PC TRAINING 1

What You'll Learn Tonight The tasks involved during the election season. What you'll need to feel more comfortable when you're out talking to voters. Tips and tricks from experienced PCs and volunteers. Don't be afraid to ask questions!

Our Four Subjects The Duties of PCs and Volunteers 1 The Duties of PCs and Volunteers 2 Developing Your Action Plan 3 Using Your Contact List 4 Persuading Voters 3

The Duties of PCs & Volunteers What is a Precinct Committeeman/woman? “The grass roots and foundation of the political parties are its precinct committeemen. They serve as the foot soldiers to the most fundamental political unit of government, the precinct. The precinct committeeman helps shape party policy and participates in the selection process of candidates. A precinct committeeman is elected to a two-year term in the even-year primary elections.” - DuPage Election Commission Website

The Duties of PCs & Volunteers How much time will volunteering take? Most of the time will be spent the month before the election. As a PC or volunteer you will: Walk and phone voters within a precinct, trying to personally contact and talk to as many voters on our voter lists as possible. Work both Saturday and Sunday the two weekends before the election on Get Out the Vote (GOTV) activities. If possible, work during the day on the Monday before the election and on Election Day on GOTV and Poll watching activities. 2-4 hours a week, 20 -25 hours for the month

How to Develop an Action Plan What Works & What Doesn’t Work: GOTV Effort Effectiveness Per Contact Is effect statistically reliable? Door-to-Door Canvassing 1 vote per 14 contacts Yes Phone Banking 1 vote per 38 contacts Leafleting (Lit Drop) 1 vote per 189 contacts Not significantly greater than 0 Direct Mail - partisan No detectable effect Large number of studies show average effect cannot be large Direct Mail - non-partisan 1 vote per 200 contacts Yes, but borderline significant Source: “Get Out the Vote” by Donald P. Green and Alan S. Gerber

Developing Your Action Plan 1. Canvassing Door-to-Door 2. Phone Banking 3. Lit Drops

Developing Your Action Plan What else has been shown to work? The frequency with which a voter is contacted has been shown to increase their likelihood of voting. Each contact with a voter – in person, by phone, or by mail - is called a “touch.” More touches, more votes! Making contact in the last few weeks before an election has been shown to increase someone's likelihood of voting. There's no point to canvassing in June.

Developing Your Action Plan Proposed Schedule: Beginning of the 2nd week before the election · Call voters from your contact list – 1st touch. End of the 2nd week before the election · Canvas your precinct, talk to voters, and give them literature – 1st touch. · Make a 2nd touch in person with voters you previously talked to on the phone.

Developing Your Action Plan Proposed Schedule: Beginning of the week before the election · Call voters from your contact list that you have not contacted by phone or by canvassing yet – 1st touch. End of the week before the election · Canvas your precinct, talk to voters that you have not contacted at the door yet and give them literature – 1st touch. · Make a 2nd touch in person with voters that you talked to on the phone. · When contacting Strong Democrats, try to get them to volunteer to help you canvas!

Developing Your Action Plan Proposed Schedule: Day before the election · Make one last canvas of your precinct, talk to voters you have not contacted at the door yet and give them literature. · On this final canvas, if you have still not reached a voter by canvassing, leave your literature at their door. Call all voters on your contact list that you have not touched twice before. Keep track of which voters you've touched. Ideally, you want to touch each voter 3 times.

Developing Your Action Plan Proposed Schedule: Election Day Participate in pollwatching and GOTV activities. These activities keep track of whether or not the voters you've contacted are actually voting!

Questions?

Using Your Contact List Precinct Contact Lists We will give you a voter contact list for your precinct generated from VoteBuilder – our greatest asset! GOTV demographics, known as 'voter universes' are decided each year by participating campaigns. For the March 20th, election, your contact list will be exclusively Democrats. Training on VoteBuilder and the MiniVan will be provided in the future!

Using Your Contact List Bringing out the Democratic Base “Strong Democrats” These will be your best opportunities for volunteers. “Leaning Democrats” These voters vote Democrat but not always, and vote infrequently. “Unknown / No Data” (we will not be touching these in Primary) Democrats, Republicans, Independents, Swing Voters, who knows?

Using Your Contact List VoteBuilder Map

Using Your Contact List Reading Your Walk / Phone List NOTES Phone Number Name & Address Likely Party Age & Sex Voting Record

Questions?

Persuading Voters What Literature to Distribute: Voting Info Candidate Info Sample Ballot Letter from you? Use clear plastic bags with doorknob holes

Persuading Voters Sample Ballot

Persuading Voters A Letter from You: Introduce yourself (their neighbor) Tell them why you are doing this Ask them to vote! Ask for them to vote Democratic! Ask for volunteers

Persuading Voters Basic Canvassing / Phone Banking Script Reminding people to vote Try to get volunteers for November Get email addresses for our newsletters

How to Convince Someone to Vote Persuading Voters How to Convince Someone to Vote Persuading People to Vote Create a sense of obligation (support our candidates) Make an argument for popularity (everyone will be voting this year) Make the use it or lose it argument (it is our responsibility as citizens) Be a likeable and relatable voice of reason (I know how you feel) Ask the person to be a voter (assume they will vote)

How to Convince Someone to Vote Persuading Voters How to Convince Someone to Vote Explaining the Benefits of Voting You must vote to have your voice counted Voting shapes the future of our community & country Reasons to vote for different candidates A person’s vote does make a difference Drive the person to the polls

Persuading Voters If the voter engages you, remember an effective personal story can inspire, build commitment and excitement. Set the tone: Show that what you are doing matters to you, that you want to relate to their experience. Provide an example: Tell specific stories about your experiences. You can talk about your original interest in politics, your time with the party, or your first time campaigning. Connect with your audience: Your story should always lead to the conclusion of “This is why I am here” and aim to excite people to get involved….at least VOTE!

Persuading Voters “Be a Voter” “What time are you going to vote?” Studies show that simply by reminding people to “be a voter” rather than “to vote” drastically improves voter turnout. It leads them to think about their social identity. People like to view themselves as good citizens. People know that voting is something good citizens do. They think about their social identity, and are motivated to vote. “What time are you going to vote?” Studies show that asking people what time they are going to vote, forces them to picture in their mind how and when they are going to vote. People more easily remember to do something when they have created a mental picture in their head of doing that act.

Questions?

Let's Recap! You are the foot soldiers to the most fundamental political unit of government, the precinct. Develop a Plan of Action that that reaches voters multiple times, using door-to-door canvassing, phone banking, and lit drops, in the last few weeks of the election. Persuade voters to get out and vote!

Questions?