Name: Kat Overman
Email: kathleenoverman@aol.com
Current Position in Party: PCO Everett 8
Employer: Washington State House of Representatives
1. The goal of the Party is to elect Democrats. Describe your campaign experience. What about the experience qualifies you for the position of State Chair?
Since 1992 I have done political consulting, campaign management, and lobbying. I have experience in graphic design, media coordination, campaign planning and strategy, phone banking, mass mailings, fundraising, and volunteer coordination.
I was the interim political organizer for the King County Labor Council. I coordinated the year 2000 political campaign for KCLC. I have been a lobbyist and organizer for OPEIU Local 8. I lobbied the Washington State Legislature for a pay increase for homecare workers.
I worked as a union representative for Teamsters Local Union No. 763 and was also their political organizer.
2. What experience and/or training do you have in running a large non-profit or business operation with strict reporting requirements and deadlines?
Please see attached resume.
3. What is your fundraising experience? In your current Party position, what was your fundraising goal and did you meet it? What is your plan for State Party fundraising?
In my experience as a campaign consultant and manager I have done fund raising on a city, county, legislative, congressional, and national level. I was hired in 1995 to do nation wide fund raising for a candidate who campaigned against Newt Gingrich. I have met all my fund raising goals over the years. As chair I intend to reach out to organizations who have been shut out of the Party, such as organized labor. If you look at the Party’s budget you will find that there are only a handful of unions who contribute to the Party. My plan to retain the new Democrats who turned out this year will also increase revenue.
4. What programs does the State Party currently use to raise money? What changes do you anticipate, if elected Chair, and why?
The Party’s funds come from affiliates, canvassing, direct mail, leadership contributions, PAC’s, telemarketing, website contributions, and events. As I stated, I would reach out farther into the community for fundraising.
5. In your current and past Party positions, how have you strengthened the ability of the Party to elect Democrats?
I took over as chair of the Snohomish County Democrats at a time when that organization was having some internal problems. I worked to build better communications among members and helped to make it functional again. We raised money for candidates. At the same time I co-founded an auxiliary organization that set itself up as a federal PAC.
6. What is your plan as State Chair for strengthening county/district organizations and for keeping new Democratic activists involved with the Party? What resources will the State Party, under your leadership, provide to accomplish this?
It is vital that we make grassroots work a year-round process.
The Democrats were blessed this election cycle with an incredible resource: People! >From Walla Walla to Naselle people came out in numbers never seen before. Caucuses were packed, conventions overflowing. I've said all along that the credit for this overwhelming turn out belongs to George W. Bush. The question is how to keep these people after the election.
Here's my plan. The groundwork that needs to be done each election cycle is overwhelming. Up until now our volunteer base had been dwindling. The baby boom generation is aging and will soon not be able to give as much. Young people are overwhelmed with work and family obligations. And precincts are too darn big! But this year we have so many wonderful new people who have joined us. Let's take a plus and a minus and make a big change. As your Chair, I would identify the new people (Kerry, Dean, Kucinich supporters) in each precinct and make them assistants to the established PCO. The PCO’s would retain their legal status and their vote in the district party. I’d parcel out sections of each precinct to the PCO and assistants to tend. Each PCO and assistant would then identify Democrats in their section. Meanwhile, back at the State Party headquarters, when important issues came up, a message could be developed and sent straight away to the PCO and assistants. They in turn could get that message out in person to the Democrats on their turf.
6. As a leader in the Party, what has been the most controversial decision you have had to make? How did you deal with it?
When I took over as chair of the Snohomish County Democrats that organization was dysfunctional. I called in a dispute resolution mediator to sit down with us and get us talking again.
7. What is the Chair’s role in the selection and support of candidates during the primary? If the Chair becomes involved during the primary, what vetting process would be used?
Fielding candidates should come from the Party leadership at the local level. As long as the candidate that is chosen is viable, the State Chair should accept that choice and work with the organization to help get that candidate elected. If it turns out that the candidate is not viable, then the State Chair should work with the local Party to either help that candidate to become viable or to work with the Party to find another candidate. But in any case the State Chair should not go against the wishes of the local organization.
8. What were the top three challenges for the State Party in the past four years? How were those challenges met?
The top challenge was getting a Democrat elected President. Second was holding the governor’s seat. I believe those failed because of the lack of grassroots communication by the State Party. I walked 21 precincts in this election. The walking lists that came from the Party left a lot to be desired. Had the lists that volunteers worked from been more accurate I do believe we would not be faced with the problems we are having getting a Democratic governor elected.
9. What are the top three challenges for the State Party in the next two years? What is your plan to address them? What single goal would you seek to accomplish during your first 6 months?
The top challenge and the goal I will tackle is to get the precincts broken down and all of our new Democrats plugged into smaller pieces of each precinct. I want to mobilize Democrats through issue messages sent out on a regular basis. I want the voter file updated the old fashion way --- with people going door to door and identifying Democrats in their neighborhoods.
10. List five elected officials and five County or District Chairs who support your candidacy.
My endorsements include, but are not limited to:
11. Finally, why would you make the best State Chair? (3 bullet points, maximum of 20 words in each bullet)
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