Precinct Chair Training, Part 3

Precinct Convention Procedures

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Preparation: what to do before the convention

Sixteen steps for conducting the precinct convention

Resolutions:a few resources

Return to Part 1: Building and Training Your Precinct Team

Return to Part 2: Using the Voter Activation Network (VAN)


Preparation: what to do before the convention

• VOTE in the Democratic Primary!  If you don't, there's no way you can take part in the precinct convention.  Early voting ends February 26, and election day is March 2.
• Is your polling place large enough to accommodate the precinct convention?
• A week before the precinct convention, check out the polling place for your precinct.  Does it have adequate meeting facilities for the precinct convention?
• The Democratic and Republican precinct conventions will take place simultaneously.  Democrats start at 7:15, Republicans at 7:30.  By law, the Democrats and Republicans cannot hold their precinct conventions in the same room.
• Consider how many precincts are voting together at the same polling location.  The precinct conventions for multiple precincts cannot be combined.  However, if need be, the different precincts could meet in different corners within the same room.
• Five things you should bring with you to the precinct convention
• A pen.  (Pens will be included in the packet that the precinct chair picks up from the election judge, but you won't regret having your own pen.)
• A clipboard.
• A calculator.  (Unless you prefer to do long division on paper!)
• A deck of cards.  (Chances are, you won't need it.  But in the unlikely event that a tie vote may need to be broken at random, the deck of cards would help.  Or you could flip a coin.)
• Find out how many people in your precinct voted for Chris Bell in 2006.  (You can find this on the Bexar County Democratic Party website.  Click on "Want to be a precinct chair?" and then scroll down to the bottom of that page to click on "Precinct Chair List."  The answer is in the last column on the right.)  Divide this number by 15, and then round to the nearest whole number.  That's how many delegates your precinct will elect.  The same number of delegates should be written on the outside of the packet, but in case there is a mistake, you will know.
• Picking up the packet and the list of people who voted
• The precinct chair (or candidate for precinct chair, if there is no current precinct chair) should pick up the packet from the election judge at7:00 p.m.
• If there is no current precinct chair, and there are multiple candidates for precinct chair, any one of them may pick up the packet from the election judge.
• If the precinct chair (or a candidate for precinct chair) has not picked upthe packet by 7:15, anyone residing in that precinct who voted in the Democratic primary can pick up the packet from the election judge.
• Do not allow anyone to sign the roll ("Exhibit A") before 7:15.  The precinct convention must be called to order before anyone is permitted to sign in.  The precinct convention cannot begin before 7:15, nor can it begin before everyone is finished voting.
• Whoever picked up the packet should also pick up the voter list from the election judge. 
• Provisional voters are allowed to take part in the precinct convention. 

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Sixteen steps for conducting the precinct convention

(If you need help during the precinct convention, you can call the BCDP office at 210-785-0962.)

STEP ONE

• Temporary Chair calls convention to order at 7:15 pm or after last voter votes if voters are still in line at 7:15 pm.  If the Precinct Chair is present, then the Precinct Chair becomes the Temporary Chair.  Otherwise any qualified voter (resides in that precinct and voted in the Democratic primary) can be the Temporary Chair of the convention.
• The precinct convention packet contains a fill-in-the-blank form for the minutes that will guide you through what to do (see quotations below).Enter the location, precinct number, county, senatorial district number, time called to order, and name of the Temporary Chair in the minutes.  Your precinct number and senatorial district number will be on or in the packet.  For a copy of the minutes form, click here.

Democratic Precinct Convention Minutes (2010)

A Democratic Precinct Convention was held in accordance with the Texas Election Code and the Texas Democratic Party Rules at (location)  ___________________________ in Election Precinct No. _____ of ________Countyin Senatorial District No. _____ on the 2nd day of March, 2010.  Said Precinct Convention was called to order at _____p.m. by ________________________________ (Precinct Chair, or if absent, any qualified voter who served as Temporary Chair of the Convention).<span style=3D'font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"'>

STEP TWO

• The Temporary Chair appoints a temporary secretary of the convention.
• The Temporary Chair gives the minutes form to the Temporary Secretary, who enters his or her name as the appointed Temporary Secretary.

