The average citizen must be a good citizen if our republics are to succeed.

The stream will not permanently rise higher than the main source; and the main source of national power and national greatness is found in the average citizenship of the nation. Theodore Roosevelt

Passing Your Precinct Resolution

Once every four years, as we go to the polls to vote in the presidential primaries, Texans have the rare opportunity to participate in representative democracy in its simplest formthe precinct resolution. This guide explains how the precinct resolution process works, why its important, and how you can pass resolutions on issues that are important to you.

TEXAS INTERFAITH CENTER for public policy

January 2012

Youve heard the term, think globally: act locally. Precinct-level participation is the most basic way to act locally, with potentially global outcomes. It is the building block needed to carry out democracy in our existing party-based structure of representation. The precinct convention meeting takes place in your neighborhood, at your polling place or right near by. The other people who attend are your fellow partymembers from your immediate communityyour neighbors. The purpose of these meetings is to nd delegates for the county convention, and to discover the policy priorities of the most invested party members on the ground, presumably those who attend precinct convention meetings. Precinct resolutions are statements of policy priorities submitted and voted on by party delegates at their local precinct convention meetings. Any precinct caucus participant can propose a resolution. A precinct resolution might reect the strong feelings of an individual, or it may be part of a package of resolutions promulgated by an interest group. The voters present at the precinct convention can discuss, amend, table or adopt passage of any resolutions offered by the delegates. Once passed at the precinct level, resolutions advance to the county convention where they are voted upon again and begin their climb up the party food chain. All it takes is for one precinct to pass a resolution for it to be considered at the county level. Ultimately, a solid and well-supported resolution may be adopted by the state and national party platforms where it may in turn inspire legislation and new laws.

issues of the day. Counties where the entire county is in the same Senate District have County conventions instead of Senate District conventions. In places where the Senate District covers more than one county, the next level up is referred to as the County Convention.

Precinct Convention Logistics

WHEN: On the day of the presidential primary at 7:15pm in the building where your precinct has voted on Election Day. A notice should be posted at the polls to announce the meeting right after the polls close at 7pm. WHERE: In or very near the building where your precinct voted during the primary election. Call your County Party ofce during the daytime of the week prior to Primary Election Day to conrm the location. It will also be listed in the newspaper and should be posted on the web site of the County Clerks ofce. WHO: Anyone who has just voted in their partys Primary election starting with early voting. WHAT: The Precinct Chair typically runs the meeting, but if the Chair is not available or if it is preferred by the group assembled, any participant can be elected to chair the meeting. A packet is provided to guide the Convention Chair through the meeting steps, agenda and reports that have to be completed which ultimately document the proceedings.

Before You Go: Convention Details and Useful Information

If you dont know which precinct you live in, go to Who Represents Me? (www.fyi.state.tx.us) and type in your address. Your precinct number is at the very top, to the right of your county. Now head to your county party website and nd out who your precinct chair is. If there is no information on the website call the Party ofce. If there is no website, call your county party chair. If there is no precinct chair, ask if you can be

Ive Never Done Something Like This What Happens At The Precinct Convention?
The main business is to elect and become a delegate to your Senate District or County Convention, where delegates to the State Convention are elected and resolutions passed on

Texas Interfaith Center for Public Policy: Passing Your Precinct Resolution 2012

appointed. If there is a precinct chair, nd their contact information, contact them and volunteer to help organize. If your precinct chair and/or county party chair is non-responsive, le to run for chair. Candidates for precinct chair can le between October and January.

A party platform is the list of the principles which a political party supports. In the United States, the Democratic Party has adopted a platform every four years since 1840, and the Republican Party has adopted a platform every four years since 1856. Find the historic platforms of the Democratic and Republican parties as well as the platforms of other current and former parties at the American Presidency Project at the University of California at Santa Barbara. http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/platforms.php

Party Platforms
The ultimate goal for a precinct resolution is inclusion in the party platform of the precinct caucus that adopted it. The process of developing a state or national party platform is complex and generally closed to public participation, but delivering a precinct resolution is one way to make your voice heard.

Basic Precinct Convention Agenda

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. All participants sign in. Call meeting to order. Elect meeting Permanent Chair and Secretary (to take minutes and prepare forms). Chair announces the number of delegates to be elected. Participants nominate and elect delegates to go to County or Senate District Convention. You can nominate yourself and vote for yourself. Delegates elected do not have to be at the precinct meeting, but must have voted in the Primary. That is veried at the Senate District or County Convention where lists of the voter rolls are maintained. 6. Chair calls for reading of Resolutions. Participants vote for or against Resolutions to go forward to the next convention. This is a simple majority rules vote up or down. 7. Logistics of Senate District or county convention are discussed and assignments are made to call delegates and alternates not attending the precinct convention. The Chair adjourns the meeting. 8. The Chair and Secretary complete and sign the forms provided in the Convention packet, including copies of Resolutions accepted, and follow instructions on disposition and ling of the forms and reports.

Find model precinct resolutions on key priority issues at www.texasimpact.org

Texas Interfaith Center for Public Policy: Passing Your Precinct Resolution 2012

5 Step Guide to Passing Precinct Resolutions

1. Vote in your primary election, either during Early Voting or on the Primary Election Day. You MUST vote in the primary to participate in any party convention. Note: you must be registered to vote 30 days before you are eligible to cast your vote. 2. Download Texas Impacts Precinct Resolutions and make at least three copies. 3. Attend your Precinct Convention. On Primary Election Day, go to your polling place as soon as voting ends. A notice should be posted at the polls to announce the meeting. Typically it starts right after the polls close at 7pm. Call your neighbors and friends in your precinct who share your views on issues you care about and recruit them to join you. You can expect these meetings last about an hour, maybe longer depending on the size of your precinct. 4. Along with your three (or more) copies of Texas Impacts precinct resolutions (and any others you consider important), bring your voter registration card, a pen, paper, and perhaps a copy of the your partys rules from the state party website. 5. Present your resolutions. The main business of the Precinct Convention is to elect delegates and alternates to attend the County Convention. Once these elections are wrapped up (yes, you can nominate yourself!), the nal action of the convention is the passage of resolutions. When the Precinct Chair calls for reading of resolutions, dont be shy, just wait your turn and read your resolutions to the group. Participants vote for or against resolutions to go forward to the county convention. It is a simple majority rules vote up or down. If your resolutions are successful, turn them in to the Precinct Chair so she can submit them for advance to the county level. After the precinct convention, your duties are complete. If you want to take it further here are a few suggestions: Write a letter-to-the-Editor of your local paper. Educate them on the issue of your resolution and let them know it was passed. Send your story and the successful resolution to Texas Impact. Attend the County and State Convention! Whatever you do next, you should denitely celebrate. You are now ofcially shaping the direction of public policy, right in your own neighborhood.

The Texas Interfaith Center on Public Policy is a faith-based, 501(c)(3) non-prot organization that provides public policy analysis from a mainstream theological perspective to people of faith and other Texans. The Center is the research and education arm of Texas Impact, the state s oldest and largest interfaith legislative network. Texas Impact was established by Texas religious leaders in 1973 to be a voice in the Texas legislative process for the shared religious social concerns of Texas faith communities. Texas Impact is supported by more than two dozen Christian, Jewish and Muslim denominational bodies, as well as hundreds of local congregations, ministerial alliances and interfaith networks, and thousands of people of faith throughout Texas.

Texas Interfaith Center for Public Policy 221 East 9th Street, Suite 403, Austin, Texas 78701 www.texasinterfaithcenter.org 512.472.3903