This election year, more so than any year that most of us can remember, may prove to be the most crucial in our nation's history.  Our own campaign activities, along with our level of motivation, could be what turns the tide, or not.  We must not think of an Obama or a Clinton presidency as inevitable.  Therefore, armed with the knowledge of what we can do to help candidates, we will accomplish great things this year.  Our Mighty Texas Strike Force and the TFRW A Team are the best, and I encourage you to check them out.  There will be no better or more important time for us to work harder than we thought we could, hunker down, put our shoulders to the wheel, and make it happen. 

To that end, we will be holding GOTV seminars in all parts of the state, along with some campaign management schools, so that grassroots workers will be more effective in Voter ID areas, the use of Voter Vault, turning out more voters, and helping candidates to avoid some of the pitfalls of the election year.  These seminars are fun for all of us, and we truly enjoy meeting people from all over Texas, and hopefully giving them some real tools for success. 

Our Main Mission is to elect Republicans, and the icing on the cake will be to win the Campaign Activities award at the next NFRW Convention.  Part of my job is to provide aid and encouragement to you, as you educate your club members, and motivate them to work for candidates and report their hours to you.  Then I need to hear from you on a regular basis, so that all the credit for those campaign hours will go where it belongs...to our clubs and members. 

Let's touch on some of the rules for counting hours, because it can be confusing. 

Very Important....only NON-paid political activities may be counted.  If you receive a check for work as an election judge, clerk, etc. you may not count those hours unless you give that money to your county party, your Federated Republican Women's club, a candidate or to TFRW Pac. 

   Count Work done at home--mailings, signs, telephoning, verifying phone numbers or addresses, etc, but NOT for club meetings.  If you travel to a campaign office to work, count time from the minute you leave home till you get back home, called portal to portal.  No time counted for personal business.

    Count hours spent working at a special event or organizing it, but NOT if you attend as a guest or if you are compensated for the event.

   Count Hours spent in session at Federation Board of Directors meetings and Federation Conventions, and time spent on committees for these.  Also include travel time. 

    Count Hours spent in session at precinct, district or state party conventions,.. Include travel. 

   NOTE: remember to attend your precinct convention immediately following close of polls after the Primary.  This is the necessary first step to attending the state convention as a delegate. 

    Count Hours spent on committee work for County and state conventions, but ONLY during scheduled meeting times, include travel.

   Count Political work done at club meetings, such as gathering signatures, working on mailings, driving a candidate, etc. DO NOT count hours in regular club meetings.

    Count Volunteer time spent at county, state, or TFRW headquarters may be counted, but NOT PAID staff positions. 

    Count Non-partisan hours for known Republicans in local elections.

    Women candidates who are members of a club may count their campaigning as volunteer hours as long as no salary is accepted.  A separate award is given in this category at award events. 

    Male associate members may count volunteer hours and must follow the same rules as regular members.  Male candidates cannot count hours working on their campaigns. Count time on work done as precinct chairman, attendance at local, state or national campaign management schools, such as the ones we put on last fall, and count your work as a state or county party official.

    A member's hours may be counted only by her primary club. 

NOTE:  Although individual members may work for the Republican of their choice, Club Presidents and Campaign Activities Chairmen are not permitted to work in non-partisan races, or campaigns when there is more than one Republican in the race.  Clubs may not endorse in the name of the club.

Your leadership handbook contains 3 important forms:  1. the sample form for Individual Record of Campaign Activities, which you may format yourself. It would be a good idea to print the Policy for Counting hours on the reverse side of this form.

2. The TFRW Legislative Day Award Form, for clubs to use for their total hours, and for individual members' hours in that club.

3. The 2007-2009 Club Campaign Activities Reporting Form, which will be used to document hours for NFRW awards.  Note the deadlines on this form.  These forms are available on the TFRW website, also.  I would be happy to fax forms to you, also.

So ladies, please remind your members at every meeting how important it is to report hours to you, and if you are absent,, have someone else make the announcement. 

We all need reminders and we all tend to underreport.  So you could also circulate a clipboard for members to fill in the blanks, but the best way is probably to have an email address for everyone to send their hours to you on a regular basis.  It is vital to remind, remind, remind.  Just as I will call you if I haven't heard from you, and a deadline is approaching, so you should also call  your members, especially if you know that they are out there working, and too busy to report.  Some of our more seasoned members don't have email, so a hotline of sorts may be needed, additionally.

I've heard from many Campaign Activities chairmen, so keep those cards and letters coming, ladies.  My plan is to keep Club Presidents in the same loop, also, as to the reports I get from their Campaign Activities chairmen in the respective clubs. 

Some clubs are holding contests with prizes for hours worked.  Any incentive that you have found that works, I would love to hear about it.  Then we could share the ideas, and increase our effectiveness, thereby....electing Republicans.  So I welcome your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions as to what works for you, how we may better serve you, and what more you need from us.  Note new email for me:  carhanle@gmail.com, or the old one works, too.

I would also urge Club Presidents to appoint a member to be the liaison for each candidate on the ballot, and then to contact every Republican candidate, let them know who you are, and that you and your club stand ready to help.  You should bring the candidates' contact information to your club meetings, in the form of handouts, so that you can keep your members informed.  Campaign Activities chairmen should be prepared to send out email blasts when they get a call from a candidate who needs volunteers. 

My husband was very proud to be a Marine, because their motto was "First to fight".  This should be our philosophy, also,..."First to Work".  There is strength in numbers, so let's unite and work together, for the sake of our Republic.  To paraphrase just a bit, the old saying,

"Now is the time for all good women to come to the aid of their country"!!  Remember....

Elect Republicans...AND get credit at Convention.

Republican women have much to be proud of, and I know that you all are out there gathering strength for the coming storm.  We will fight the good fight, and it IS a mighty cause.