The Arlington Democrats work to elect Democrats up and down the ballot in Arlington and strategically support key swing districts and special elections outside of Arlington. We register voters and represent the interests of Democrats across our county. We are committed to advocating for policies, initiatives and general election nominees that dismantle systemic inequities and improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in our Party and our County. We embrace the principles of the DNC Party Platform. All Democrats in Arlington, Virginia are welcome!

II. Vision:

Lead. Build. Win.

Lead the resistance against regressive policies and stand up for our community.
Build a broad-based, inclusive, connected, and empowered Democratic organization.
Win elections at every level through long-term strategic planning, grassroots engagement, and bold leadership.

III. Strategic goals & objectives

GOAL 1: Advance Equity, Inclusion & Representation

We will move beyond "open doors" to active bridge-building, ensuring our party reflects the diversity of Arlington through a multi-phase approach.

Phase 1: Institutional Preparation

Conduct a "Barriers to Entry" Audit:

Logistics Check: Review all meeting times and locations for accessibility to shift workers and those reliant on public transit
Jargon Review: Eliminate exclusionary language. Develop orientation material and avoid use of unexplained acronyms. Create a "Political Glossary" for all new members.
Financial Barriers: Implement clear, stigma-free waiver options for key events.
Language Access: Offer translation and interpretation for major meetings and events.
Standardize Onboarding Pathways:
The "First Friend" System: Assign every new attendee from a current member to sit with them, explain proceedings, and follow up for coffee one week later.
Caucus Integration: Break down silos by encouraging all functional areas to work with caucuses facilitating strategic exchanges between the groups for mutual benefit.

Phase 2: Proactive Recruitment

The "Ambassador" Partnership Model:

Stop asking groups to just "send members." Co-create value with trusted messengers.
- Identify Potential Partners: Civic/Rights (NAACP Arlington, LULAC); Service ( Edu-Futuro, The Dream Project); Faith (Black Ministers Conference of NoVA).
- Strategy: Co-host "Civic Empowerment Workshops" at their locations on practical topics (e.g.,"School Board Advocacy"). ACDC provides tools/training to build trust before asking for membership.

Targeted Precinct Operations:

Data-Driven Recruitment: Overlay precinct maps with committee membership demographic data. Identify precincts with low representation for targeted intervention.
Hyper-Local "Listening Tours": In off-years, launch a "What is Arlington Missing?" campaign in underrepresented precincts. Canvass for issues, not votes, and recruit the most vocal residents as Precinct Captains.
Youth Pipeline Expansion:
- Formalize pipelines with high school clubs and university clubs
- Offer "Political Internships" for credit/service hours, specifically marketed to students of color.

Phase 3: Leadership Pipeline

The "Bench Building" Mentorship Program:

Action: Pair emerging leaders from underrepresented groups with seasoned party veterans or elected officials.
Curriculum: Quarterly sessions on hard skills: Parliamentary Procedure, Fundraising Ethics, Endorsement Processes, and Campaign Management.

Structural Accountability:

Bylaws Review: Continue and expand our representation from the caucuses on the Steering Committee.
Rules for Appointments: Adopt a policy where any appointed position or vacancy must be advertised with a competitive application process in the event of multiple interested candidates

GOAL 2: Build Organizational Capacity & Infrastructure

Strategic Execution & Gap Analysis: Systematically identify key people, resources, and skills required to execute this plan. Actively recruit individuals with specific skills (data analysis, tech support, administrative capacity), prioritizing individuals from underrepresented communities in the recruitment process.
Hire Paid Staff: Evaluate and fund positions, such as an Operations Manager, to handle day-to-day administrative tasks and manage fellows/interns.
Standardized Volunteer Pipeline:

Weekly Open House. At the Open House, deploy the "First Friend" system immediately.

Honorary Advisory Board: Create a board of appointed officials and political leaders for advisory support and networking.
Technology & Operations:
- Tech Team Expansion: Recruit members with data entry and backend architecture skills.
- External Support: Hire a tech consulting firm for backend architecture and redundancy.
Talent Library: Catalog member skills to match organizational needs with volunteer capacity.

