Poll Greeter Guide

Poll Greeters are outside the 100-foot marker and their activities are not very restricted. They can electioneer, help voters with ballots, wave candidate signs, and help support Democrats in the voting process as long as they stay outside the 100 ft marker of the polling place.

Contact your Political Party’s and or Candidates’ campaign office(s) and ask for the Get Out The Vote (GOTV) or Poll Greeter Coordinator to inquire about a poll greeter assignment.

What to Wear:

• Comfortable layers of clothing as the temperature will change throughout the day.
• Comfortable shoes, because you may be standing for long periods of time.
• Sunscreen, as there is little shade at polling places.

What to Bring:

• Bottles of Water and snacks/energy bars
• Extra sunscreen, sunglasses, an umbrella (for shade and rain)
• A book, radio or MP3 player for when there is no voter traffic
• A cell phone (or locate a nearby payphone)
• A folding chair
• Handbook for Election Judges and Clerks
• Election Day phone numbers and web address
• Folding table for Candidate and Party literature
• Candidate and Party literature and signs

What to Expect:

People happy to see you there; those who are hostile to you being there; and many people indifferent to you being there

• An election official, a hostile voter or someone from another party may question your presence. While this is rare, be prepared for anything. In addition, ALL greeters, signs and literature must be a specified distance from the entrance to the polling place.
• Voter traffic will fluctuate dramatically. Many tend to vote before or after work. Some arrive during their lunch break or after-school. Typically, there is a lower turnout during non-presidential election years.
• A long but satisfying day. You may leave with more energy than when you started because you made a huge difference.

As a Poll Greeter, your main responsibilities are:

1. To project a positive, enthusiastic attitude;
2. To give palm cards or other handouts; and
3. To thank arriving people for voting, encourage them to vote for your party or particular candidates and ask if they have any last minute questions.
4. Thank departing people for voting too.

The job seems simple and extremely repetitive, but executing all three tasks at the same time throughout the day is harder than it seems. Make each handout and greeting as genuine, enthusiastic, and effective as the first.

• Say “Thank you for voting today, and please vote for these great candidates.”
• If you are alone, do not encage in lengthy discussions of the issues/candidates with people that want to talk. Direct them to the Hospitality Table that you set up that has candidate and or party literature.
• Position yourself next to the main pathway into the polling place, but do not block it. Always make sure you are outside the restricted area.
• Keep smiling, even in the face of hostile people. Remember that you are making a positive difference and there are lot more people grateful that you are there. Your calm and polite response to a hostile voter creates a positive impression of both you and the party.

Keep your chair and personal items nearby so you can easily sit down when time permits but you are able to remain in position to greet new voters. Please know that you are critical to the success of the Democratic Party. Thank you for making a difference!

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Voting Info For Sidebar

Please vote early this year - you'll be glad you did. Please remember to take your Voter's Registration Card with you to the early voting polling place when you vote and PLEASE DO NOT cut the bar code off of the orange card - election clerks can use the bar code to electronically verify your voter registration status, which makes the voting lines move much faster for everyone!!!

Did you receive your 2008 Orange Voter's Registration Card? If you did not receive an orange registration card during 2008, your voting registration record may have been "suspended" or "canceled." Check your registration status here. If you are not yet registered to vote, get your Voter's Registration application here.

Note: Your Precinct Number, U.S. Congressional District Number, County Commissioner Precinct Number and other important information can be found on your 2008 Orange Voter's Registration Card.

Full Election Information and Links

Touchscreen Voting: A How to Guide for Collin Co. Early Voters

WhyBarack.com

Check Election Day Polling Places

Democratic Candidates Whose Name Will Appear On Collin County Election Ballots.

09/05/08 - First day to apply for ballot by mail 10/06/08 - Last day to register (for this election) 10/20/08 - First day of early voting 10/28/08 - Last day to apply for ballot by mail** 10/31/08 - Last day of early voting 11/04/08 - General Election Day

** Ballot by mail application must be received in the Elections Office by this date.

Full Election Information and Links

Get Out And Vote

Collin County Commissioner's Court

The Texas Constitution vests broad judicial and administrative powers in the position of County Judge, who presides over a five-member Commissioner's Court. Four Commissioners, each elected to a commissioners precinct representing approximately a quarter of the county's population, serve with the Presiding County Judge on the Commissioners Court.

