The 45th District Democrats is completely run by volunteers. Volunteering is a great way to get involved! We have openings across all our committees and need your skills and talents.
Volunteers Needed! Scroll to the bottom of this page for the Volunteer form
Social Media Moderator(s)
Help run the 45th’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram outlets. If you are (or want to be) engaged with 45th LD political breaking news and the activity of our elected officials, this is the position you have been looking for! Work alongside our communications team. Flexible schedule. https://twitter.com/45thDem
Endorsement Committee
The primary function of the 45th is to endorse and elect the democrats who will do the most for the 45th district. The Endorsements Committee interviews Democrats running for office in local and state government and then makes recommendations to our members.
Interviewer – This is a chance to directly interface with the leaders who run our local and state government! Interviewers interview all the Democrats running in a given race. There are meetings before the interviews to discuss the goals and requirements for the office and meetings after the interview to discuss results. Work is a few hours a week for a few months during election seasons. Need 5-10 volunteers.
Interview Panel Lead – Collaborate with the committee chair to co-lead the endorsement process for a jurisdiction (Kirkland, Redmond, Duvall, Port of Seattle, Riverview School District, or King County Superior Court). This includes identifying candidates, reviewing questionnaires submitted by candidates to determine whether to interview them, developing interview questions, recruiting Endorsements Committee members, and drafting the committee’s short endorsement recommendation to the 45th LD membership for their decision. Volunteers in this role need a fair amount of knowledge about their jurisdiction and a passion to increase the quality and authenticity of the endorsements made to the 45th LD membership. Work is a few hours a week for a few months during election seasons.
Researchers – Research the cities, issues, and offices that are in play for the upcoming election. Help write good questions for the interviews that make the candidates respond to the issues that matter the most in our district. If you’re passionate about policy in one of our 45th cities (Kirkland, Redmond, Woodinville, Sammamish, Duvall) please reach out! Flexible schedule.
Note Taker – Attend meetings and interviews and take notes. Distribute the notes to the committee. Work is a few hours a week for a few months during election season.
Administration and Rules Committee
The Administration and Rules committee assists members and the executive board with interpreting and following the bylaws and other rules of the 45th. The committee also facilitates in drafting new bylaws or amendments if necessary.
Committee member – Become familiar with the bylaws of the 45th. Work with the committee chair to address questions and concerns from members and the executive board about the content and meaning of bylaws. Assist with drafting new bylaws or amendments. Flexible schedule.
Communications Committee
The goal of the communications committee is to promote the work of the 45th District Democrats and increase engagement through a cohesive and unifying messaging strategy across all its platforms. They do this via email, the website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, as well as a printed endorsement guide that is mailed to voters leading up to elections. We need the following volunteers:
Social Media Moderator(s) (Open) – Help run the 45th’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram outlets. If you are (or want to be) engaged with 45th LD political breaking news and the activity of our elected officials, this is the position you have been looking for! Work alongside our communications team. Flexible schedule. https://twitter.com/45thDemocrats
Endorsement Guide Designer (Open) – Create the printed version of the Endorsement Guide that gets mailed to thousands of voters leading up to elections. Some graphic design experience is required for this role. Time commitment is several hours a week, for a few weeks leading up to print deadlines.
Graphics Designer (Open) – Create logos and other graphics for the 45th Democrats.Contact [email protected]
Committee Chair – If you’re interested in leading the Communications Committee, contact [email protected]
Events and Hospitality Committee
The Events and Hospitality Committee is responsible for hospitality at meetings and the organization of special or seasonal events, such as the District’s annual picnic, winter holiday party, and parade entries as well as fundraising events, such as the annual Eastside Dinner.
Committee Chair – If you’re interested in leading this committee contact [email protected]
Fundraising Committee (Open)
The Fundraising Committee works with the Finance, Membership and Outreach, and Events and Hospitality Committees to strengthen the organization’s financial resources in support of the party’s candidates and causes.
Committee Chair – If you’re interested in leading this committee contact [email protected]
General Meetings
General Meetings happen on the first Wednesday of each month from 7:00 – 9:00 pm (or a bit later) over Zoom. This is where the regular business of the 45th District Democrats is done, including: endorsing candidates, voting on resolutions, and hearing from our elected representatives.
We need the following volunteers to ensure our meetings run smoothly. If we get enough volunteers, we can rotate folks through a variety of tasks!
Check-in Hosts – Arrive early at meetings (around 5:45), and greet people as they join the meeting and are put into a breakout room with you. Find their name on a list and rename them as a member, PCO, or guest, then help them find their way into the main meeting. Time commitment is about one to 1 1/2 hours per month.
Chat Link Helper – Put hyperlinks mentioned by speakers and presenters into the Zoom chat during general meetings. Sometimes links are prepared beforehand and sometimes they need to be found as they are mentioned. Time commitment is two to three hours per month.
Chat Researcher – If a question arises during a meeting that can’t be readily answered, research it online and report back into chat with a summary of the finding and relevant links to more information. Time commitment is two to three hours per month.
Legislative Action Committee (LAC)
The LAC helps make sure that legislation important to the 45th district becomes law. The LAC tracks specific bills as they travel through both houses of the State legislature and notifies members when it’s time to call our representatives and intervene to save a bill. The LAC tracks bills in a wide range of policy areas including: Budget and Revenue Reform, Climate Action and Environmental Protection, Police Accountability, Electoral Reform, Education, Healthcare, Affordable & Sustainable Housing, Public Safety & Gun Responsibility, Technology, Emergency Readiness and Pandemic Response, and Transportation. If you’re interested in policy improvements in any of those areas, come join the LAC!
Bill Tracker – Follow bills according to the 45th’s legislative priorities as they move through the legislature; this can be done easily online. Notify your teammates when a bill is in trouble and help advise the membership on ways to intervene (call/email representatives etc.) Flexible schedule, Jan – April.
Membership and Outreach Committee (Open)
The Membership and Outreach Committee works to recruit new members, develop community relationships and invite more people into the democratic process. This includes registering voters, reaching out to residents (voters & non-voters), connecting with other groups in our community, training volunteers, and working to ensure that the 45th District Democrats organization is diverse, inclusive, and accessible.
Resident & Voter Outreach – Work with volunteers to register voters, listen to our community, provide information, and encourage participation.
Community Outreach – Work with organizations and constituencies to encourage participation, learn about community needs, and make sure everyone has a seat at the table. This would be a great role if you are part of a community that isn’t currently well represented — including but not limited to: immigrant, veteran, labor, LGBTQIA, disability, youth, and racial or cultural communities — and for anyone interested in working with other other organizations and community partners.
Accessibility & Inclusivity – Develop best practices and identify tools to ensure that meetings, events, communications, and operations of the 45th District Democrats are accessible and inclusive.
Researchers – Help find information, compile resources, or keep notes to support the work of the Membership & Outreach Committee.
Chair – If you’re interested in leading this committee contact [email protected]
PCO Support Committee
This committee recruits PCOs and supports their work by providing mentorship and strategic planning to increase turnout and support for the 45th’s endorsed candidates.
Precinct Committee Officer (PCO) – Become a PCO! Help people register to vote in your precinct and help them understand important ballot issues and candidates. Flexible schedule, but busy during elections in July and October.
PCO Recruiter – Call democrats in precincts without a PCO and invite them to meetings where they can learn more about becoming a PCO.
Deputy Chair – Assist the Chair with administrative duties running the committee such as scheduling, coordination, note-taking, planning, designing PCO materials and more depending on skills and interest. Flexible schedule, but busy during elections in July and October.
Volunteer!
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