BMGers have engaged in discussion about the proposed rules for the Convention 2014, so I thought I would include an update on what has been discussed. Additionally, there is now an official BMG canvass on Saturday following the DSC meeting and of course a chance to socialize afterwards.
The DSC meeting in Worcester on Saturday, Sep. 7, at North High at 150 Harrington Way, at 11 AM. Non-members regularly attend and we’re a very welcoming, if occasionally noisy, group. Refreshments will be served at 10 AM. Non-members regularly attend and we’re a very welcoming, if occasionally noisy, group. During the refreshment period there will be an opportunity to meet candidates for Party Chair and Treasurer.
First, the easy part. Here are the details on the BMG Canvass. After the DSC meeting adjourns we’ll start canvassing. You can knock on doors or make phone calls. Walk routes will be designed so that they can be finished in about an hour. After, join fellow volunteers at City Lights Restaurant & Pub, 395 Grafton St Worcester. Please RSVP to seth@dandonahue.org or 774-230-8519. Learn more about Dan Donahue. BMGers canvassing include me, Dem Party Chair John Walsh and Dan Donahue. Sponsors for this canvass include the DSC and the Massachusetts Young Dems.
More on Convention Rules
The below is from an e-mail sent to DSC members.
Executive Committee Recommendations for the 2014 Convention Rules
At it’s meeting on Tuesday, the Executive Committee voted to endorse the recommendations of Chairman Walsh regarding the 2014 Convention Procedures and Rules. These recommendations along with the recommendations of the Rules Committee will be presented to the full DSC for considerations and vote on Saturday. The Rules Committee recommendations were sent to you previously. The others are as follows:The Executive Committee recommends a proposal that the start time of the Convention be moved one hour earlier. If adopted, the gavel will come down at 9:00AM.
The Executive Committee recommends that the morning Quorum Roll Call be eliminated and that all delegate/alternate switches must occur and be finalized on the Wednesday prior to the Convention.
The Executive Committee recommends that the 2014 Convention rules remain as they have been in recent years and only allow for one ballot for candidates to reach the 15% threshold to earn ballot access. The proposal from the Rules Committee potentially allows candidates two ballots to reach 15%.
I agree with an earlier start time and sticking with one chance at 15%. I have some thoughts on delegate alternate switching.
A strong participation by alternates helps the party in multiple ways.
A) It provides a pathway by which newer people can become involved in the convention and party governance, increasing the number of activists who are invested in the party.
B) It benefits the party financially when alternates pay the convention fee.
There are situations in which a delegate might not notify the appropriate person that he or she is not attending the convention.
1) Many things change between February and June. Candidates drop out. People’s lives change and more. In the past we have seen situations in which unmotivated delegates have no interest in making the effort to properly notify the Party that he or she will not attend.
2) People might intentionally play a spoiler role. An elected delegate may not be willing to commit the time and money to attend the convention but will not disclose this in order to prevent an alternate from voting.
3) Things happen at the last minute which prevent committed delegates from attending. Illness, wakes, funerals, car trouble and other unforeseen circumstance can all prevent a delegate from attending. Or a less committed delegate may just decide that he or she doesn’t want to bother.
It is unlikely that many alternates who know that they will not be able to vote will pay the delegate fee and attend.
Since time at the convention is a consideration I would propose that delegate alternate switches can be made with due process up until the time of the first vote. After the first reading of the first roll call vote, any remaining delegate alternate switches can be made, thus eliminating the need for an attendance roll call while allowing ready and willing alternates to take part. Delegate alternate switching at the convention, in advance of the first vote, allows for district campaign representatives to monitor any switching that may occur.
Thoughts?
Interesting idea. However, if the Roll Call is eliminated, wouldn’t the tellers need to then check ID’s at the time of the balloting, which would certainly chew up a lot of time? Also, without a roll call and time-certain for appearing on the floor, how would it be established whether or not a delegate was absent and the seat was available to an alternate?
Bob Peters,
Some-time Assistant Teller,
4th Middlesex District
There are two proposals for eliminating the roll call. Under the Executive Committee proposal, as I understand it, unless a delegate makes an affirmative notification of inability to attend by time of Wednesday deadline, then no alternate substitution is allowed. Under my proposal, what it comes down to is the first vote. If the delegate is present at the time of the first ballot, then he or she votes. Otherwise, the alternate votes. Bob, can you join us for the canvass on Saturday?
I think leaving it up to delegates to actively state they won’t attend is a mistake that can easily be prevented. The idea of using the vote is definitely an easy way to go about it. A vote of delegates. Anyone who doesn’t vote you do a quick second attempt at allowing their vote. If they still aren’t present then go to the alternates. The downside of this is the alternates remain confused as to their role until the end of the vote.
I might also suggest another option: delegates who have not paid their fee by the Wednesday before the convention have to make the active step of stating that they will attend (through an online link, for instance). We should make the default an assumption that they won’t, not that they will attend.
This could be a hybrid solution with the one you suggest Kate.
I was elected a delegate to the convention this year, but was unable to attend due to illness the day of. Others might have similar problems.
If a delegate doesn’t show, an alternate should be able to vote instead, advance notice or not.
Proposal to return to the practice of allowing two chances to get 15% nixed.
Call to order will be at 9AM on Saturday with 10AM roll call (previously these times were 10 and 11 respectively).
Proposal to set the deadline for alternate switchouts to the previous Wednesday nixed.
This after a debate on the rules that lasted well over an hour.
Thanks all for your thoughtful comments. Most agreed that a Wednesday deadline was impractical. My proposal that we combine the attendance roll call with the first ballot was thoughtfully considered but failed. Maybe another year.
We had fun at our Worcester canvass. It was gorgeous day. I was very impressed that Senator Tom McGee, candidate for DSC Chair, came out canvassing with our group. He joined us at City Lights and talked about his vision for the State Party.
The Method of Selecting Delegates was also passed. The caucus window for next year is February 8, 2014 to March 2, 2014. The only substantive changes were:
1) A delegate or alternate must be present to get elected, with an exception for active military.
2) The county positions that will be ex officio are enumerated. Because of the change in language, according to the explanation as I understood it, Boston City Councillors will no longer be ex officio.
Just curious, but in Ward 16 (Boston), we have been operating with the “must be present” to be a delegate method for years. Was this method previously a discretionary thing or did our chairman possibly confuse an earlier attempt for this rule as an actual rule?
Thanks.
Generally the rules are tighter in hotly contested nomination years than they are in the off years where you have to twist arms to get people to go.
was because we started doing, “must be present” about 3 or 4 years ago, but it was presented to us as the rule from the State Committee, not something that we could as a Ward Committee, decide for ourselves. Given the arm twisting needed, I think several of us would have preferred the rule not apply, in fact, I think it was in the 2011 cycle that I missed the election because I was in the hospital at the time, but I asked to be nominated if at all possible. Curious!
Local committees have almost no descretion regarding caucus rules and procedures. In the off years those present have first dibs, but if there are still openings an absent person may be added provided 2/3 of the attendees concur.
our chairman was aware of it the last time the rule went into effect but was not aware of it the last time it went out of effect, because we have been following the rule as just voted upon for a few years now. Thanks.
In 2012 and 2013 the rule was that absolute preference was given to candidates for delegate who are present. Non-present candidates for delegate can have their names placed in nomination by a 2/3 vote, but only after present candidates have been elected. It is not at the discretion of the local group.