P R E C I N C T C H A I R

What is a Precinct Chair?

Precinct Chairs are the fundamental grass-roots officials of the Democratic Party. Precinct Chairs represent their home precincts on the Travis County Executive Committee (EC).

What is the EC?

The Travis County Executive Committee (EC) is the governing body of the Democratic Party in Travis County and conducts all official party business. The EC usually meets monthly on the last Wednesday of the month.

How do you get to be a Precinct Chair?

Qualified candidates are elected every two years to serve a two-year term by voters in their precinct in the Democratic Primary Election. Qualifications are set by the Texas Democratic Party Rules (http://www.txdemocrats.org/files/Rules2006.pdf).

What are the qualifications needed to be a Precinct Chair?

You must be a Democrat, 18 years of age or older, a qualified (registered) voter in Travis County, reside in the precinct you wish to represent, and vote in the Democratic Primary election. Precinct Chairs cannot be a candidate for nor holder of elected office of the federal, state or local government.

What are the duties/responsibilities of the Precinct Chair?

In addition to serving as a voting member of the CEC, the Precinct Chair serves as the contact person for the Democratic Party in their neighborhood. The Precinct Chair should communicate with Democrats in their precinct and promote Democratic candidates and events. This includes phone banking your voters, organizing block walks (going door to door) to distribute campaign materials, and encouraging their neighbors to vote in upcoming primary and general elections. The TCDP can provide voter information to Precinct Chairs. Please email your request to info@traviscountydemocrats.org.

If available, Precinct chairs are asked to serve as election judges to conduct the Democratic Primary in their precinct and convene their precinct conventions, immediately after the polls close for the Democratic Primary Election.

What is a vacancy appointment?

If a precinct has no Chair, it is considered vacant. A qualified candidate may be nominated by their State Senate District Vacancy Committee to fill the seat for the remainder of the term of office. Nominations must be confirmed by a majority vote of the EC.

Is Precinct Chair a paid position?

Precinct Chairs are political positions. They are volunteers and are not paid.

E L E C T I O N J U D G E

What is an Election Judge?

Election judges conduct all the elections in a precinct during the year.

How do you get to be an Election Judge?

Election Judges are appointed by Travis County from a list of qualified persons submitted by each political party. If possible, election judges reside in the precinct.

What is a Presiding Judge?

Teams of two judges are appointed for each precinct. The presiding judge is from the party that received the most votes for Governor in the last election. The alternate is from the other party and serves as an election clerk unless needed to fill in for the presiding judge. Both judges are required to attend training.

What does an Election Judge do?

Judges pick up some election equipment shortly before an election, mark early voters in the poll book, locate clerks to work at their polling location, organize the set up of the election equipment and the operation of the election, and return the equipment immediately the polls close.

Judges are responsible for following Texas Election Law and conducting a fair election. Although each judge represents a political party, no display of any party affiliation is allowed during the election.

Is Election Judge a paid position?

Judges are paid for the time they work at the polls and for training attended.

May a person hold both Precinct Chair and Election Judge or Alternate Judge positions?

Yes. This is frequently done.

[FAQs adapted from those of the Harris County Democratic Party.]