STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN FOR THE ROSCOMMON COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY
2026 Election Cycle and beyond
The core purposes of the Michigan (MDP) and Roscommon County Democratic Parties (RCDP) are:
Electing Democrats to public office at all levels of government.
Advancing the Democratic platform and values, which center on fairness, responsibility, and commitment to the common good.
Fighting for the interests of Michigan families, seniors, students, and veterans and those who choose to live in Michigan.
Ensuring every eligible Michigander can cast a ballot that counts through year-round voter protection efforts.
Building a stronger, better Michigan where those who work hard can achieve economic security and live with basic human dignity.
Prologue:
Republican legislators do not have to give our county anything in return for our votes. They do not have to campaign here; they politically own the county, and they know it. In general, all they have to do is to feed white rural America alarm messages about drugs and crime, conspiracy theories, false information about voting, misinformation about free benefits for illegal immigrants and more to keep a majority of voters afraid and enraged -- and gain their votes. A major threat to our Constitution is that an enraged white rural America, believing lies, and adoring those that lie, have an outsized amount of voting power because of the Electoral College. Democrats need to convince those who vote Republican that they have been conned, gaslighted, and lied to and have gained nothing of value in return for their loyalty and votes. With this context in mind, the Roscommon County Democratic Party has assembled the following goals and plan.
Special thanks to the members who participated in a strategic planning session conducted in December of 2025. During the session, participants posted their thoughts on the walls of the meeting room and discussed the strategic direction of the party. Their voices are captured in this plan. During the January 2026 party meeting, the following plan was approved via voice vote.
The Strategic Plan, The present situation, the ideal situation , and the action projects to accomplish our goals
Goal 1. Finding common agreement on political issues that resonate with voters
PRESENT SITUATION/THE PROBLEM
During the strategic planning session, the participants agreed that we need to find “common political ground” or areas of common agreement when we are talking to Republicans. Participants stated this is important because we need to conduct a grassroots campaign and prove to voters that we care about families, that we understand their problems and that we have progressive solutions committed to the common good. In short, we need to provide passive voters who lean Democratic and Independents with a reason to vote for Democratic candidates. Participants reminded everyone the strategies that elected Democrats in the past are not working and we need change.
IDEAL SITUATION
RCDP is recognized as a leader in addressing the concerns common to the citizens of Roscommon County. We are a party who fights for the interests of families, senior citizens, those in need, veterans and students, and we offer solutions to problems they face. We strive to engage all voters in authentic conversations to find agreement on issues that impact our community/state/nation and encourage them to join our alliance to bring about positive change. We will be known as a party with a bipartisan approach to voter reregistration who encourages all citizens to vote and informs them of the opportunities to become acquainted with candidates and to vote.
ACTION PROJECTS
· Presentation on how people become righteous in their beliefs and how we can change their beliefs.
· Presentation and/or discussion on the power of telling stories.
· Be visible at community events and provide citizens with the opportunity to learn more about our vision for our county and nation.
· Host town hall meetings on topics of general interest with the goal of listening to fellow citizens and identifying topics of common concern, and possible solutions.
· Invite church community leaders to meetings and events and encourage them to speak out publicly.
· Conduct house parties to sharpen our message on legislative issues and let others know that we represent regular people, not billionaires.
· Conduct “book club” discussions on important political books (e.g., Project 2025) to sharpen our message to and with voters.
· Find volunteers to help us with our campaign.
· Be good neighbors and advocate for the needs of families through participation in events.
Goal 2. Creating a common message that resonates with voters
PRESENT SITUATION/THE PROBLEM
Participants in the planning session were in agreement that finding a common message that will engage passive Democrats, other passive voters, independents, and others should be a goal for 2026. Participants expressed their opinion the message must be authentic, and expose underlying issues that make our philopsophy different from Republicans’. Democrats in Roscommon County need to use the same basic message, which may be different than that of other counties.
