My Blue State '08

Who spends What on Getting Out The Vote

According to the Center for Public Integrity, less than 1% of all campaign expenditures during the 2004 election cycle went towards mobilizing voters through traditional Get Out The Vote (GOTV) activities, such as van transportation for disabled or elderly voters. To see a break down of where the money did go, check out this summary of Spending By Candidates and Committees and this report on Campaign Consultants by Sandy Bergo of the Center for Public Integrity

Judicial Council Meeting to Hear Taos County Dems Challenge to Delegates

I received the following emails from the State Party regarding a challenge to the Taos County delegation:

Dear Judicial Council Members:

Below is a letter from Chairman Wertheim to Vice Chair At-Large Annadelle Sanchez, who, as you know, serves as the Chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM) Judicial Council.  The letter describes a challenge that Chairman Wertheim is referring to the Council's jurisdiction.

A meeting of the Council has been set for 3PM on Thursday, April 26th at the DPNM headquarters, 1301 San Pedro NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110.  Council members ought to have already received an email notification from readycall.com about accessing the Council hearing via conference call.

The staff at the DPNM will be placing copies of this letter in the mail tomorrow.  However, given the time frame, I wanted to let you know about this matter via email.  In addition, because some of the exhibits provided in the challenge are on legal paper, while others are on regular (8.5"x11") paper, I am unable to scan these exhibits or fax contiguous pages.  Copies are available at the Democratic Party of New Mexico and can be faxed (half of a legal page per regular page) to a fax number you provide.

Please do not hesitate to call with questions or to confirm your attendance or participation via conference call.  (505) 830-3650.

Best,

Matt

CC: Announced candidates for DPNM Chair


DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF NEW MEXICO

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Annadelle Sanchez
Vice Chair At-Large, Democratic Party of New Mexico
920 Denton ST
Espanola, NM 87532

Dear Madame Vice-Chair:

I write to you in your capacity as chairperson of the Judicial Council of the Democratic Party of New Mexico and hereby invoke my authority under Rule 14-1(B) to request the Judicial Council interpret the party rules and review a challenge.  Specifically, I request the Judicial Council interpret party rules as they were applied in the recent Taos County precinct elections, the Taos County Credentials Committee Meeting and the Taos County Central Committee Meeting.  Additionally and also pursuant to my authority under Rule 14-1(B), I am placing the enclosed Challenge to the Taos County Delegates[sic] under the Judicial Council’s review and jurisdiction.

First, although I applaud what appears to be record setting participation in the recent Taos County Democratic Party elections, possible irregularities in some precinct elections have been brought to my attention that, in fairness and if true, deserve an airing before the Judicial Council with appropriate admonishment or other remedy.  I have no information that any of these alleged irregularities were outcome determinative in either the election of Taos County officers or of members to the state central committee hailing from Taos County.  That being said, however, persons with more knowledge than my own second- and third-hand information may wish to present it to the Judicial Council.  I want to give any and every Democrat in Taos a chance to do just that.

Second, a law firm representing a group of individuals calling themselves Taos Democrats for Clean Elections (TDCE) hand-delivered a challenge to the Party Headquarters earlier today, April 24, 2007, a copy of which is enclosed.  Although the challenge--because it neither had been previously presented to the Taos County Central Committee nor otherwise contained the signatures of five county chairs--lacked the required elements under Rule 14-1(B) to be filed before the Judicial Council on its own, I decided to place it before the council myself.

Here’s why: Although I disagree with the challenge for several reasons, I also recognize its proponents feel seriously aggrieved.  I have every reason to believe in their good faith, and they deserve to be heard by the Judicial Council.

Curiously, shortly after delivering the challenge to headquarters, one of the TDCE’s lawyers called to tell me that the challenge had been withdrawn.  This call came before I was even aware of the challenge.  I do not know why the group withdrew the challenge or if they all reached a consensus to withdraw.  So I am submitting the challenge notwithstanding this phone call.  Additionally, TDCE may have decided that their requested remedy—to unseat the whole county delegation and re-run the election—was overly severe.

There are other, less draconian, remedies available, however.  If the Judicial Council believes that the precinct apportionment in Taos violated party rules, it can offer appropriate admonishment or refer the matter to the Rules Committee for appropriate changes or clarification of the apportionment issue.

Any admonishment the Judicial Council chooses to issue with regards to the challenge should be directed solely to me.  I personally reviewed the apportionment recommendation, approved it and directed Matt Farrauto and Joseph Casados to implement it.  My beliefs about the issue are thoughtfully contained in Mr. Farrauto’s email included as Exhibit “C” to the challenge.

