My Year as a First Time Precinct Chair

Just like there are newlyweds, there are newly minted precinct chairs.

If you’ve never heard of a precinct chair, maybe you should consider becoming one. It’s an important role, but don’t sign up expecting to do nothing—we need active precinct chairs in every county in Texas. If you’re curious about what the position actually entails, check out my post, What’s a Precinct Chair?

So, what have I learned?

Mostly, I’ve learned just how much there is to do—and how much I didn’t know.

There’s block walking, phone banking, attending county and state conventions, helping organize local events, becoming a Volunteer Deputy Registrar (VDR) to register voters in Texas, attending monthly county party meetings, recruiting other precinct chairs, and finding Democrats in Hardin County to get them connected with our local community. And that’s still only scratching the surface.

I’m especially grateful for a county chair who has taken the time to teach me. Having several new precinct chairs appear seemingly out of nowhere is a blessing, but it’s also a challenge. Extra helping hands are wonderful, but helping hands that don’t yet know where they’re most needed can be difficult to coordinate—especially when everyone arrives at once.

Here’s what happens: you walk in off the street full of energy, big ideas, and optimism. You don’t know what’s already been tried, what’s currently in the works, or how much effort has already gone into the ideas you’re excited to suggest. You mean well, but without realizing it, you can come across as dismissive of the people who’ve been doing the work all along.

You don’t know the process yet—you just want to help.

And sometimes, the best way to help at first is simply to learn.

So I listened. I stumbled. I burned out more than once. But I kept showing up. I put in the work, asked questions, and offered ideas when the time was right.

It wasn’t a smooth start, but the best adventures rarely are. I’m still learning, still growing, and still finding new ways to serve.

So if you’re thinking about becoming a precinct chair, absolutely bring your ideas. We need them. Just remember to show up, listen first, learn the landscape, and then share your ideas. You’ll be a stronger advocate for your community because of it.