Campaign Services Frequently Asked Questions
Thurston County Democrats

Contact: K.D. Chapman-See, CSC Chair  or 360-561-0255

Congratulations on your decision to run, or help someone run, for public office. This year, as in years past, the Thurston County Democrats (TCD) will provide Campaign Services to approved candidates and ballot initiative campaigns. The purpose of this service is to put good Democrats into public office. To accomplish this task we focus on five resources: services, candidate visibility, calendar, a network of hard working Democrats, and contributions. We hope that this fact sheet will help answer questions you may have concerning campaign services.

What are Campaign Services?
Campaign Services include: Bulk Mail Permit, Mailing Lists, Precinct Maps, Office space (when available), Financial Contributions, Endorsement, Fall Election Newsletter advertising, Web page link and event announcements, Burger Booth shifts, Party Events, Calendar Postings, and help identifying campaign volunteers.

Who is eligible to receive campaign services?
Any candidate for a national, state, or local elected office is eligible for campaign services who files for their specific race as a Democrat or, in the case of non-partisan races other than judicial positions, be able to express support for the most recent TCD platform is approved for services by the TCD, and agrees to abide by the rules governing the use of campaign services.

How do I apply for campaign services?
In order to receive campaign services, each candidate must complete the candidate application and return it to the Campaign Services Chair.

What happens after I apply?
We will notify you that we have received your application, and, if necessary, an interview will be scheduled for you to meet with the Campaign Services Committee. The Campaign Services Committee will interview all local candidates and first time candidates. Incumbent local, statewide, or congressional candidates may be screened rather than interviewed. The Campaign Services Committee, however, does reserve the right to interview any candidates that apply for services. Following the interview of screening process you will be notified in writing whether you have been approved for campaign services.

I’m approved – Now what?
We provide five types of services: Resources, Calendar, Visibility, Network and Contributions. In addition to the written notification you will receive a menu of services that are listed as follows. In all cases contact the CSC Chair to schedule or request services.

Campaign Services: Resources
We provide approved candidates the opportunity to be included in our monthly newsletter that goes out to over 6,000 households in Thurston County. We will publish short articles and list the dates of events and fundraisers in the newsletter and email event notices. We will provide a link to your homepage as well as post your events and fundraisers on our calendar.
Other services include the use of our bulk mailing permit, mailing labels, precinct maps and walking lists. Our mailing list includes approximately 6,000 households and 10,000 names. The cost of these services will be charged to your campaign.

Campaign Services: Calendar
We provide calendar coordination to help avoid having more than one campaign event on a given day. Event dates are registered on a first-come first-served basis. Send your campaign event dates to info@thurstondemocrats.org with BLAST in the subject line. We will include your event in the next TCD newsletter, post it at our website and include it in our regular email event notices.

Campaign Services: Visibility & Network
The TCD offers planned events that will give candidates visibility in the community and with Democrats.  In addition, candidates are welcome to address the TCD. We meet on the fourth Monday of every month at the Thurston County Court House, Building 1, Room 152. The meetings start at 7PM. Candidates should contact Stew Henderson to get on the meeting schedule. One final TCD event is the annual summer (August) picnic at Tumwater Falls Park.

In addition to these TCD activities, we have our summer long Burger Booth. While the Burger Booth is our primary fundraiser, it is also a summer time tradition in Thurston County and we are a constant presence at all the major community events. Candidates typically participate in this by staffing one or more shifts. The candidate and volunteers, in T-shirt and other garb, have an opportunity to be seen and participate in this popular event.

Campaign Services: Literature Distribution
Starting in 2006, we have begun to organize our PCOs for literature distribution, including required distribution of a list of candidates endorsed by the TCD. If you would like your literature distributed by PCOs in their precincts at the same time that the endorsements list is distributed, contact the CSC Chair.

Let us know where and when you will be doorbelling or conducting literature drops and we can help get the word out to the PCOs. We have an extensive list of volunteers that are eager to help. Keep us informed of your campaign activities, such as mailing parties or phone banks, and we can help get volunteers to lend a hand.

Campaign Services: Contributions
The TCD may provide cash contributions to approved candidates after the primary.