Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
ORGANIZING
MANUAL
Compiled and Edited by
Katie Naranjo
Clark Gascoigne
Cover design by Frank Chi
Contributions from Frank Chi, Alex Cornell du Houx, B. Lee Drake, Scott Hoberg,
Awais Khaleel, Ethan Porter, Art Richey, and Lauren Wolfe
Special Thanks to Julien Baburka, David Boundy, Maureen Garde, Dan Geldon,
LaToia Jones, Jason Leon, Colin Maly, Anna Martinez, Parag Mehta, Leila Sahar,
Jeff Shulman, Amaya Smith, Carolyn Whitaker, Anna Ruth Williams, Emily
Williams and the DNC Political Department
College Democrats of America ! 430 South Capitol Street, SE ! Washington, DC 20003 ! 202.863.8151 ! http://www.collegedems.com
2007 College Democrats of America
Unauthorized use or republication of this manual is prohibited
1
Comprehensive Chapter Manual
Page
1. Step One: Getting Started 3
2. Step Two: The Organization 5
3. Step Three: Going Public 12
4. Step Four: Chapter Building 20
5. Step Five: Fundraising 24
6. Step Six: Elections 30
5. Step Seven: CDA on Campus 40
APPENDIX
A1. Sample Constitution 46
A2. Media Advisories and Press Releases 50
A3. Sample Media Advisory 51
A4. Sample Press Release 52
A5. Writing an Op-Ed 53
A6. Tips for Organizing a Press Conference 55
A7. When Talking to a Reporter 58
A8. Radio 59
A9. Letter Writing 60
A10. Utilizing New Media 62
A11. Tips on Grassroots Lobbying 65
A12. Ideas for Off-Years 67
A13. Hosting a Speaker/Event on Your Campus 68
A14. Responding to Protests 71
A15. Election Registration Deadlines 72
A16. Chief Election Official Contact Information 73
A17. Democratic Websites 74
A18. State Party Contact Information 75
2
STEP ONE: GETTING STARTED
THE FOUNDATION
Whether the campus is swelling with Democrats or
overwhelmingly Republican, the steps to establishing a chapter
of College Democrats are essentially the same. The only
ingredient required is a hunger for action and a desire to work
toward a better America.
The Core Group The first goal when organizing a College Democrats chapter is
finding a few individuals to form the core group. These
individuals must be energetic and committed to the foundation
of the College Democrats of America on their campus. This
committed group of activists will do the lions share of the
work, drive the organization, and ultimately determine the
chapters success or failure.
Points of Focus A few pointers to keep in mind when building a new chapter:
3
Realism: It is important to be realistic about how much work
one person can do. Delegating responsibility to others will
reduce stress while maximizing the efficiency of the
organization. It is very important to have a core group that can
work together with a united focus on Democratic objectives.
4
STEP TWO: THE ORGANIZATION
STRUCTURE Once the core group of committed activists is formed, the next
step is to set up the structure of the organization. The essence
of building structure is to establish credibility.
The Constitution A constitution will provide the chapter with its basic structure,
offer guidelines for operations and elections, simplify the
transfer of leadership, and establish some institutional
legitimacy for the organization. The constitution should have a
mission statement to guide the rest of the articles. Establish the
constitution by drafting, debating, and voting on its passage.
Due to the small size of the core group, this should be
relatively easy. Constitutions can be amended to accommodate
the needs of the chapter as it expands. A sample constitution is
in the appendix of this manual.
5
Maintain Accountability: Clearly defining roles among
board members encourages responsibility and produces results.
Executive Board
Responsibilities The following configuration of the executive board can be used
as a reference. Chapters and state federations may have
different agendas and may require a different composition of
officers.
6
Record Keeping: Recording minutes at executive
and general meetings. This is very important
because it allows people who were not at the
meeting to see everything the chapter is doing. It
also helps guarantee accountability because any
delegating that occurs during a meeting is
accurately recorded.
7
potential donors that you are a responsible
organization. Make procedures and bookkeeping
clear to the officers who take over in following
years.
8
and websites, please see Step Three and the
appendix.
9
Voter Registration: The campaign director is in
charge of running the voter registration campaigns.
For more information on how to run a voter
registration campaign, see the Elections Section.
Work with CDA Remain in contact with the College Democrats of Americas
National Headquarters throughout the process of forming and
building the chapter. The national headquarters has many
resources. For example, they maintain a database of members
in individual states who can assist others in their campus
organizing efforts. In addition, the headquarters can put
campuses in touch with local Democratic Party leaders and
CDA alumni in the area.
School Relations Register with the campus Student Activities Office once the
constitution is in place. Most schools have a student activities
or organizations office that requires student organizations to be
officially registered. Many times it will be a valuable resource
and can provide substantial institutional support such as
funding, office space, and contacts in the local community.
10
Faculty Advisor Many chapters have found faculty advisors to be extremely
helpful. They are especially good advocates when dealing with
school administration. Faculty advisors can also lend
continuity by providing a long-term membership to the chapter.
Good places to find faculty advisors are the Political Science or
the Government department.
11
STEP THREE: GOING PUBLIC
12
Tabling: Place College Democrats information tables in busy
places like campus walkways, in dining halls, and in the
student union, and use these locations to recruit volunteers.
Decorate the table with posters and Democratic paraphernalia
to catch peoples interest. Contact local campaigns and parties
for materials that you can give out to potential recruits. CDA
National Headquarters can set you up with free giveaways that
you can use while youre tabling. Candidate buttons, stickers,
and signs go a long way in showing that youre well connected
with the local goings on; however, you also need people there
to interact with prospective members.
13
ability. Although some people like the look of less professional
posters, the most professional posters stuck on the walls of
campuses are still the most noticed and effective. Try to find
friends or Democrats who have a background in graphic design
their work will greatly enhance the presence of the College
Democrats on any campus simply because most other student
groups wont have those resources. Also, place the posters in
highly visible places so that people will see them without
having to go out of their way.
Walk through Dorms and talk with people while passing out
information flyers. Making the personal connection can prove
very worthwhile when trying to recruit members.
14
to people with information quickly then they feel like they are
wanted. This will also prevent them from losing interest in the
interim and make your chapter seem more responsible. Also
get to know the new recruits. Target people with the potential
to grow into leadership positions in the future and foster their
growth. This will be crucial to the longevity of the chapter.
15
It is also a good idea to follow-up with people that you
have talked to on the phone via email. This way the person
will have a sort of permanent reminder that they are going
to be attending the next meeting or event, and the
information detailing where and when the event is
occurring will be readily available for them to reference in
the future.
Online Media More than any other single demographic group, college
students choose the Internet as their preferred mode of
communication. Taking the chapter online is essential to
reaching students on campus and building a strong chapter.
Here are some key elements to an effective CDA web site:
16
Designing and managing a web page takes time and
considerable dedication.
Use the Web to Build E-Mail Lists: Ask visitors to the web
site to subscribe to the chapter e-mail list. Send subscribers
legislative and campaign updates and information about
upcoming CDA events on campus.
17
MySpace and Facebook friends. See the attached New Media
appendix for a complete and detailed guide to utilizing these
very important tools. Also, use blogs and e-mail newsletters to
let friends know about upcoming events and political issues in
your area.