The Temporary Chair appointed ____________________________ to serve as Temporary Secretary of the Convention.

STEP THREE

• Attendees are verified for eligibility.  They must live in the precinct and must have votedin the Democratic Primary.  Confirm this by looking on the voter roll that you received from the Election Judge.
• After being verified, attendees sign in on "Exhibit A."  Legibility is important!  Attendees provide first and last name, residence address, e-mail address, city or town, and phone number.  Get the voter number from the election roll or voter ID card.
• After the convention roll has been established, anyone else who signs in can still participate but not change any decisions made previously.  His or her name should be marked on Exhibit A with an asterisk (*).

Before transacting any business, the Temporary Chair called for an enrollment (i.e. signing in using Exhibit A) of all qualified members of the Party present with their name, residence address (with city or town), zip code, email address and phone number. Eligible Convention participants arriving after the Chair has announced the eligible voting members on the roll are marked with an asterisk (*) on the convention enrollment form (i.e. Exhibit A). Theyare allowed to participate, but not allowed to reverse or change the actions taken prior to their arrival. The enrollment was made on the sheet marked “Exhibit A” and on additional sheets, if needed, following the same format. These sheets or copies are attached to all official copies of these Minutes.

STEP FOUR

• Temporary Chair announces that the convention will be conducted in accordance with the Texas Election Code and the Rules adopted by the Party in accordance with Section 163.002 of the Election Code, and that the 2000 edition of Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised will govern parliamentary procedure.  (See the Parliamentary Procedures Guidelines in your packet.)
• Temporary Chair announces that a copy of the party rules is available for inspection.  (This will be in your packet also.  It isn't the complete TDP Rules, but only the excerpts that are relevant to the conventions.)
• Please explain that the purpose of the convention is to elect delegates to the Senatorial District Convention (in Bexar County or other urban counties) or County Convention (in most counties), and to influence important Party actions.  Announce that the County or Senatorial District Convetnion will take place on Saturday, March 20, 2010, and give the time and location if known.

TheTemporary Chair then announced that this convention would be conducted in accordance with the Texas Election Code, and the Rules adopted by the Party in accordance with Section 163.002 of the Election Code; that the 2000 edition of Robert’s Rules of Order: Newly Revised, would govern parliamentary procedure; and that a copy of the Party Rules was available for inspection. The Chair briefly explained the ways in which action at this convention would influence important Party action and decisions at subsequent conventions and reviewed Party Rules governing Precinct Conventions.

 
STEP FIVE

• The Temporary Chair calls for nominations of Permanent Chair.
• Enter names of nominees inthe Precinct Convention minutes.
• The nominations end when the Temporary Chair has called for nominations three times and no more nominations are forthcoming.
• Conduct the election by majority vote.  Secret ballots are never permitted under the TDP Rules.
• Enter the name of the Permanent Chair in the Precinct Convention minutes.

The Temporary Chair next called for nominations for Permanent Convention Chair, and the following individuals were nominated: (list names)____________________  ____________________________   (Name) ______________________ .  was elected by majority vote and assumed the position of Permanent Chair.

STEP SIX

• The Permanent Chair calls for nominations for Permanent Secretary.
• Enter names of nominees inthe Precinct Convention minutes.
• Conduct the election by majority vote.
• Enter the name of the Permanent Secretary in the Precinct Convention munutes.

The Permanent Chair then called for nominations for Permanent Convention Secretary, and the following individuals were nominated: (list names)  _________________   ________________     (Name) _______________________ was elected by majority vote and assumed the position of Permanent Secretary.

STEP SEVEN

• The Permanent Chair announces:
• Number of eligible voters on roll (Total signed in on Exhibit A)</span>
• Number of delegates and alternates to the Senatorial District Convention or County Convention.  This number is on the front of your packet.
• The Chair should call for the convention to accept the report.
• Enter this information in the Precinct Convention Minutes.
• At this point, any qualified voter who arrives can participate in the precinct convention, but should be marked with as asterisk (*) on Exhibit A.