Members of the Collin County Commissioner's Court also serve as Trustees of the Collin County Health Care Foundation, Collin County Housing Finance Corporation, and the Collin County Substance Abuse Foundation.

In addition to assuring that county roads are maintained, commissioners vote with the county judge to set the budget for all county departments and adopt a tax rate. The County Commissioners Court also:

• Sets the yearly property tax rate and approves the budget and employment level for the county;
• Sets commissioners and justice of the peace precinct boundaries;
• Calls, conducts and certifies elections, including bond elections;
• Sets employment and benefit policy;
• Establishes long-range thoroughfare, open space, land use, financial and law enforcement/jail needs plans;
• Acquires property for rights-of-way or other uses determined to be in the public's best interest;
• Reviews and approve subdivision platting and wastewater treatment for rural areas;
• Provides rural ambulance services and subsidizes rural fire protection;
• Oversees the construction, maintenance and improvement of county roads and bridges;
• Appoints non-elected department heads and standing committees;
• Supervises and controls the county courthouse, county buildings and facilities;
• Adopts a county budget;
• Determines county tax rates;
• Fills vacancies in elective and appointive positions; and
• Has exclusive authority to authorize contracts in the name of the county.

Your Collin County Commissioner's Court Precinct Number can be found on your Voter's Registration Card within the box titled "Com."

U.S. House of Representatives

The boundaries of the 3^rd Texas Congressional District and the 4^th Texas Congressional District meet in Collin County. Your Congressional District Number can be found on your 2008 Orange Voter's Registration Card within the box titled "Congress."

The 3^rd Texas Congressional District includes a large portion of the southwestern corner of Collin County that includes Plano and most of Frisco and McKinney. The 3^rd District also encompasses the northeastern corner of Dallas County that includes parts of Richardson, Garland and Dallas.

Collin and Dallas County residents must check their Registration Card to verify their respective congressional district number. Click on the map to enlarge. The 3^rd District on the map is shaded in yellow and the 4^th District is shaded in pink.

In Collin Co. the 4^th Texas Congressional District county. The 4^th Texas Congressional District also includes all or parts of Bowie, Camp, Cass, Collin, Delta, Fannin, Farnklin, Grayson, Hopkins, Hunt, Lamar, Morris, Rains, Red River and Rockwall counties.

A Congressional District is an area within a state entitled to elect one "congressional member" to the United States House of Representatives. The United States has a total of 435 Congressional districts and each district has about 570,000 people. The 435 congressional seats are reapportioned within and among the 50 states after each decennial census as prescribed in Section 2, Article I of the Constitution of the United States according to a formula established by the congress.

Texas has 32 U.S. Congressional Districts. The Texas legislature has primary responsibility for "redistricting" the U.S. Congressional Districts within Texas as well as the districts for the Texas State Senate, State House and State Board of Education after each decennial census. The Texas legislature also has the primary role in making changes to state judicial districts. Section 28, Article III of the Texas Constitution requires the legislature to "redistrict" the various governmental jurisdictions during its first regular session following publication of each United States decennial census. For an Interactive Map of Texas U.S. Congressional (110th Congress) districts, plus State House, State Senate and State Board of Education Districts click here.

The U.S. House of Representatives 3rd Congressional District seat is currently held by Republican Sam Johnson.

Mr. Johnson, who will be 78 years old in October 2008, was first elected to the 3rd District House Seat in a special election on May 8, 1991. Johnson has been reelected to the U.S. House Seat in eight regular elections beginning in 1992. The Texas 3rd District House Seat has arguably been one of the deepest red Republican districts in Texas and the United States since 1968 when the Republican Party first took control of the 3rd district House Seat. Johnson ran for reection unopposed by a Democratic Candidate in the 1992, 1994, 1998 and 2004 elections. Johnson has voted against tax incentives for energy conservation and clean/alternative energy development. Johnson also voted to eliminate "critical habitat" for endangered species and to reduce liability for hazardous waste dumping and clean up. Johnson opposes universal health care coverage, supports the privatization of social security and has voted against re-regulating the home mortgage industry. To review Johnson's positions on the issues and his U.S. House of Representatives voting record, click here.

The U.S. House of Representatives 4th Congressional District seat is currently held by Republican Ralph Moody Hall.