Democratic Network
State Party: The state party can be both an ally and a valuable
resource as the chapter begins to grow and become a force in
regional politics. The state party can be a resource for
speakers, funding, internships/jobs, etc. Schedule a meeting or
phone conversation with the Executive Director to discuss how
to help each other.
18
residents, and expose the chapter to a new range of
opportunities. They built strong relations with the Campaign to
get Congressman Joe Courtney elected, and after increasing
turnout on campus by 800%, he ended up winning by just 83
votes.
19
STEP FOUR: CHAPTER BUILDING
EXPANDING MEMBERSHIP
The key to any successful College Democrat chapter is a
growing, vital group of activists. It is essential to constantly
reach out to new members - the greater the membership, the
greater the political influence.
20
Types of Members There are three types of members in the organization: core,
peripheral and occasional members.
Faculty Keep the faculty and staff of the campus aware of College
Democrat activities. Educators are typically Democrats and
will support the chapter if it has credibility. Invite them to
rallies, panels, and other appropriate activities. They can be
great resources of influence, donations and general operational
support.
Communication &
Organization Remember to communicate effectively and remain organized.
Set objectives and follow them. Disorganized meetings are a
sign that the chapter leaders are not serious about building an
active club, and apathy has the tendency to spread among
21
members. More often than not, a lack of communication can
break down all organizing efforts. It is also important that
general members have access to the Executive Board. Have
open Executive Board meetings and save important decisions
for the general meetings.
Records Keep track of what you accomplish. This means not just
remembering the big events that occur (e.g. brought a speaker
to campus), but also knowing how many doors you knocked
on, and how many people you got to sign a petition. Have your
volunteers record their accomplishments every time that they
complete a task. Not only will this let you know which
members are doing the most amount of work, but it will also
give your chapter some influence as you can specifically let
party officials/candidates know your capabilities.
Planning for
The Future Train new members to become future leaders within the
organization. This is one of the most important things that can
be addressed in a College Democrats chapter. Because each
student is only on a campus for four years, every four years the
entire membership turns over, and unless new leadership has
emerged the organization can fall apart. So in addition to
building up the membership of the organization, the leaders in
the organization should reach out to the newer members of the
organization.
22
take their temperature and figure out what went wrong and
what went right. This is typically called debriefing, and it is an
essential and easy thing to do: it allows members to learn from
their mistakes and evaluate the impact that they have in the
organization.
23
STEP FIVE: FUNDRAISING
This step is divided into three parts. The first details methods
of fundraising that can and have been employed by CDA
chapters across the nation. The second details the
consolidation of fundraising information that other chapters
have used with incredible effectiveness, raising anywhere from
$15,000 to $150,000 in election cycles. A chapter can do well
with the first part but will do great things when it includes the
second. The third and final part of this step details past
successful fundraising efforts employed by CDA chapters to
give you an example of what is possible.
24
or individual events. It is very important to be well prepared for
the meeting. Go into the presentation with an itemized list of
expenditures, cost estimates, and benefits the student body will
gain by increasing political awareness and volunteerism in the
community.
Set up links through your website and in your emails for people
to click on and donate.
25
New Media has changed the way the way CDA reaches out to
students, particularly with the development of Web 2.0 social
networking, such as Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Digg, etc.
Students are one step ahead of most other demographics, and
you can use this to help increase funding and broaden your ties
to the local community by offering your more technologically
apt skills to local campaigns and businesses. Simple know-how
that we students have is a valuable asset to others in the
Democratic community, and now is a better time than ever to
market those skills.
Organization Create a Plan: The first and most important thing you can do
is to develop a solid development plan for the year, which
should include event, financial, and membership goals. This is
useful not only to provide solid direction for your group, but
the plan also can be shown to potential donors to give them an
idea of what they will contribute too. Work with your state
party to coordinate whenever possible to accomplish mutual
goals.
26
Several options are available to new chapters for campaign
finance purposes: 1) if the chapter intends to contribute to non-
federal (state and local) candidates, it may be required to
register and report as a state PAC, subject to state campaign
finance requirements. In addition, if the State PAC raises more
than $25,000, there are additional IRS registration and possible
reporting requirements; 2) if the chapter does not intend to
make political contributions or spend funds on direct candidate
specific GOTV it may operate as a 527 organization. As such,
it would not have any incoming contribution limits but would
be required to register and report with the IRS if annual income
exceeds $25,000; 3) the chapter may choose to operate to
operate as an affiliate of the State Party.
27
Follow Through: When you successfully raise funds it is
important to thank your sources and let them know what your
group has accomplished recently. This helps build confidence
and ultimately a strong donor base. Writing thank you notes is
a must-do for every donation you receive. Donors like to know
that you received their money and that you appreciate their
money.
Examples Conventions and Events: Can and have been very effectively
used to raise funds in the past. For example, in 2005 the Maine
College Democrats held a textbook fundraising event. They
created a host committee early on for a convention and worked
with their state party to advertise throughout the state. They
also wrote personal letters to large donors inviting them to
attend by using their state partys donor list. They then secured
Al Franken as a speaker and got him to agree to a period of
book signings and private receptions. They then made follow-
up calls to insure attendance among invitees. They held
receptions both before and after his speech at the convention
for their big donors and were very successful. The end result
was a net gain of $15,000, stronger state party connections, a
proven track record, and a stronger and more experienced CDA
chapter. These events can be stretched out as well, once a
speaker is in your town you can find other opportunities to gain
capital for your group.
Conclusion We hope that all of the above gives you ideas to help build and
maintain your chapters financial infrastructure. All the above
has been developed through trial and error, and has led to
successful groups in the past. But politics (and fundraising) is a
constantly changing game, there are many opportunities
28
opening up all the time that can be used to help your chapter. If
you need more assistance, please contact the CDA national
offices - well help you in any way that we can.
29
STEP SIX: ELECTIONS
Election Districts Know what district you are in, there are many, here are some
that are universal: congressional district, state senate district,
state representative district, and city council (sometimes in
local districts like the city council, the districts are referred to
as wards or precincts). It is also important to know the dates
of the above elections and their primaries.
Election Coalitions You should get to know the local county (or town) party
members and leaders, in addition to getting to know your
coordinated campaign directors/organizers. You should discuss
how the county organizes/divides the work in your area and
where your chapter fits in.
Campaign
Vocabulary Benchmark Poll: thorough 20 30 minute survey asking
respondents for opinions on a variety of issues and political
figures.
30
Message: A brief statement of the candidates beliefs and
values, to be repeated over the course of the campaign.
GOTV (Get Out The Vote): This is the part of the campaign
that occurs on Election Day. It is the action of targeting known
supporters and making sure that they make it to the polling
place.
Process Now that you have all the vocabulary here is how the process
usually works.
Create a Plan Create a plan on your campus for how to contact students in
the most effective manner. There is a lot of stuff that needs to
happen in order to get as many Democratic votes as possible
31
on Election Day. Before you get caught up in the heat of the
election, be sure to make out a plan, so that you have a thought
out blueprint that you are following. This plan will include
many of the elements found later in this section, although
campaigns are always changing. Be willing to try something
new and innovative if you think it might work.