GOAL 3: Increase Fundraising and Financial Resilience

Email List Growth: Aggressively grow the donor email list via list swaps and integrating recent candidate lists.
Silent Auction Expansion:

Revenue Goal: Expand from $6K to $30K by 2027.
Tactics: Analyze past data, re-solicit high-yield donors, and start solicitation months earlier.

Expand Roosevelt & Obama Society: Ensure fun and interesting quarterly events take occur. Build community within ROS, recruiting members to help host events. Build out the ROS subcommittee membership to ensure sustained and ongoing growth.
Finance Subcommittee: Work with elected officials to increase fundraising through establishment of regular structured call time sessions. Actively research new candidate specific donors to expand prospective donor lists.
Professional Evaluation: Engage fundraising and nonprofit consultants at regular intervals to provide strategy audits and benchmarking.

GOAL 4: Strengthen Electoral Success

Data-Driven Turnout: Use statistical analysis to prioritize high-ROI voter contact methods.
Multi-Unit Building (MUB) Strategy:

Develop relationships with Condo/Homeowners Associations.
Recruit local precinct captains or Democratic activists to run for HOA/COA boards.

Increase Turnout in Underrepresented Communities:

Execute the "Listening Tours" (from Goal 1) to build trust in Black, Latino, and Young Voter communities.

Joint Campaign Logistics: Centralize resources, volunteers, and communication support.
Field Strategy: Leverage 1000+ Election Day volunteers to expand early vote-by-mail efforts and deep canvassing. Expand enrollment in permanent absentee voter program.

GOAL 5: Deepen Community Engagement

Neighborhood Team Program: Formalize precinct teams and engagement coordinators.
Strategic Partnerships: Implement the "Ambassador Partnership Model" (from Goal 1) with PTAs, civic associations, labor unions, and nonprofits.
High-Value Meetings:

Feature high-profile speakers (Elected officials, Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, NOVA Labor ect).
Logistics: Ensure meeting setups encourage fellowship and are accessible to all (transit/time).

Visibility Campaigns: Provide branding kits and prominently advertise meeting locations.
Service Projects: Organize food drives and cleanups reflecting Democratic values (Veteran’s Caucus/AFAC is one such existing example).

GOAL 6: Defend Arlington & Lead the Resistance

Clarify the Narrative: Distinguish "Democratic support" from general "anti-Trump" sentiment to build long-term party loyalty.
Rapid-Response Messaging: Issue public statements and educational campaigns to counter regressive policies.
Policy Advocacy: Partner with legislators to produce white papers aligned with our values.

GOAL 7: Strengthen Governance and Accountability

Work Plans: Develop measurable goals for each functional area.
HR & Risk Management: Implement HR best practices to ensure member safety and reduce legal exposure.
Financial Strategy: Develop a long-term budget utilizing reserve funds strategically.
Dashboard Metrics: Track engagement, fundraising, and DEI stats.
Board Training: Provide nonprofit governance and leadership development.

Iv. Evaluation & Metrics

Led by Strategic Planning Committee

Key Metrics:

DEI Audit Scores: Success in lowering barriers identified in Phase 1.
Demographic Representation: Percentage of leadership and new recruits matching Arlington’s census data.
Voter Contact: Percentage increase by precinct.
Financial Health: Growth in small-dollar/recurring donors; Auction revenue.
Volunteer Health: Recruitment numbers, retention rates, and "time-to-activation."

V. Organizational Values & Leadership Commitments

Equity First: Commit to inclusivity in all programming, hiring, and electoral efforts.
Community-Centered: Anchor all actions in direct service to the people of Arlington.
Data-Informed: Prioritize evidence-based tactics for decision-making.
Volunteer Empowerment: Reduce burnout by increasing staff support and establish clear roles.
Future-Focused: Balance short-term wins with long-term vision and capacity building.

VI. Call to action

Together, we can lead the resistance, build a better party, and win the future. This plan is a blueprint for bold leadership, authentic community partnership, and relentless electoral engagement. Join us as we rise to meet the moment and make Arlington the national standard for Democratic organizing.

Paid for and Authorized by Amanda Edwards for Congress