21Dems PCO Working Meeting Feb. 22, 2023
Notes – Peter Henry, Secretary.
16 in attendance (in person), others via Zoom
Micah Rowland (chair), Heather Damrun (vice chair), Peter Henry (secretary), Sharon Holt (state committee person), Charles Liu, Charie Magus, Deb Schultz, Roger Nystrom, Sandy Tenko, Susan Payne (Edmonds City Council), Al Apodaca (PCO Coordinator and on SnoCo county PCO committee), Ing Chen, Tom Friedman, Chris Yobro, Riaz Khan (Mukilteo City Council), Nicki Galeros
Also via zoom: Thom Garrard (state committee person), Jennifer, Theresa
Role of PCO – Micah
-Rarely, we can vote to recommend appointments, e.g. to SnoCo council
-Mostly to reach out to neighbors. Get people to vote to elect good Democrats
How (and why) to do outreach using Votebuilder – Al Apodaca
-Reach out often, not just immediately before election. Build relationships!
A list of techniques is available as a resource online. Al will send out link to the resources to our PCOs
We have 47 PCOs and 160 precincts in our district – there’s a need to recruit!
Example Votebuilder targeting:
Search for people who have voted in last couple federal elections but not in last local election …
How to strategize
Key dates for the year
Proposal to have general (business) meetings every other month (resolutions etc.) as a bylaws change
Other meetings would be have PCO meetings, not formal meetings
We will be focusing on City Council races this year.
One goal is to set up teams of PCOs for Edmonds, Mukilteo and Lynnwood (cities in 21st LD)
Discussion focused on whether this would require a bylaws change, or if existing bylaws allow us already to focus on work meetings, but still allow for motions and voting at each meeting.
Make sure all PCOs tonight are able to log into VoteBuilder.
Try to get as many PCOs in a meeting as possible. Then write down actions for next 30 days. For example, planning a PCO walk in someone’s precinct.
Endorsement process
21st has an endorsements committee to reach out and interview candidates, and make recommendations to the body.
Traditionally 21st has not endorsed until filing deadline has passed. In the past we’ve held our special endorsement meeting right after the filing deadline has passed.
We try to do single candidate endorsements but we allow for multiple
endorsements
Request for volunteers for the endorsement committee
Mukilteo City Council
Open seat, Riaz Khan, Jason Moon up for reelection (Moon is filling as appointed position)
Lynnwood City Council
Maybe 2 open seats
Edmonds
5 council positions and the mayor
Pos. 1 will be open (to fill remainder of appointed term). 2 and 3 are not up for election
4, 5, 6, 7 up for reelection. Most people haven’t announced yet. Mayor (Mike Nelson) has announced
SnoCo
Assessor, Auditor, County Clerk, Sheriff, Treasurer, Executive are all up for election
SnoCo Council – Megan Dunn (pos. 2), Strom Peterson (pos. 3)
South County Fire & Rescue Board
Pos. 2, 4 (Micah), 6
Sno Superior Court
2 positions
Watch out for school districts – there is a right-wing anti-book/agenda out there and we need to maintain a majority.
Edmonds School District
3 positions – #1 (Carin Chase), #3, #5.
Mukilteo SD
3 positions. #1 (just resigned last week), #3, #5
Plans for coming month
March – We will go in to Royal precinct, Edm. 37
5 more Votebuilder training events – this coming Saturday, 2 in March and 2 more in April
32 minute presentation will be sent out as well – need to have votebuilder open.
Adjourn to local establishment.