32
name/address/phone number. Ask them if they plan to vote in
the coming election. Ask them if they associate with a political
party. If they say they dont, ask them if they lean toward a
particular political party. Ask them if they plan to vote for the
Democratic candidate(s)/issues (list the specific
candidates/issues that you are really focusing on). Thats about
it!
Tabling: Then you need to get people to fill out the survey.
Set up tables in highly visible places (e.g. dining halls, student
union, campus quad, football games, etc.) and ask people if
they are interested in taking a survey about the upcoming
election. You want everyone to fill out this survey whether
they are Democrats or Republicans, so dont discriminate
against any people who fill it out (even if they are
conservative). If somebody asks you for whom you are
working, dont lie. Tell them you are doing this survey with
the College Democrats, but that it is a bipartisan survey. When
you are done, be sure to input all of this information into your
spreadsheet so that you can use it later on.
33
Wage an Information
Campaign: Once you have registered everyone to vote, and you should,
now it is time to sell, sell, sell your party and candidates.
Students need to know who they are voting for and why.
34
Final Week: Have a week-before-elections plan; each day
should have a theme and major event. Also, coordinate with
the local party and candidates in order to help in locations off
campus. Here is an EXAMPLE of possible themes for the
days leading up to the election:
GOTV GOTV, or Get Out The Vote, is the point at which you
mobilize your base and give a final push to your persuadable
voters.
35
be reminded by the mass effort that it is Election Day.
Volunteer
Recruitment Leading up to Election Day, be sure to recruit a large base of
volunteers from your membership and from other liberal groups
on campus who are willing to help on Election Day. This is
crucial because you will need all the people that you can get to
do all the things that need to be done on Election Day. Its
good to put someone in charge of volunteer recruitment who
can focus solely on this aspect. This person can then be in
charge of checking people in the volunteers on Election Day.
36
ready to let them know where their specific polling location is
and where the easiest shuttle location is for them.
37
and such, however Election Day should be the climax of all of
that you want the visibility campaign to be far more intense
than it has been up until this point.
38
flushing/phone-banking/driving before this) you can give
them a bunch of rally signs and have them stand in very
visible places shouting and encouraging people to vote.
Poll Checkers In many states, you are allowed to place people at the polls
that can check people off of your targeted list of voters as they
vote. These people are called poll checkers and they can play
an important role. Then they can run this list back to HQ a
couple of times per day so that you can focus your efforts on
those individuals who havent voted yet while leaving alone the
people that have made their way to the polls already. Also,
you can see in what districts/precincts that you are matching
your expectations, and in what districts/precincts that you are
coming up short. So you can alter your strategy to target areas
that arent turning out as much. Check with your local or
county committee to see if Poll Checkers are allowed in your
community.
39
STEP SEVEN: CDA ON CAMPUS
CHAPTER
FOCUS As an established chapter, the goals of the organization will
alter with the political climate. The chapter may focus on
electing Democratic candidates, lobbying elected officials, or
educating the campus on issues. Here are some ideas and
activities to keep in mind as the chapter strengthens and builds:
40
numerous other ways to get involved, contact your local food
shelter, or service organizations on campus and they can help
you get in contact with community service organizations.
Legislative
Activity College Democrats of America stands committed to
representing the interests of young Americans and promoting
youth activism at all levels of government. In the last few
years, College Democrats throughout the country have
organized petitions, letter writing campaigns and meetings with
elected officials to voice their support for student aid, equal
opportunity, affordable health care, and a cleaner environment.
In 2006, over 90 College Democrats marched on the Capitol in
Washington to meet with representatives to discuss the Raid on
41
Student Aid. College Democrats of America stand committed
to fighting for students on the key issues and providing a voice
for students. Here are a few suggestions on legislative
organizing and campus lobbying:
Captivating
the Media Media attention is a very persuasive way to advance legislative
goals.
42
Organize a Press Conference and announce the chapters
position on the issue. Ask prominent members of the
community and other campus organizations to join in the fight.
Helpful hints on organizing press conferences can be found in
the appendix.
Political
Campaigns Electing Democrats is the cornerstone of College Democrats of
America. Every November, College Democrats throughout
the country make a difference in countless local, statewide and
national campaigns. The CDA chapter is the campus link for
students wanting to get involved with Democratic political
campaigns. Here are some ideas on getting started (however
for more specifics about running strong campaigns on campus,
consult the elections section of this manual):
Attending
CDA Convention Ever year in July CDA holds its national convention, a great
event for students to network with other young activists from
all over the United States. Before the semester ends, each
chapter should designate a convention coordinator to keep
members up to date on convention news and coordinate
43
attendance. It is important to remind students of the
opportunities available through attending convention. A
couple of selling points are: hot speakers, great national
trainings, networking with progressive activists, and memories
that will last until next convention.
44
Appendix
45
A-1. Sample Constitution
Preamble
In order to promote a better America, with equality, opportunity, and freedom within a just and
strong society, we dedicate ourselves to organizing the participation of Democratic college
students at _____ College. In this mission, we call for full participation of all _____ students,
regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, physical handicap, socioeconomic
status, or sexual orientation.
Understanding the importance of participation in the Democratic Party to the preservation of our
values and principles, we, Democratic college students, do hereby associate ourselves and adopt
this Constitution as the _____ College Democrats.
A: Name: The name of this organization shall be the _____ College Democrats, hereafter
referred to in this document as the College Democrats.
B: Purpose: The College Democrats pledges itself to support the philosophy and
candidates of the Democratic Party. Furthermore, the College Democrats declares its
intention to support all efforts to increase the participation of college students in
Democratic affairs. To these ends, the College Democrats shall educate and train its
members so that they may be better able to:
Article 2: Membership
A: Members: Membership in the College Democrats shall be open to any college student
currently enrolled in _____ College who wishes to be known as a College Democrat and
who has the best interests of the College Democrats and the Democratic Party at heart,
regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, physical handicap,
socioeconomic status, or sexual orientation.
46
Some chapters may prefer larger or smaller ones.]
B: The Executive Board shall determine the agenda and policy of the College Democrats
and coordinate all activities and events.
A: All Executive Board members must maintain active involvement in all of the College
Democrats activities and endeavors.
2: Define the agenda of the College Democrats during his or her tenure;
3: Act as the official representative of the College Democrats to other groups and
the media;
2: Act as President when the President is unable to perform his or her duties;
3: Assume the office of the President upon the Presidents death, resignation,
removal, or inability to perform duties;
3: Perform such duties as the President may assign and take on projects of his or
her choosing.
47
1: Coordinate all postering and publicity activities;
3: Perform such duties as the President may assign and take on projects of his or
her choosing.
Article 5: Elections
B: Eligibility to run for a position and vote: [This depends on the structure of your
chapter - dues-paying members?]
C: Secretive ballots: One vote per person per election. Candidates cannot vote in their
own election.
4. Vote counting and declaration of winner will occur directly after that election.
Article 6: Removal
A: Cause for removal: Cause for removal shall be defined as malfeasance or nonfeasance
of duties assigned by the Executive Board or delineated within this document, or as
ineligibility for Executive Board membership pursuant to Article 2. Cause for removal
shall also include grounds found by 3/4 members of the Executive Board to constitute
good and sufficient cause.
