How to organize a house party

Thank you for deciding to hold a Jill Stein for President house party! These gatherings are vital to our campaign. They help build relationships between the candidate, the campaign, and the community, as well as generating volunteers and funds for the campaign. With each new house party, we strengthen our ability to challenge short-sighted, big-money politics.

Two great occasions for parties are coming up: the Democracy Now! expanded presidential debate with Jill Stein on Monday, October 22, and the Free and Equal all-inclusive presidential debate on Tuesday, October 23.

In this guide:

Goals of a House Party
Planning a House Party
Running a House Party
After the House Party

First, let’s set some goals!

Why have a house party?

To inspire others to become involved in a progressive, independent campaign that can bring a Green New Deal to America

To sign up new supporters and volunteers for the campaign

To raise money (The Green Party is the only political party that refuses corporate donations, so we are only beholden to the people!)

To give life to the promise of American democracy. Hosting a house party is a great step toward building the power of the people to make real change.

To have fun!

We’re ready to plan a party…

First, register your house party online. Just go to http://www.jillstein.org/register_house_party and enter your information so that we know what you're up to and can help if need be.

You can also plan a party for your local community center, coffee shop, or neighborhood bar - just call ahead to make sure the space is available before sending out your invitations.

Second, create a guest list for your party and send out invitations.

You can invite people via phone (preferred), e-mail, social media, and snail mail, but remember to invite at least twice as many people as you want to attend.

Third, submit your invitation list to the campaign.

E-mail it to HQ@JillStein.org (preferred) or send it to us at P.O. Box 260217, Madison, WI 53726-0217. The campaign will maintain a list of people invited to house parties and may help with outreach to them.

Fourth, call your invitees and confirm their attendance.

This is the single most important factor in ensuring a well-attended party—getting in touch with everyone you invited at least once before the party. If the response is low, invite more people—one way to do this is to suggest to your invitees that they invite their friends who may be interested in the campaign (or give you their contact information).

Fifth, ask a friend to serve as "Door Host" at the event.

This person will be responsible for keeping a sign-in sheet of guests as they arrive, collecting contributions and cards and distributing materials. If possible, the Door Host should set up a table near the entrance to facilitate this process.

Running your house party

In many ways, you should set up your Jill Stein for President House Party just as you would any party. Purchase and/or prepare enough food and beverages for all confirmed attendees. Think about the mood you want to create at the party, and maybe even write up a plan of activities.

Print out some campaign flyers, sign-in sheets, volunteer forms, and donation forms before the party.

You may also want to get some campaign merchandise, such as yard signs, t-shirts, bumper stickers, and buttons.

If you will be watching the debates with Jill Stein, make sure ahead of time that you have a way to watch - either a secure internet connection fast enough to watch livestreamed video, or a TV with one of the channels that will be showing the debate. Remember to test this before your guests arrive.

Check these links for the latest information about debate times and broadcast information:

Monday, October 22: Democracy Now! Expanding the Debate with Jill Stein

Tuesday, October 23: Free and Equal Presidential Debate

We encourage you to make it a multimedia experience! Have a computer accessible where people can view videos of Jill and Cheri, send a quick tweet to us on Twitter, or share a comment on Facebook. Also, take pictures, record short videos, and find other ways to capture the experience and share with others to help inspire more support. (We'd love to see what you do, so email us or share on social media!)

The day of the party, make sure the food’s ready to go, the campaign literature is on display and your “Door Host” knows of his/her duties and is prepared to come a half-hour early.

The door host should make sure that every guest signs in on a sign-in sheet as they arrive.

Write out the party plan and try to keep things moving so that people stay engaged and excited.

After watching the debate, video, local candidate presentation, or whatever the main event of your party is, stand up and ask your guests if they can make a contribution to the campaign. Remind them that our campaign has pledged not to take money from corporations, lobbyists or super PACs, and that we rely on support from grassroots supporters like them to keep growing. Make sure that everyone who donates fills out a donation form. You can also bring a computer with internet connection and ask people to make a secure online donation.

