Precinct Convention Procedures

Preparation: what to do before the convention

• VOTE in the Democratic Primary!  If you don't, there's no way you can take part in the precinct convention.  Early voting ends February 29, and election day is March 4.
  
• Is your polling place large enough to accommodate the precinct convention?
  
• A week before the precinct convention, check out the polling place for your precinct.  Does it have adequate meeting facilities for the precinct convention?
• The Democratic and Republican precinct conventions will take place simultaneously.  Democrats start at 7:15, Republicans at 7:30.  By law, the Democrats and Republicans cannot hold their precinct conventions in the same room.
• Consider how many precincts are voting together at the same polling location.  The precinct conventions for multiple precincts cannot be combined.  However, if need be, the different precincts could meet in different corners within the same room.
• We expect a huge turnout, as early voting has in some places seen more than a 500% increase from four years ago.
• If your polling place is not large enough for the precinct convention, notify the county party office right away.
  
• Five things you should bring with you to the precinct convention
  
• A pen.  (Pens might be included in the packet that the precinct chair picks up from the election judge, but you won't regret having your own pen.)
• A clipboard.
• A calculator.  (Unless you prefer to do long division on paper!)
• A deck of cards.  (Chances are, you won't need it.  But in the unlikely event that a tie vote may need to be broken at random, the deck of cards would help.)
• Find out how many people in your precinct voted for Chris Bell in 2006.  (You can find this on the Bexar County Democratic Party website.  Click on "Want to be a precinct chair?" and then scroll down to the bottom of that page to click on "Precinct Chair List."  The answer is in the last column on the right.)  Divide this number by 15, and then round to the nearest whole number.  That's how many delegates your precinct will elect.  The same number of delegates should be written on the outside of the packet, but in case there is a mistake, you will know.
  
• Picking up the packet and the list of people who voted
• The precinct chair (or candidate for precinct chair, if there is no current precinct chair) should pick up the packet from the election judge at 7:00 p.m.
• If there is no current precinct chair, and there are multiple candidates for precinct chair, any one of them may pick up the packet from the election judge.
• If the precinct chair (or a candidate for precinct chair) has not picked up the packet by 7:15, anyone residing in that precinct who voted in the Democratic primary can pick up the packet from the election judge.
• Do not allow anyone to sign the roll ("Exhibit A") before 7:15. * The precinct convention must be called to order before anyone is permitted to sign in.  The precinct convention cannot begin before 7:15, nor can it begin before everyone is finished voting.
  
• Whoever picked up the packet should also pick up the voter list from the election judge. 
  
• By law, the precinct convention cannot begin until everyone is finished voting.
• Provisional voters are allowed to take part in the precinct convention. 
  

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Eighteen steps for conducting the precinct convention

(If you need help during the precinct convention, you can call the Texas Democratic Party hotline at 1-800-336-3254.)

STEP ONE

• Temporary Chair calls convention to order.  This position is generally filled by the precinct chair; however, any qualified voter (resides in that precinct and voted in the Democratic primary) can assume the position of Temporary Chair of the convention.
• NOTE: The precinct convention cannot begin prior to 7:15, and it cannot begin until the last voter in line has voted and been given an opportunity to sign in at the precinct convention.
  

STEP TWO

• The Temporary Chair appoints a temporary secretary of the convention.
• The temporary secretary sharts filling out the minutes.  The minutes are a fill-in-the-blank form entitled "Democratic Precinct Convention Minutes (2008)."  No other minutes need be recorded beyond what is on this form.  For a copy of this form in PDF format, click here.
  

STEP THREE

• Temporary Chair calls for all Qualified members of the Party to sign in on Exhibit A with their presidential preference.  "Qualified" means that they voted in 2008 Democratic primary and reside in that precinct.  For a copy of the sign-in sheet (Exhibit A) in PDF format, click here.
• * When everyone is finished signing in, then participants may, if they wish, leave with the assurance that they will count toward the allocation of delegates.  (However, it may not be in their best interest to leave yet if their early departure would leave the other members of that caucus unable to find enough delegates and alternates to elect.)
  
• Please verify on the voter roll * that each participant in the precinct convention has voted in the Democratic primary, if you were able to pick it up from the election judge. * If the election judge did not provide this list, ask for it again.  If the election judge still does not provide it, call the TDP hotline immediately at 1-800-336-3254.
• * Identification:
• * Check each person who signed in for proper ID.  For those who present a stamped voter registration card or a voting receipt from their polling location, no further ID is needed.
  
