Resolution 12:17:1 Establish Ad Hoc Canvassing Committee

Co-Sponsors:  Dustin Guastella, Diane Isser, Josh Millehouse   

Whereas, canvassing is a well established tactic for political campaigns; and

Whereas, Philly DSA has successfully organized three Medicare for All canvasses to date; and

Whereas, our canvassing model based on the canvass captains and the five principles has been crucial to the success of the canvasses; and

Whereas, our canvass captain model serves the additional purpose of building up organizational skills and developing leaders, an important internal organization goal; and

Whereas, canvassing will continue to be a crucial part of the Medicare for All campaign and other future political campaigns; and

Whereas, working class areas that went strongly for Bernie Sanders and/or Larry Krasner are a good target for DSA base building; and

Whereas, canvassing is an important tactic but resource-intensive and logistically challenging; and

Whereas, Philly DSA must continue to develop more efficient and better distributed organizing methods so as to engage the largest number of potential constituents;

Therefore be it resolved, that Philly DSA will continue to pursue neighborhood canvassing, primarily in neighborhoods that went strongly in the democratic primaries for Larry Krasner and Bernie Sanders,  based on the five principle model and run with canvass captains as a tactic in our Medicare for All Campaign;

Be it further resolved, that Philly DSA create an ad hoc Canvassing Organizing Committee that will initially consist of 7 members appointed by the Steering Committee. The members for the Canvassing Organizing Committee will be appointed in accordance with DSA’s big-tent organization principles from those who have previously been or have helped to organize canvass captains and who have been involved in post-canvas data management;

Be it further resolved, that all prospective members of the committee be a member in good standing with DSA and have participated in no less than two Philly DSA canvasses and all prospective canvass captains have participated in at least one Philly DSA canvass;

Be it further resolved, that the committee will:

1. explore the use of strategies and tools to improve our data collection

2. continue, in tandem with other projects and the attendees of Open Strategy Meetings, to get those canvassed involved in Philly DSA Medicare for All events and campaign activities

3. develop canvassing strategies for specific campaigns as they arise   

4. issue a formal report at each General Body Meeting on its activities, offering further recommendations on the chapters canvassing activities.  

5. issue its final report recommending future plans for canvassing at the June General Body Meeting, where the committee will dissolve itself.

Be it further resolved, that the committee will organize canvasses for campaigns approved by the Local membership at a General Meeting. If committee capacity becomes a concern, the committee will organize canvasses according to the priorities of the Local;

Be it finally resolved, that the committee is responsible for submitting a projected budget for each canvass to the Steering Committee no less than one month before the canvass for  approval on the budget.