After asking your guests to make a contribution, ask them if they will volunteer for the campaign. Again, remind them that this is a people-powered campaign, and we rely on volunteers to spread our Green message. People who are willing to volunteer should fill out a volunteer form - either a paper form or our online volunteer form.

Thank your guests for coming, donating, and volunteering. And don’t forget, smile and have a good time!

The party’s over … or is it?

After your successful house party, return all contributions, sign-in sheets, and volunteer forms to the campaign at:

Jill Stein for President, P.O. Box 260217, Madison, WI 52726-0217.

You can also make high-resolution scans of the sign-in sheets and volunteer forms and send them to Admin@JillStein.org.

Make sure that any leftover buttons, stickers, and literature get used locally.

Finally, give yourself a pat on the back for doing your part to rescue our fragile democracy and create the secure, sustainable, just future we deserve!

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Showing 27 reactions

ania smietanko followed this page 2013-03-19 19:12:21 -0400

Roseann Odowd commented 2013-02-06 22:12:12 -0500 · Flag

FLOWERPOWER

David Wolf commented 2012-11-06 15:55:45 -0500 · Flag

I agree with much of what you and the Green Party stand for. However, I find it disheartening that your tactics in elective politics do nothing except elect Republicans. Despite your partyâs denials that you had anything to do with Bush getting elected in 2000, all the hard evidence indicates that your party was the reason we had those awful 8 years. Florida got 90,000 Nader voters in 2000 and the polls showed that those voters would have voted for Gore in a 2 â 1 margin. I can’t in good conscience support your party for this reason and will instead work to help Democrats get elected, who are the only realistic chance we have as a counterweight to the Republicans. I know that the Democrats have been disappointing in their lack of speaking out and acting forcibly for the agenda we both want, but taking over the Democratic Party with real progressives is the only realistic way we can get what we want. In any case, I will continue to be a realist and your party has and will probably continue to cause more harm than good.

Simon Rigon Prefontaine commented 2012-11-03 18:25:15 -0400 · Flag

ONLY TRY TO HELP A LITTLEÂ¡Â¡JILL MAY BE DESERVES THAT

Mykill Mayhem commented 2012-10-18 18:20:33 -0400 · Flag

I can’t find a link on where to actually watch the debate, little help?

Adolf Baggins commented 2012-10-12 07:59:10 -0400 · Flag

Also,

Check out this sweet shovel

8==D

Adolf Baggins commented 2012-10-12 07:57:07 -0400 · Flag

Judging by how much you guys reacted to my earlier post, I see you all agree with me that he has not done one thing wrong.

Go Hitler.

Adrian Begay commented 2012-10-05 13:59:52 -0400 · Flag

I wish Jill and Cheri would come to Phoenix, Arizona and campaign here. I think a lot of people would benefit from a campaign stop here, since most people at my work don’t even know who Jill Stein is unless I speak of her.

As a member of the Navajo tribe, I am eager to hear how the Green Party can help improve, support and encourage Native American societies across the United States. Native Americans are often forgotten because we are among the poorest minorities in this country, when we should be the richest. We need the Green Party here in Arizona! Jill and Cheri are welcomed to Phoenix anytime!!!! ;)

Sharon McFarlane commented 2012-10-04 09:42:28 -0400 · Flag

There are so many people out here that are dismayed that we have one of two choices of the best of two evils. And Evil is the correct word in this instance. We need the opportunity to get these candidates names and agendas out there to the public and make them as known as the other two and get them in the main stream of politics. I for one have never heard of Jill and was so thankful that there was competition out there. The two headliners will destroy America and I will do what I can to help my friends and neighbors hear about Jill. We need Change, not the same ol same ol. Someone down to earth that understands the NORMAL citizen. We must act fast as the time approaches when we as a country will be doomed if the big parties get elected. We The People do no longer exist the way things are. We need a REAL change and Jill is the one to do this.

rachelle hall commented 2012-09-23 12:42:18 -0400 · Flag

I would like to invite Jill to NH and can help sponsor some events. Will she be in NH or NE? If so, when? I am a friend of Jill’s from the seventies. there are many colleges here and potential supporters. I don’t know when is best. I know time is short so that is why it would be helpful to know Jill’s itinerary. My husband and I personally know people for her to meet in education, health and government. We also can arrange places for her and staff to stay, with supporters.