• * For those who do not have a stamped voter registration card or a voting receipt, they must (1) be indicated on the voter roll and (2) present an ID.  The following forms of ID are acceptable:
• * A voter registration card (even if unstamped)
• * Texas driver's license or personal ID issued by the Department of Public Safety (even if expired)
• * Any photo ID that establishes identity
• * Birth certificate, U.S. passport, or citizenship papers
  
• * Official mail addressed to the person from a government agency
• * A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, or paycheck showing name and address
• * These are the most commonly used forms of ID.  For the complete list, consult the Texas Election Code by clicking here.
• * Participants who do not have a stamped voter registration card or voting receipt and are not listed on the voter roll as having voted in the Democratic primary WILL be allowed to participate, but must be indicated on the sign-in sheet as PROVISIONAL participants. by putting "P" next to their name.
  
• * If there are provisional participants in the precinct convention, then:
• * Calculations listed below will need to be made twice, first WITHOUT the provisional participants (these will be regarded as the official results), then WITH the provisional participants
  
• * The Credentials Committee at the county convention or senatorial district convention on March 29 will adjust the delegation if needed.
  

STEP FOUR

• Temporary Chair announces that the convention will be conducted in accordance with the Texas Election Code and the Rules adopted by the Party in accordance with Section 163.002 of the Election Code, and that the 2000 edition of Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised will govern parliamentary procedure.  (See the back of the TDP Rules for briefing on Parliamentary Procedure.)
• Temporary Chair announces that a copy of the party rules is available for inspection.  (This will be in your packet.)

STEP FIVE

• Temporary Chair calls for nominations of Permanent Chair.
• These names should be entered in the Precinct Convention minutes.
• The nominations end when the Temporary Chair has called for nominations three times and no more nominations are forthcoming.
  

STEP SIX

• Election for Permanent Chair by majority vote.
• Enter the name in the Precinct Convention minutes.

STEP SEVEN

• Permanent Chair calls for nominations for Permanent Secretary.
• These names should be entered in the Precinct Convention minutes.

STEP EIGHT

• Election for Permanent Secretary by majority vote.
• Enter the name in the Precinct Convention minutes.

STEP NINE

• Calculate the Number and Percentages of each Presidential Preference or Uncommitted Status at your convention.
• From Exhibit A, count the number of participants signed in for EACH PREFERENCE and the TOTAL OF ALL SIGNED IN and divide EACH PREFERENCE TOTAL by the total number of eligible participants of the convention signed in on Exhibit A.
• (Total of each preference) / (Total signed in)  =  % of each preference

STEP TEN

• Permanent Chair announces:
• Number of eligible voters on roll (Exhibit A)
• Number of delegates and alternates to the Senatorial District Convention (in Bexar County or other urban counties) or County Convention (in most counties).  This number is on the front of your packet.
• The number and percent of eligible members signed in for each presidential and uncommitted preference * excluding provisional participants.
• The Chair should call for the convention to accept the report.
• Enter this information in the Precinct Convention Minutes.
• * If there are provisional participants, calcualte the number and percent once more, including the provisional participants.
  
• After the number and percent of presidential preference or uncommitted status are announced and accepted by the convention, anyone else who signs in will be able to participate, but will not change the established percentages required for a caucus.  Their names should be marked with an asterisk: *

STEP ELEVEN (Worksheet)

• Determine the number of people needed to make a caucus.
• * If there are provisional participants, calculate the threshold without them.  This is the official threshold, which will be recorded in the minutes.
  
• The formula is:

• If this number is not rounded up, then your precinct convention will be trying to elect more delegates than there are places to be elected.  That would be a problem.

Line 1		Enter number of people attending your convention (from Exhibit A sign-in sheet).  This is the number that was announced by the Chair and accepted by the convention.
Line 2		Enter number of delegates to the SD convention (or county convention) to which your precinct is entitled.  This will be on the front of the packet.
Line 3		Divide Line 1 by Line 2, extending to two decimal places.
Line 4		If Line 3 is not a whole number, round UP to the next whole number.  This is the number of people required to make a caucus.

• * If there are provisional participants, calculate the threshold once more, this time including them.
• * If  a candidate meets the threshold only when provisional participants are included, the cacuses will need to be done twice (first excluding the provisional participants, then including them).
  

STEP TWELVE

• Chair announces which presidential or uncommitted status caucuses have enough participants to entitle them to one or more delegates. 
  
• The people in unqualified groups are given an opportunity to join caucuses of their second choice.  They cannot join a caucus that hasn't already qualified.
• The Chair instructs the secretary to indicate these changes on Exhibit A, and the percentages are recalculated.

