What is a Precinct Committee Person?

Precinct Committee Persons

Precinct Committee Persons (PCPs) are elected officials, neighborhood party representatives, and are the true grass-roots power of the Democratic Party. A PCP visit is often the most influential contact many voters will have during an election, making it an invaluable opportunity to win a Democratic vote.

The neighbor-to-neighbor communications of our PCPs are the engine of change that will lead us to rebuild our economy, fully fund our schools, and establish a fair and just society.

Local Party Leadership

Precinct Committee Persons are members of the Democratic Central Committee in each county, which is authorized to make all decisions relating to the Democratic Party for that county. In Lane County, that means the Democratic Party of Lane County (DPLC).

Our Central Committee meetings are held monthly. Our meetings are open to all registered Democrats, and the general public. However only Precinct Committee Persons have voting rights in the meetings.

Precinct Person Responsibilities

A Precinct Committee Person's primary responsibility is to represent the party within a precinct or neighborhood. There will likely be several PCPs within each precinct. The goal is to establish a personal relationship with the voters of the precinct, and to provide them with information on the Democratic Party and our candidates. Equally important, is the PCP's role in providing feedback from the voters to the Party and the candidates.

In addition to representing the Democratic Party within their precinct or neighborhood, PCPs have several other important responsibilities. PCPs...

• Are the DPLC's primary means of direct voter contact
• Can vote in DPLC leadership elections
• Can participate in DPLC committee and take positions of leadership
• Elect DPLC delegates to State and National meetings & conventions
• Nominate candidates for Democratic vacancies in the state legislature or county commission
• Elect County Central Committee Officers, and Delegates to the State Central Committee, November or December, even numbered years
• Participate and vote during Congressional District Meetings to elect delegates to the Democratic National Presidential Convention (Next CDM, June 2008)

There is a wide range of activity levels among Precinct Committee Persons. In general, all we ask for is a commitment of three hours per month to help change our world for the better.

Applying to become a Precinct Committee Person

Oregon's election law authorizes "one or more male and one or more female Precinct Committee Persons" for each major political party and for each precinct depending on its size. Individuals may represent the precinct in which they live or an adjacent precinct within the same county.

Party members may file for election as Precinct Committee Persons in the May Primary Election or may be write-in candidates. To be elected they must have been a party member since the previous September. Vacancies may be filled by appointment between elections.

We Need You

A grass-roots political party like ours can never have too many people knocking on doors and telling our story. We need your time, your commitment, and your desire to be an integral part of your Democratic Party.

If you are ready to take a more active role in your party and are interested in becoming a Precinct Committee Person, please contact the DPLC's Organization Committee. You should also download and complete the PCP Application (PDF), then mail (envelope template, PDF) or fax it to the DPLC Headquarters. (And... make sure you sign it before you send it!)