Blue Mass Group

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What Might a County Caucus Look Like?

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City/Town Deval Votes Delegates City/Town Deval Votes Delegates
Cambridge 26,269 53* Stoneham 4,387 9
Newton 23,483 47* Sudbury 4,254 9
Somerville 16,004 33* Westford 4,100 9
Arlington 12,854 26 Hudson 3,501 8
Lowell 11,574 24* Wayland 3,775 8
Framingham 11,076 23 Wilmington 3,857 8
Medford 11,192 23* Ashland 3,118 7
Lexington 9,086 19 Bedford 2,993 6
Waltham 9,082 19* Hopkinton 2,768 6
Malden 8,192 17* Maynard 2,537 6
Natick 7,550 16 North Reading 2,573 6
Watertown 7,405 15 Weston 2,539 6
Chelmsford 6,553 14 Groton 2,171 5
Woburn 6,611 14* Lincoln 1,820 4
Belmont 6,329 13 Littleton 1,929 4
Melrose 6,221 13* Pepperell 1,923 4
Billerica 5,740 12 Stow 1,624 4
Marlborough 5,824 12* Tyngsborough 1,829 4
Acton 5,069 11 Ayer 1,162 3
Concord 5,320 11 Boxborough 1,124 3
Everett 5,235 11* Carlisle 1,458 3
Wakefield 5,284 11 Sherborn 1,148 3
Winchester 5,022 11 Shirley 1,069 3
Reading 4,881 10 Townsend 1,345 3
Tewksbury 4,925 10 Ashby 581 2
Burlington 4,391 9 Dunstable 535 2
Dracut 4,319 9 Holliston 739 2

Note, however, that the cities in the above list which have ward  committees (starred in the above list) will have their delegates calculated by ward, not by the city total.  The count listed there is a minimum because the rounding by ward may produce more delegates.  For example, in a fictional city with 2 ward committees where Deval Patrick received 1020 votes, if the ward split was 710/310, the city would receive three delegates (two for ward 1, one for ward 2).  If the split, however, was 510/510, the city would get four (two from each ward) thanks to the ward-based formula.

How are these delegates chosen and how do they come to their decision?  On that, the law is generally silent, so the Democratic Party rules for caucuses apply.  Now, not all provisions for those caucuses can be enforced — particularly the requirement about giving proper notice.  Here are the important points:

  • Anyone registered with the Democratic party as of Dec 31st, 2007 was eligible to serve as a delegate to the caucus, but only members of the Democratic Town Committee could vote on who would become a delegate
  • Delegates selected by committees must be gender balanced
  • The selection of delegates must be done within the jurisdiction of the Town/Ward
  • 10% of eligible delegates at the caucus constitutes a quorum
  • Ballotting at the caucus continues until one candidate gets 50% of the vote plus one
  • The caucus is subject to the open meeting law

Of course, given the scope of this potential caucus, more formalized rules for this specific process may be forthcoming from the Party.

Keep in mind that all this must happen between the time Buonomo withdraws from the ballot — no sooner than the morning of September 17th, the day after the election — and September 25th at 5PM, the Secretary of State’s deadline to fill vacancies.

Now, when I think about what this means to me personally, as the chair of a Democratic Town Committee, I’m wondering exactly how many people I’d be able to convince to show up on one or two days notice to pick delegates for a caucus that would decide such a low-profile position.  My guess is very few.  We may be able to fill our slate of delegates, but barring anyone from Watertown running, I imagine that we won’t send as many as we’re allotted.  My hunch is that this will be true in communities throughout the county.

So, what does this mean for the election?  Well, in one sense, it’s a safety valve in the case that Buonomo manages to win.  In another way, it represents a strategic choice for activists.  What should we be rooting for?  Is it better to let Buonomo win and trigger the caucus, or is it better to spend energy trying to beat him with a write-in?  Given the estimated number of delegates, Tom Concannon of Newton is poised to do well in any caucus.  A Cambridge or Somerville candidate also has the potential to get a large number of votes.  Just on a geographic basis, it seems to me that in the caucus process a candidate from inside 128 would have the advantage over someone from Lowell or Framingham, but it would all depend on what communities managed to pull delegates together in the short time available.

In all, I’m probably rooting for the caucus to happen, if only because I think it would be fascinating.  Personally for me, it would mean more hassle, but if it leads to any sort of formalizing or reform of the caucus-to-fill-vacancies process, I’m in favor of it.

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Comments

  1. Somebody at Rowland Street needs to indicate that a caucus is planned for a specific time and location. (I’ve heard that September 21st has already been chosen.) And they should strongly suggest that all Town and Ward Chairs to schedule a tentative meeting to be held in the 17th to 20th window – RIGHT NOW – for the purpose of delegate selection.

    • In addition, it would be a good idea for the state party to brief all DTC and DWC chairs about the process as soon as they can.

      <

      p>It took me at least a week to figure out what was going on between the state party and the SoC’s office for the 29th Middlesex vacancy.

  2. Okay, there are 623 potential delegates.  Given the numbers, the twelve largest municipalities (working from Watertown up) give you 50% of the vote.

    <

    p>Hmmm.

    • …except that is winner-take-all by state.  I assume each delegate gets his own vote.  On the other hand, are town/ward committees allowed to instruct delegates regarding for which candidate to vote?

      • But there’s no enforcement mechanism except for social pressure.

        <

        p>If the DTC wants people to vote a certain way, they should elect delegates who are going to vote the way they want.

  3. My eyes glaze over, but Kate’s sitting somewhere in her ‘burb west of Worcester practically glowing in the dark.  sco, you be one of her acolytes.  Expect a call.  Word. đŸ˜‰  

    • See my note below.  sco did a great job!  It’s nice to have more “insiders” here to share the “work” of answering the nitty gritty detailed questions.  

  4. The MDP is ready to go and get the information out to people.  They spent all day yesterday reviewing the options and preparing a plan.  They expect to have the written material finalized today.  The plan also includes having people like me talk personally with every chair.  I will be contacting the chairs that I represent, but as always I am happy to talk with anyone who needs clarification.  I am at 508-404-8531.  Watch the party web site for details as they become available.

    <

    p>Kate

    • And does the party have its fingers crossed that a write-in will win so we can avoid this mess or would they rather have a caucus as another excuse for Democrats to get together and potentially organize?

      • From my conversation with “John from Abington” the main thing that the MDP wants is to be sure that a Democrat is on the ballot.  If a write-in candidate wins the nomination, that would certainly meet that goal.  If that does not happen, the MDP wants to be prepared and wants everything to go as smoothly as the tight time frames allow.  Thanks!  Kate

  5. it’ll be hard to get Lowell’s DTC involved heavily. Unfortunately.

    <

    p>This could be a good opportunity to light the fire under ’em and get a little more active…but there is no communication from our DTC, which only exists on paper so far as I can tell (except for yearly city caucuses to elect people to go to the conventions).

    • Only its elected “members” will be able to vote as to the delegates to the caucuses that will nominate for Register.  Seriously.  Any Democrat can run to be a delegate though [if registered as a Dem by the correct date].  Stay tuned.  This will happen, all of it, this month.  

  6. …for only allowing committee members to vote?  Under normal circumstances the public would vote.  It seems there should be open caucuses for selecting delegates just like for selecting state convention delegates.

    • Is a requirement if Mass General Law.  I’m guessing that essentally MGL is calling upon the respective political party to fill a vacancy and that these are the duly elected members.  

    • So “rationale” doesn’t come into it.  The whole situation comes up so rarely – it did occur in Suffolk Co. some time ago when the Register died suddenly after the primary but in Suffolk there were only 23 committees to convene.  

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