Paging HTG: Precinct Committeeman How-To

[AZRedhawk44]

HTG (and anyone else with experience at this):

Evidently I am a precinct committeeman, now.  I was expecting an additional step.  Something along the lines of getting the endorsement (via signature gathering) of registered Republicans in my legislative district... but I guess I don't have to do that.  All I ended up doing was filling out a form and saying "I'd like to be a PC, please... kthxbai."  No confirmation letter or anything.

Our first function was a Statutory Organizational Meeting and I (as well as many other people) did not get my notice letter with enough time to free up my schedule and attend.  There were a lot of complaints made in regards to this, so our SOM was rescheduled with the requisite 10 days notice that the bylaws demand.  That's coming up this weekend.

So, I get to vote for office holders of our Legislative District committee.  And I get to vote for members going to the State Committee.  And there's some small bylaw changes that are proposed that we vote on.

How do I figure out for whom to vote?

Will there be time for each candidate to briefly state his/her beliefs and goals?  Or am I supposed to know this info somehow through "the grapevine" despite the fact that I'm new blood and haven't been around any of these people before?

[vaskidmark]

You need to know this info going in.

Someone is going to read the agenda and move voting on each item as it comes up, or perhaps propose a slate of votes onm portions of the whole, or the whole mess at one fell swoop.

Your District committee officers are the keepers of the mysteries of the sacred rite(s).  Contact them and ask to meet and discuss, or at least get schooled over the phone.

As the newbie in the Pricinct you job is to get the voters out and pulling the levers correctly, and before that to pick up and put out the campaign signs.  Maybe rpunding up volunteers to pass out sample ballots at te polling place.

Least that's pretty much what a Precinct Captain does out here.

The real work is in the networking and deal-making that goes on for that part of the year when elections are not taking place and the legislature is not in session.  Deals mostly involve "I won't oppose your proposal if you ___ " as opposed to "I'll support you if you support me".

stay safe.