Filing Week is open File for PCO Now →

It's 2024, and for a wide multitude of reasons, a lot of Americans ( 65-70% ) think we're on the wrong track.

Turning that around is going to be no small task, but it is something we can build toward — especially, locally.

By Filing for PCO, you're taking a concrete and impactful step toward getting your local community on steadier footing. πŸ’ͺ

PCOs are the neighborhood elbow grease of a healthy, functioning democracy

πŸ“’ Advocate

You become the go-to advocate for your neighborhood block. Use your voice to rally your neighbors, fight for change, hold your electeds accountable.

πŸ’‘ Educate

Raise awareness and bring more of your neighbors into active involvement the local political discourse.

🀝 Organize

Talk to voters, encourage them to make their voices heard, and actively reshape your community through collective action.

PCOs are also the grassroots decision-makers, who get a vote on ...

πŸ—³οΈ Vacancies

If an elected official were to move up to higher office, pass away, resign, etc., in many cases, it's the local PCOs who gather to choose their successor for appointment. It's wonky, but this is a big deal.

βœ… Endorsements

Suppose you've got a local incumbent who's become out of step with your community priorities. Endorsement votes are an excellent opportunity to help in electing better representation.

πŸ’° Contributions

Local party organizations have special laws which allow them to legally move money more freely than any other organization, so they're a major conduit for candidates contributions during re-election season.

πŸŽ‰ Party Leadership

Local parties are largely volunteer driven, and political like everything else. So even in a "big tent" organization like the Democratic Party, I think safe to say a lot of folks are ready to turn the page on the Joe Manchin wing of the party.

Together, between duties and privileges, PCOs are a powerful force in helping shape democracy toward better outcomes for everyone. πŸ’ͺ

Local change adds up. πŸ“ˆ

And collectively, given that many of these seats are empty, just imagine the impact of more PCOs stepping up in every community.

Think about it β€” for issues with massive voter support, that seem to perpetually get lost in the endless obstructionist quagmire that is legislative sausage-making: if we DID have 8,000 activists "fired up and ready to go" to bring about some long-overdue change, we'd probably have that better future by now, wouldn't we ? πŸ€”
Given the widespread frustration in this political moment, that prospect seems way better than what we're dealing with in the present, am I right ? 🀨

That better future is calling, folks. ☎️ It is time to get active. πŸ‘‡

File for PCO Now

Got questions ? Tap the questions below, we can have a little pretend text conversation. πŸ’¬

The Pitch:

What were you saying earlier, about special powers?

Yes, being an elected PCO confers special voting privileges πŸ¦Έβ€β™‚οΈ you get to vote on:

  • vacancy appointments πŸ›οΈ
  • endorsements in all races πŸ—³
  • elect local party leadership πŸŽ‰

In effect, your vote becomes orders of magnitude more powerful compared to the average voter. πŸ”‹

And this is 100% free?

Yep! 100% free to do.

How long does filing take?

You can file in under two minutes, it's a simple online form.

What's the time commitment?

It's volunteer, so it's ultimately up to you. But during election season (1-2 weeks, roughly twice a year) will have the most opportunities to connect with voters. That said, most of the year, the time commitment is pretty minimal.

Can anybody file for PCO?

Yes, any registered voter can File for PCO.

Pep Talk

Won't someone else step up?

Probably not. Some precincts have PCOs, but the vast majority do not.

Simply put: if you don't show up for your community, either somebody else ( potentially, somebody with less savory objectives πŸ˜’ ) will; or worse, even still — literally nobody will πŸ€·β€β™€οΈπŸ€·πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ and lower participation doesn't help anybody.

Your voice, and your presence, it has power, friends. πŸ“’ It's time to wield it. πŸ›‘οΈ

I've never really gotten politically involved.

Neither had Donald Trump — that buffoon ran for President, and won. If you're sweating whether you're qualified for a precinct-level race, I think you've got this, friend. πŸ’ͺ

It can feel bit harrowing for your first time, but trust me it's not intimidating. If you're looking for a very part-time way to get involved, this is a great opportunity.

Is this a good starting place?

Yes, this is the perfect place to start, it's the tiniest race in existence; the tricycle-with-extra-training-wheels of electoral campaigns. πŸ› And we need people from all walks of life to get involved. πŸ“£

You do not need any kind of expertise to File for PCO βœ… thousands of everyday people do it every cycle, and we are here to encourage them! πŸƒβ€β™€οΈπŸƒπŸƒβ€β™‚οΈ

Whose permission do I need to run ?

As Keith Sweat put it: nobody. πŸ’β€β™€οΈπŸ’πŸ’β€β™‚οΈ It's a free country, and anybody can file to run for PCO. πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡Έ ( If you feel like you do need permission though, you have my full permission. πŸ‘ )

Can I change my mind?

Yes, you can withdraw your candidate declaration until Monday, May 13th, so I would encourage you to file. ( On the other hand, if you don't file, there's no way to change your mind after the deadline ! )

And, if you try out being a PCO and do decide you hate it, you can also resign, so you've always got an out. Again, it's a volunteer gig, at the end of the day.

I would like more info about filing.

Check out this guide from King County Elections. Each county might have slight variances ( different phone numbers to call, etc. ) but this is largely going to hold true for anyone in Washington.

I'm still not sold. Convince me this is a good idea.

IF YOU WIN, YOU ALSO GET A CERTIFICATE OF ELECTION FROM YOUR COUNTY ELECTIONS DEPARTMENT πŸ† ( seriously! )

If you've still got questions, feel free to write in: jon.c.culver@gmail.com

But between the special voting privileges, and the opportunity to take a more active role in your local political discourse, it's absolutely a great idea and very much worth doing. Join thousands of us who are taking the plunge!

Let's Make It Happen

How do I actually File for PCO ?

It's all online ! Dead simple, takes two minutes, completely free to do — just go here:

File for PCO Now

You've got until May 10th, but don't wait — it's Filing Week !

OK, I filed! What's next?

Excellent work! πŸŽ‰ Well done, you!

Filing week closes May 10th, so you'll know next steps by the end of the week.

If nobody else files, you've won it "outright" ! πŸ₯³ Congratulations!

What if someone files against me ?

Honestly, I wouldn't sweat that prospect until you actually get a challenger, simply because a staggering 98.3% of races go uncontested, historically. πŸ† But if you do wind up getting one, your name will appear on the August Primary ballot for the few hundred voters in your precinct. πŸ—³

Can I really win a contested race ?

YES, absolutely. πŸ’― You don't need any campaign experience. We will be offering help for anyone who needs it. πŸ’ͺ Drop us a line if you do pick up a challenger, we've got your back. πŸ‘Š

After I win, when do I start?

Your term as Precinct Committee Officer begins December 1st, 2024.

Together, let's level up our civic involvement. πŸ’ͺ

A better future is calling, folks, and it's time to answer the call. ☎️ Thousands of us are stepping up. 😎 Let us collectively will that better future into existence. πŸ‘‡

File for PCO Online Now for Free →

πŸ‘† πŸ‘† πŸ‘†

FileForPCO.com is a biannual Public Service Announcement, for which you can absolutely #BlameCulver

100% independently produced and operated since 2016. πŸ’Ύ We've recruited thousands of candidates to File for PCO and we encourage you to join us this year. πŸ’ͺ

Once again, I am asking you to File for PCO.