For those of you who are currently precinct committeemen (PCs) — yes that’s the term the Arizona Revised Statutes uses — I am told that your packets with your petitions are going out in the mail to you shortly.
In most instances, a PC will need no more than ten (10) signatures on his or her petition from qualified electors of their political party to qualify for election as a PC. Depending upon your neighborhood, this takes an hour of your time, two hours tops. You spend more time than that watching the tee-vee machine every day (c’mon you know you do). So no more excuses!
Once you have qualified for the ballot, in most cases you will be “deemed” elected at the Primary Election in August by your County Board of Supervisors. In those rare cases where there are more candidates for PC than there are slots for PCs in a particular precinct, there will be a supplemental ballot for PC election in that precinct.
Only elected PCs are entitled to vote for the reorganization of Legislative District organizations in Maricopa and Pima Counties after the November election. Only elected PCs are entitled to run for District officer positions, and for state committeemen positions.
Only elected PCs are entitled to vote for the reorganization of County Party organizations after the election. Only elected PCs are entitled to run for County Party officer positions. State committeemen positions will be confirmed at the County Party reorganization meetings in 2015.
Finally, only those of you who are elected PCs and confirmed as state committeemen are entitled to vote for the reorganization of State Party organizations in January 2015. At one time, only elected PCs were entitled to run for State Party officer positions, but you should review your party’s current Bylaws for confirmation. The state party reorganization is in January 2015.
For those of you who are not currently PCs but would like to to become one, contact your local county political party office for a PC petition.
So why am I telling you this? Because I am sick and tired of all the bitching and moaning from people who complain that the political parties do not reflect their views, and they do not have candidates for whom to vote in primary elections. And whose fault is that? That’s right, yours!
Democracy is a participation sport. Those who choose to sit on the sidelines have no right to bitch and moan and to complain.
This is especially true for the Arizona Republic’s Laurie Roberts and her “mythical moderate Republicans” and the Chamber organizations who complain that the Arizona Republican Party has been hijacked by far-right extremists from the Tea Party and Dominionist Christians. Yet the Chamber organizations continue to give them campaign donations, and the Arizona Republic continues to endorse them for office. Hypocrites.
If the “mythical moderate Republicans” and the Chamber organizations want to take back control of the Arizona Republican Party, then they need to get off their comfortable lazy asses to organize and to run for PC positions to take back district organizations, county party organizations, and the Arizona Republican Party.
At a minimum, the “mythical moderate Republicans” and Chamber organizations should demonstrate basic common sense by not financially supporting and voting for the extremists they claim to oppose. Stop the tribalism of mindlessly voting for the candidate with the “(R)” behind his or her name.
There are people around the world who are putting their lives on the line for the right to vote and for a democratic government. There are generations of Americans who have put their lives on the line for your right to vote and to preserve our democratic Republic. As Americans, we all have a civic responsibility to be an informed and engaged citizenry in our democracy. Get involved!