B: Process for removal: To begin the process for removal, another member of the
Executive Board must charge the officer with the reasons for his or her removal publicly
at a meeting of the Executive Board. The officer in question must be offered an
opportunity to defend himself or herself at that meeting. After a period of two weeks the
issue shall be put to a vote. Three-fourths members of the Executive Board must vote for
removal for an officer to be removed.
Article 7: Vacancies
48
A: Declaration of vacancy: A vacancy shall be declared when a member of the Executive
Board dies, resigns, or is removed from office. If the vacancy occurs in an Executive
Board position other than the President, the President shall appoint a successor with a
2/3-majority consent of the remaining Executive Board. If the vacancy is the President,
then the Vice-President shall automatically be the replacement.
Article 8: Amendments
49
A-2. Media Advisories and Press Releases
1. Both media advisories and press releases have headlines. The headline should be
written as it would appear in the newspaper.
2. In the body of the press advisory, include the "who, what, where, when and why."
Also include: the format, the name of the event, the date, the time and the
location. In both Media Advisories and Press Releases, definitely be sure to
include quotes from the public leaders in your chapter (i.e. President or
Communications Director).
4. Be sure to have a contact name and phone number for the press to contact for
more information.
6. Write the press release exactly like it would appear in the newspaper.
7. Remember, the press might be reluctant to read the entire release. Make the
important information clear and concise, and get to the point right away.
8. Always end the press release or media advisory with either 30- or ###.
50
A-3. Sample Media Advisory
*** MEDIA ADVISORY***
Additionally, this year's participants will also hear from an exciting line-up of speakers including
several Democratic Presidential contenders from the strongest and the most diverse field yet.
"CDA has a great opportunity to help elect the next Democratic President of this country," said
College Democrats of America President Lauren Wolfe. "This convention will provide a great
springboard to empower young people to get geared up for the next election. We are enthusiastic
about a great line up of speakers and look forward to one of the most successful conventions yet."
This year's convention speakers include: (Specific date and times TBA)
###
51
A-4. Sample Press Releases
For Immediate Release
MONTH, DATE, YEAR
Washington, DC - A new poll released today by The New York Times, CBS, and MTV
reveals that young voters favor Democrats over Republicans. The poll conducted from
June 15 - 23rd shows that young Americans dramatically favor the Democratic
candidates over the Republicans in the 2008 presidential election by a spread of 54 to 32.
Furthermore, the poll also shows that young Americans are far more likely to agree with
Democratic positions on issues. Also evident from the polling is the fact that young
people are engaged early on in the 2008 election and are closely following the important
issues facing our country. [New York Times, 6/27/07]
"This poll is proof positive that the Democratic Party is the party of young people and the
party of the future" said The College Democrats of America President Lauren Wolfe.
"Young people have a lot at stake when it comes to the issues facing this country. While
the disastrous policies of the Bush Administration and the previous Republican Congress
left enormous national debt and made it harder for students to attend college, Democrats
are turning things around."
"Already the Democratic Congress has cut student loan interest rates in half and
introduced legislation to increase Pell Grants and Perkins loans so that more young
people have the opportunity attend college. Democrats have implemented 'Pay-Go'
measures that balance the budget and don't leave debt to future generations. This current
trend indicates that young people will play a critical role in helping Democrats keep the
House and the Senate and elect a Democratic President in 2008."
###
52
A-5. Writing an Op-Ed
An op-ed gives the writer an opportunity to express their personal views in a well-
organized and prepared format. It allows the writer to do adequate research and take a
strong position on a legislative issue. Be critical of your work and check your references.
Do not be afraid to share personal experiences in the article. Title your op-ed the way
you want to see it in print. Contact your local newspaper and identify the appropriate
individual to forward your article to. Be sure to send a copy to the CDA National
Headquarters so it can be included either in the newsletter or on the web page!
SAMPLE OP-ED:
The American Dream is built on the notion that anyone with decent intentions and
a willingness to work hard can achieve whatever they wish. Education is the essential
ingredient; while it doesnt guarantee success, graduation from a college or university
brings the American Dream that much closer to reality. Yet during their time in control of
Washington, D.C., the Republican Party has done nothing but shortchange our
generations capacity to acquire an education. In the face of skyrocketing tuition prices,
the Republicans have systematically cut student aid. Fortunately, the Democratic Party
plans to reverse the raid on student aid and make college more affordable for everyone.
All in all, recent Republican legislation will prevent two million students from
receiving a college education over the next decade. 1 Last February, Republicans in
Congress purged $12 billion from federal student aid programs. 2 $12 billion could send
230,000 students to a public university for four years. 3 As a result of Republican
legislation, on July 1st student borrowers encountered steep rises in their interest rates.
Students obtaining new Stafford loans now assume a fixed interest rate of 6.8%, up from
the previous rate of 5.3%.4 The latest stipulations put an even greater strain on parents.
If parents borrow from the Direct Loan programfunding straight from the Department
of Educationtheir fixed interest rate is 7.9%, up from 6.1%.5 Borrowing from
independent lenders through the Federal Family Education Loan program requires
parents to accept an 8.5% fixed interest rate, a hike of 2.4%.6
In response to these egregious attacks against college students and young people,
Congressman George Miller (D-CA) proposed the Reverse the Raid on Student Aid Act of
1
http://edworkforce.house.gov/democrats/pdf/reverseraid.pdf
2
Ibid.
3
I calculated this personally, dividing 12 Billion by the average 4 year cost (including
room and board) of a public university; statistics derived from
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/press/cost05/trends_college_pricing_05.p
df
4
http://edworkforce.house.gov/democrats/pdf/July1stStudentLoanChanges.pdf
5
Ibid.
6
Ibid.
53
2006 (H.R. 5150). A complementary bill was introduced by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) in
the United States Senate. Congressman Millers legislation would reduce interest rates
on college loans, alleviating the financial strain felt by students and their families.
Specifically, H.R. 5150 would slash the fixed interest rate on subsidized student loans
from 6.8% to 3.4%.7 H.R. 5150 would also assist families by decreasing the fixed
interest rate on parent loans from 8.5% to 4.25%.8 Congressman Millers proposal would
save the average student borrower a total of $5,600a much needed break.9
Certain people may question the extent to which higher education strengthens this
country, doubting its that integral to Americas continued preeminence. Despite the
skepticism of some, the university has proven its exceptional worth. Numerous
quantitative measures demonstrate the immense public and private benefit of college
education. On average, in comparison to their peers who possess only a high school
diploma, college graduates earn $19,000 more annually.10 This amounts to more than
$1,000,000 in greater lifetime earnings, making a college degree 73% more valuable than
a high school diploma.11
But the value of higher education isnt merely reflected by income rates. Higher
education is, in fact, a matter of national interest and security. Simply put, the American
economy cant maintain its power and prestige in the world without a sufficiently
educated workforce to match. As Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) emphasizes, Raising
interest rates on todays students shortchanges our children while threatening our
countrys ability to remain competitive in the global marketplace.12 Unfortunately,
analysts predict the U.S. will lack 12 million college-educated workers by 2020.13
In Americas early days, Thomas Jefferson argued that a vibrant democracy is
inseparable from an educated citizenry. The author of our nations founding document
concluded, Liberty can never be safe but in the hands of the people themselves, and that
too, of the people with a certain degree of instruction. For Jefferson, enlightening the
populace was the only way to preserve freedom and prevent lawmakers from governing
recklessly. The Republican Party seems to have missed this history lesson. The
Democrats plan to reverse the raid on Student Aid will open up the doors of higher
education to millions of people and lesson the tuition burden for everyone. The future, in
turn, will be brighter for all Americans.