Mr. Hall, who at 85 years old is the oldest serving member of the House of Representatives, first ran for and won the 4th District House Seat as a self-described "old-time southern conservative Democrat" in the 1980 general election. Hall was reelected to that U.S. House Seat as an "old-time conservative Democrat" in every regular election until 2004 when he switched parties to run as a Republican. Hall switched parties after House Majority Leader Tom DeLay engineered the controversial mid-decade redistricting of Texas in 2003. That mid-decade redistricting of Texas added the northern and eastern portions of Republican strong-hold Collin County to the 4th district. After the switch, the Republican Party allowed Hall to keep his seniority and Hall became chairman of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality. Hall has voted against tax incentives for energy conservation and clean/alternative energy development. Hall also voted to eliminate "critical habitat" for endangered species and to reduce liability for hazardous waste dumping and clean up. Hall opposes universal health care coverage, supports the privatization of social security and has voted against re-regulating the home mortgage industry. To review Hall's positions on the issues and his U.S. House of Representatives voting record, click here.

U.S. Senate Seats For Texas

Article One of the Constitution of the United States specifies that each state shall have two Senators, which are now elected by state-wide general election. Senators serve six-year terms that are staggered so that one third of the Senators stand for election every second year.

The Constitution assigned to Congress responsibility for organizing the executive and judicial branches, raising revenue, declaring war, and making all laws necessary for executing these powers. The president is permitted to veto specific legislative acts, but Congress has the authority to override presidential vetoes by two-thirds majorities of both houses.

The Constitution also assigns special responsibilities to the Senate to advise and exercise its consent on proposals made by the President of the United States for key executive and judicial appointments, including Justices to the Supreme Court, and on the ratification of treaties with foreign countries. The two U.S. Senators from Texas cast two of the fifty votes the Senate needs to advise and exercise its consent on appoints and treaties proposed by the President.

Supreme Court of Texas

The Supreme Court of Texas is composed of a Chief Justice plus eight Justices and it is the court of last resort for civil matters in the State of Texas. The Supreme Court of Texas was first established in 1836 by the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, which vested the judicial power of the Republic in “…one Supreme Court and such inferior courts as the Congress may establish.” The later Texas state Constitutions also established the Supreme Court as head of the judicial branch of Texas government.

A different court, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, is the court of last resort for criminal matters. The Justices of the Supreme Court are elected to staggered six-year terms in state-wide elections.

The Supreme Court has statewide appellate jurisdiction in most civil cases, which include contract, personal injury, family and juvenile cases. The Court’s jurisdiction is discretionary; that is, the Court decides what cases it will take. Parties do not have a right to have their cases fully heard by the Court. Instead, they petition the Court to review their cases. Only about 10% of the cases are granted review. The Supreme Court’s caseload consists of three primary categories:

1. Determining whether to grant review of the final judgment of a court of appeals or certain interlocutory orders via a petition for review;
2. Disposition of regular causes which include review of a final judgment, petitions for writs of mandamus or habeas corpus, certified questions, accepted parental notification appeals, and direct appeals;
3. Disposition of numerous motions related to petitions and regular causes.

Members of the Texas Supreme Court are elected in partisan elections on a statewide basis for six-year terms of office. When a vacancy arises the Governor of Texas may appoint Justices, subject to Senate confirmation, to serve out the remainder of an unexpired term until the next general election. Anyone appointed to the Court must stand for election in the next general election after the appointment.

Five of the current Justices, a majority, have been appointed by Governor Rick Perry (R) and all the current Justices, like all the Judges of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, are members of the Republican party. All justices are elected to a "court place position" in state-wide general elections. Other than Place 1, which is reserved as the Chief Justice place position, the Supreme Court place numbers have no special significance.

To stand for election a person must be at least 35 years of age, a United States and Texas citizen, licensed to practice law in Texas, and must have practiced law at least 10 years. There are no other qualifications to be a justice — the rest is up to the voters of Texas, or in the case of a vacancy, the Governor.

