Is it 2012 yet? Yes!

National media attention has concentrated on the Republican candidates for the 2012 nomination for President, as well as the current debate between President Obama and the leaders of the House and Senate over the debt ceiling, spending, debt, tax reform and other issues.

 A lot of focus is already on the 2012 primary and general election.

 At the local level, however, why should you even care about an election which is more than a year away?  It’s summer, and most people would much rather be thinking about a vacation.  Many are unfortunately thinking instead about how to get or keep a job, or how to sustain their business in this economic environment, or how to survive the continued economic crisis which has destroyed family savings, home values, and retirement plans.

 Regardless of which political party one favors, it’s fair to say  that most people are not very happy with the current direction of national or state politics.  They may not pay much attention to local government, but they probably don’t like their property tax bills as home values have fallen dramatically, but taxes and government spending have not.  There is a lot for voters to complain about, regardless of past political party preference.

 So, what are you prepared to do?  It’s time to engage, inform, respect, and empower local voters.

 There is a tendency to think of the political parties as distant and abstract entities, with each demonizing the other while claiming to have all of the best government solutions.  It is tempting to just sit back and criticize both of them, rather than to actually get engaged in either party and work with your friends, colleagues, and neighbors to improve them.

 Do you even know who leads the political party organizations in your local precinct?

 Have you ever met a “precinct committeeman”, or “PC”?  Do you know what they do?

 That’s a good place to start.  In short, the PC is the elected or appointed leader of the political party organization in a specific voting precinct.  This is the “grassroots” level of the party, responsible for the relationship with voters, elected officials, candidates, and party supporters in that precinct.  PC's need volunteers to help in reaching out and developing better relationships among the hundreds of voters in each precinct.

 The PC’s play a key role in the process of selecting candidates, and informing local voters about them, while also serving as the local point of contact for voters who are concerned about specific government issues or the actions of their elected officials.  The PC’s also select the township, county, and state leaders of the party organizations.  They play an important role with state and federal campaigns as the local organization which can “get out the vote” for candidates at election time.

A good place to start getting involved, therefore, is to track down your local PC.  If you live in Lake County, such as in Cuba or Ela township, here’s a link for the Lake County Clerk website where you can find a list for both parties by township and precinct. 

http://www.lakecountyil.gov/CountyClerk/Elections/CandidateServices/Pages/PrecinctCommitteemen.aspx

 Note that the General Assembly recently changed all of the state legislative and Congressional districts, and there have also been changes to the Lake County Board districts, so voters will receive updated information from the County Clerk in November about their new districts and where to vote in their precincts for the March 2012 primary.

 For example, most Barrington area voters will now be in the 6th Congressional district (Rep. Peter Roskam) rather than the 8th (Rep. Joe Walsh).  The existing 8th District was carved up into 4 new districts and changed so that it is now heavily Democratic voters.

 There are also many local party organization websites and Facebook pages, so a little online research should quickly turn up relevant contacts for your area.  If not, you should probably ask yourself why it isn’t easier to find and reach your local party leaders.

 After all, they are supposed to maintain good party relationships with voters in their precincts.  If you’re not happy with your favorite political party or elected officials – and don’t already know or can’t even find your local party official, that may be an indication of the need to take the initiative and get more involved.

 PC’s are elected in the primary, or appointed by township or county chairment of the party organization.  Many PC positions are vacant, or held by people who should have more contact with voters in their precinct.  It’s not a private club.  PC’s are on the “front line” of the party with voters, and if their local voters don’t even know them, then they may not be doing a very good job.  It’s a volunteer position – not paid – and involves a lot of hard work.  The PC’s are often very dedicated and responsible local leaders, and sometimes run for other elected offices rather than just support party candidates locally.

 If you are in Lake County and are interested in the Republican Party, a good place to start finding the local leadership contacts is the Lake County Republicans website

http://lakecountyrepublicans.com/leadership/

Here’s where you can find the Cuba Township Republican PC’s

http://cuba.lakecountyrepublicans.com/about/precinct-committeemen/

 For the Lake County Democratic Organization, here’s a link for their PC’s.

http://www.lakedems.org/cmteemen.asp

 The 2012 primary in March may seem distant, but the process of selecting candidates is already in progress.  Now is a good time to get involved to make a difference in 2012.