IDEAL SITUATION
RCDP members are good listeners who seek to understand the concerns and issues important to others. We provide information to voters and provide opportunities for them to meet our candidates for office. We encourage voters to inform legislators of our county’s needs and to learn more about the position and character of candidates. Effective messages to voters may entail our position on affordability, health care, immigration, power to the states, a wage that can support a family, protecting freedom of speech, ending Citizens United, freedom to make our medical decisions, protecting the Voting Rights Act, deporting citizens, and supporting educational institutions. We lobby our legislators and demand they support legislation that provides support for rural counties equal to that provided to urban counties.
ACTION PROJECTS
· Conduct public meetings to gather information about issues of concern to voters. Get to know the voters.
· Attend township and other governmental meetings
· Provide member training on the change process for people and organizations.
· Challenge Republicans to join us in a meet the candidate event(s).
· Provide training in media literacy, writing articles, and flooding media markets
· Host visits with candidates to learn about their vision for the future.
· Maintain a section on the website that provides short and concise messages for Democrats.
· Provide members with whistles, the nationwide alarm for ICE arrests.
· Share our campaign messages with candidates and elected representatives.
· Make our hopes and needs known to our state senators and representatives – follow their voting record.
Goal 3 Training for success in campaigning
PRESENT SITUATION/THE PROBLEM
RCDP members believe they can flip election results from Republican to Democrat in the 2026 election cycle. To make this happen, we must have facts and communication strategies that convince independent voters and passive Democratic voters that we offer solutions to problems like health care, affordability, and other issues that determine how they vote. To accomplish this, members need conversation and encouragement that will strengthen our collective campaign efforts. There is no secret; this will be hard work.
IDEAL SITUATION
Party members possess convincing and impactful information and data they use while speaking to voters about our common problems and our solutions to common concerns. They also understand the concerns of voters, including those which Republicans echo from Republican media. Members are encouraged to participate in learning activities they are most comfortable with.
ACTION PROJECTS
· Provide training in population and voter demographics with discussion about where RCDP should focus its resources.
· Monthly meetings will host speakers (or videos, etc.) on topics of interest which may include the following: door-to-door canvassing, making convincing phone calls, sending meaningful postcards, and telling great stories on social media.
· Share books and internet articles about political issues.
· Invite party officers from other counties to our meetings to share their success stories.
· Send delegates to the State Convention.
· Provide opportunities for members to create resolutions and forward them to the MDP for consideration.
Goal 4 Increasing membership and volunteerism
PRESENT SITUATION/THE PROBLEM
While this was only a small part of the discussion, party members were affirmative that it is essential we increase membership, especially among younger voters. The current party includes members who are dedicated to our cause, but we are small in numbers. A campaign fortified by new and increasing numbers of members and volunteers will be very helpful. We need to encourage all Democrats to engage in activities that keep up our campaign momentum to reverse voting trends and address actions of the Republicans. We need social activities that informally bring members and others together to share information and provide encouragement to keep fighting against the corruption and voter suppression emanating from the White House and even our state Capitol.
IDEAL SITUATION
RCDP provides a warm welcome to new members and follows up on initial inquiries about membership. The party provides citizens with open invitations to social and informational events with our candidates. The party hosts social activities that provide members with a place to talk about their political concerns. It is a goal to increase membership by 10 percent, which includes 20 new active members under the age of 22. Donations will exceed $5000. The party includes high school and college students and helps them learn how to be part of a campaign.
ACTION PROJECTS
People interested in joining the party will find membership information on the RCDP website.
· A listing of party members with contact information will be made available to the membership.
· Meeting invitations will be sent to citizens who express interest in joining RCDP or volunteering.
· RCDP leadership will include the position of Membership Director.
· RCDP informs members and interested Democrats about social events, protest marches, and other events through direct email, and coordinates participation.
· The party secures an office space, a visible home for members.
· RCDP will meet with interested students in three high schools and one community college to register eligible students and encourage membership.
· Members will conduct voter registration drives at public events, e.g. TUT, Winterfest, and Bluegill Festival.
· Sell clothing representing the party.
· Provide workshops on the Constitution and its Amendments to create interest in voting and connect with possible new members.