• * If there are provisional participants, the first caucus will include only those candidates who met the threshold without including the provisional participants.
  

STEP THIRTEEN

• Determine how many delegates each caucus gets.
• The formula is:

• If there is an unallocated delegate, the caucus with the highest fraction gets the delegate.

		Clinton	Obama	Uncommitted	Total
Line 1	Enter the total number of eligible people signed in for each CAUCUS
Line 2	Enter the total number of eligible participants at CONVENTION
Line 3	% of convention (divide Line 1 by Line 2)
Line 4	Enter total number of delegates to which your precinct is entitled (from the front of the packet)
Line 5	Multiply Line 3 by Line 4 (the percentage times the number of delegates allotted) This is the raw number of delegates for this caucus. Be sure to show fractions or decimals!
Line 6	If the number in Line 5 is not a whole number, then you must ROUND DOWN
Line 7	Add up the number of assigned delegates in Line 6.  If the Total column is greater than the total of delegates assigned for each preference, then the additional delegate goes to the preference with the highest fraction or decimal.
Line 8	Add up the final total for each caucus.  Be sure it all adds up to the total on the front of the packet.

• * Again, if there are provisional participants, this calculation will need to be done twice, the first time without provisional, and the second time including them.
  

STEP FOURTEEN

• The chair should announce that AT LEAST ONE THIRD of the delegates elected by each caucus must be WOMEN, and AT LEAST ONE THIRD of the delegates elected by each caucus must be MEN.  (In some cases this cannot be achieved, leaving the caucus open to possible challenge at the senatorial district convention or county convention.)
• The chair should announce that the delegates will be elected to the senatorial district convention (or county convention), which will take place on Saturday, March 29.  Each caucus should try to elect delegates who are able to attend.  The chair should explain that the Texas Democratic Party Rules, Article I section B.4 specifies that "Every person who accepts a Party office at any level (including the position of Convention Delegate and Alternate) must agree to support all of the Party’s nominees or shall be removed."
• Separate into groups by presidential preference or uncommitted status to elect delegates and alternates from each caucus.
• Each caucus will elect an equal number of delegates and alternates.
• If the caucus is large, a caucus chair should be chosen to lead the election.
• The caucus leader should make a roll call list of all members of the caucus.
  
• All delegates and alternates will be chosen in one election.

• Each person in the caucus gets the same number of votes as the delegates entitled to their caucus.  * If provisional participants affect the number of delegates a caucus receives, then it will change the number of votes each peron gets accordingly.
  
• For example, if a caucus is entitled to 4 delegates, then each person gets 4 votes, to be voted whatever way they wish.  They can give all four votes to the same person, or split their votes any way they wish.  (But they can't give fractional votes.)
• Multiply the number of caucus participants by the number of delegates the caucus gets to elect.  That's how many votes should be cast altogether.  (For example, if a caucus of ten people gets to elect four delegates, there should be a total of 40 votes cast.)

• STEP 14a: Nominate delegates and alternates
• Nominate at least enough candidates to fill the positions.
• Nominees do not need to be present at the precinct convention, but they must reside in the precinct and must have voted in the 2008 Democratic primary. * The Texas Democratic Party recommends that anyone who wants to be elected but cannot attend the precinct convention should let someone know who will attend, so that they can be nominated.
  
• Nominees should be willing and able to attend the senatorial district convention or county convention on Saturday, March 29.
  
• Nominations cease when a motion is made to close, the motion is seconded, and 2/3 of the caucus votes to close nominations.
• The caucus chair should make a table for recording the votes.  Write the names of nominees on rows going down, also indicating gender.  Make columns to record how each caucus member votes.
  
• STEP 14b: Conduct the vote
• The Texas Democratic Party does not permit secret ballots.
• Each caucus member votes when his or her name is read off the roll call list.  The caucus leader records each member's votes in a separate column.
• At the end of voting, the caucus leader should check that the number of votes cast matches the total that was calculated earlier.
  
• STEP 14c: Determine delegates and alternates
• Unless the caucus gets to elect only one delegate, the highest male vote-getter and the highest female vote-getter will be delegates.
• Those receiving the highest number of votes are delegates.  After all delegate slots are filled, the next highest vote-getters are the alternates.
  
