I respectfully ask for you vote as an Obama PLEO delegate and for your vote for each official slate member.
I have worked hard for the Obama campaign – I am on the New England Steering Committee, and I have raised and donated money and volunteered in three states. I am a 20-year Member of the Natick Democratic Town Committee and am in my fifth term as a State Representative. I pledge to work hard to elect a Democratic President this year, no matter who the nominee is. It is time to elect a Democratic and reverse the horrible damage that has been done for the last eight years.
I respectfully ask for your vote.
Sincerely,
Rep. David P. Linsky
The Official New England Steering Committee Obama Slate:
PLEO
Senator Diane Wilkerson
Representative David Linsky
Representative Linda Dorcena Forry
Robert Haynes
Phil Johnston
AT-LARGE
Representative Willie Mae Allen
Monica Hinojos
Alice Jelin Isenberg
Ania Camargo
Amy Mah Sangiolo
Christina Wu
Christina Yoon
Hannah Banks
ALTERNATE
Sara Aviel
OK, so here goes. And I was just about to go to bed, when I decided to check out BMG.
<
p>Rep. Linksy explains what’s happening. For the most part the DSC is simply deciding which supporters of each candidate are going to Denver.
<
p>As I discussed earlier this year, there are a number of ways that the delegates from Massachusetts are determined. Usual disclaimer to please read the fine print.
<
p>There are the super-delegates, who are delegates by virtue of their position.
<
p>There are district delegates. The percentages were determined by the vote in each Congressional District. The BMG community reported on them and they are listed on the Democratic Party site.
<
p>And then there are the delegates that will be elected by the DSC on Saturday. The breakdown was determined by the vote here in Massachusetts at the presidential primary. The actual individuals will be voted on by DSC members attending the meeting on Saturday at the IBEW in Dorchester. In addition there are two unpledged delegates who will be elected.
<
p>Under Party rules, the delegation must be gender balanced. Since the majority of our super-delegates are men, they will need to be balanced by female at-large delegates. The Party is committed to electing a diverse group, but these are goals, not quotas. Unlike voting at the caucuses, all DSC members will be able to vote for delegates for either candidate.
<
p>Potential delegates send in letters of intent to run, although no letter of intent is needed for the unpledged delegates. Each presidential campaign can “strike” candidates who they do not want to represent their candidate in Denver, provided that they approve a certain minimum number.
<
p>At that point it is customary, but not a party rule, for campaigns to have what is known as a “preferred slate.” Rep. Linsky lists the Obama preferred slate.
<
p>So on Saturday the DSC will be electing:
– two unpledged delegates, one male and on female
– twelve PLEO (Party Leader Elected Official) delegates. There will be separate elections for seven Clinton delegates and five Obama delegates. Unlike voting at the caucuses, all DSC members will be able to vote for delegates for either candidate.
– twenty At-Large delegates. There will be separate elections for twelve Clinton delegates and eight Obama delegates.
– six Alternates. I haven’t seen this in writing, but I believe it is three Clinton and three Obama alternates.
<
p>In addition, we will be electing four at-large DNC members, but their terms do not begin until after the convention.
<
p>Howard, Patrick, John from Abington, please add anything that I might have missed.
<
p>Teach me to try to do a quick check!
Not much to add here, except the PLEO candidates are posted on massdems, the at larges are not up yet.
<
p>Question – who will get the two “unpledged” this year? Who filed? Are they truly unpledged? Just wondering since every vote seems to count this year, even in Guam!
<
p>Best,
<
p>H
1) There are no letters of intent for unpledged. Yes, every vote counts. I will let the candidates for those seats speak for themselves.
<
p>2) The DSC will not be posting the names of the candidates who filed for at-large because they do not want to list the names because the campaigns have the right to strike. Since the deadline for striking does not occur until after the PLEO elections, it is unlikely that they will be listed on the website until after the actual election.
Now I know ….
This process is very dynamic with many more willing and deserving names than seats. The campaigns are doing yeoman’s wok composing “preferred slate[s]” that work.
<
p>I commend those who have to deal with these fragile egos and their staffers.
<
p>Participation makes our party, the commonwealt, and the nation stronger!
<
p>
If a delegate – either at large of a PLEO is elected as an Obama or Clinton delegate, and the two candidates are both without the required 2025 votes at the convention, and the first ballot also doesn’t give either one 2025 delegates, for how many votes are the delegates required to vote for Ms. Clinton or Mr. Obama?
<
p>A blog I read at http://thenakedandtheread.blog… indicates only one vote, and then like brownian molecules, everything can start to move. Is this correct?
Since there are only two candidates, unless Edwards delegates insist on voting for him or a bunch of people abstain, mathematically one of the two has to get to 2025, which is a simple majority. I believe commitments only apply to the first ballot, but I’m not sure whether its majority of votes cast or majority of delegates present that counts.
As a new member of the DSC and an Obama supporter, I think that the slates have the reverse impact than their intention. The process is not dynamic at all but arbitrary and utterly subjective. I am, as are my colleagues, perfectly able to grasp who has earned the privilege; and who deserves to go to the convention as a delegate. I am dis-inclined to vote a slate. I want to vote for people that I know, that I’ve worked with and that I respect rather than some quasi-official-appearing list of names of people I don’t actually know.
I was under the impression that slate was a roofing material. I intend to vote for people, not slates, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
Bob Peters
Lexington – DSC Member – 4th Middlesex District
Bob – thanks for the thoughtful post. I will also be voting for people, not slates. That does not mean I won’t vote for anyone who is on a “slate” but that being on a slate will not be one of the criteria I use to choose who to vote for.
<
p>Like yourself, I am new to the SDC and believe that voting should require doing my homework, and real decision making.