Adolf Baggins commented 2012-09-19 07:58:51 -0400 · Flag

Hitler did nothing wrong.

Roving Isis commented 2012-09-12 02:48:14 -0400 · Flag

yay

Saleem commented 2012-09-07 07:57:03 -0400 · Flag

I am not a Green. I’m an American. I want to say that so there is no misunderstanding. I’m interested in attending or helping to organize events for Jill Stein and other alternative candidates. I’m primarily in Ohio and California but am able to travel nationwide. Jill Stein & Cheri Honkala are exactly the kind of Americans who should be driving the discussion. This nation is in dire need of principled leadership. I may disagree with them on particular policies but they have my respect because they have character. I’ll take that over the “characters” that the mainstream is offering. Let’s build!

Guillermo Kuhl commented 2012-08-21 16:48:08 -0400 · Flag

Open invite for a green house/fund and fun raising party.
End of Sep. – beginning of Oct.
In Cumming 30041-8350, GA , 45 minutes east of Atlanta.
gkuhl3@bellsouth.net

Charles Wynott commented 2012-07-19 08:05:13 -0400 · Flag

open invite for jill and her VP pick to join us in Maine at Atlantic CannaFEST in Deering Oaks Park Portland, Maine
September 1, 2012 https://www.facebook.com/events/394083303953770/

julieanna thomson commented 2012-07-14 19:52:20 -0400 · Flag

We are intent on having a “third party debate/forum” on national LinkTV – www.LinkTV.org. I personally have posted a plea to LinkTV here:

https://getsatisfaction.com/linktv/topics/please_air_a_third_party_presidential_debate

and we would like to see everyone on your site and all your supporters say “yes” to this – to give Jill Stein and most all third-party candidates visibility nationally. This may be aired on C-span as well.

We also want to invite Obama and Romney to join; they likely will decline, but we can ask them why! No response tells a lot! So we in the more sane third-parties want proper visibility!! Please sign/give comment at the same link: https://getsatisfaction.com/linktv/topics/please_air_a_third_party_presidential_debate

Good news, in that LinkTV contacted me with “interest” and will consistently air such debate/forum, once organized. Please contact me, Julieanna, at julieannayoga@sbcglobal.net, if you have any questions! I will be organizing this debate with some official others.

Please support same by signing at link above!
Go Greens et al.!

Andi Harpianto followed this page 2012-05-30 05:56:09 -0400

Mike Craft Sr. commented 2012-03-26 17:38:16 -0400 · Flag

I will not do a house party, but I will attempt to put together a Holiday Inn meet and greet/rock show, for Jill Stein! Let me first try to get the best price deal, and that will be my donation! Jill will have to arrange her agenda so that she is in the Albany, New York area that weekend. I will let her know! It will be an all day event, 10 AM to 1 AM, with a few local bands, entertainers, some sundry sales, and soda and dogs, to earn her some money! She can webasode/SEO it! Someone will be asked to run the video! That is really all I can do for now. I am an oldtime saloon owner, and rock and roll club owner, so I know what I am doing. I will put it together myself! We will have enough bands! If anyone wishes be involved, after it is set up, Email me! If you are from upstate/central New York, the Hotel is large, so it will be a regional large “Show for Ms. Stein!” All bands and entertainers are welcome, to participate. I will independently advertise this “Jill Stein” Show! You may all email me at mikecraftsr@aol.com! Good Luck to all, Sincerely, Mike Craft Sr.

jill stein commented 2012-03-23 16:24:35 -0400 · Flag

Take a look at “events” — http://www.jillstein.org/events

Debbie Shapiro commented 2012-03-23 16:16:22 -0400 · Flag

I see links about hosting parties, but where do you FIND a local house party?

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