Lauren Wolfe
President
College Democrats of America
7
http://edworkforce.house.gov/democrats/pdf/reverseraid.pdf
8
Ibid.
9
Ibid.
10
http://www.collegeboard.com/prod_downloads/press/cost04/EducationPays2004.pdf
11
Ibid.
12
http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/ed31_democrats/rel41306.html
13
http://edworkforce.house.gov/democrats/pdf/reverseraid.pdf
54
A-6. Tips for Organizing a Press Conference
PLANNING THE NEWS CONFERENCE
Participants
Location
Use a location that is easily accessible, but also visually interesting for the
media.
Time
DAY
Try to hold the news conference on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.
Avoid Mondays and Fridays because its harder to prepare over the
weekend and newspaper readership is lowest on Saturdays.
TIME
If possible, hold the event between 10 am and 2 pm. Early morning is
difficult for reporters to attend and late afternoon conflicts with
preparation for the evening news. 10 am or 11 am are the best times
because many noon newscasts will include the event in their broadcasts.
55
outlet. By noon the day before the event, fax the advisory to the Daybook
Editor. It is a good idea to call and make sure the event is listed.
THE day before the event, all media outlets in the area should receive the
advisory on the news conference. Notify the newspapers (dailies,
weeklies, African-American and other specialty press), TV stations, radio
stations that have news departments, and wire services. It is best to email
the release directly to each outlet early in the morning.
IN the afternoon the day before the event, follow-up by phone with the
assignment editors at the news outlets to make sure they know about the
event. Talk it up as much as possible to encourage their attendance.
Many TV stations do not make their assignments until the day of the
event. Thus, it is probably worth calling the TV assignment editors
between 8:30 and 9:00 am the day of the event.
Follow-up
Set Up
OBTAIN the necessary permits required for the location you have
selected.
BE sure to have a rain contingency plan if you are using an outdoor site.
Materials
56
HAVE copies of your news release, participants statements, and a CDA
fact sheet available for the press. 10-15 packets should be more than
enough.
Visuals
A good backdrop/location will make your shot look better. Also having
real people in the shot adds to the appeal.
Speaking Order
Length
IT is important for each speaker to keep his or her remarks short. The
overall length of the news conference should only be 20-30 minutes
(including Q & A period). If there are a lot of speakers, each may only be
able to speak for 2 minutes.
NOT all participants need to speak. Groups may opt to send a non-
speaking representative to show support for the issue.
57
A-7. When Talking to a Reporter
1. Look confident. Strong eye contact is essential. Make sure you are dressed
appropriately and are well groomed.
2. Assume the microphone is on or the tape recorder is running at all times. Nothing
is off the record.
4. Know your surroundings. If you are going to appear on TV, take a minute to
gather your thoughts before going on the air.
58
A-8. Radio
As college students, we have many avenues to get our voices heard on the radio. We all
know Rush Limbaugh, whose nationwide syndicated show is heard nightly. Dont think
only staunch conservatives like Rush can call in to his show and talk the talk with the fat
man. Make your voice heard. While Rush is nationally syndicated, there are many local
opportunities to express your views over the air waves.
Do you have a college radio station? Air a political debate between the College
Democrats and the College Republicans. If your station is popular outside your campus,
this forum would be an excellent source of visibility.
Each of the avenues listed gives college students the opportunity to get their voices on the
radio. If you build up the courage to call Rush or if you just want to talk about issues on
the air, the following list gives you some practical tips.
1. Make sure the host announces your name and title on the air and what topic you
plan to address. Introduce yourself if the host forgot. If your name is difficult to
pronounce, make sure the host gets it right.
2. Conversely, know the hosts name. Say, Hi Bob, its an honor to be on your
show.
3. Know how long you are scheduled to be on the air. If the show is going really
well, the host or producer may ask you to stay on longer.
4. Keep in mind that you can do a radio show from any telephone. The host cant
see you so spread as many notes out on your desk as you like.
6. Make sure you know and support the Democratic position on specific issues. If
you are unsure about an issue or a fact, say so and move on or ask for a callers
name and address and offer to send him/her the information requested.
7. Lastly, remember that practice makes perfect. It may take a few shows for you to
become comfortable in the talk radio format. You may want to start with a show
that isnt nationally syndicated or in a big market. Most of all, have fun!!!
59
A-9. Letter Writing
A personal letter is one of the most effective ways of contacting legislators, whether at
the state or national level. The following suggestions will make the letter most effective.
1. Address it properly. Know the legislators full name and correct spelling. Some
examples follow:
2. Always include your last name and address on the letter (printed or typed).
3. Use your own words. Avoid form letters and petitions. They tend to be identified as
organized pressure campaigns, and are often answered with form replies. However, a
petition does let the legislator know that the issue is of concern to a large number of
people (addresses carry more weight than 100 form letters or post cards).
4. Time the arrival of your letter. Write to your legislator or the committee chairperson
while the bill is still in committee and there is time to take effective action. A letter
addressing a bill on the floor of the House or Senate may diminish the impact it could
have made if it were received during the bill drafting stage in committee.
5. Know the information on the issue you are addressing. Identify the bill or issue of
concern. If you write about a bill, try to give the bill number or describe it by popular
title, such as The Education Bill.
6. Be brief. Many issues are complex, but a single page letter presenting clear and
concise opinions, facts, and arguments is preferred and welcomed by most legislators.
7. Give reasons for your positions. Explain how the issue would affect you, your family,
business, or profession. Describe the impact of the issue on your community and state.
9. Groups and individuals should determine their priority concerns and contact the
legislator on those specific issues rather than on every issue. The pen pal who writes
every few days on every conceivable issue tends to become a nuisance, rather than an
effective voice of concern.
10. You may not always receive a long detailed response to your letter. Legislators are
very busy and usually cannot respond with long, personal replies to each correspondent.
60
11. Write a letter of appreciation when you feel a legislator has done a good job.
Legislators are human and seldom receive thank you letters of encouragement.
Remember on any one issue, even a few letters to one legislator can have an important
impact. A general rule of thumb often used: for every personalized letter from one
person who took the time to write, it is believed that there are 100 people who feel the
same way who didnt write. That is why a letter with a new perspective or clear cut,
persuasive arguments can be a decisive factor in a legislators decision. If you want to
be further involved in the future of a particular bill, keep track of it. You may also want
to consider testifying on it before a committee, or commenting on it at a local public
hearing.
61
A-10. Utilizing New Media
Building Your Viral Media Presence on Facebook:
1. Learn the power of Facebook sharing.
2. Drag the button seen to the right onto your internet browser tab.
This button can be found under my shares in your Facebook account to the bottom
right of the page. The button enables you to share any website you visit. For YouTube,
MySpace and Google videos, they automatically include a preview page that when
clicked embeds the video into your Facebook profile.
