What Is A Precinct

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What Is A Precinct?

A precinct is the smallest political unit in the American Political System. A typical precinct is composed of between 500 to 3000 registered voters and identified by a number or name, (i.e.: Precinct 4/Ward 7 or Pine Ridge Precinct). A Ward is a grouping of precincts to form a District for the electing of public officials. The size and borders of a precinct are set by the city or county government and are reviewed after every U.S. Census. All elected U.S. governments are based on Precincts!

Each political party needs to have an organization inside every precinct! Such an organization would consist of a Precinct Chairman or President and Block or Area Captains. A Vice Chairman, Secretary or Treasurer can be elected if the Precinct Organization (Club) wants to. The Chairman usually is elected in a Party held Primary or at a Legally Scheduled Precinct Organizational Meeting held every two years. It is the responsibility of the Chairman to organize the Precinct. The Precinct Chairman represents the voters of the precinct to the Party and the Party to the voters.

Sometimes the Chairman will represent the Precinct on the County level at a County Convention or County Executive Committee. Sometimes the Precinct Organization will elect an Executive Committeeman to represent the Precinct on the County Party’s Executive Committee and Delegates to represent the Precinct at the County Convention. (See your local Party Rules.)

Here in Michigan the head of the Precinct Organization is called the “Precinct Delegate” because that person represents the Precinct at the County Party Convention. The County Executive Committee is elected at a Caucus (a meeting within a meeting) of the Precincts Delegates within the separate County Commissioner’s Districts. The County Executive Committee has the responsibility of organizing the Party on the County level just like the Precinct Delegate has the responsibility to organize his precinct on the precinct level.

It may be glamorous to be elected to a County or State Party Office, but the real, making a difference type work is done in the trenches at the Precinct (street) level! Anyway, most Party meetings at all levels are open to Precinct Leaders, if not the public.

A map of your precinct can be obtained from your party headquarters or city/county clerk. A current list of registered voters living in your precinct is available at the Voter’s Registration Office, City or County Hall or Party Headquarters. Each page of the Voter’s Registration List should have between 10 to 20 names on it with addresses, the Voter’s Card ID number, the Voter’s birth date, and registration date on it.

If any government official gives you an argument about why you want a voter’s list or tries to charge over $.10 a page, tell them these are Public Documents and that you request this information under the Freedom of Information Act. You may have to put your request in writing. As an American, you have a right to this information! If you still have a problem obtaining a list, email me! (jerry@precinctpeople.com)

Each precinct should have within its borders one Polling Place. A Polling Place is where registered voters that live in your precinct go on Election Day to vote, if they are not voting by Absentee Ballot. The Polling Place should be manned by an equal number of Republicans and Democrats (appointed/recommenced by the Party Chairman / Party County Executive Committee or by “non-partisan” election officials hired by the city or county government. (This system may be promoted as being “fair” but it may also favor the incumbent or powers that be!) Election officials may or may not be paid. Also, inside a Polling Place should be “Watchers,” non-Election Officials representing a particular candidate or party. Watchers are used in precincts where Party or Candidate representation among the Election Officials has be politically manipulated in order to hide some special activity that may be going on during Election Day or during the vote count after the polls close.

What is a Precinct? A precinct is your neighbors!

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Dedicated to helping you build a better precinct!