The Permanent Chair then announced the number of eligible voting members on the roll: ______________, and the number of delegates and alternates to the County/Senatorial District Convention that the Precinct was entitled to elect: _________________________.

STEP EIGHT

• The Permanent Chair announces that an equal number of delegates and alternates will be elected.  All delegates and alternates will be chosen in one election.

The Convention Chair then announced that the Rules ofthe Texas Democratic Party, Art. IV.B.8(a)(3), provide that a precinct convention is to elect one alternate for each delegate that the precinct convention is entitled to elect.

STEP NINE

• Nominate at least enough candidates to fill the positions. 
• Nominees do not need to be present at the precinct convention, but they must be qualified.  Participants can call eligibile voters onthe phone and ask whether they want to be a delegate.  Verify their eligibility by checking the voter roll. 
• Record votes in a table.&nbsp; Write the names of nominees on rows going down, also indicating gender.  Make columns to record how each participant votes.

The Convention Chair then called for nominations for the delegate and alternate slots in a number sufficient to fill both types of seats.

STEP TEN

• The chair should explain that the Texas Democratic Party Rules, Article I section B.4 specifies that "Every person who accepts a Party office at any level (includingthe position of Convention Delegate and Alternate) must agree to support all of the Party’s nominees or shall be removed."
• Gender requirements need to be followed.  If more than one delegate is to be elected, the chair should announce that at least one third of the elected delegates mustbe female, and at least one third must be male.  If this requirement is not met, the vote should be done all over again.
• Because each participant gets only one vote, it's a good idea for nominees to talk about why they want to be a delegate.  Participants may want to reach agreements about how they will use their one vote before the official vote is taken.
• If the number of participants is fewer than the number of delegates to be elected, the participantscan work out a slate of delegates to be elected and approve the entire slate.  Otherwise, each participant gets to vote for only one person as delegate.
• The official vote is conducted. Each participant votes when his or her name is read off the roll call list.  The Permanent Chair records each member's vote in a separate column.  Note that there are no secret ballots.
• Nominees getting the highest numbers of votes are delegates.  The next highest group of vote-getters are alternates.

The precinct convention attendees caucused as a wholeto elect their delegates and alternates. The caucus of the whole held ONE election in which the highest vote getters became delegates and the next highest became alternates. Each eligible participant was allowed to castONE vote in the election for Delegate (TDP Rules ART.IV.B.11(f)(4)).

STEP ELEVEN

• If participants request to elect delegates through a caucus, they must present a petition as stipulated by the TDP Rules. 
• The caucus method of electing delegates may be needed if there are more nominees than delegates to be elected and no agreements could be reached in the election in Step Ten.
• Refer to the "EZ Math Sheet" in the packet for instructions on electing delegates through a caucus.

(Note: If caucuses are requested by petition, refer to the Rules of the Texas Democratic Party, Article IV.B.11, and the TDP Rules excerpt for appropriate procedures, which includes information necessary to calculate a caucus’s proportionate share of delegates. Caucuses shall meet separately to elect their proportionate share of delegates and alternates allocated to the precinct. If no petitions are presented, all delegates and alternates shall be elected by majority vote).

 

STEP TWELVE

• After the vote, the Permanent Chair announces the names of delegates and alternates elected.
• The Permanent Chairasks the convention to ratify the delegates and alternates.
• The Permanent Secretary completes the lists of elected delegates on Exhibit G and alternates on Exhibit H.  Please write legibly!  The information listed includes first name, last name, residence address, e-mail address, city or town, and demographic information.
• If anyone not present at the convention who was elected as a delegate or alternate, his or hername should be entered with a double asterisk (**).
• Although one can benominated without being present at the precinct convention, delegates and alternates must be nominated and elected at the precinct convention.

After the caucus of the whole transacted its business, the Permanent Convention Chair announced the names of all the delegates and alternates elected. TheChair then instructed the Convention Secretary to mark the names of all delegates and the names of all alternates on Exhibit G and Exhibit H, respectively. In the event an individual not present at the convention is elected a delegate or alternate, his or her name should be added to the appropriate exhibit as a delegate or alternate, and further marked with a double asterisk (**).

