The purpose of the precinct delegate program is to strengthen our party by building a connected, resilient community. There are more Democrats in our area than many realize, but some choose to remain quiet about their political beliefs. It’s up to us to create a space where people feel supported and empowered.
Since the precinct is the smallest division in the election system, organizing at this level is strategic and effective. We can foster local connections by seeding each precinct with engaged activists, turning our party into a true community.
The program begins by identifying people who are eager to join this effort and providing them with the training and support they need to succeed.
When we seed each precinct with engaged, active delegates, we turn neighborhoods into networks and voters into a community. And when that happens? We win. We win the Governor’s race in 2026. We protect our state’s rights. We shape the future we want.
But this isn’t just about elections — it’s about influence. Precinct delegates are the voice of the people. You bring the sentiment of your community directly to the county party and to conventions. You vote for the people who direct the Democratic Party’s vision and strategy. You have a seat at the table — and that seat matters.
We’ve seen the impact precinct delegates can have. During the COVID-19 pandemic, delegates in Detroit’s 13th Congressional District led a mask-and-ballot initiative during the 2020 primary — combining public health outreach with voter registration. Because of their efforts, mail-in ballot return rates hit 68% — 15% higher than the state average.
In the 2018 midterms, Macomb County delegates executed a “flood the zone” strategy — showing up at every public library, talking about key issues, and reaching out to infrequent voters. Their ground game created a 12% Democratic swing in a county that Trump had carried by 48,000 votes just two years before. And more recently, Genesee County delegates used real-time data from the Michigan Democratic Party’s “Delegate Dashboard” to redirect canvassers and boost neighborhood outreach efficiency by 22%.
This is the power of organized, empowered precinct delegates. This is the power YOU can have.
ROLES:
1) Foster connections and support through regular community contact.
2) Attend local township and school board meetings to be aware of local issues and speak on behalf of local Democrats.
3) Bring the information from the meetings to the community to keep the community aware and engaged.
4) Determine the issues that need to be brought to meetings and raise the issues on behalf of the community.
5) Identify other Democrats and recruit new party members.
6) Help turn out the Democratic vote in the community for municipal and national elections.
BECOMING A PRECINCT DELEGATE or CAPTAIN
- Run as a Precinct Delegate in a primary election.
- Be appointed Precinct Captain by the Van Buren County Democratic Party Chair
( You may serve as a Precinct Captain, a non-elected position in which you work to support the Precinct Delegate by attending meetings, engaging the local community, and getting the vote out.)
Note: Precinct Delegate open positions may be filled between elections at the spring convention in the odd years.
Van Buren County Democratic SUPPORT
1) Provide a list of democrats in the precinct for the delegate to contact.
2) Provide software and direct-contact training.
3) Provide support contacting and identifying Democrats in each precinct through phone banking and postcard writing.
4) Support local precinct events.
5) Provide kickoff events with a delegate team from the Voter Engagement Committee in each precinct.
6) Engage in community-building events.
Become a Voice in Your Community: Sign up for The Precinct Delegate Program