DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF SANTA FE COUNTY

Canvassing:  A systematic direct contact with individuals, usually during political campaigns and often used to identify voter issues before campaigns. Canvassing includes door-knocking, calling on the phone, and texting.

County Central Committee: A body that conducts elections and adopts rules governing the party. The CCC elects representatives (current count is 56) to the State Central Committee.

County Convention: Occurs in even-numbered years before a state or national election. Comprised of elected CCC members (from Ward Meetings), including other elected officials. A platform may be adopted at the convention, and delegates are selected to the State Democratic Convention, where candidates for state and national public office are considered.

County Executive Committee: Serves as an advisory body for the day-to-day operations of the county party. The voting members are the County Officers, ward chairs and vice chairs, and representatives from the Federation of Democratic Women and Young Democrats of Santa Fe County. The meeting is open to all Democrats. It is generally held on the first Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. at 1420 Cerrillos Rd, or it may be held on Zoom. Check the calendar here.

GOTV: Short for “get out the vote.” A concentrated effort to register voters and increase voter turnout during elections. It may include multiple strategies, such as canvassing, phone banking, texting, mailing postcards, letters, or flyers, as well as organizing in-person events like rallies and forums.

MiniVAN:  A mobile phone app used in canvassing. The app’s advantages include directly transmitting information into a database.

Mobilize: A technology platform that allows volunteers to sign up for events such as rallies, virtual meetings, canvassing, and phone banking. Users can sort events by zip code or search for national events that can be done from home.

Precinct: A precinct is a voting unit determined by the county government. The Democratic Party uses these units as the most effective way to build relationships with voters and be “the eyes and ears” of the party. There are 179 precincts in Santa Fe County.

Precinct Chair or Captain: Elected or appointed Democrats representing a neighborhood or contiguous areas. They assist the Ward Chairs with voter contact and mobilization, serve as a liaison between local voters and party leadership, attend meetings, and organize events in their precincts to promote community engagement.

State Central Committee: The State Central Committee (SCC) is the governing body of the New Mexico Democratic Party. It shapes the party’s direction, operations, and decisions. The SCC elects party leadership, such as the state party chair and vice chair. Additionally, it sets party rules and develops a strategy. The SCC helps shape electoral strategies, messaging, and policy priorities at the state level.

Ward: A ward is a local geographic unit composed of multiple precincts, designated by the county’s Democratic Party, that organizes party activity at the neighborhood level. Wards have chairs and vice chairs who organize voter mobilization through canvassing, phone banking, and other methods. Santa Fe County has 19 Wards.