Today marks the beginning of Effective Democrats, a campaign to improve Democratic Party governance within the Pacific Northwest and especially Washington State.

ED is an effort to help Democratic organizations at all levels – legislative, county, and state in particular – identify best practices for accomplishing the party’s business, and then implement those best practices. Areas that ED will focus on in 2014 and 2015 include:

• Making endorsements and nominations
• Harnessing technology
• Internal controls and financial management
• Organizing caucuses and special events
• Recruiting and appreciating volunteers
• Tracking and taking positions on ballot measures

Any Democrat who would like to assist in crafting model procedures and plans for Democratic organizations to use is invited to join Effective Democrats. To join the steering committee, simply express your interest by filling out this form.

The steering committee will meet periodically in 2014 to begin working on its first sets of model procedures. ED will have a gathering at each state committee meeting in 2014: January 31st/February 1st in Vancouver, June 20th/21st in Spokane, and September 11th/12th in Ferndale. Additional gatherings may take place via Skype or in person depending on steering committee members’ availability. Most communication will be via email.

You can leave a comment or sign up here to express interest in being kept informed of ED’s efforts. I hope you’ll consider contributing in some form or another. As Democrats, we should all be interested in identifying and adopting ways to make our party function more effectively.