1. Become a Precinct Committee Officer (PCO)

A Precinct Committee Officer (PCO) is the Republican representative to the neighborhood in which he or she lives. Most King County precincts consist of a 3 or 4 block radius and have approximately 800 registered voters. This is your target audience and it's quite possible that you already know many of them. During every even-numbered Election Year, individuals can run to be a PCO in their own precinct for the Republican Party. During a non-election year, PCO’s can be appointed by the Chairman of the KCGOP to serve in that office. PCOs are critical to the success of the Republican Party and being a PCO gives you the opportunity to influence Party platforms and candidates. In simple terms, involvement in the party is best realized by first becoming a PCO. Contact the KCGOP at info@kcgop.org or 425-990-0404 if you are interested in taking this first, meaningful step.

2. Engage the Media

Especially during campaign season, engaging print, television, internet and radio media is essential. Consider writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, participating in political and non-political blogs, calling a radio talk show or engaging your friends on Myspace and Facebook. Campaigns often provide issues papers and talking points to facilitate discussions critical to the voting public. If necessary, use these resources to improve the substance of your letter or blog post.

3. Volunteer for a campaign

Volunteer for a local campaign. Every person, no matter their age, has something to offer to a Republican campaign. Various skills are always needed, whether it's building yard signs, responding to emails, driving the candidate or participating in campaign events. MoveRed.org is happy to provide a list of opportunities in your area. Call the KCGOP at 425-990-0404 to locate a campaign in your area.

• Doorbelling and literature drops
• Phone banking
• Fairs, festivals and parades
• Opposition research
• Yard signs
• Mailings
• Professional staffing needs

4. Register People to Vote 

Voter registration is important in every Election Cycle. Everyone has friends and family that would vote Republican, but for whatever reason, are not registered to vote. The power of registering new voters is often underestimated, but critical to electing Republicans. Make sure voter registration forms are in your church, at your school, and pursue every Republican acquaintance to ensure they are registered to vote before the next Election Cycle. The little you do could make a big difference in a tight election.

5. Get Out The Vote (GOTV)

Get out the vote starts now. After you get your friends registered to vote, it’s important that we contact them repeatedly leading up to Election Day to make sure they mail their ballot or go to the polls on Election Day. The 72 hours leading up to Election Day are most critical, and taking the 3 days off before an election to volunteer for a campaign or the Republican Party is very beneficial. Get out the vote activities include canvassing neighborhoods on a door-to-door basis, phone calling in the 3 weeks leading up to the Election, offering rides to the polls and poll watching to ensure the integrity of the process and monitor the turn out of Republican voters.

6. Networking

Use social networking to your advantage. Myspace, Facebook and other similar sites are great resources for promoting a political cause or candidate, recruiting volunteers and supporting your candidate of choice. Email lists and telephone numbers are also vital tools that should be used at every opportune moment. Another way you can get out the vote is by identifying fellow Republican voters and sending such lists to be coded in the database. Washington State is unique because we don’t require voter registration by party. That leaves it up to a guessing game, and the better we guess, the more effective our message will be. Call the KCGOP at 425-990-0404 for more information on how to identify voters in your circle of influence. Politics is all about networking and is arguably one of the most critical elements of your involvement in the Republican Party.

7. Make a Financial Contribution

This is an obvious one. Candidates and political parties need money. If the Republican Party and Conservative values are important to you, then supporting the party and its candidates through time and money is a no-brainer. Think of all the ways that you spend money and decide if a donation to MoveRed.org or any Republican candidates is an appropriate use of your funds.