Precinct Committeemen
 Floyd County Republican Party

POLLING…


(VERY FEW COUNTIES POLL ALL THEIR PRECINCTS BY GOING DOOR TO DOOR. SOME WILL TARGET PRECINCTS OR NEW HOUSING AREAS. SOME COUNTIES CONDUCT POLLS BY TELEPHONE)

Polling is actually contacting each residence within your county, precinct or any given targeted area. The purpose is to find favorable voters for the Republican Party and to register new voters who are favorable to our cause.

POLLING TIDBITS

Whatever method of polling you use the following items will help you target, set goals for registration and turn out the vote on Election Day.

1. As you talk to each household…..learn who lives there and something about them such as special interests, activities, particular interests or concerns about federal, state and local issues.
2. Make notes on the ages of the people…do they have high school age children who might want to register soon, do they have kids in college who might want an absentee ballot application, do they have an elderly or confined person living in the home. All of these things will be valuable to you as you set goals for voter turnout.
3. If people in the household travel for pleasure or business they may need an absentee ballot application or information about voting in the Clerk’s office on the two (2) Saturdays prior to an election.
4. Some people do not want to identify with a Political Party. Ask how they feel about certain races, candidates or issues and you can get a pretty good idea if this person is favorable to our Party.
5. Don’t give up on the first try to contact someone. This is a small world; find someone who knows them and will feel comfortable getting the information for you.

COMPLETING A POLL CARD

When filling out a poll card, use a ball point pen and press firmly. (There are three (3) copies to go through.)

Always ask for a telephone number. If they won’t give it to you, look it up in the white pages and add the information on your poll card.

There is room for four (4) individuals in a household on a poll card. If more space is needed, attach a second card.

When marking Party preference on the card, use “R” if they favor a majority of the Republican candidates, use “D” if they favor a majority of Democrat candidates and “U” if they are undecided or if any other situation exists.

Be sure to mark if each person is registered or if they register in your presence.

Always have registration forms with you. If the people favor the Republican Party, help them complete the registration form; if they favor the Democrat Party or their candidates, be polite but tell them the Democrat committeeman or volunteer will probably be in contact with them.

Mark the poll card if they need a ride to the polls.

Mark the card if they need an absentee ballot application mailed to them. (Be sure to follow through and see that they request an application, receive the ballot and vote.)

A person must apply to the county election board for an official absentee ballot. The voter must sign the absentee ballot application themselves unless they are have disabilities and are unable to sign the application. If a person has been designated by the voter or the county election board to serve as an attorney in fact for the voter, the attorney in fact must attach a copy of the power of attorney to the application.

A person may provide a voter with an absentee ballot application with the following already printed on the ballot:
1. the name of the individual
2. the voter registration address of the individual
3. the mailing address of the individual
4. the date of birth of the individual
5. the voter identification number of the individual

This information CANNOT be already printed on the absentee application:
1. the address where the absentee ballot would be mailed if different from the voter's registration address
2. the political party requested by the voter in a Primary election
3. the types of absentee ballots requested by the individual
4. the reason why the individual is entitled to vote absentee

On the bottom of the card there is a place for questions. Use this space to make comments on particular issues or campaign races. You can use this for targeting later.

Retain a copy for your permanent precinct records. File one copy with your county organization.

Polling is a great way to find out who is registered and who is not.

Polling is a great job for volunteers because you can break up your precinct into small areas. Also people are prone to talk to people they know.



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Floyd County Republican Party - Floyd County, Indiana 2008
This website paid for and authorized by the Floyd County Republican Central Committee
Dave Matthews, Chairman
 

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