· Arrange group attendance at the State Convention.
· Host regular social events that engage members and build relationships. Invite others.
· Host social events that welcome new members and build friendships with current members.
Goal 5 Increasing voter participation, running an effective campaign and electing democrats
PRESENT SITUATION/THE PROBLEM
RCDP members see opportunities for changing the voting trends in Roscommon County. To accomplish this, we must run a transformational campaign, elect Democrats to office, and reverse the harmful policies of Republicans. We must strategically use our most important resource; our members. A primary goal in 2026 is to do our part in electing a Democrat in the First US Congressional District, thereby helping to flip the US House of Representatives. In addition, it is a goal to reverse voter trends and elect Democrats to local and state offices.
IDEAL SITUATION
RCDP will run a positive campaign with authentic messaging that increases the number of passive Democratic and Independent voters. The party contacts disillusioned Republicans to encourage them to support our platform. Our goal is to enhance the perception of voters to believe that Democrats understand citizens’ problems better than Republicans; that we have empathy for the concerns and problems of our fellow citizens; and that Democrats are needed to reverse the destructive policies of Republicans. We want to be known as a party that represents the people, not the billionaires who fund Republican elections and the lawless millionaires in the President’s cabinet.
ACTION PROJECTS
Host meet-and-greet sessions with all candidates for office.
Develop a strategic plan that will guide the membership in conducting a campaign.
· Use VoteBuilder software to gather data and analyze the data collected and adjust our campaign plan.
· Coordinate door-to-door canvassing and use MiniVan software to gather voter data.
· Gather candidate information and step signs and coordinate the distribution of all campaign materials.
· Send newsletters to coordinate our events and respond to member questions.
· Mail post cards to target citizens encouraging them to vote for our cause.
· Follow up on questions and comments from voters.
· Encourage campaign contributions.
· Flood local news outlets with election information and candidate policy.
· Encourage the state party to support Roscommon County at the same level as more populace counties.
· Provide members with names and addresses of registered county Democrats.
· Secure a donation for an office.
· Respond to requests for information from the MDP.
· Ask members to record positive stories for use in social media and in other media outlets.
· Conduct a voter registration campaign with an emphasis on young people.
· Complete the Quality Circle Loop to gather campaign data for analysis.
· Arrange “meet the candidate” events to help citizens decide who to vote for.
· Host parties that encourage volunteers.
· Create committees to organize our efforts.
· Host a Labor Day dinner/social event, invite candidates to attend.
· Roll out a golf outing.
· Use more social media platforms to share information.
· Coordinate attendance at protest marches.
· Host a spring community clean up.
· Host town hall meetings on topics of interest that may gain membership.
· Conduct a listening meeting with residents of Roscommon to discuss communications and campaigning.
· Provide events that help interested Democrats to learn more about local politics and determine how they can use their skills to create change.
Goal 6 Increasing the breadth of social media communications
PRESENT SITUATION/THE PROBLEM
This goal could be combined with a goal about messaging, but it received enough discussion, and it is so important that it remains goal into itself. RCDP members understand the ability of social media to engage young people as well as the numbers of experienced adults who also use these platforms to communicate. To be successful in 2026, we must strengthen our social media presence and tell stories that engage followers. Social media can be an effective tool to “drive” people towards our website, which is a trusted source for truthful information.
IDEAL SITUATION
A Social Media Captain coordinates social media posting and builds a network of members who will contribute to social media communications. Party members provide stories and pictures that will engage voters on our social media platforms and the website that exposes failures and offenses of the Republican party. Our goal is to have 15,000 social media followers by November 3, 2026.
ACTION PROJECTS
Create a social media Team and appoint a Captain. The team will create a robust social media presence and use different platforms targeted at specific audiences'
Budget social media paid ads that increase the number of social media contacts.
Create a network of social media users who will contribute information to the team and respond to Republican posts, thereby developing a vibrant social media presence.
Provide a briefing on the RCDP website to interested members. Encourage posts that drive people towards the website.