Action Phase 3: Roll Up Your Sleeves
Canvas Your Precinct
It’s time to meet the people who live in your precinct. Active precinct delegates can build significant influence in their neighborhood and become the trusted source voters turn to for political news and advice.
Identify the Republican Leaning Voters
You may not realize it, but Michigan does not have voter registration by political party. In fact, there is no official registry of Republican or Democrat voters in Michigan.
Can you get data that identifies Republican-leaning vs Democrat-leaning voters? Yes, there are two ways to acquire this data.
1. The Michigan Republican Party has a list of voters who are already identified as Republican, as well as the unidentified voters in your precinct. Your county party may provide you with these lists, if your intent is to confirm and recruit volunteers and identify new Republican voters in your precinct. However, they will want you to use their app to record updates, and the data you enter will belong to a county party that may be under RINO control.
2. Voter data can be purchased from various sources. Price and quality vary. Some data vendors provide garbage data – inaccurate, stolen or outdated. If you choose to purchase voter data for your precinct, understand exactly what data fields are provided, be prepared to pay between $35 and $200 per precinct, and spot-check the data before creating walk-lists or call lists.
Make Contact
Canvassing can be done door-to-door or via phone call: the guidelines for conversation are the same for each.
Introduce yourself as a neighbor. Tell them what street you live on to build credibility and trust. Ask for voters at the residence who are on your voter list.
Explain your reason for contact. Example: “I’m running for public office. I want to get to know you and ask for your thoughts on a few policy issues.”
If the initial response isn’t overly positive, clarify that you just want a minute of their time!
Bring up a few key policy points. Ask for feedback.
Usually limit this to 2 or 3 questions. Never be argumentative or antagonistic. A respectful discussion wins far more voters; and may significantly boost your response and turnout.
Ask if they have any concerns about policies they would like to discuss. Write down their concerns.
This invites engagement and interaction. Taking notes is a promise of action and shows that you are caring and professional. Don’t rush off. Wait for a natural break in conversation to bring it to a close.
Thank them for their time, and advise how they can get in touch with you!
Collect Data
Voter data is invaluable.
Keep track of the voters in your precinct – contact information, feedback on issues, political engagement, willingness to volunteer, approval for yard-sign placement and more.
Repeat Each Election Cycle
People move. Their views and attitudes change.
Make contact with voters each election cycle. Watch home sales in your precinct, and be sure to welcome the new neighbors!
Attend Meetings & Events
Precinct delegate status is very important at political meetings and events. This increases when you show up with friends and constituents, and make public comment on their behalf!
Attend party committee meetings, local government board meetings and other special events. Organize when there is a concern or issue with an upcoming agenda. Expose party leadership and elected officials who fail to uphold America First values.
Vet Candidates
Find out which candidates for elected office are America First, and which are Me First.
Interview every candidate that will appear on your ballot: federal, state, county, township or city and school board.
In the beginning of campaign season, it can be quite easy to get ahold of candidates and ask them about various issues. They are in a critical time period and need to build support for their campaign.
EXAMPLE QUESTIONS
• What is the America First agenda?
• Do you support a forensic audit of election results?
• Do you support mask and vaccine mandates?
• What are your thoughts on Critical Race Theory?
• Do you support the Right to Life for the unborn?
• Do you support popular vote?
• Do you support Convention of States?
Lobby Elected Officials
Lobbying is any activity a person uses to influence legislation that benefits you and your community; whether that be passing new laws that support your values, or preventing the passage of laws that don’t.
A lobbyist can be anyone, but precinct delegates have an easier time catching the attention of elected officials, especially local ones!
Lobby “Close to Home”
Individuals have more control at the state, county, and city or township levels. The “closer to home” you get, the more your voice will be heard. You can have a great deal of influence with county commissioners, school board members, police chiefs, and other local officials if you reach out to them directly.
Take time each month to connect with at least one of them. Let them know how you’d like them to vote for upcoming legislation, present an issue you’d like to see addressed, or provide positive or negative feedback about their support (or lack of) for legislative action. This could be as simple as an email or phone call. Stay informed about their political activities by following them on social media, signing up for their newsletter, or attending their next “community coffee hour.”
Lobby State Legislators
Hundreds of bills are being considered at any given time, and legislation that gets prioritized will often be items that the public demands.
Find the bills that are currently being considered. Visit www.legislature.mi.gov, click on “Bills”, and use the one of the search options to find pending legislation that matters to you. If using the “Key Word” search, keep it simple by using specific words relating to your issue (ie: “election,” “absentee,” “mandate”). Once you locate a bill of interest, you can learn where it is currently in the legislative process – in committee, passed roll call, referred to the other chamber, etc.
Contact the legislators currently involved. Ask them to either refer the bill favorably or advocate against it.
Lobby Federal Legislators
Federal-level politicians are difficult to influence without a large group of citizens pushing the same message.
The same concepts for lobbying state legislators applies to the federal level as well.
Find the bills at www.congress.gov/search, and use the search bar or filters to find the legislation you are looking for.
The best way to stop bad legislation is to kill it in committee. If the bill is in committee, you do not have to lobby every legislator in the House or Senate – only the committee members need to hear from you at this point!
Is action missing for an issue you would like to see legislation on? It’s time for your legislators to hear from you! Any senator or representative can introduce a bill as long as it is legal (in other words, cannot violate state or federal Constitutions).
Don’t be afraid to contact the people who work directly for you, and politely push them in the right direction. Remember, they get paid with your tax dollars.
Campaign for America First Candidates
Active precinct delegates who have canvassed their neighborhood and built trust can increase voter turnout by 30%. That’s over 900 votes. Your hard work alone could be the deciding factor in state legislative races, which are many times decided by a few hundred votes.
Precinct Voter Guide
Most voters know who the candidates at the top of the ballot are, but have no idea who the best candidate is beyond this.
Your advice could make a HUGE difference! Let your neighbors know which candidates on their ballot support the America First agenda and will truly uphold conservative values in your community.
PRIMARY ELECTION
All RINOs need to be “primaried”!
In the primary election, voters tend to choose the candidate with the highest name recognition (incumbents), and either guess at the others or leave them blank.
Patriots in your precinct would appreciate recommendations for the best candidates for each position from someone they know and trust. Don’t forget the county, township, city and school board positions. Present them with a campaign flyer for each America First candidate, and be prepared to explain why these are the candidates of choice.
GENERAL ELECTION
Every Republican on the ballot may not be your first pick, but generally, they will be a better choice than the Democrat Socialists!
In the general election, voters tend to fill in the oval for straight-party ticket and leave the non-partisan and proposal sections blank.
Be prepared to provide voters with campaign literature for the America First “non-partisan” candidates and recommendations regarding various ballot proposals.
Campaign Volunteer
America First candidates often face contenders backed by lobbyists and wealthy donors. They must rely on grassroots activists and precinct delegates to assist in promoting them.
- Pray for them!
- Donate directly to their campaigns, and fundraise on their behalf.
- Plant yard signs.
- Stuff envelopes and distribute mailers.
- Canvas precincts that do not have an America First precinct delegate!
- Participate in phone banks and text chains.
- Volunteer to help in other unique ways…every campaign is a small business…help with accounting, sales, marketing, IT and more!