On The Record: Vickie Brekel

For this episode of On The Record, we speak with Vickie Brekel, the Hardin County Democratic Chair.

How did you get started in politics? Did you come to it in your youth or later on?

About 20 years ago I voted in a local school board election, and I was registered in the wrong precinct. The experience piqued my interest in the election system and how it operated behind the scenes. I felt as though the unfriendly faces behind the tables at the elections enjoyed your not being able to vote.

I worked for the district attorney’s office, and I was very interested in the way politics worked. It took a while for me to figure out which party I wanted to support, but I researched the party platforms and decided that I was a Democrat.

I still hope one person can make a difference.

What was your personal progression from the role of activist to the role of county chair?

I became precinct chair after a letter from the county chair in 2000 was mailed out to the precinct chairs at the time. The letter basically stated that precinct chairs should be voting for all Democratic candidates on the ballot in elections. It seemed obvious to most people, but the precinct chair for my precinct didn’t agree. She switched to the Republican party, and I was asked to fill in for her unexpired term.

I became very aware of the problems in the precincts and found out what it means to really be a precinct chair. Low voter turn-out is a huge issue, I found out. The more I learned about local politics, the more I wanted to be a part of it.

Our county chair resigned when I was precinct chair, which led to a special election where I was voted county chair.

What would you say are the primary issues concerning Hardin County?

My main concern as county chair is to get our registered voters to the polls and to get the best candidate elected for the Presidential nomination. I also am focused on educating voters.

I want people to say “I’m a Democrat,” and for them not to be afraid of repercussions. We recently had a lawyer as a candidate who was asked how he can be a Christian and a Democrat. I am adamant about turning that voice off. There are people in the community that are afraid to vote Democratic, and they don’t want to vote Republican, so they don’t vote. That needs to change.

At a state level, we have a Republican governor that has unfulfilled promises to Texans. There are also promises from President Bush from when he was governor of Texas that have still not been acted upon, like “No Child Left Behind.”

There needs to be more activism at a state level and more accountability for local and state representatives. It is our responsibility as voters to ensure this process happens.

Who are some of your political heroes?

I love Bill Clinton. He was not perfect, but he listened and responded to the heart of the people. I felt like he heard what the people were saying. He understood the problems of poverty and economy, and he took action.

What advice would you give to young people just getting into politics?

Research the parties and their platforms. I hear a lot of young people voting based on liking a candidate personally; for them the person represents the party.

Grassroots involvement is very important. Get involved in local politics, and ask yourself: how has this party affected my life?

What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in politics?

Listen more than you speak. Listen and pay attention. Also, don’t become cynical. I became cynical when Bush lied to the American people, because I realized how easy it was for the masses to become brainwashed.

I encourage people to constantly be aware of their rights. Believe in the process and protect the process.

Tell us a little bit about the Hardin County Democratic Party, and what roles you feel like you fulfill in that group, official or otherwise.

As county chair, I have tried to identify the voters in the precincts and become familiar with precinct boundaries to help our precinct chairs get out the vote. My goal as county chair is to educate the precinct chairs. I also am working on raising money for the party.

There is only one electronic voting machine for each precinct here, and we have to share it with the Republicans for primaries as well. We are all in one room together, mostly in churches. When you enter the room you must announce which party you are voting for, and only the Republicans know how to run the electronic voting machine. This is a huge invasion of privacy and deters people from coming out to vote. I want to secure people’s voting rights, because there has been a decline in voter turnout for the last six years.