The Precinct Convention
By D. A. Sharpe
The most basic form of
democracy is the precinct convention. If you have not participated
in precinct conventions, I urge you seriously to become
involved. Make plans to attend, and glean from this
article.
I encourage every voter to
participate in the precinct convention. It does not take long, and
it is what helps shape the political process. If you have not
participated in a precinct convention, I hope you make plans to do so. This
article is for you to have a clearer and better understanding.
Precinct conventions are the
process that starts the political party activity, for Republicans and
Democrats, each election cycle. Texas primary elections are
held on the first Tuesday of March in the even numbered years. Republicans hold
their own primary, as do the Democrats. The precinct convention takes place
right after the polls close at 7:00PM, usually at or near the location of
the voting precinct where one has voted. In one section of the
voting place, the Democratic Party conducts its precinct
convention. In another section, the Republican Party conducts its
precinct convention.
Anyone who votes in the
Primary Election is eligible to participate in the precinct convention, but
only in the precinct in which one votes. However, a Republican primary voter
may only participate in the Republican precinct convention. The same
holds true for Democrats. The Temporary Chairman, who is usually the
Precinct Chairman for the appropriate political party, convenes the meeting
at 7:30 PM. There are occasions where the Temporary Chairman
may be the Election Judge or by someone appointed in advance by the Precinct
Chairman.
The Temporary Chairman will
arrange, in advance, for at least two other voters eligible to participate in
the precinct convention to serve as a Temporary Secretary and a Temporary
Sergeant of Arms. These arrangements for ÒTemporaryÓ officers
provide structure to start the convention. The Temporary Secretary
is responsible to verify that the voters in attendance have voted in the
primary. The Secretary will take the minutes of the convention, and
submit them on a timely basis to the county chairman of that political
party. The Temporary Sergeant of Arms is responsible to get the physical
arrangements in order for the convention, such as
identifying a seating area, podium or place for the Chairman, and to keep order
(the bouncer).
The precinct convention does
only three things. First, it elects permanent officers to replace
the three temporary officers. Usually, a motion is passed to make
the Temporary officers the Permanent officers. However, if there is
desire among convention participants to elect other eligible participants to these
roles, a simple majority vote can attain that.
Secondly, the precinct
convention will elect delegates and alternate delegates to go to the county
convention which will occur this year on a Saturday two or three weeks
from then. The Chairman will know the number of delegates eligible to be
elected. This number was determined by the number of votes cast in
that precinct for that partyÕs gubernatorial candidate in the last general
election in which a Texas Governor was elected. It is calculated by
taking the number of votes cast, and divided by 25. The resulting
number is the number of delegates to be chosen and a like number for
alternates.
What is an alternate delegate? It
is a person ready to serve as a delegate, should any of the primary delegates
not be able to attend the county convention. It is good for the
alternate to attend, because there are usually last minute absences, which
allow many of the alternates to serve as delegates at the county
convention.
The range of precinct
delegates eligible from the Wise County Republican Party goes from two to 30,
with an average of 11 per precinct. For our Wise County Democratic
Party, its precinct representation goes from one to seven, with an average of
four. A like number of alternates are selected. A
precinct may elect any number of delegates up to those maximums. If
a precinct is eligible for six delegates and six alternate, and only nine
people were nominated to the county convention, then the six highest vote
getters would become the delegates and the remaining three would become the
alternates. If more than 12 are nominated, individual voting needs
to take place. If only five are nominated, all five are elected
automatically as delegates, and the precinct sends no alternates.
The Republican Chairman needs
to have paper for written ballots available, as their participants are free to
choose written ballots. However, the Democratic Party of Texas
prohibits written ballots at any meeting their organizations. Only
voice voting or some type of public counting is legitimate, such as counting
raised hands or standing people.
Thirdly, the precinct
conventions hear any proposed resolutions. The participants may
discuss, amend and choose by majority vote whether to send a resolution to the
county convention. The intention is to be subject matter for the
partyÕs platform that is to be revised at that partyÕs state convention (and
even on to the national conventions).
The county convention serves
the same three functions as the precinct. The number of delegates and
alternates each party may elect to its state convention is the number of votes
cast in the most recent general election for that partyÕs gubernatorial
candidate, divided by 300. There is nothing inappropriate about
husbands and wives being elected.
One important thing to
remember about the state convention is that delegates and alternates attend at
their own expense. There may be some other source to help with
expenses, but the primary responsibility accepted is to foot your own expenses.
Expenses are transportation, one or two nightÕs lodging, and
meals. You may be asked for a voluntary gift to your party to help
with its expenses.
The state conventions serve
the same basic three purposes. During presidential election years
that includes selecting who goes to the partyÕs national convention
from Texas. The state conventions have much excitement. You see
and meet many people you usually only see in the media. A sense of
deep patriotic feeling almost always gathers in those who attend these
conventions.
Effective participation is
the key to success. Be prepared to have qualified, willing people to
nominate representing the party at the next level. Attend to the
convention with other participants knowing what you will propose and who will
support you. Have someone prepared to second your motion and to
support you.
The people nominated as a
delegate or alternate do not have to be present at the meeting. Their only
requirement is to have voted in that partyÕs primary election. The
act of voting in a party primary in Texas is the major way a person
is determined to be a member of that party. One cannot vote in the
Democratic Primary and be a delegate to the Republican Party set of
conventions, nor can one who failed to vote in the primary have any role in
either partyÕs conventions.
So, there it is. I
strongly encourage you to participate in the process. It will
enhance your experience in the community. It will broaden your
horizons and perspectives.
Links for election information:
Texas Secretary of State
Office: www.sos.state.tx.us
Texas Ethics Commission: www.ethics.state.tx.us
Democratic Party
of Texas: www.txdemocrats.org
Republican Party
of Texas: www.texasgop.org
Wise County Republican
Party: www.wiserepublicans.org
Tarrant County Republican
Party: www.tcgop.org
Tarrant County Democratic
Party: www.tcdp.net
Denton County Republican
Party: www.dentongop.org
Denton County Democratic
Party: www.dentondemocrats.org
Dallas County Democratic
Party: www.dallasdemocrats.org
Dallas County Republican
Party: www.dallasgop.org
Parker County Republican
Party: www.parkercountyrepublicanparty.org
Authorship Data:
D. A. Sharpe,
805 Derting Road East
Aurora, TX 76078-3712
C: 817-504-6508