A) Video:
Useful for all of the ads and videos that the College Democrats of America produce throughout
the year. For example, the Tuition Treadmill commercial from the 2006 election cycle would
have been sent out virally by a network of Facebook College Democrats communities so that it
would spread. Unfortunately, the share system wasnt in place until later. Now however, every
national message campaign will seek to build strong, local Facebook chapters so that videos
reach as many Facebook users in as many college communities as possible.
B) Photos:
Sharing photo albums on Facebook is tricky because shared albums cant be viewed by others
unless theyre also friends with or in the same network as the original poster. But always
remember to take pictures at College Democrats events and post them as albums on Facebook.
People always check their friends Facebook albums. Maintaining a strong presence will be
beneficial to building a community image online.
C) Audio:
Podcasts will be essential to the CDA new media strategy and now can also be shared easily on
Facebook as well. While learning to make campus podcasts is a process that will take more than
this manual to learn, always remember to share what the national communications office passes
down so that the national message spreads.
D) Causes:
The CDA cause is a project that can have a lot of potential. While not everyone has the causes
application, those who do have it care about the issues and many of them will be Democrats.
Please remember to join the CDA cause on Facebook (search College Democrats of America in
causes) and then invite your friends!
3. You are the viral hub for all College Democrats media on your college campus.
- Post all notes, videos, podcasts, articles and photos onto your mini-feed,
whether its media that your chapter has done or media that state and national
leaders have passed on for you to share.
62
- When sharing the item, send the file to the top 10 (max.) campus College
Democrats.
4. Determine 10 to 20 dedicated and dependable sharers (preferably those with the most
campus friends).
- Find 10 students for campuses below 5,000, preferably 20 for campuses above
5,000.
- Meet with these activists face to face to emphasize the potential of Facebook
sharing as a free and non-intrusive advertising tool. Email, call or Facebook
message these 10/20 individuals when material is circulating to make sure they
share the same material you shared on their news feeds.
5. Encourage that those 10/20 activists convince at least 5 of their friends to share.
6. Not every item you share will appear on all your friends news feeds when they log in.
- They will most likely appear on a quarter of your friends news feeds, depending
on their personal preferences and when they sign on.
- But the more friends certain people have that share an item, the more the
likelihood of the same item appearing on their news feeds. The more an item
permeates through a campuss Facebook community the more likely the six
degrees phenomenon of a Facebook campaign can succeed.
A viral media campaign works only if the state leaders and campus leaders enforce a
kind of viral discipline. That means have face-to-face workshops where Facebook
advertising is stressed until everyone understands its importance. It means campus
leaders getting on peoples cases when an item needs to be shared. But dont overdo it
or else it borders on annoying, no matter how inspiring or famous the candidate. One to
two College Democrats-related items per week is enough, especially given that it will
take getting used to for this effort to truly come to fruition.
Remember: the average American ages 16-25 spends an average of 21 minutes a day
on Facebook, and many, many spend a lot more than that. Its the vicarious and
voyeuristic nature of Facebook. This is a golden demographic that a lot of traditional,
paid advertising campaigns give up on because of an attention-deficit assumption. If we
are constantly sharing with a conscious effort to virally and personally permeate as many
social networks as possible, we can take College Democrats on Facebook to a new level
that surpasses what most expensive youth advertising campaigns can do and not only
that, well get to do it for free. As long as we execute a non-intrusive, disciplined,
personalized and multimedia Facebook campaign, we can reach potentially millions of
students across the country.
63
Organizing on Facebook
Facebook Groups, Messaging & Events:
1. First and obvious step is to create a campus College Democrats group and
invite as many people as you can.
2. Optimize voter outreach: Send weekly or biweekly messages with updates from
your campus chapter or national news that is passed on to you. Facebook stops
all messaging capabilities after the group goes beyond 1,000 members, but that
should not be a concern for College Democrats chapter groups.
3. Dont send out Facebook messages unless its necessary. Its the closest spam
item to MySpaces comments advertising and its in many ways an intrusion.
Send it out only when there is a serious message campaign or when there is an
event, canvass or whatnot.
4. Since state State College Democrats groups are likely to be too scattered to
provoke true organizing, it is on the campus level where College Democrats
groups will be most effective. If there is a critical message that the national
communications team thinks should be directly sent to as many young people as
possible, the text will be sent to all state chapter leaders who alongside executing
the sharing campaign, will send the text to all campus chapter leaders who in
turn will send that message to their entire Facebook group. Again, the key is to
not overdo it. Given that there will most definitely be an influx of candidate
Facebook drives come late this year, it is best to keep when it is most needed.
5. Its always good to build a base. So always remember to friend people youve
met, but dont be a creep about it. Make your judgments wisely. Facebook used
to be a novelty item now, its a part of peoples lives. They take it seriously.
ALWAYS REMEMBER: Viral Media and Facebook organizing are different. Viral
media is to increase your presence to mainstream Facebook users, while
Facebook organizing is to strengthen you already existent group. Dont get the
two mixed up and always treat their separate messages differently!
64
A-11. Tips on Grassroots Lobbying
What is grassroots lobbying?
It is simple Communicating with decision makers about your views and the viewpoint
of your organization.
First, think strategically about who exactly has the power to make a decision concerning
your views. For example, if you want a grocery story to give a discount to people who
use their own bags, it would make sense to start with the store manager or owner, rather
than a clerk at the check-out stand. The manager/owner has the most authority to make a
change like that. If the store-manager says, I have to check with so and so, then ask to
be part of that conversation in some way. After you successfully determine your
target(s), there are a number of different ways to communicate with them. Here are a few
ideas:
65
5. Allow time for questions: Encourage questions from the legislator
and answer them factually. If you do not know the answer, offer to
find the answer and get back to the legislator. Always follow
through with your promises to legislators.
6. Determine your legislators position: Specifically ask the decision
maker(s) for some action or commitment. How will they vote?
Will they stand for or against a proposal? Will they make a call on
your behalf? Be polite, but persistent.
7. Thank you: Follow-up by writing a thank you note and restate
your position.
66
A-12. Ideas for Off-Years
Even in off-years when there are few campaigns to work on, College Democrats play an important
role on campus. Student organizing is a marathon and not a sprint, and College Democrats should
spread the Democratic message on campus and work to recruit students into the party continuously.
Here are some ideas to help keep interest in your chapter and the momentum going in off-years.
Organize an activist event: This can be done through your statewide college Democrats organization
or on your individual campus. Focus on an issue or a bill of particular interest to your club, plan your
event, and then alert the campus and local media. Previous events put on by college chapters have
focused on student fee increases at state universities, the Bush Administrations atrocious
environmental policy, and the lack of adequate job opportunities for college graduates.
Plan a trip to your State Capitol: Road trips are a staple of college life, so why not head to your
state Capitol for a weekend? Most Democratic elected officials are great about meeting with clubs or
organizations that take the time to stop by, even with little notice.
Organize a campus debate: Either between local elected officials, municipal candidates, or the
leaders (or interested students) of campus organizations. Most schools are willing to provide a
gathering space and some advertising to the general student body if you host such an event.
Stay Involved With Your State Party Apparatus: State party conventions are great places to meet
with officials, solicit info for internship and job opportunities, and to keep your organization involved
off-campus. Theyre also good ways to let club members know that just because theres no election,
the party is still working to regain a Democratic majority.