 STEP THIRTEEN

• The Permanent Chair calls for nominations to elect a Delegation Chair for the precicnct to the Senatorial District Convention or County Convention.
• The Permanent Secretary enters names of nominees in the precinct convention minutes.
• The Permanent Chair conducts the election.

TheChair then called for nominations for Delegation Chair. The nominees were: _____________________________________________________________. (Name) _________________________________________________ was elected Delegation Chair by majority vote of the Precinct Convention.

STEP FOURTEEN

• The Permanent Chair calls for resolutions, and the convention votes on each resolution.
• There may be resolutions to be considered in your packet, or any participant may present a resolution.
• Resolutions must bein writing.
• Resolutions that are adopted by majority vote are signed and attached to the minutes.

The Permanent Chair then called for any resolutions, and the attached resolutions were adopted.

STEP FIFTEEN

• After everyone has voted on resolutions, announcements can be made.
• The precinct chair should ask people to sign up for the precinct team.  Get an early start on working together to identify voters and then turn out the vote in November!
• Then the convention adjourns.

There being no further business, a motion passed adjourning the Convention.

STEP SIXTEEN

• The Permanent Chair and Permanent Secretary sign the minutes and provide contact information.
• The Permanent Chair then returns the original and yellow copies of the Precinct Convention Minutes, Exhibit A, Exhibit G, and Exhibit H to the County Chair by the third day (March 5, 2010).
• If mailed, the mail must be certified return receipt required, and the paperwork must go into themail by 5:00 pm on March 4, 2010.

Upon adjournment, the Permanent Convention Chair and Permanent Secretary shall sign the Precinct Convention Minutes and include email and phone contact information in the spaces provided. The Permanent Convention Chair shallthen mail the signed white (original) and yellow copies of the Precinct Convention Minutes and Exhibits A, G and H to the County Chair (see precinct packetfor address). Retain the blue copies (marked “Precinct Convention Chair”) for your records. In accordance with the Texas Election Code Section 174.027, the signed original and copies are to be delivered to the County Chair of this County (in person or by mail in the envelope provided) within three (3) days after the date of this Precinct Convention. (Note: If the Convention Minutes and Exhibits are delivered by mail, the Election Code requires that the original and copies be deposited in the mail no later than the second day after the date of the Precinct Convention). TheCounty Clerk does NOT receive a copy of these records, nor maintain copies of these records.

 

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Resolutions: a few resources

• Purposes of a resolution

1. To memorialize someone recently deceased.
2. To congratulate a person or group.
3. To amend the Rules of the Texas Democratic Party (TDP).
4. To amend the TDP Platform.
5. To urge Democratic elected officials, especially in the Texas Legislature and the U.S. Congress, to advocate certain positions on policy issues.As the delegates assembled at the state convention are the highest authority within the TDP, such resolutions should carry weight with elected officials as the consensus of the grassroots of the party.

• Structure of a resolution

1. Give the resolution a title that indicates not merely the topic, but alsothe position to be advocated (i.e., instead of "Resolution on Vouchers for Texas Schools," it would be better to put "Resolution Opposing Vouchers for Texas Schools").
2. List the reasons for the resolution at the beginning, each reason being in a separate paragraph beginning with the word "whereas" (capitalized, italicized or in boldface).
3. List each action to be taken in separate paragraphs introduced by the words "be it resolved" (capitalized, italicized or in boldface).
4. Use semicolons to separate each paragraph, and avoid periods.  A well-written resolution should consist grammatically of a single sentence.
5. Keep the resolution brief.  It should fit easily on a single page.
6. At the end of the resolution, write: "Submitted to and Adopted by Precinct ___ in ____ County, Texas, Senatorial District ___, on March 2, 2010" and leave a signature line for the precinct convention secretary, who will sign it if the precinct convention adopts the resolution.

• For information on building support for your resolution statewide to increase its chanceof success, click here
• For the process by which resolutions move forward after the precinct convention, click here for a guide that summarizes the TDP Rules.

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Thank you for working for democracy!