Precincts

Getting people in your precinct involved

It’s almost always easier to do work with two or more people as opposed to doing things by yourself. This is particularly important as a Precinct Chair. Your main job as a Precinct Chair is to get as many voters in your precinct to vote for Republicans in elections. The best way for people to take action is by being invested in the election. Get people involved in the following areas where they have the most interest. They are volunteers and volunteers usually start with something small and then make a larger commitment as they are more invested in something. So get them involved in any part of working your precinct that you can. And don’t forget to ask them to help. Most people will help with something small. Get them involved and then the most committed will keep asking for more things to help with.

Identifying voters

Get to know voters in your precinct. Be the first to welcome new neighbors and let them know you are their Republican Precinct Chairman—this can be a good way to start a conversation that can determine their political leanings. Learn who your consistent Republican voters are so you can count on their support. Learn who is a “swing voter” or who does not usually vote, so that you might persuade them to vote Republican. Also, know who the Democrats are so that you can make relationships and have conversations that might switch their views, or so that you can leave them alone when it comes to Republican Party politics. You can request lists of voters from the DCRP Headquarters or utilize “GOP Data Center” to help you with this process. Identifying voters and recording this information is also called “canvassing.”

Registering voters

Always be ready to register a Republican to vote by becoming a Deputy Voter Registrar (DVR). DVRs take a short training course and an oath from the county Voter Registrar and are then allowed to accept a completed voter registration application card from a new voter and take it to the Voter Registrar. Contact your local Voter Registrar for more information.

Informing voters

You need to be the political leader in your neighborhood. Keep in touch with Republicans in your area and let them know of current political events, issues, upcoming elections, and opportunities for involvement with the local party, clubs or campaigns. Distribute campaign literature, bumper stickers and yard signs to decorate your precinct.

Turning out voters

All the prior steps mentioned lead up to this one! Once you have identified your voters, registered them to vote, and kept them politically informed, it’s time to make all of that count- get them to the polls to vote Republican! The most common activities that remind voters to vote are walking door-to-door (“block walking”) and making phone calls (“phone banking”). Assist those needing to vote early by mail (contact your County Clerk for help). Offer to accompany neighbors to their polling place or drive people that need a ride. Efforts to turn out voters are often referred to as “Get-Out-The-Vote” efforts or “GOTV.”

As Precinct Chairman, you have responsibilities in the convention process. These include:

Precinct Convention

The Election Code designates the Precinct Chairman as temporary chair of the precinct convention, responsible for organizing precinct delegates for voting. If the Precinct Chair is unable to serve in this capacity, the precinct vice-chair may take on the role. Instruction packets on running your precinct convention are provided by the Duplin County Republican Party Chairman 60 days prior to the annual convention.

Annual Duplin County Convention

Precinct Chairmen are encouraged to not only participate in their County Convention (you must be elected at your precinct Convention meeting) but to volunteer to serve on one of the temporary convention committees (contact your County Chairman or Temporary District Convention Chairman who make these appointments).

We’re all in this together!