This post appeared in The Bray in January. Updated information on Precinct Reorganization including a step-by-step guide to getting involved appears here.

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In accordance with state election law, the South Carolina Democratic Party (SCDP) will re-organize in 2018, beginning at the precinct level. The SCDP has determined that the GCDP and all other county parties will meet on Saturday, January 20 for precinct reorganization. Please plan to join us.

What is a Precinct?

A precinct is where elections are won or lost because it is where people live and vote. It is comprised of the voting population living within a geographical area who all vote at the same designated polling place.

• “…voting precincts and voting places [are] designated, fixed, and established by the General Assembly.” (SC Code of Laws, Section 7-7-10)
• There are currently 151 precincts in Greenville County.
• Democrats and Republicans utilize the same precinct boundaries and designations.

For the SCDP and GCDP; precinct organization facilitates one-to-one contact with the voter. Through educating and mobilizing voters, precinct organization can essentially be the grassroots activation for electing Democrats to office.

What happens at precinct reorganization?
Registered voters are invited to a meeting of their precinct to get to know their neighbors, discuss party and public policy issues, elect precinct leadership, adopt resolutions drafted by precinct members, and elect delegates to their county convention to be held in February or March 2018. At their county convention, voters will hear from Democratic candidates for election in 2018 and delegates will elect county party leadership, vote on county party resolutions, and elect delegates to the SCDP (state) convention to be held on Saturday, April 21, 2018 in Columbia.

Which leadership positions are available at the precinct level?
The GCDP is working on locations throughout the county for the reorganization and will use letters, emails, and other notices to let you know the time and place for your precinct meeting. We expect to have several precincts meeting at each location as in past years. More information will be coming about what to expect regarding re-organization and the county and state conventions as well.