Precinct Delegate FAQs

 

BELOW YOU WILL FIND ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN SHARED ONLINE BY OTHER MICHIGAN COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTIES AND THE MICHIGAN GOP.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT BECOMING A PRECINCT DELEGATE, CONTACT THE MUSKEGON COUNTY REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE ON OUR CONTACT US PAGE.

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​What is a precinct?

A precinct is the smallest political geographic division in a state. The area varies in size and is determined by population. A precinct contains a maximum of 2,999 registered voters, although many precincts are smaller. It is up to local municipalities to draw their own precinct lines.

 

What is a precinct delegate?

A precinct delegate is an elected representative to a local political party from a precinct. Every precinct has at least one Republican delegate, and some have more. The local Republican Party determines the number of delegates based on the number of Republican votes in that precinct in the previous election.

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How to become a Precinct Delegate

A person wishing to become a Republican precinct delegate must be a registered voter in the precinct they are running. The candidate must fill out an Affidavit of Identity and turn it in to the Muskegon County Clerk’s Office. (Next election will be in 2022 - Check back for deadline.) Affidavit’s can be found at the Clerk’s office, at our Muskegon County GOP meetings or by clicking the link below at the bottom of this page. These affidavits need to be notarized before being turned in. Notary public can be found at any local clerk’s office, local banks, or by contacting us. Once an affidavit is completed it needs to be turned in to the Muskegon County Clerk’s Office. This will put you on the ballot for the August Primary in your precinct. Only those voting in your precinct and voting on the Republican side of the ballot will be able to vote for you.

 

What are the duties of a precinct delegate?

The official role of a precinct delegate is to attend, actively participate and vote at each county convention during the two-year term. Precinct delegates should assist local parties and candidates with a variety of activities, and serve as a liaison between their local party and their community.

 

Why should I become a precinct delegate?

Politics begins at the local level when you talk to your family, friends, and neighbors about the issues that are important to you. Once you get involved and become a precinct delegate, you have the opportunity to share these issues and concerns and make a difference. In addition, only elected precinct delegates may vote for the leadership of the Party.

 

How do I make a difference?

Precinct delegates play a key role in electing Republicans not only to every public office, but also to leadership positions within the Republican Party. As a liaison to your community, you have the opportunity to build personal relationships with candidates and party leaders. These individuals come to you when they need to know specifics about your community. In addition, precinct delegates have the privilege of attending state conventions where they help select many of the Republican candidates for statewide offices.

 

Where is my Precinct?

The first thing to do is determine the precinct in which you live. You can find this information on your voter registration card, or from your county, city, or township clerk. Once you get this information, the next step is to get a precinct map. Precinct maps are available from your local clerk; the map will illustrate the boundaries of your precinct.

 

How do I get to know my Precinct?

Once you have a map, you should drive around your district. As you are driving, take in the characteristics of your precinct. Note which areas are industrial, commercial, farmland, or residential, and pay attention the kinds of homes in your area. Are they single-family homes, multi-family dwellings, or communities with restricted access? Look for growth, new homes, subdivisions, or businesses. All of this information will be useful to you as a precinct delegate, as well as local candidates, while you plan for election activities.

 

How do I get to know the people in my precinct?

After you have driven around your precinct and familiarized yourself with the area, it is time to meet the people who live there. The best way to do this is to walk your precinct. This shows you are active in your neighborhood and that you care about the community. It is a great way to find out where Republicans live. Once you have identified Republicans in your precinct, you can ask them to volunteer during the next election, place a yard sign in their yard, and remind them to vote on Election Day. Keeping in contact with the Republicans in your precinct is a great resource for Republican candidates up and down the ticket.

 

What else do I need to know?

It is important to remember that you have been chosen by the Republicans in your precinct to be the liaison to the Republican Party. As a precinct delegate, you will be asked to help with a variety of activities, and your help will be crucial to local candidates and the Party as a whole. Others in your area will look to you for Republican information and connections; you are the point person for your precinct.

 

Voter Identification

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. Therefore, the ability of Republican campaigns to talk to Republican voters is contingent upon hard work at the precinct level.

 

What is a county convention?

A county convention is a meeting of the precinct delegates and elected officials of a given county. At these meetings, the participants elect individuals to be delegates and alternates to the state convention, or they elect people to serve on the county party executive committee.

 

What other functions do Delegates have?

After Election Day, precinct delegates have another responsibility. Late in the year and early the following year precinct delegates will convene in the district or county conventions to elect executive committees and officers to serve through the following election. There they will also elect delegates to the February state convention where new state party officers and a new state central committee will be chosen to serve through the next two years.

For more information, see the MI Bureau of Elections Manual for Precinct Delegate Candidates: 
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/V_Precinct_Delegate_Candidates_265988_7.pdf

 

Checklist to become a precinct delegate

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1. Obtain a precinct map from the local clerk's office.

2. Find out the number of (your party) precinct delegate vacancies in your precinct.

3. File your Affidavit of Identity with your county clerk no later than 4:00 p.m, on the twelfth Tuesday prior to the August Primary. Find out how many delegates have filed in your precinct for precinct delegate. Your Affidavit of Identity must be notarized.

4. If you have opposition, contact your neighbors, friends and family that reside in your precinct and ask for their support. Primary election day is the second Tuesday in August. Remember to vote.

5. Get involved in your local party immediately. Keep the party informed about what your neighbors are talking about and keep your neighbors informed about what elected party members are doing for them.

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PRECINCT DELEGATE AFFIDAVIT FORM:

 

HTTPS://WWW.MICHIGAN.GOV/DOCUMENTS/AFF-ID_PRECNT_139901_7.PDF