Sub-Committees and Work Groups HCDC has a number of sub-committees which work on a wide variety of projects. Whether you'd like to get out and meet with the public, work closely with a group of volunteers, or tackle a project you can work on from your home, we can put your talents to good use. Find your niche and volunteer! Use the Volunteer Contact Form to let us know your interest, or contact Headquarters for more information. (Replace _at_ with @ in email addresses below.) Publicity This group works to get the word out on all the great stuff the HCDC is doing. It involves writing, editing and proofing Media Alerts and Press Releases; submitting events to the local Community Calendars of various organizations; and working with local radio, press and TV to get coverage of events and will be drafting media strategy for upcoming campaigns. This group also designs and sends out the monthly meeting reminders. Headed by Georgia Shankel, 667-9616, georgia_at_shankel.biz Speakers Bureau Know all those great speakers we've been having at our monthly meetings? This is where it happens. The Speakers Bureau finds topics of interest, folks to speak on them and a date on the calendar. Special Events Hancock County does not lack for things to do! Pancake Breakfasts, Concerts, Fairs... plus all of the events we want to put on and host! This group coordinates our presence at these events and pulls together the ones we're hosting. It also makes sure that we know what's going on where and when so interested folks can attend (for instance, when is that Grange dinner?) and puts it on our central Calendar of Events. Fundraising All our good intentions would be for naught if we didn't have the funding to do the work (run ads, have phonebanks, etc). We've had some great fundraisers to date (last year's Auction was amazing and this year's is shaping up well) but this job is never done. Finance & Budget Once we've raised the money, we need to know how to use it wisely and strategically. This group lays out the framework and the larger plan for how to leverage our dollars for maximum benefit. Issues/Legislative The reason for "politics" is "governance". We need to know that things are under debate, and what bills are before the legislature. Tracking this and alerting the larger group when there is an issue which needs action or attention is key to good governance. Candidate Development/Campaign The best legislators are in our own backyards. Hannah Pingree, Ted Koffman, Jim Schatz, Dennis Damon, Mike Michaud, Fay lawson... all started out being involved locally. Who do you know in your community that's involved, interested, intelligent and passionate to make a difference? Getting good people into office is terribly important, adn the best places to start are with the town's school board, select board, planning board, etc. Membership The HCDC membership is strong, and getting stronger. However, we're always looking for ways to get more involved, more signing on as members. How do we get the word out? What is the current membership thinking about? Town Committee Liaison Each town has a local Democratic Committee. The County Committee wants to foster & support these local groups. Writer's Group Did you know that the OpEd page is the second most widely read page in the newspaper? Free and open discussion of hot topics is vital. It puts a fresh perspective out there, helps to frame the debate, and lets other progressives in the area know they are not alone. Writing to the paper has a huge impact, and need not be a scary thing. The Writers Group makes it easy with issue alerts, information encapsulation, source referral and feedback. Sign up today! Headed by John Steed, johns_at_antioch-college.edu Mapping We live in a large, rural county. It can be difficult for candidates and canvassers to know where they need to be, and who lives there. We have software which can help, but we need folks to make sense of the information. It involves playing with a software program and seeing what can be made of it. Voter ID During Campaign '04, our Voter Lists were the talk of the state. We did a fabulous job cleaning them up and making them useful. But, just like housekeeping, the job is never done. People move, people change party... the lists need to constantly be updated. This is critical to a winning Get Out The Vote effort. Absentee Absentee, or "early voting" is becoming an ever larger factor in elections. We did well at getting ballots to people in '04, but it needs to be better. We need to build relationships with nursing homes, hospitals, etc. Anywhere that might be housing people who find it difficult to vote. We need to train more volunteers in how to distribute absentee ballots and we need to get more of them out there. Canvassing Canvassing sounds intimidating, until you realize that it is really nothing more than conversation building with your neighbors. Getting to know what's on the minds of the folks down the street, and letting them know that it is not only at election time that their concerns matter. We've launched an intensive training program (The first night of training was to a full house!) and plan for much more. Voter Registration This group will actively seek out new voters and register them with the State. By-Laws Every good organization runs on By-laws. From time to time, these need to be edited and "spruced up". It also helps to have a few folks about who know the By-laws inside and out, or at least know where to find 'em. Grievance A blessedly inactive group, this subcommittee exists to mediate over any disputes which might occur. Web/Tech We have an active newsletter list, a growing discussion list, and an amazing website. We're also in near-constant discussion of how to keep our systems and programs up to date and fabulous. Platform Committee These HCDC members work with others from around the state to prepare the platform for the Maine Democratic Party. They