GOGO Forward 2010! Forward 2010!The DCCC Grassroots Organizing Program
Our purpose….Our purpose….
Our field program has 3 focuses.Our goals are to:
◦ Utilize local networks to build volunteer grassroots organizations
◦ Use these organizations to persuade and motivate voters to turnout and support Democratic Candidates
◦ Remind voters of the importance of this election and that the results will determine how we GO Forward as a nation
Our staff and responsibilities…Our staff and responsibilities…
National Field Director – Marlon Marshall Regional Field Directors
◦ Northeast – Brynne Craig◦ South – Will Leaverton◦ West – Jay Hodges◦ Midwest – Chelsea Peterson
Targeting Team◦ Director – John Hagner◦ Deputy Director – Sam Nitz
Field Assistant & Fellowship Director- Makese Motley
Progress ReportProgress Report
Helped placed over 30 field directors with state parties in targeted districts, over 30 more to go
Successful negotiations with State Parties for district bank accounts, budgetary approval processes and access to proprietary data
Trained over 60 field director prospects and have scheduled trainings for field organizer prospects; over 350 applicants
Created DCCC district profile; 34 completed so far
Instituted National Field Reporting System Special Elections: Testing the Program
Our setup….Our setup….
Operations are setup through State Democratic Parties
All field staff are employees of State Democratic Parties, not individual campaigns
Staff are doing work that benefits all Democrats in that district
Campaigns buy into the program by supporting the State Party
How this program benefits your candidateSupporting candidates using 441 a(d), it’s limits, and the exceptions
441 a(d) limits & authority…441 a(d) limits & authority…
The national and state party may pay bills -- up to a specific amount -- on behalf of a House nominee.
These are called "coordinated expenditures" – or "441a(d)," after the section of the law which authorizes them.
Express advocacy communications: e.g., "Vote for, vote against, support, oppose."
Other communications within 90 days of the election that refer to the candidate before the voters.
Republishing campaign materials, except in party exempt activities
Other expenses directly attributable to the candidate.
Exceptions from the limits…Exceptions from the limits…
State party exempt activities◦ Volunteer voter contact◦ Volunteer Campaign Material◦ Volunteer Mail◦ Slate Cards
"Hybrid" phone banks, communications
Generic party overhead
Non-advertising communications
GOGOing Forward with Field Grassroots Organizing and the next steps
Finishing Phase IFinishing Phase I
Working to identify the remaining Field Directors needed, place them on State Party payroll
FD’s will create draft and final field plans; budgets.
The DCCC will review field plans and budgets and work with campaigns to determine needed support.
Phase II – Building CapacityPhase II – Building Capacity
We’re beginning field early so we can build enough capacity that will generate efficient voter contact
Each field plan will have a volunteer structure
incorporated into it.
The DCCC will have Nationwide Day of Action’s each month between June and August◦ June 26th ◦ July TBD◦ August TBD
In addition to volunteer recruitment, voter contact will begin this summer
Building Capacity, cont’dBuilding Capacity, cont’d
We are also holding trainings to help find prospects for field staff throughout the country
Currently, there are 4 field organizer trainings planned for May and June; over 300 applicants
We will have a training for prospective canvass directors this summer.
What voters should we speak to?DCCC Targeting 2010 – Methods for Efficient Voter Contact
Fundamentals of TargetingFundamentals of Targeting
Always Vote Democratic
Swing Voters
Always Vote Republican
Always Vote
Sometimes Vote
Never Vote
Persuasion #1
GOTVPersuasion
#2
Ke
n S
tras
ma
- N
CE
C 1
997
Why It MattersWhy It Matters
Republican Democratic
Low
Turnout
High T
urnoutObama and allies
2008 Democratic contactswere very targeted, with the
highest concentration amonglow turnout Dems and
high turnout moderates
Kerry and allies
Republican Democratic
Low
Turnout
High T
urnout
In 2004 most contactwas highly concentrated
among strong Democrats,regardless of likelihood
to turn out
Ways of TargetingWays of Targeting
Geographic◦NCEC Data◦District Profiles◦Historical Data
Microtargeting◦Using voter file and commercial data, we create mathematical models to predict individual behavior.
DCCC’s Commitment to TargetingDCCC’s Commitment to Targeting
The DCCC is making historic investments in targeting
Our goal is to work with as many allies as we can to get our candidates and campaigns access to as many tools as possible to help them win close races.
DCCC Targeting Resources – DCCC Targeting Resources – DNC DataDNC Data
We are working closely with the DNC and OFA on data and targeting.
The DNC maintains a national voter file, accessed through VoteBuilder, that is available to all campaigns.
DNC and OFA will be creating models in certain Congressional districts.
DCCC Targeting Resources –DCCC Targeting Resources –Catalist Data Catalist Data
Catalist provides a second data source to our campaigns and their teams.
Catalist also provides proprietary models◦ Partisanship◦ Turnout◦ Activism◦ Issues◦ Demographics
DCCC Targeting Resources – DCCC Targeting Resources – In-House ModelsIn-House Models
In certain districts, we will work with the DNC and other allies to develop candidate-specific support models◦ For example, in PA-12 we created a model to predict how likely every voter in the district was to support Mark Critz in the special election.
DCCC Targeting SupportDCCC Targeting Support
Throughout the cycle, DCCC Field will work with campaigns to use all of these resources in the smartest ways possible for each campaign.
Every campaign will be different, and we will tailor the tools we create to each district.