Which brings us back to committee people
To organize the structure and flow of the party, the voters from each political party (Republican and Democratic) elect two people from each division to represent their neighbors within the party—these people are called committee people.
What does a committeeperson do?
Now that we understand what a committeeperson is and where they fit in to the political party structure, let’s talk about what they do—or rather, what they should do.
Committee people serve as the liaison between their neighbors, the Democratic party, and elected Democratic government officials in Philly. The core of this job is getting out the vote on election day. But this role can—and should be—so much more than that. Committee people are the bridge between voters and government. This role can be big or small, depending on the person and the division. But the potential for making this role meaningful and impactful cannot be overstated.
Role in elections
Facilitating engagement around elections is arguably the single most important thing a committeeperson does.
As a committeeperson, you can change the way your division votes. You have the power to help your constituents be more or less informed, and to inspire a higher, or lower level of engagement.
As a committeeperson, your role in elections can be massive. You are responsible for:
- Educating the people in your division about candidates
- Informing people about upcoming election timetables so they remember to vote
- Distributing absentee ballots to those who can’t make it to the polls
- Recruiting poll watchers to make sure everyone has equal and fair access to vote
- Getting your neighbors out to vote!
Ballot cards
Committee people are responsible for delivering ballot cards to registered Democrats in the division.
Ballot cards, which some people call sample ballots, are basically endorsements for each office on the ballot. You might remember being handed one (or several) when you last went to the polls. Each ward works a little bit differently; some wards have ballot endorsement cards that are determined by the ward leader, and some wards let each committeeperson develop their own ballot endorsement card to hand out.
Most people have a strong opinion about big races (President, Senator, Congressman), but many people have no idea who to vote for in smaller elections (judicial races, for example). In an ideal world, every voter would make an informed decision about who they think is most qualified. But in reality, many voters rely on these cards to tell them who to vote for when they step into the booth. So, these cards have powerful potential to make a real-world impact on local elections.