If you need information on what this caucus thing is all about, check out my post. I thought that I would get an early start on an open thread.
So where did you go? Did you find lots of interested people, or was your caucus struggling to fill its allocation?
I’ve been making phone calls in my own town to people who volunteered in the Obama campaign. I’m finding a lot of people activated by the campaign who would like to get involved.
I’m always very ambitious and try to get to as many communities in the district as I can. I’m hoping to get to eleven caucuses tomorrow. A town at 10:00 AM, and then over to a city meeting with seven wards at the same location. Then 12:30, 1 PM and 2 PM. I just can’t squeeze in either town that meets at 10:30. Then I’ll relax by going to the Ashland DTC event featuring Congressman Jim McGovern. People say I should get a life. I tell them that this IS my life!
01/31/2009 Ashland DTC Wine & Food Pairing Fundraiser with Jim McGovern
Saturday, January 31, 3 – 6 PM
Ashland Fish and Game Club, 3 Ponderosa Rd. Ashland
The Ashland Democratic Town Committee and co-hosts Senator Karen Spilka and Rep. Tom Sannicandro invite you to a food and wine pairing event with special guest Congressman Jim McGovern.
Tickets are $25 / person.
Rise and Shine Academy on Fortune Blvd. I hope to be selected again as a delegate to the convention on June 6.
And no, GPS devices do not do it for me! I have to google and map read to get anywhere I don’t have a memorized route to.
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p>How many DID you get to?
Starting with West Newbury at 9, Groveland, Georgetown, Ipswich at 10 (sorry North Reading), and Gloucester (all 5 wards) at 11. So a total of 10 for me.
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p>I’ve been asked to reconsider dropping out of the State Committee race and I’m going to take the pulse of the people who I want to represent. After all, it’s not about me, it’s about them.
West Newbury was first for me; nice to see some old faces and some new. About 10 people here. This was the first time I’ve ever seen the chair actually lock the door against late arrivals.
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p>Groveland is a growing committee with people who are new to the process but very excited about playing a role in the party. They had 7 at this caucus. I really enjoyed meeting with these Democrats and it was a reminder to me how much our system depends on turning these groups of volunteers into effective teams.
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p>Finally, home to the 5 wards of Gloucester. We had a few as 3 and as many as 12 here, all meeting at separate tables in the same room. It’s a little weird, walking into a room of old friends and acquaintances to tell them I’m running for the State Committee, especially to replace someone who was so respected and beloved by Gloucester Democrats.
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p>All in all, a very sober group. There are a lot of concerns about the times ahead and the leadership in hard times. There’s a lot of trust in Obama; I sense more of a question about the leadership in the state.
Peabody’s Ward 3 Democratic caucus will be held on Saturday, January 31, at noon at the Wilson Terrace meeting room to elect delegates.
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Secon Essex (2E) for Peabody Salem, Beverly, Danvers, and Topsfield.
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p>First Essex (1E) for Lynn, Swampscott, Nahant, Saugus, and Marblehead.
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If you don’t get elected you can apply to be a minority, disabled, or youth add-on delegate if you qualify for those categories. I suspect that in an odd-year convention it’s a matter of ask and ye shall receive, provided you fill out the application completely and correctly.
http://www.massdems.org/caucus…
Historically, the MDP has fussed about being sure that the Senate District is filled out correctly. Play it safe and be sure that you fill that in correctly. List is here.
Welcome to the exciting business of politics, Obama supporters! Now sit here for 30 minutes while oft-irrelevant, reliably impenetrable rules are read at you. Still interested in politics?
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p>There really has to be a way to do this other than punishing caucusgoers with this boilerplate. (That said, only saw one new face today.)
I got elected as a delegate to the convention, and I already mailed my payment. Interst was low, only 18 people showed up, mostly DTC members. We elected a full slate of delegates and alternates, including two non-members of the DTC.
I made it to all the caucuses that I hoped. Southborough, the seven wards of Marlborough, Shirley, Littleton and Stow. Senator Eldridge was at a number of the caucuses. Reps Hogan, Arceiro, Benson and Gregoire all came to caucuses. I’m pleased that all of the elected officials ade an effort to come. Mostly well attended for an off year. I saw a lot of new faces. There were contested races in some communities.
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p>Some of you may have received the e-mail from Senator Kerry encouraging people to attend their local caucuses. One woman I met mentioned that she came to her caucus today because of that e-mail
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p>The event in Ashland with Congressmna McGovern was great. Good conversation, good turnout, good food.
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p>I was very pleased at the amount of interest.
Senator Donnelly, Rep Garballey, and Rep.Brownsberger were there. I believe Sen. Donnelly will have attended other caucuses in the District, as well.
Our esteemed state committeewoman showed up about 30 seconds late, so I had the pleasure of directing her to the spectator’s section. We run our caucus by the book. The folks in the spectator’s ghetto couldn’t vote for themselves, but all were chosen to pay $75 to spend a sweet spring Saturday in Spingfield.
In my travels someone mentioned to me that she was aware of the caucuses and came because of the e-mail that Senator Kerry sent to his list.
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p>According to the e-mail, Senator Kerry will be at the Convetion in 2009. Thank you, Senator Kerry.
Somerville’s caucuses will be held on Thursday February 5th at 7pm for Wards 1,2,3 & 7. Ward 5 will be at 7.30p at the same location – the Argenziano School, 290 Washington Street.
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p>Ward 4 will have their caucus at 10am on Saturday Feb 7th at the Winter Hill Community School on Sycamore Street.
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p>And Ward 6 will caucus at Ciampa Manor in Davis Square at 10.30am on Saturday Feb 7th. All residents who have been registered as Democrats since Dec 31st, 2008 are welcome to attend and run for delegate. For more info see: http://www.somdems.org