WASHINGTON COUNTY, ARKANSAS, Ark. — As the Democratic National Convention (DNC) began this week, both the Washington County Democrats and the Washington County Republican Committee say they are gearing up for November with an emphasis on volunteers and voters' enthusiasm.
The Washington County Democrats opened their election headquarters on Aug. 19.
"We can help them check voter registration," Washington County Democrats Chair Lou Sharp said. "We can help them fill out their voter changes if they've moved or something like that. We can help them look up in voter view and see who they can vote for, and help them sign up if they want to volunteer."
Sharp said they plan to use the building as a general hub for volunteers to help with campaigning.
"We're getting our volunteers all trained up, so everybody's writing postcards, making phone calls," Sharp said. "We have a very strategic field plan so we know, based on data, what races are most flippable. And so we will focus our resources on those races."
Sharp said not only is there a general excitement with Vice President Kamala Harris entering the presidential race, but there is also enthusiasm around local races, especially among young voters.
"Our focus is absolutely the local and the county offices because if somebody votes for that justice of the peace, they're going to vote all the way up," she said. "This is the first year that I've noticed a lot of students are changing their registration to vote locally."
"The young people are the future of the party, Sharp said. "We owe so much to President Biden to step back and pass that torch on because it is the young people. That's our energy."
Washington County Republican Committee Chair Brian Lester said they plan to open their "victory headquarters" on Saturday, Aug. 24.
"We'll have our elected officials and our candidates come out," he said. "It'll be a place for anybody who's interested in learning more about our candidates or picking up yard signs to put in their yards to support our candidates, and then for volunteers to come and help."
He said all of their funding goes toward Washington County candidates.
"Our big focus is our local candidates," Lester said. "Arkansas has historically shown that there's a really good likelihood that all six of our electoral votes are going to go to the Republican nominee, to President Trump."
Lester said he's seen a lot more engagement in this election season, especially with people wanting to volunteer.
"It's boots on the ground. It's making phone calls. It's knocking on doors. It's doing those traditional things, the things that I think that resonate the most with voters, which are to meet them where they are," he said. "[They're] saying, 'I've got to do something. We are far worse off now than we were four years ago. The economy's bad. The price is so much higher for everything that we buy, and I can't just sit and watch what's going on.'"
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