So I got invited to participate in my county's Central Committee

[pstans]

The County Democratic party where I live has a Central Committee that meets once a month. (I am new politics and not sure if this a unique thing here or what). Earlier in the summer I joined the Yahoo group and posted a few messages. I just got an email from asking me to participate to represent my precint and more importantly the young adults in the area.

I plan on going, but what should I expect? What does the Central Committe do? Is it comparable to a meetup or is it more?

The meeting is tomorrow and I plan on attending to check it out.

[xxqqqzme]

1. congrats - I wish

I could help U. I got elected 2 Orange County Democratic Central Committee; was even a delegate 2 the state convention. I still don't know what I can, or what the Cent Com does. Good luck, hope your experience is positive.

[expatriot]

2. most county parties that are at least half-way active have CC meetings

it is usually a bunch of establishment peeps getting together to read the minutes of the last meeting where... they read the minutes ofthe previous meeting. or maybe that is just here. Definitely go.... it will be a very good experience to see what your county's permanent Dem infrastructure is like.

[Debi]

3. Similar to MeetUp

You can be as active as you have time and energy to be. Meetings usually consist of going over last months minutes and any old business, if any goals were set the outcome of those goals and creating any new business and goals. This is where fund raisers are planned, oganized door knocking/lit drops/phone calls, and time is spent with elected officials and new candidates. The off-year meetings are a little slower than election years, and this is the time to concentrate on raising money and ideas for election time. Election years are spent helping the state and national parties as well as your local candidates.

[IA_Seth]

4. Mixed Review

Hello. I don't know which county you are in, but here in Linn County I kind of have mixed feelings about our Central Committee.

I was kind of in your boat really. I was elected to the CC at last year's caucuses and didn't even know what the heck it was when I joined. I had never attended a caucus and really hadn't a clue as to "official" party structure.

First of all, it's been a great way to get to know other people. I have met a lot of the area Democrats through the Central Committe and through people I have met through the Central Committee.

As far as getting a lot accomplished, I have been pretty disappointed since I have joined regarding how little we actually seem to do as a group. Sure, we do the parades, we hold our picnics and fundraisers (not enough of them, IMHO), and we TRY to coordinate with campaigns, but in the off season times lately it seems like the roll call and approving the last meeting's minutes takes longer than the current business.

There are a whole host of other things I am not so thrilled with, but I will save that for the locals who care. Basically, its a great networking tool where SOME work gets done SOME times.

Overall though I think its all well worth it and I wish you the best of luck with your experience!

[MaggieSwanson]

5. Run with it...

You'll get to see the 2006 races up-close and personal.
It's a good opportunity to meet the candidates, and work for their campaigns if you want to.
You'll make good connections, and who knows...maybe build up a base for your own candidacy!

[pstans]

6. That is how I was kind of looking at

It will give me a chance to meet some people involved here locally and meet some candidates and get involved in some campaigns at a higher level than canvassing. My mother-in-law is the county chair here for Vander Plaats, so I need to do something to at least offset her work.

[yellowdog]

7. I have been a member of the Dubuque County Central Committee

since the caucus last year and I am very happy with it. You can be as active or passive as you want to be. I am on 2 sub-committees and the chair of a 3rd and I love the involvement. For the average person it gives you a chance to get involved and feel like you are at least trying to accomplish something. It also give you a chance to meet some really great people. If you have ever been a member of anything, political or not, you know there will be some people that just seem to exist without contributing but that is par for the course in any group.

[pstans]

8. I just got back from the meeting

I live in Marshalltown, so it was the Marshall County Democrats meeting that I attended. I was surprised at how organized they were. First there were 17 people in attendence and from names on the agenda and other things, I would say the group is 30+ strong. There was actually a lot on the agenda, organizing for a parade this fall, organizing the candidates for Governor to come and speak (Fallon comes this Saturday), planning a counter to the changes in Medicare that are coming out this September and such. Then they reviewed the mission statement and vision for the group and showed the results from the committees on the action plan. That really impressed me.

I guess they haven't been this organized in the past, but the last election showed them that they can't be organizing and campaigning at the same time. And I guess Bu$h has a lot of people motivated.

I did volunteer for something. John Edwards will be coming to town on Aug. 20th to be the Keynote speaker at a Farmer's Union Convention. The only to attend is to pay the fee for the convention and the workshops that go with it. Well, the women who is running against Steve King for US House in IA District 5 needed volunteers to pass out handouts at the convention. I volunteered and will get into the event for free and be able to hear Edwards speak.

I have some ideas of small things that could be done, but since I am a newbie, I kept them to myself. I am going to meet with the county chair and run them by her. One of the people there is a member of the school board. After the meeting I talked to him about the military getting names of high school students through No Child Left Behind.