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Becoming a Clinton County Precinct Delegate
The Clinton County Party is always looking for activists to become precinct delegates. It is our hope to fill all precinct delegate positions during the next election cycle.
What is a Precinct Delegate?
The role of a precinct delegate is one of the most important functions of true “grass-roots” activism! The precinct delegate is responsible for electing our party leaders and selecting several of our state-wide elected officials. It is the active precinct delegate who wins elections for either the Democratic or Republican Party. Precinct delegates are elected directly by the voters of each precinct to serve as a “go-between” to the elected leaders, party officials and voters within the precinct.
Precinct delegates are also responsible for representing their particular precinct at the County Convention. It is at the convention that these delegates elect the Clinton County Executive Board, and further select delegates to represent Clinton County at the State Convention where state-wide leaders such as the Attorney General, Secretary of State, and Lieutenant Governor are selected.
What is a precinct?
The precinct is the smallest political unit in Clinton County. All voters in a precinct will vote at their appointed precinct location.
What will you do as a Precinct Delegate?
It is the number one responsibility of the precinct delegate to act as an activist for our party! It is the precinct delegate who gets people involved on a “grass-roots” level and recruits activists into our party. Let’s face it! Since a precinct is so small, there is a good chance that a delegate will know many of the citizens in their precinct (neighbors, church members, etc). It is our hope that our precinct delegates will be able to recruit Republican activists within their precinct and get them involved with our county party.
Other duties of a precinct delegate include, getting people registered to vote, taking information on issues and candidates to the voters in the precinct, and keeping our elected officials abreast about the issues going on within the precinct.
How does one become an elected Precinct Delegate?
Precinct Delegates are elected in the August Primary. Only voters of the two major parties can vote for delegates within their party. Thus, only Republican voters choose Republican precinct delegates. (Democrats cannot elect Republican precinct delegates unless they choose to vote in the Republican primary).
Each precinct is allotted a number of precinct delegates based on past party voting strengths. The county chair will be able to tell you how many delegate positions have been allocated to your precinct. Precinct delegate candidates file an Affidavit of Identity for ballot access. There is no longer a petition requirement for precinct delegate candidates. A precinct delegate candidate can file with the clerk of their county, city or township of residence. Your Affidavit of Identity must be notarized, which can be done at the Clerk’s office (but don’t forget your ID!)
Candidates for precinct delegate must file their Affidavit of Identity form with their clerk. The filing deadline for precinct delegate candidates falls on the twelfth Tuesday prior to the August primary. A precinct delegate can now be elected with just one vote. Before - three votes were needed.
The filing deadline to get your mame on the ballot for the August 7, 2012 primary to become a Clinton County precinct delegate is May 15, 2012.
What are the responsibilities of a Precinct Delegate?
A precinct delegate is the true “grass roots” leader of the Republican Party. After the primary, those elected will be officially notified by the county clerk by mail. This notification will include the time and place of the district or county party convention, which will be held in August so that they can fulfill their voting duties at the convention.
Precinct delegates should take their official notification to the county convention. At the county convention, the delegates will elect delegates to the state convention, scheduled usually for sometime in September. These conventions may debate or adopt resolutions for recommendations to the state convention's platform committee. The state convention may also adopt a party platform. The county delegates will all have a say in this! County delegates are also responsible for nominating such important positions as candidates for Supreme Court Justice, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Board of Education and university boards, and presidential electors.
Furthermore, after Election Day, precinct delegates have another responsibility. Late in the year and early the following year the precinct delegates will convene in the county convention to elect executive committees and officers to serve through the following election. These are the party leaders who will govern your county party over the course of the next two years! There they will also elect delegates to the February state convention where new state party officers and a new state central committee will be chosen to serve through the next two years.
Here is a Quick List of Things you should do to be a Delegate:
• File your Affidavit of Identity with your county, city or township clerk no later than 4:00 p.m., on the twelfth Tuesday prior to the August Primary.
• Your Affidavit of Identity must be notarized.
• Contact all your friends within your precinct and encourage them to vote for you in the August Primary, which will be held on the second Tuesday.
The following link is for the form you need to fill out to get you name on the August Primary ballot to be elected in your precinct to become a delegate in Clinton County.
