How to become a voting member of SCDP

 

Many of you have expressed interest in becoming an elected/voting member of the Sarasota County Democratic Party (SCDP).  The way that most people become an elected/voting member is to become a Precinct Committeeman or Committeewoman.

To help you decide whether this is something you would like to do, we have put together a brief guide (below) which contains answers to questions we get asked most often.

Barbara Katz

First Vice Chair

What is a precinct? 
Think of a precinct as your general neighborhood. A precinct is the smallest political geographical unit maintained by the county for voting purposes..

Who can be a Precinct Committeeman/woman? 
All that is required to be a Precinct Committeeman/woman is to be a registered Democrat in your precinct and to be willing to be in contact with voters in your precinct.

What is the minimum time commitment?
There is no minimum time commitment.  We ask that you reach out to your neighbors on a regular basis – with our help — and build a team of volunteers who will be available at election time to reach out to our voters.

How does someone become a Precinct Committeeman/woman? 
The bylaws of our party require that anyone who wants to become an elected precinct committeeperson must attend a meeting of the SCDP, be introduced to the membership, and then file an application with our Membership Committee. Prospective members must attend a second meeting at which their application will be acted upon, must be elected by a majority vote, and must then take an oath of office prescribed by the Florida Democratic Committee. (SCDP Bylaws – Article IV/Category I/Section A)

What are some Precinct Committeeman/woman responsibilities?
The main job of a Precinct Committeeman/woman is to serve as the link between our local party and the voters in your precinct.  There are a number of ways you can do this – and the party will help you with all of them.  We provide regular trainings and always have leaders available to answer questions.