Host Movie Nights: With the new West Wing DVDs out and movies like The American
President, theres no shortage of good Democratic movies you can show either just as a club or to the
student body at large. This is low-cost and fun!
Organize a Progressive Day: Bring together all of the progressive organizations on campus - your
Dems club, ACLU, Womens Forum (or equivalent), left-leaning newspapers or magazines, Sierra
Club, etc - and table together during an important school event, lunch or just out on the quad. Its a
great way to increase visibility, meet members of other progressive organizations, and strategize how
best to accomplish your common goals during a non-election year. It is incredibly important to build
relationships with affiliated organizations and recruit their members into your organization, and events
offer a great opportunity to do so.
Establish and maintain strong ties with local Democratic officials and clubs: Local elected
officials are a great resource for chapters, because they can provide invitations to Democratic
functions, internship opportunities, and serve as keynote speakers for meetings or potential events (i.e.
Debates) you may want to plan. Those resources become even more important in off-years, as you
want to make sure you have interesting and engaging programming to keep marginal members
interested in activism. Local Democratic clubs also provide similar resources. Additionally, local
Democratic clubs are often actively seeking youth involvement, providing your members with more
ways to get involved in the party outside of campus.
Host Social Events: College Democrats work hard, but lets not forget that were in college. A big
part of the idea is having fun, so dont forget to sponsor some social events.
67
A-13. Hosting a Speaker/Event on Your Campus
PHASE ONE: RECRUIT A SPEAKER
Recruiting a speaker to campus is a difficult process, especially if you have specific speakers
in mind you would like to participate. Here are some key tips to keep in mind:
Invite as many speakers as possible to your event. Members of Congress and local
elected officials have very busy schedules, and they get many more requests than they
can possibly accommodate. Invite speakers of every category to be safe from those you
think that will be hard to recruit to those you think will be easy to recruit. Even if your
event is very promising, many speakers simply will not have time in their schedule.
Send a formal invitation to start the dialogue. If you are inviting an elected official
with an office staff, you will usually be asked to fax your request to the office. Your
request should be brief and concise but should include: information about the event
(clear language about where and when it will take place if possible, how big the audience
will be, who will be in the audience); information about your organization (describe past
successful events, volunteer work you have done for campaigns, what you do on campus,
the size of your membership, etc); and general information about your college or
university.
Recruit key allies to help you recruit speakers and work every angle. If your chapter
has done a large amount of campaign work for a local state representative or town
official, have them call your member of Congress to encourage his or her participation.
Having the request come in from as many angles as possible is very effective.
Consider what budgeting is available from your campus. Federally elected officials
(and many local ones) are unable to accept speaking fees, but if your student government
has a large programming budget, consider trying to obtain funding to pay for a surrogate
through a speaker agency. There are many surrogates that can help promote your
message on campus and do campus tours but not for free.
Once you have recruited a speaker, make sure their experience is a good one. If you
cannot build a crowd for a state representative, it will be harder to get him or her to come
back or to make the argument why you need a Member of Congress on campus. Make
sure that all your events are well-organized that there is a good crowd, that you offer
water to the speaker, that you stay on schedule, that you have a well-prepared
introduction and you can help make sure your chapter gets future speakers in the future.
Also, make sure to send follow-up thank you notes and personally thank schedulers, key
allies, or other staff who helped make this happen, so they are inclined to help again in
the future.
68
PHASE TWO
Secure space
o The number one priority is filling the space you select. Pick a room you KNOW
that you can fill. Whether your event is perceived as a success will depend
ENTIRELY on how full the room is.
Inform affinity groups to help recruit for the event
o Ensure campus affinity groups (NAACP, Asian/Hispanic/GLBT/Jewish groups),
environmental groups, community service groups, etc. are aware of your
activities and invite them to attend. You know your community best be
inclusive and politically savvy with this.
PHASE THREE
Publicize event on campus
o Make flyers to publicize event. Phone bank and email all your core supporters to
encourage participation. In 7-10 days before the event organize visibility
sponsor tabling, wave rally signs, distribute flyers, etc.
Recruit key organizers
o Recruit organizers for: Outside Visibility, Inside Visibility, Sign-Up Table, and
Voter Registration Table.
Target allied groups
o Make sure to target allied groups, the political science office, the administration,
fraternities/sororities, and everyone who can possibly help you build crowds.
GIVE THEM NUMBER GOALS We need you to get 20 people.
! To reach your goal, you need to have a plan A, plan B, plan C, and plan
D for getting there. If you want 150, you should be planning your
recruitment for around 300.
RSVP system
o RSVP does not need to be mandatory, but it is a crucial way to start getting hard
numbers early and leaving as little up to chance as possible in terms of turnout.
You might also want to set up a system for distributing tickets this can be a
good way for people to remember when and where the event is.
! Make sure to follow-up with everyone who RSVPed in the last 24 hours.
Send email reminders, phone bank, and send Instant Messages if
possible.
Earned media
o Assign members to write op-eds / letters to the editor to campus publications and
media. This can be a great way not only to publicize the event, but to also have a
hook to get the Democratic message pushed in your local publications. Contact
local and campus media to pitch the event. Also work on any other ways you can
think of to promote the event using communication networks on your campus
email lists, radio stations, etc.
36-hour out plan:
o For the last 36 hours, make sure flyers are plastered everywhere on campus, and
have volunteers personally distribute hundreds of copies. Chalk sidewalks across
campus about the event.
69
OUTSIDE VISIBILITY: As many people as possible should be stationed outside the
event waving signs for visibility. This will counteract any College Republicans
protestors outside the event and is very important. Most should have rally signs. One or
two can have on costumes to attract attention to your message. Also, if you want to
attract attention from protestors, get creative: buy a huge sheet and paint a message on it.
INSIDE CROWD BUILDING Make sure the crowd is flowing in smoothly and
filling the space. Also, prep the crowd to start chants during the events and to wave
signs. If you put people behind the speaker for camera shots, make sure to ensure
diversity. Make sure your members raise their hands and are prepared to ask good
questions!
SIGN-UP TABLE: You should have a sign-up table outside the event and make sure
that EVERYONE who comes in signs up on a list. This can be a great way to build your
chapters membership.
VOTER REGISTRATION TABLE: Make sure you have a voter registration table
outside the event if the deadline has not passed, as well as information about early and
absentee voting where appropriate.
MEDIA GREETING: Have a couple of volunteers on hand to sign in media, reserve
space for them, and make sure they have no major logistical problems. You should make
sure that some seats have Reserved for Press signs on them and that you tape off room
in the back for cameras. You should also have press packets with information about your
chapter.
DOOR GREETING: Have a couple of volunteers at the entrance. One should give a
sticker to everyone who comes into the event. The other should hand out a flyer on
What to do next.
GUEST GREETING: A couple of volunteers should be ready to greet special guests.
STAGE MANAGEMENT: Have College Democrats officers on-hand to determine
who is on the stage when and to introduce any speakers. MAKE SURE THEY HAVE
BIOS AND ARE PREPARED TO MAKE GOOD INTRODUCTIONS.
