GOGO Forward 2010! Forward 2010!The DCCC Grassroots Organizing Program

Our purpose….Our purpose….

Our field program has 3 focuses.Our goals are to:

1)Utilize local networks to build volunteer grassroots organizations

2)Use these organizations to persuade and motivate voters to turnout and support Democratic Candidates

3)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 MarshallRegional 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 SystemSpecial 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 is so we can build early 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

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Why It MattersWhy It Matters

Republican Democratic

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LowTurnout

Democrats

HighTurnout

Moderates

Obama and allies

2008 Democratic contactswere very targeted, with the

highest concentration amonglow turnout Dems and

high turnout moderates

Kerry and allies

Republican Democratic

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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 all our campaigns can access.

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.