A Democratic Arizona
Suggestions with the goal of a strategic plan
of Party development to achieve Democratic majorities
representing the voters of Arizona
Arizona Borderlands Democrats (ABD) urges a strategic vision of a strengthened Democratic Party in Arizona - one that will make Arizona once again a reliable Democratic state in which Democratic values prevail. To achieve this vision we must convincingly articulate the principles that define Democrats in Arizona and demonstrate how these principles translate into programs that will improve the well being of all residents in the State. We must also identify, field and support candidates capable of competing successfully for offices at the County, State and Federal level.
To achieve that the Democratic Party must strengthen its organizations and expand throughout the state. Only then can Democratic candidates and issues win elections.
Major Goals:
- Unified messages defining what Democrats stand for and what policies Democrats support within Arizona and an effective mechanism for delivering those messages at all levels within the state.
- Regional networks of County Party and club organizations cooperating within defined electoral districts
- Early identification and promotion of strong Democratic candidates eventually for all congressional, legislative and statewide positions.
- A consistent and continuous fund raising program based on specific issues and actions.
- Organization
- State Party
- Identify and work with activists in counties that have weak or nonexistent party organizations. This means providing a framework for activities, specific plans for linking existing state and county activities as well as advice and detailed mentoring of local organizations. This should include a special effort to ensure ethnic and racial diversity and involvement.
- Fill all the available slots with active precinct committee persons
- Encourage development of Democratic clubs to support county party organizations
- Encourage development of block captains organized by the precinct committees
- Develop incentives and disincentives to encourage activism
- Identify required local services that will link the Party with the delivery of those services.
- Develop the state party's internet presence and resources
- Especially develop a mechanism so that all party members can interact and contribute toward establishing policy and defining Democratic issues
- Continue to refine and make available to established and emerging County organizations the "blue list" of potential volunteers
- Continue to refine voter rolls with special emphasis on identifying voters registered as Independents that are sympathetic to Democratic issues
- Conduct continuous online as well as in-person focus group polling to develop and test effective delivery of key messages.
- Work with organizations as they are established to organize regionally by legislative and congressional district
- Strong existing County Party organizations
- Encourage creation of clubs that will support County organizations through fund raising, delivery of local services, identifying potential voters and to develop and maintain current and accurate voter lists
- Work toward goal of filling all available PC slots
- Work to have PC's develop block captains
- Interact continuously to identify and refine lists of Democrats and Independents sympathetic to Democratic issues
- Weak or nonexistent County Party organizations
- Identify potential leaders in each County
- Establish benchmarks for performance by County party officers
- Achieve interaction with elected Democratic officials to aid organization
- Fill every precinct committee slot available
- Develop clubs within each County consistent with legislative and other electoral boundaries
- Establish block captains within precincts
- Interact continuously to identify and refine lists of Democrats and Independents sympathetic to Democratic issues
- With guidance from the State party agree on fund raising goals as County Party contributions to major goals
- Agree on goals and establish frequency for forums and other events staged by County organizations to promote Democratic policies
- Establish program of both intra-County and inter-County coordination to support candidates and policies
- Communication
- Define and continuously promote Democratic issues
- Focus groups of Independent and Democratic voters
- Opinion polling on issues (all-day kindergarten, health care, conservation) that set Democrats in Arizona apart from Republicans
- Interactive use of the State Party web site
- Ensuring that all efforts will be bilingual (English/Spanish)
- Identify and attack Republican positions that contradict Democratic issues
- Focus groups to determine what policies are offensive to a cross section of independents and Democratic voters such as lack of support for education, lack of support for health care, "Old Boy" business as usual favoring the "haves," corruption when identified, fiscal irresponsibility
- Coordinate the findings with legislative initiatives that specifically target laws and programs that are contrary to Democratic values
- Surveys seeking corroborative data
- A program of continuous publicity
- Electronic advertising
- Newspaper advertising
- Letter writing
- Designate spokesmen at state, county, community level and define the pace and frequency to deliver Democratic messages
- Consistent publicity on activities defined above under "organization"
- Regular and measured contact with registered Democrats through phone trees (hence the importance of precinct committee persons and block captains)
- Candidates, Initiatives and Fund Raising
- Commit Arizona Democrats to fielding eventually a strong candidate for every Congressional, Legislative and statewide position.
- Confer with County Parties and clubs for early selection of candidates in every election cycle
- Circulate nominating petitions on behalf of selected candidates
- Immediately begin candidate appearances at Democratic forums, County and Club meetings.
- Immediately begin fund raising consistent with participation in Clean Elections
- Identify any issues that should or could be converted into ballot initiatives that will mobilize independent as well as Democratic voters
- Any initiative will stem from focus groups/surveys
- Coordinate with County organizations and clubs to circulate petitions to place initiatives on the ballot
- Tie fund raising to specific candidates, initiatives
- Separate funds administered by State Party
- House parties, County and club activities will be keyed to specific issues or candidates or campaigns, e.g., Democratic House, Democratic Senate, an initiative to increase access to education, etc.
General points for further discussion:
Building a base and a program:
- What are the trends in population, registration, turnout and how can the Democratic Party take advantage of those trends? Put in place processes to reach new voters - both new residents and those who have not voted in the past.
- What changes in socio-economic outlook benefit/detract from Democratic organizing?
- While fielding candidates in all races what districts can be "turned" and deserve special effort?
- What key services to Democrats can the Party and its local affiliates deliver? Could services include citizenship "scholarships," help with ensuring low-grade felons are not denied their vote?
- What milestones can be established to measure progress toward adopted goals?
- Adapt those milestones to a 2-year, 4-year, 8-year, 16-year timeframe with regular reviews and adjustments.
- Regularly assess the success of activities measured against the plan using an objective and open process. This isn't about feeling good about a particular plan. It's about identifying what works and what doesn't and investing in messages and activities that are judged effective.
The message:
- Messages should be simple and repetitive and constantly reviewed to ensure the Democratic message reaches voters on an emotional as well as an intellectual level. For example, "Can you vote for a Republican plan to cut medical care knowing in your heart and in fact that thousands of your neighbors in Arizona live in fear of not being able to pay for medical care for their children's illness?"
- The same qualifications apply to a consistent attack on Republican policies - "far right, fiscally irresponsible, and morally corrupt."
- Coordinate the development of voter lists as a continuous process with contributions from all levels of organization.
- Define roles for locally elected officials, state officers, county party officers and members, club officers and members and precinct committee persons in delivering the messages.
- As part of developing a coherent message present a clear and understandable delivery plan so volunteers will have a context for continuous action.
Submitted to the Arizona Democratic Party - December 16, 2004
Arizona Borderlands Democrats Strategic Planning Committee
John Michael
Stephen Strom
Lee Hydeman
Roy Elson
Morris Farr
Pat Mencke
Ernesto Portillo
Pat Mencke