• Some people may have to be chosen as delegates even if they didn't get the most votes, for the sake of gender equity.  Remember that whenever possible, at least a third of the delegates elected by the caucus must be women, and at least a third must be men.
• * If there are provisional participants, EACH CAUCUS must record the results of EACH VOTE (the first without provisional participants, the second including them)  on a piece of separate paper.  These lists should give the names and the number of votes received, in order from the highest number of votes to the lowest.  In this case the results will not be entered on the sign-in sheet. 

STEP FIFTEEN

• Delegates and alternates for each caucus are reported.
• The chair then asks for the convention to ratify the delegates and alternates.
• On Exhibit A, the secretary marks the names of the delegates with a "D" and alternates with an "A."
  
• In the event that someone not present at the convention was elected as a delegate or alternate, his or her name should be entered with a double asterisk: **

• Step 15a: If any delegates or alternates remain to be elected, these are done at-large by the entire precinct convention.
  

• * If a candidate met the threshold only when provisional participants were counted, so that the caucus needs to be conducted a second time, now including the provisional participants, return to step twelve (with the exception that results will be recorded on paper, and not recorded on the sign-in sheet (Exhibit A).
  

STEP SIXTEEN

• The chair calls for nominations to elect a delegation chair for the precinct to the senatorial district convention or county convention.
• The secretary enters names of nominees in the minutes.
• The chair conducts the election.

STEP SEVENTEEN

• The chair calls for resolutions, and the convention votes on each resolution.
• Resolutions that are adopted by majority vote are signed and attached to the minutes.

STEP EIGHTEEN

• After everyone has voted on resolutions, announcements can be made.
• The precinct chair should ask people to sign up for the precinct team.  Get an early start on working together to identify voters and then turn out the vote in November!
• Then the convention adjourns.
  

IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CONVENTION

• Call in numbers to the Texas Democratic Party results line.  The phone number is indicated on the outside of the packet.
• * Do not include the results of votes that included provisional participants.
  
• You must return the paperwork (Exhibit A, minutes, and resolutions, * and in the case where the caucus had to be conducted twice because of provisional participants, the separate pages recording the results of the vote by each caucus) to the County Democratic Party headquarters or county chair and state party within three days.
  

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Practical exercises in calculation (the math part!)

• The "E-Z Math" stuff in the convention packet is NOT easy, and it doesn't explain everything.
• But the instructions listed in the Eighteen Steps above are complete.
• This section of our training consists four Practical Exercises. 
  
• If you can solve these problems, then you will know what you are doing when it comes to the convention!
• If you have to look at the answers, but understand the answers, then you will know what you are doing when it comes to the convention!

• Situation #1
• You are chair of the precinct convention, Precint 5001.  Precinct 5001 is entitled to send 6 delegates (and 6 alternates) to the 32nd Senatorial District convention.

• At 7:15 p.m. your precinct has 17 Democrats signed in: 7 sign in for Clinton, 6 sign in for Obama, 2 sign in for Edwards, 2 sign in Uncommitted.
  

• Q1A.  Which groups are entitled to caucus and select delegates and alternates, and why?

• The number of people necessary to qualify is _________.
  

• Situation continued.  Of the Edwards and Uncommitted people, 1 goes to the Clinton caucusm and 3 go to the Obama caucus.

• Q1B.  How many delegates and alternates does each caucus select according to the proportional formula?

• Q1C.  What happens to the 6th delegate and 6th alternate?

• The final count is _________.
  

 

• Situation #2
• You are chair of the precinct convention, Precint 5002.  Precinct 5002 is entitled to send 10 delegates (and 10 alternates) to the 32nd Senatorial District convention.

• At 7:15 p.m. your precinct has 26 Democrats signed in: 11 sign in for Clinton, 10 sign in for Obama, 5 sign in Uncommitted.
  

• Q2A.  Which caucuses are entitled to select delegates and alternates?

• The number of people necessary to qualify is _________.
  

• Q2B.  How many delegates and alternates does each caucus select according to the proportional formula?

• Q2C.  What happens to the 9th delegate and 10th delegates and alternates?

• Situation #3

• You are chair of the precinct convention, Precint 5003.  Precinct 5003 is entitled to send 4 delegates (and 4 alternates) to the 32nd Senatorial District convention.

• At 7:15 p.m. your precinct has 3 Democrats signed in: 1 signs in for Clinton, 1 signs in for Obama, 1 signs in Uncommitted.
  

• Q3A.  Which caucuses are entitled to select delegates and alternates, and why?

• The number of people necessary to qualify is _________.
  

• Q3B.  How many delegates and alternates does each caucus select according to the proportional formula?

• Q3C.  What happens to the 4th delegate and alternate?  Or do you not choose one because only three people are present, so the 4th slot goes unfilled?

