GETTING OUT THE VOTE: Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO) volunteers will be staffing tables in Hinds Plaza and outside the Garden Theatre on Saturdays and Sundays to register voters. Their Hillary Clinton for President campaign will be holding its grand opening in two weeks. (Photo by Charles R. Plohn)

The Princeton Community Democratic Organization’s (PCDO) Hillary Clinton for President Campaign is underway, with headquarters on the second floor at 138 Nassau Street, between Triumph Brewery and the MacLean Agency, and voter registration tables outside the Garden Theatre and on Hinds Plaza on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The PCDO announced Monday that the New Jersey State Democratic organization will be using Princeton’s headquarters and teaming with the local group to run the whole state campaign for Ms. Clinton.

“They know how important Princeton is as a central location,” said Owen O’Donnell, Princeton PCDO president. “Also, we’re an active community with a strong record of turning out the vote. They are aware of all this and see us providing a great opportunity for the Democratic Party.”

Emphasizing the importance of mobilizing voters, PCDO treasurer David Cohen added, “The main thrust of the campaign effort is to reach out and get people registered to vote, then actually get out the vote as we get closer to election day.” He also mentioned that even long before election day, they will be urging people to take advantage of the opportunity to vote by mail.

Mr. O’Donnell described a high level of engagement in the campaign so far, with more than 500 people having signed up, expressing interest, and “many great volunteers” offering to help at the voter registration tables, by canvassing and on phone banks. “People are extremely interested in this campaign,” Mr. O’Donnell said. “They know that the stakes are very high.”

In addition to the Clinton campaign, the PCDO will be lending support to other area races that are anticipated to be closer. “Since New Jersey is not considered a swing state,” Mr. Cohen explained, ”we’re often unhappy about the level of attention we obtain from national candidates.” The PCDO is planning to coordinate with Democrats in nearby Pennsylvania to support the Clinton campaign there, as well as to help Katie McGinty, a former state and federal environmental policy official, who’s in a tight race for the U.S. Senate.

PCDO volunteers, according to Mr. O’Donnell, will be making canvassing trips to Pennsylvania to help turn out the vote and also to northern New Jersey’s fifth district, where former Bill Clinton White House speech writer Josh Gottheimer is in a close Congressional race against incumbent E. Scott Garrett.

Mr. O’Donnell and Mr. Cohen are both pleased with the new headquarters that they will now be sharing with the state organization. “It’s a terrific space,” Mr. O’Donnell said, “with plenty of room to accommodate state headquarters as well as our own operation.” PCDO headquarters will also be distributing campaign paraphernalia including bumper stickers, buttons, yard signs and maybe T-shirts, all at affordable prices, according to Mr. Cohen.

Mr. O’Donnell commented that, as part of the overall effort, he was also looking forward to supporting Democrats Jenny Crumiller and Tim Quinn in their campaigns for Princeton Council and Liz Lempert in her mayoral re-election effort.

The grand opening of the campaign, now in its final planning stages, will take place on either the 8th or 10th of September, with details soon to be announced.

Urging people to drop by PCDO headquarters once it’s up and running, Mr. O’Donnell offered a final reminder, “Be sure you vote in November. It’s very important.”