The New Leader in the Fifth Precinct

Jim Miller, a relative newcomer to Springville, is appointed leader for his party in the 5th precinct on September 1. Precinct registration days are set for October 1-7, and the election, of course, is scheduled for the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.

Three Facts:

1. Permanent personal registration is used in Springville, so that those who have registered and voted regularly are already on the registration books, having been carried over.

2. In Tim Miller’s state, registration lists do not indicate party affiliation. Precinct leaders must obtain this information.

3. Registration lists are up to date as of the last general election.

The city leader gives Jim a notebook kept by the former precinct leader, containing names of people in the precinct. Included in the notebook are the names of all registered voters.. The former precinct leader has noted party affiliation after each name. Where a person’s party affiliation is not known, it is marked “Unknown”

The notebook also contains the names of 60 unregistered people, 30 of whom are known  members of Miller’s party.

The city leader also gives Jim some registration and voting information about his precinct as of the previous election.

Jim organizes his information as follows:

5th Precinct – Last. Previous Election
 Party  Registered  %  Vote  %
 Miller’s party  280  40  314  48.3
 Opposition  315  45  336  51.7
 Unkown  105  15  ____  ____
 TOTAL  700  100%  650  100%

 

Eligibles Not Registered (Leader’s Estimate)
1. Newly qualified on residence requirement )
Newly qualified on age requirement               )                  75-802. Number of people who have never registered or
who have allowed their registartion to lapse                          150Of these 150, the number identified by name in the
back of the notebook                                                                       60
Of these 60, the number identified as affiliated with Miler’s   party                                                                                                30

In addition to organizing his information, Jim analyzes the precinct. It has four contrasting sections.

Area A is composed of high income families with large houses set on large lots.

Area B is a newly built-up area composed mainly of younger families with small children. Most of the breadwinners work at the three new manufacturing plants on the other side of town. There are two “garden apartments” in area B.

Area C is a section of town older than B, although the income range is about the same or slightly higher, say $8,000 to $14,000 per family per year. Many residents in Area C have lived there a number of years and include small businessmen, professional people, men who work for older companies in town, and a sprinkling of newer families.

Area D is low-income — a few blocks from the downtown business district.

Jim decides his first problem is getting the potential new voters (75 or 80) registered by the end of the registration week, October 7.