Background
There is a felt need for PCDP to have a Data Committee that will provide data-based inputs for decision making at the County level. This Committee will be a part of the support group to the Chair and the Officers of PCDP. A core group of data leaders from within PCDP were invited to a discussion to determine
the purpose and structure of a Data Committee at the PCDP level. This proposal is based on the discussion and recommendations of this group.
Composition
The Data Committee will be chaired by an officer of the PCDP Executive Committee (EC), unless an exception is specifically requested approved by the EC.
The Committee seeks at least one representative from each LD, to be nominated by the Chair of the LD. Some LDs have rich resources for analysis while others do not. In addition, the Committee Chair may invite others to join the Committee as full members
as and when the need arises. In particular, the Committee may add to its membership of persons with strong statistical,
or strategic and planning skills. Casual non-member participation will also be accommodated.
Quorum will be 40% of the members present and voting. The Data Committee’s term will be the same as the term of the EC. The Data Committee will meet at least once in a month.
Objectives
Serve as a source of data analysis to the EC.
On request from the EC, the Committee will research data-based information on occasions when decisions are to be made.
The Committee may undertake data analysis on its own, and produce the results to the EC with recommendations for strategic and tactical issues relating to the County. The Committee will encourage participation from prospective users of the data such
as campaign advisors and others pursuing PCDP objectives, such as PC and volunteer recruitment, increasing minority participation, and new voter registration. The Committee will make periodic short presentations at meetings of the EC.
Operational Support to LDs
While some LDs have their own data teams, not all do. This Committee will provide practical support to LDs in creating and sustaining their own data teams. Operational support will be provided at the request of the LD concerned. Such support will have several dimensions, including but not restricted to:
- Serving as a resource for data sources, methods and strategic implications suggested by data analyses;
- Helping resolve analytical complexity around county lines cutting across LDs;
- Showing how to collect and use data where needed
- Support cost sharing on tools that share data across LDs
- Help with interpretation of data such as redistricting
- Provide standard reports that LDs could use for their own purposes
Best Practices
The Committee will serve as a meeting point for LDs to share data analyses that can
be of value if replicated among other LDs. Committee meetings will be posted on PCDP
calendar and others can participate. In these activities, the focus will be on strategic
activity based on the analyses.
Data Sources
The Committee will compile a list of possible data sources that would be of value to their work, and advise EC, its officers, or its membership on specific data sources as and when warranted.
Recognizing that data are not information, the Committee will focus on data sources that can be usefully applied to the strategic needs at County and LD levels.
The Committee may assist in studies that collect raw data from the LDs in the form of surveys, questionnaires, and focus groups, and will provide the results of such data collection and analysis to the EC. Because of LD representation in the Committee, such
studies will be conducted with the full knowledge and cooperation of the LDs.
Liaison with Data Leads at the State and National Parties
The Committee will follow data analysis at other Counties, the State, and National Party levels, and liaise with them as needed to obtain and furnish meaningful data analysis to the EC.
Advanced Analytical Techniques
The Committee will explore the possible uses of advanced statistical techniques,
including predictive modeling, the use of AI in analysis.
Redistricting
This will be a major part of the Committee’s work in 2021.
- data preservation in VAN;
- setting up for new LDs is a chore that will require work maintaining
continuity with new committees; - ensure that canvas history and contact info will be preserved in VAN
- support intra-county redistricting work such as Supervisor districts