teleconference on March 14th to discuss strategy and answer your questions.

What:	Utah Precinct Caucus Teleconference
When:	Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 7:00 pm (Mountain)
Where:	Your home or mobile telephone
Details:	To receive teleconference call details, Sign up or text Utah PC, {your name}, {your e-mail address} to (973)498-8066

How to Determine Your Precinct / Caucus Location

Go to the Utah Republican Party Caucus Finder and enter your name, and birth date.

Preparing for the Caucus

Call your county central committee and ask how many precinct committeemen your precinct can elect.
Ask for the names of each of the current precinct leaders and their contact information (e-mail address and telephone number).
Ask if a precinct committeeman was elected in the previous election cycle, how many people from the precinct voted at the caucus, and how many votes were cast for each nominated precinct committeemen on the ballot.
Join other Utahans on the live teleconference call (see above) where you can ask questions.
Prepare printed information about yourself so that you can quickly communicate the information to everyone you meet (your neighbors) from your precinct.
Prepare printed information about any party platform ideas that you have.

Winning the Election

Winning a precinct election is easy, even with someone running against you, which is rare. You can do it if you prepare in advance and have a plan. Many people are looking for leaders and will accept almost anyone who simply steps up to lead. Just look at your current set of elected officials for proof of that.

After the Election

Get a current copy of your state party committee by-laws and of your county party central committee by-laws.
Find out from the out-going county party central committee when the organizational meeting is scheduled to elect new officers.
Keep in touch, because we'll be producing training teleconferences about all the aspects of being an effective precinct committeeman.

Who Should Attend?

Anyone who wants to take their country back.
Anyone who values freedom and liberty.
If you're already a precinct committeeman, attend to encourage others and to relate your own experience.

What You'll Learn

The power of the central committee member.
What happens at a caucus.
Why you need to connect with like-minded individuals before the caucus.
Why you should bring your posse.
How to win in a competitive election.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

How to Present Yourself at a Precinct Caucus

Rebecca from Cambridge, MN Precinct 1 asks:

Richard or whoever may know: exactly what should we put on our fliers? A photo? A little bio? Then what we politically believe in bulleted or something? I presume short and sweet is best. At some point do we stand up and present this to the assembly? What are they "looking for"? Thanks!

Ok, so now you're a politician.

I'm going to suggest that every communication that you deliver, written or oral, be in the form of a well-engineered script. Before you jump to a conclusion about what you may believe a script is, please listen to this candidate training call on 3. Scripting; The Ultimate Technique. (2011-03-08).

The Biograghy

At a caucus, you'll be face-to-face with the other people attending, so they'll see you when get your two-minutes or so to present yourself to the group. However, think of the flyer as something that people can take away from the meeting. So, a photo that prints well on paper is a good idea. The flyer also keeps your name in front of people, so put your contact information (that which you're willing to share) on it as well. Putting contact information on the piece actually gives it more perceived value, like a business card, so it's more likely that people will hold onto it for a period of time. With that in mind, the flyer does not have to be a full page piece; half-page, or quarter page pieces can work just as well.

I wouldn't recommend any kind of lengthy bio. You don't want it to be formal. Think of the bio as a very short story about yourself. If you can do it in a couple of sentences, it will have more impact.

For example,

I'm a very concerned parent. I go to work every day, like many of you, but I feel I need to do something more to protect what I've worked for my entire life.

Now, that's very generic, but it's designed to connect with people in an empathetic way. You're like them. People can relate to people who are like them.

I'm an electrician and I go to work every day solving people's problems. I'm very concerned for the future of Brandon and Julia, my two young grandchildren. I just feel I need to do something more to make their prospects better, not worse, than mine were.

This verson is much better because it personalizes the story to you.

Remember, there are hundreds of ways you could express yourself. The point of the bio is to connect with people.

The Why

I recommend that you also have another sentence that communicates why you're running for this position -- and it's not world peace.

Ideally, this will be another story that illustrates your breaking point.

The other day, I was in the grocery store and paid $4.25 for a loaf of bread. It just hit me, we live in the bread basket of the world and the cost of the basics of life are going through the roof. Why? Because our public servants have lost touch with reality and the purpose of government.

Everyone has a breaking point, the straw that broke the camel's back, that causes them to overcome inertia and take action. That's what you want to communicate. That resonates with people.

The Talking Points

As for the political part, I don't suggest you deal with issues in a written piece. Pick no more than three points; three is the magic number.

In a previous message, Rebecca stated her issues, so I'm going to use those for illustration purposes.

Our message will be small government, individual liberty, free markets, federalism, walking softly but carrying a big stick militarily, securing our border, staying out of international squabbles and no more nation building.

Try to avoid cliches. For example, don't say you're for small government. Make your point by illustration. Going through this exercise will also make you think. What does small government actually mean? What does it look like? If possible, try to use local illustrations.

Do you want government telling you what kind of light bulbs to use or what kind of food you should eat? Well, neither do I.

Do you want government deciding how people in Afghanistan and other countries should behave? Well, neither do I.

Do you want government taking money from you and giving it to drug companies, like Merck, or agenda-driven organizations, like Planned Parenthood? Well, neither do I.

Here, I've used three illustrations with specifics in a rhetorical way. Remember that you're not running for an office that can directly affect these things. You're going to be in a position to evaluate potential candidates based on the principles that you're illustrating.

There are also other ways to do this more specifically, like statements of principles.

Individuals are perfectly capable of deciding what to eat and what products meet their needs.

Our government has no business interfering with the way people in other countries choose to govern themselves.

Individuals can do a much better job than government at deciding which charities are worthy.

The Speech

As for your speech, create a script for it and practice it. This may be your first time, use notes, but don't read it. If you can say it with a few words, don't use more words. And you don't need to use all of your allotted time. In fact, it's a demonstration of confidence and focus to say what you have to say in a much shorter time and then sit down.

Remember that most people want what you want. They want to live their own lives, not run the lives of others. The only legitimate purpose of government, as expressed in the Declaration of Independence, is to secure the rights of the individual. And the one all-encompassing right of an individual might be best expressed as the right to be left alone.