70
A-14. Responding to Protests
When you sponsor an event, there is always a risk that another group will organize
visibility or protests outside or inside your event. Here is what you should keep in mind
when dealing with protestors:
- Inside Visibility: The best approach you can take with inside visibility is
preemptive: make sure your crowd is filled with College Democrats and
supporters. If College Republicans or other opposition groups chant something
inside, there is no problem if your chant is louder. If they wave signs, there is no
problem if you surround them by your members and your signs. As long as you
put on a good event and have good turnout, the problem can solve itself. Just
make sure to get your members to the event!
- Q&A Session: If you have a speaker on your campus, you should make sure your
reliable members are prepared to ask questions during the Question and Answer
session. If there are College Republicans or others in the audience looking to
embarrass your speaker, their impact will be diminished if your members raise
their hands too.
71
A-15. Election Registration Deadlines
This list is accurate as of July 2007. Please contact your Chief Election Official to
confirm that this information is still accurate.
72
A-16. Chief Election Official Contact Information
STATE CONTACT PHONE NUMBER
ALABAMA Elections Division Director 334-242-7220
ALASKA Division of Elections 907-465-4611
ARIZONA Division of Elections 602-542-8683
ARKANSAS Election Services 501-682-5070
CALIFORNIA Division of Elections 916-657-2166
COLORADO Elections Division 303-894-2200
CONNECTICUT Legislation and Elections Administration Division 860-509-6100
DELAWARE Commissioner of Elections 302-739-4277
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Board of Elections and Ethics 202-727-2525
FLORIDA Director's Office-Division of Elections 850-245-6218
GEORGIA Elections Division 404-656-2871
HAWAII Elections Division 808-453-8683
Division of Elections, Campaign Disclosure, and
IDAHO Lobbyists 208-334-2852
ILLINOIS Board of Elections and Ethics 217-782-4141
IOWA Elections Division 515-281-0145
KANSAS Elections and Legislative Matters Division 785-296-4561
KENTUCKY State Board of Elections 502-573-7100
LOUISIANA Elections Division 225-922-0900
MAINE Bureau of Corporation, Elections, and Commissions 207-624-7736
MARYLAND State Board of Elections 410-269-2840
MASSACHUSETTS Office of Director of Elections 617-727-2828
MICHIGAN Office of Director of Elections 517-373-2540
MINNESOTA Elections Division 651-215-1440 or 1-877-600-8683
MISSISSIPPI Elections Division 601-359-2550 or 800-829-6786
MISSOURI Elections Division 573-751-2301 or 800-NOW-VOTE
MONTANA Office of Secretary of State 406-444-4732
NEBRASKA Election Administration 402-471-2555
NEVADA Elections Division 775-684-5705
NEW HAMPSHIRE Elections Division/Administration 603-271-3242
NEW JERSEY Division of Elections 609-292-3760
NEW MEXICO Bureau of Elections 505-827-3600
NEW YORK State Board of Elections 518-474-6220
NORTH CAROLINA State Board of Elections 919-733-7173
NORTH DAKOTA Elections Division 701-328-4146
OHIO Secretary of State 614-466-2585
OKLAHOMA State Election Board 405-521-2391
OREGON State Elections Division 503-986-1518
PENNSYLVANIA Bureau of Commissions, Election 717-787-5280
RHODE ISLAND Board of Elections 401-222-2345
SOUTH CAROLINA State Election Commission 803-734-9060
SOUTH DAKOTA Secretary of State 605-773-3537
TENNESSEE Elections Office 615-741-7956
TEXAS Elections Division 512-463-5650 or 800-252-VOTE
UTAH Office of Director of Elections 801-538-1041 or 800-995-VOTE
VERMONT Elections Division 802-828-2464
VIRGINIA State Board of Elections 804-864-8901 or 800-552-9745
WASHINGTON Elections Division 360-586-5629 or 800-448-4881
WEST VIRGINIA Elections Division 304-558-6000
WISCONSIN Elections Division 608-266-8005
WYOMING Elections Officer 207-777-7186
73
A-17. Democratic Websites
Democratic Party Links:
Democratic National Committee http://www.democrats.org/
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee http://www.dscc.org/
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee http://www.dccc.org/
Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee http://www.dlcc.org/
Democratic Governors http://www.democraticgovernors.org/
College Democrats of America www.collegedems.com
Young Democrats of America http://www.yda.org/
Government Links:
The White House http://www.whitehouse.gov/
The House of Representatives http://www.house.gov/
The United States Senate http://www.senate.gov/
The Official Site for the U.S. Government http://www.usa.gov/
Miscellaneous Links:
21st Century Democrats http://www.21stdems.org/
ACLU http://www.aclu.org/
AFL-CIO http://www.aflcio.org/home.htm
AIPAC http://www.aipac.org/
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center http://www.ballot.org/
Campaign for America's Future http://www.ourfuture.org/
Campaign Corps http://www.campaigncorps.org/
Campus Progress http://www.campusprogress.org/
Childrens Defense Fund http://www.childrensdefense.org/
Center for Democracy in Technology http://www.cdt.org/
Center for Tax Justice http://www.ctj.org/
Common Cause http://www.commoncause.org/
Democratic Campaign Management Program http://www.campaignschool.org/
Electronic Frontier Foundation http://www.eff.org/
Electronic Policy Network http://www.epn.org/
Emily's List http://www.emilyslist.org/
Families USA http://www.familiesusa.org/
Human Rights Campaign http://www.hrc.org/
Kids for Democracy http://www.kidsfordemocracy.org/
League of Conservation Voters http://www.lcv.org/
NAACP http://www.naacp.org/
NARAL Pro-Choice America http://www.naral.org/
National Education Association (NEA) http://www.nea.org/index.html
National Committee for an Effective Congress http://www.ncec.org/
National Organization for Women (NOW) http://www.now.org/
People for the American Way http://www.pfaw.org/
Planned Parenthood Federation http://www.plannedparenthood.org/
Rock the Vote http://www.rockthevote.org/
SEIU http://www.seiu.org/
Sierra Club http://www.sierraclub.org/
True Majority http://www.truemajority.com/
Smackdown Your Vote Coalition http://vote.wwe.com/
State PIRGs http://www.pirg.org/
Working America http://www.workingamerica.org/
74
A-18. State Party Contact Info
This list is accurate as of July 2007. Contact CDA National Headquarters if you have trouble contacting your State Party
Alabama Arizona
Alaska Arkansas
75
Colorado Democrats Abroad
Delaware Florida
76
Georgia Idaho
Guam Illinois
Hawaii Indiana
Beverly Jean Withington, Vice Chair Cordelia Lewis Burks, Vice Chair
P.O. Box 4818 2943 North Kenwood Avenue
Hilo, HI 96720 Indianapolis, IN 46208
808/966-4583 317/926-2686 Fax 317/924-2653
77
Iowa Louisiana
Kansas Maine
Kentucky Maryland
78
Massachusetts Mississippi
Michigan Missouri
Minnesota Montana
79
Nebraska New Jersey
80
North Carolina Oklahoma
Ohio Pennsylvania
81
Puerto Rico South Dakota
Wilber Lee Jeffcoat , Vice Chair Roy LaVerne Brooks, Vice Chair
810 Huckabee Mill Road P.O. Box 331893
Swansea, SC 29160 Fort Worth, TX 76163
803/568-2697 817/294-2518
82
Utah Virgin Islands
Vermont Washington
83
Wisconsin Wyoming
84