Sincerely,

John Wertheim
Chairman
Democratic Party of New Mexico

CC (without enclosures):         
John Boyd
Sarah Berger
Robert Bishop
Margarita Denevan
Kelen Emery
Eugena Hauber
Theron Horton
Judith Hovetter
Suzy T. Kane
Thomas J. Kane
Bonnie Korman
Richard Montreau
Harvey Solomon
Kay Solomon
Charles Strong
Janet Webb
Linda Yardley
CC (with enclosures): 
Brian Colon
Gideon Elliot
Michael Olguin
William J. Knight
Thomas “Chuby” Tafoya
Robert Beck
Melinda Whitley
Jason Bousliman
Agnes Maldonado
Stephanie Dubois
D. Matthew Runnels
Conny Maki
Martin Suazo

How to Increase the Youth Vote in the Democratic Party of New Mexico

In discussions with Democrats across the state, I've heard a consistent  concern over the increasing number of young voters registering without any party affiliation and the absence of youth in the party organization. On Tuesday I was in Deming meeting with the County Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Luna, Grant and Sierra counties and they put the question to me; "how can we get more youth involved in the party?"

We talked about several ideas but nothing really concrete. However,  yesterday, looking at the number of DTS voters in each county and our state party's delegate selection plan for 2008 Democratic National Convention, I came up with one  possible solution: let the youth vote in our caucus.

Youth who will be 18 years of age, on or by November 4th, 2008 and who registerer as a Democrat before the caucus on Feb. 5th, 2008, should be allowed to vote and have that vote counted in the Democratic Party of New Mexico's Presidential caucus. This would allow anyone born before November 4th, 1990 and after Feb 5th, 1990--mostly high school seniors, (current juniors) to become active in the party.

However, what would be even better, would be if we could allow students 16 years of age and older participate in the caucus as well, since this would allow students in their second year of high school to participate in two election cycles before graduating, the second being 2010.

Interestingly, our Delegate Selection Plan for 2008 actually provides for 2 Youth delegates to the national convention. If we have Youth Delegates in the plan, it would seem only fair that we allow youth participation in our caucus.

Wellstone Action - Training Program

Wellstone Action - Training Program:
Wellstone Action’s Advanced Campaign Management School (ACMS) is an intensive 4.5 day training for individuals with some electoral experience who want to step up to become managers or senior campaign staffers. The purpose of this training is to teach the fundamentals of winning electoral campaigns, build the skills of a new generation of campaign managers, and develop leaders and professionals for long-term involvement in the progressive movement. ACMS is led by a training team with years of experience winning electoral campaigns.

Blueprints for success

Thank you visiting MyBlueState2008.com, your resource for a blue state in 2008.

The role of the Democratic Party is to empower its membership is by mobilizing Democrats in every precinct in every county in every state, to vote on election day.

The greatest tool any party organization can provide the people who work to make this goal a reality is information. That's why I've put this site together. Here you can find:

• Maps, charts and graphs on voting trends in New Mexico

• DPNM By-laws

• Proposals for a statewide volunteer program and Regional Headquarters

New information is always being added. Sign up to receive notifications of when new data is posted, by entering your email and zip code on the right.

Statewide County Summaries

EditGrid Spreadsheet by user/mybluestate2008.

Cost of Coordination

In 2004, the price for legislative candidates to participate in the Presidential coordinated campaign was too great for many Democratic challengers to incumbent Republicans. 

To prevent this from happening again in 2008, the party will begin raising funds to ensure nominees from GOP held districts and incumbent Dems with challengers don't have the added cost of a "buy-inn" for coordinated campaign services.

Building Capacity Within The Party

Volunteering for the party as a one star volunteer, or even a five star volunteer general training other volunteers, can't be the end of the progression of political knowledge and experience.

With a curriculum of training available to volunteers ranging from Political organizing, to communications and citizen lobbying, not only would volunteers  be able to obtain the skills necessary to apply for paid positions within the party or on a campaign, but the Democratic Party of New Mexico would benefit by having more volunteers with more skills and abilities.

New Mexico Voter Registration By Region 1982 vs. 2006

How we can own the party

The Democratic Party of New Mexico's stated policy is to "finance the business of the party primarily by contributions from each of its individual members as their means allow." and that "The State Central Committee has the responsibility of fulfilling that policy by maintaining a systematic program for soliciting and collecting such contributions." 

But the reality is that our party's donor base consists primarily of large, special-interest contributors and money from national committees and not individual contributions from our members.

If we want to take back our country, we have to take back our party first. Democrats are faced with a question; do we want to be a party dependent on special-interests or self interested  and that means we have to have more donors and that means we have to have more Democrats take ownership in their party. That will only happen when we send a message that the party isn't just about getting candidates elected regardless of the cost, but that the party is also about building infrastructure and respecting each individual Democrat.