• Situation continued.  After the allocation of delegates to caucuses is announced, but before the delegates are elected, two more people arrive and sign in for Clinton.

• Q3D.  What do you do?

• Situation #4

• You are chair of the Obama caucus at the precinct 5004 convention.  There are 9 people in your caucus, and you get to name 4 delegates and 4 alternates.  It is time for your caucus to elect delegates and alternates.

• Q4A.  How many votes does each person in the caucus get to cast?

• Q4B.  One person asks for a secret ballot.  What do you do?

• Situation continued.  The nine caucus members cast their votes as follows:
• Alberto: 4 for himself
• Bob: 2 for himself, 1 for Alberto, and 1 for Delia
• Carlos: 4 for himself
• Delia: 3 for herself, and 1 for Alberto
• Elizabeth: 1 for herself, 1 for Alberto, 1 for Delia, 1 for Harriet
• Frederick: 3 for himself, 1 for Harriet
• George: 4 for Delia
• Harriet: 1 for herself, 1 for Carlos, 1 for Delia, 1 for Ian
• Ian: 2 for himself, 1 for Alberto, 1 for Bob

• Q4C.  Who are elected as delegates?

• Situation continued.  Bob has won the card draw and is the 4th Obama delegate.  Harriet notes that the Precinct 5004 Obama caucus has three women (Delia, Harriet, Elizabeth), but only one of them is a delegate, so Harriet objects, saying that the delegation should contain half women and half men.  She wants to be named a delegate despite losing the card draw.

• Q4D.  What is the rule?  What do you do?

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Resolutions: a few resources

• Answer #2

• You are chair of the precinct convention, Precint 5002.  Precinct 5002 is entitled to send 10 delegates (and 10 alternates) to the 32nd Senatorial District convention.

• At 7:15 p.m. your precinct has 26 Democrats signed in: 11 sign in for Clinton, 10 sign in for Obama, 5 sign in Uncommitted.
  

• Q2A.  Which caucuses are entitled to select delegates and alternates?

• The number of people necessary to qualify is __26/10 rounded up_______.
  

• Q2B.  How many delegates and alternates does each caucus select according to the proportional formula?

• Q2C.  What happens to the 9th delegate and 10th delegates and alternates?

• Answer #3

• You are chair of the precinct convention, Precint 5003.  Precinct 5003 is entitled to send 4 delegates (and 4 alternates) to the 32nd Senatorial District convention.

• At 7:15 p.m. your precinct has 3 Democrats signed in: 1 signs in for Clinton, 1 signs in for Obama, 1 signs in Uncommitted.
  

• Q3A.  Which caucuses are entitled to select delegates and alternates, and why?

• The number of people necessary to qualify is __3/4 rounded up_______.
  

• Q3B.  How many delegates and alternates does each caucus select according to the proportional formula?

• Q3C.  What happens to the 4th delegate and alternate?  Or do you not choose one because only three people are present, so the 4th slot goes unfilled?

• Situation continued.  After the allocation of delegates to caucuses is announced, but before the delegates are elected, two more people arrive and sign in for Clinton.

• Q3D.  What do you do?

• Answer #4

• You are chair of the Obama caucus at the precinct 5004 convention.  There are 9 people in your caucus, and you get to name 4 delegates and 4 alternates.  It is time for your caucus to elect delegates and alternates.

• Q4A.  How many votes does each person in the caucus get to cast?

• Q4B.  One person asks for a secret ballot.  What do you do?

• Situation continued.  The nine caucus members cast their votes as follows:
• Alberto: 4 for himself
• Bob: 2 for himself, 1 for Alberto, and 1 for Delia
• Carlos: 4 for himself
• Delia: 3 for herself, and 1 for Alberto
• Elizabeth: 1 for herself, 1 for Alberto, 1 for Delia, 1 for Harriet
• Frederick: 3 for himself, 1 for Harriet
• George: 4 for Delia
• Harriet: 1 for herself, 1 for Carlos, 1 for Delia, 1 for Ian
• Ian: 2 for himself, 1 for Alberto, 1 for Bob

• Q4C.  Who are elected as delegates?

• Situation continued.  Bob has won the card draw and is the 4th Obama delegate.  Harriet notes that the Precinct 5004 Obama caucus has three women (Delia, Harriet, Elizabeth), but only one of them is a delegate, so Harriet objects, saying that the delegation should contain half women and half men.  She wants to be named a delegate despite losing the card draw.

• Q4D.  What is the rule?  What do you do?