By statute, the Texas Supreme Court has administrative control over the State Bar of Texas, an agency of the judiciary. The Texas Supreme Court also has the sole authority to license attorneys in Texas, and appoint members of the Board of Law Examiners, which under instructions of the Supreme Court, administers the Texas State Bar Examination. Administrative duties include:

1. Promulgating the Rules of Civil Procedure for the Texas judicial system (Gov’t Code §22.004);
2. Promulgating rules of administration for the Texas judicial system (Gov’t Code §72.024);
3. Equalizing the dockets of the 14 courts of appeals (Gov’t Code §73.001);
4. Promulgating the rules of procedure for the Commission on Judicial Conduct, and disciplining judges or removing judges from office (Gov’t Code, Ch. 33, art. V, sec.1-a);
5. Supervising the operations of the State Bar of Texas and the rules and regulations for the admission, discipline, supervision, and disbarment of lawyers, and approving the law schools of the State (Gov’t Code, Ch. 81); and
6. Promulgating the rules for the operation of the Court Reporters Certification Board and the disciplinary rules enforced by this Board (Gov’t Code §52.002).

Committees of lawyers and judges assist the court in reviewing, amending and developing rules of procedure and judicial administration — but the Court has final say on the rules. By overseeing the State Bar and ruling and disciplinary matters, the Court regulates the legal profession itself.

By statute, the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court has the responsibility to:

1. Confer with the presiding judges of the administrative judicial regions to promote the prompt dispatch of judicial business (Gov’t Code §74.001);
2. Assign judges between administrative judicial regions (Gov’t Code §74.057);
3. Assign retired appellate justices to the various courts of appeals on a temporary basis (Gov’t Code §74.003);
4. Deliver a “State of the Judiciary” message at the commencement of each regular session of the Legislature (Gov’t Code §21.004);
5. Ensure that the Supreme Court executes and implements its administrative duties and responsibilities (Gov’t Code §74.006).

In practice, the Chief presides over the conferences of the nine justices to discuss cases pending before them. As part of the “administrative duties and responsibilities” the Chief traditionally plays the role of encouraging the other justices to work efficiently and keep up with the Court’s caseload.

Graphical Guide to the Court System of Texas.
Pamphlet on the Texas Judicial System
Overview of Court System Structure and Jurisdiction
Texas Judicial System Subject-Matter Jurisdiction of the Courts

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the court of last resort for all criminal matters in the State of Texas and is composed of a Presiding Judge and eight Judges.

The Presiding Judge and eight remaining Judges are elected to "court place positions" in staggered six-year terms by state-wide general election. The court place position has no special significance. The appeal of all cases in which the death penalty has been assessed go directly to the Court of Criminal Appeals from the trial courts. The appeals of all other criminal cases go to one of the fourteen Courts of Appeals in Texas, however, their decisions may also be reviewed by the Court of Criminal Appeals.

To stand for election a person must be at least 35 years of age, a United States and Texas citizen, licensed to practice law in Texas, and must have practiced law at least 10 years. When a vacancy arises the Governor of Texas may appoint Judges to the Court of Criminal Appeals, subject to Senate confirmation, to serve out the remainder of an unexpired term until the next general election. Like the Texas Supreme Court, the Judges of the Court of Criminal Appeals are currently all members of the Republican Party.

Graphical Guide to the Court System of Texas.
Pamphlet on the Texas Judicial System
Overview of Court System Structure and Jurisdiction
Texas Judicial System Subject-Matter Jurisdiction of the Courts

Texas District Courts of Appeals

The Texas District Courts of Appeals are distributed in fourteen districts around the state of Texas. Appeals from Collin, Dallas, Kaufman, Rockwall and Grayson counties (map) are all heard by the 5th District Court of Appeals, which includes one Chief Justice and 12 and twelve other Justices.

The Courts of Appeal have intermediate appellate jurisdiction in both civil and criminal cases appealed from district or county courts. Like the Texas Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals, Justices of the Texas Courts of Appeals are elected to six-year terms by general election.

Both civil and criminal appeals are typically heard by a panel of three justices, unless in a particular case an en banc hearing is ordered, in which instance all the justices of that Court hear and consider the case.

Graphical Guide to the Court System of Texas.
Pamphlet on the Texas Judicial System
Overview of Court System Structure and Jurisdiction
Texas Judicial System Subject-Matter Jurisdiction of the Courts

Click on the Texas District Courts of Appeals
district numbers in the map below.

	Houston Fort Worth Austin San Antonio Dallas Texarkana Amarillo El Paso Beaumont Waco Eastland Tyler Corpus Christi Houston
.