It's Official -- I am on the Ballot for Precinct Chair

Yes... My name, LaTricia Sells, will appear on the March 4, 2008 Primary ballot for Precinct 434 as Democratic Candidate for Precinct Chair. I attended the Harris County Democratic Party Meeting last night. During that meeting, all contested position candidates for the Democratic party from the national to local level pulled for ballot positions for the Primary ballot on March 4th. Contested means that there are other Democrats running for that same position.

Let me give you more information on the requirements, duties and responsibilities of a Precinct Chair. The Harris County Precinct website states that the Precinct Chairs are the most important officials of the Democratic Party. Precinct Chairs represent their home precincts on the County Executive Committee (CEC). The CEC is The County Executive Committee (CEC) is the governing body of the Democratic Party in Harris County and conducts all official party business. The CEC usually meets three times a year, sometimes more in election years.

If you are interested in becoming a Precinct Chair you must be a Democrat, 18 years of age or older, a qualified (registered) voter in Harris County, reside in the precinct you wish to represent, and vote in the Democratic Primary election. Precinct Chairs cannot be a candidate for nor holder of elected office of the federal, state or local government.

Qualified candidates are elected every two years to serve a two-year term by voters in their precinct in the Democratic Primary Election. Qualifications are set by the Texas Democratic Party Rules (http://www.txdemocrats.org/files/Rules2006.pdf).

In addition to serving as a voting member of the CEC, the Precinct Chair serves as the contact person for the Democratic Party in their neighborhood. The Precinct Chair should communicate with Democrats in their precinct and promote Democratic candidates and events. This includes phone banking your voters, organizing block walks (going door to door) to distribute campaign materials, and encouraging their neighbors to vote in upcoming primary and general elections. The HCDP can provide voter information to all Precinct Chairs.

SOURCE: http://www.hcdp.org/PrecinctchairFAQs.doc