Most of the caucuses to elect delegates to the State Convention will be held this Saturday. There were a number of BMG readers who got involved in the caucus process for the first time in 2006. This is a great opportunity to take part in a year that may less competitive. In some communities it is easier to get elected delegate in gubernatorial years, when you take the time to get involved and show up in the other years.
All the information, all the rules, location, date, time and everything: that you need is available on-line.
Remember, you must be ON TIME to take part. Like last year, there is no grace period. As a reminder, to vote or run, you must be a registered Democrat as of December 31.
Show up, introduce yourself, if you are interested, RUN. If you don’t get elected and you qualify, file as an add-on delegate. There are add-on spots available for youth, minority and people with disabilities.
Kate’s information is correct. If anyone truly wants to make a difference, attending their local caucus and becoming known, helpful, even essential on a local level is the most authentic and effective way to do so.
on primary GOTV weekend? That seems odd….
is that this was the date set when the primary was in March, but then we moved up to Feb. 5. Hard to change the date to before that.
after all, you’ll get a whole bunch of Dems in one place… and then put your foot in their butt and tell ’em to get to work.
We live in a town where the caucus doesn’t attract a whole bunch of dems to corral. It’s a small gathering of diehards. As usual, we couldn’t even fill our slots for the men. On the plus side, everyone who wants to go to the convention often can –
…which I’m not sure means that we’ll have the record turnout on Tuesday we’ve been seeing in Iowa, NH, etc. We left a female slot open, and had competition for the male slots.
<
p>I was the only one who mentioned Ed O’Reilly in any capacity. Someone brought Hillary lawn signs, buttons, etc.; nothing with Obama’s name on it (or Gravel’s).
Any idea how to get this information?
Hi Kate!
<
p>Making the rounds of the Second Suffolk to thank people for working with me during my State Committee term. Ward 5 came up a couple of males short in delegate candidates, but had a race for the female slots going on when I left.
<
p>Crowd seemed to be split on Presidential choices, Marty Walz for Clinton, Mike Ross for Obama, and so forth.
<
p>Most of our caucuses are next week, including Ward 19 at the Painters Hall in Roslindale. We’re still looking for a couple of delegates and alternates to fill out our slate, I believe, so e-mail Ward19dems@aol.com and someone will get back to you.
<
p>Thanks!
<
p>H.
Not a huge turnout at our caucuses, but Ed O’Reilly turned his people out in his hometown to elect delegates.
<
p>In my own Ward 5, the O’Reilly folks won all three delegate slots and the female alternate; since they didn’t run anyone for male alternate, I got that spot unopposed (as an uncommitted delegate).
<
p>Other wards elected the usual regulars as delegates.
I got elected this morning as the male alternate for Waltham ward 9, but also plan to apply to be a youth add-on delegate so I would be able to vote at the convention, but after leaving realized the envelope for the registration fee says to pick one…
<
p>Basically, does any one know when I would find out if I’m an add-on or not? It’s confusing cause the registration deadline is March 1 but the add-on application deadline is March 17 which presumably would be when the decision is made(?)
<
p>Anyway, it was good to meet more local Dems and my City Councilor and State Senator
Alternates who are eligible are encouraged to for add-on delegates. The MassDems site has information and applications for add-on delegate.
<
p>My advice is to send in your envelope as an alternate. Then if you get elected as an add-on, you will already be in the system.
<
p>This is the timeline.
<
p>1) The application deadline for add-ons is March 17, 2008.
<
p>2) The respective Democratic State Committee bodies:
– Caucus of Minority Democrats
– Affirmative Action and Outreach Sub-Committee
– Youth Service Sub-Committee
make recommendations to the full DSC for
– affirmative action
– people with disabilities
– youth
add-ons respectively.
<
p>3) At the May 10th DSC meeting the DSC will vote on the recommended candidates.
<
p>So the results won’t be official until after the DSC meeting.
<
p>I hope this helps.
<
p>Kate
Our caucus did not fill all its delegates, so the unfilled ones go into the youth delegate pool. Last year, a significant number of followers of Lyndon Larouche filed for and filled those slots, by the way.
that was very helpful advice!