PCs are the lifeblood of the Democratic Party — including our local McLean County Democratic Party!

Every election is won by talking to voters directly — at their doors, on their porches, in their neighborhoods, where they are. PCs are the best, first line of contact between voters in the precinct and Democratic candidates (and the party). If you are willing to talk to your neighbors and give them information about elections and Democratic candidates, you'd make a great PC!

What is a PC?

A precinct committeeperson (also called precinct captain) is a grassroots-level official within a political party. They serve as a crucial link between the party and the voters in their specific precinct, which is the smallest political subdivision for voting.

Think of PCs as the grassroots activists of political parties at the neighborhood level.

What do PCs do?

PCs can help the McLean County Democrats and our candidates in a number of ways. The most important thing you do as a PC is talk to voters on behalf of the McLean County Democrats and our candidates. But PCs also — importantly — make up the McLean County Democratic Central Committee. That's the decision-making body for our local party and PCs represent the interests of the Democratic voters in their precinct on the Central Committee. Our Central Committee meetings are open to anyone (our regular monthly party meetings), but only PCs get to vote.

Besides talking to voters and being part of the Central Committee, PCs can help in other ways too.

Registering new voters

PCs are encouraged to actively work to register eligible voters within their precinct, often going door-to-door or setting up registration drives.

Building relationships with voters

PCs aim to build relationships with voters in their precinct, understanding their concerns and acting as a liaison between the community and the party.

Communicating with voters

PCs are the key Democratic communicators in their precinct, serving as a point of contact for party information, distributing campaign materials, and answering voters' questions about candidates and party platforms. PCs are also often an important part of circulating petitions to help get Democratic candidates on the ballot!

Encouraging voters to get involved and to vote

As part of their role in talking to voters, PCs play a crucial role in the party's GOTV efforts, encouraging and mobilizing party members and supporters to vote. This can involve knocking on doors, distributing literature, phone banking, and reminding people to head to the polls.

Representing their precinct on the Central Committee

PCs represent their precinct on the McLean County Democratic Central Committee — participating in party decisions, including the election of party leadership at our county convention. Votes are weighted based on the number of Democratic votes in the precinct during the last primary election.

Supporting the McLean County Democratic Party

PCs help appoint election judges for our polling places, can assist with the party's fundraising efforts and encouraging voters to attend fundraising events for candidates, and can help the party identify potential candidates and volunteers!

How are PCs Selected?

In Illinois, precinct committee people are elected in the even-year primary elections to a two-year term. To run for the position, you will need to be a registered voter, a reliable Democratic voter ("member of the party"), and collect enough signatures to get on the ballot. PCs can also be appointed to fill vacancies in between elections. If your precinct does not have a Democratic PC, or you are willing to assist in a precinct where we have a vacancy, reach out to [email protected] and let us know!