Jim Buhaug, First Vice-Chair for the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County and also Chair for Ward 22 in the East Mountains has put together the following straightforward description of party activities from the Caucus to the Primary in June. The information is specific to Bernalillo County and Jim's Ward, but it can serve as a template for our own explanation of how things work in Santa Fe County and perhaps in your county as well.
Thanks Jim!
VOTING FOR PRESIDENT:
Step 1- the February 5th caucus:
NM Democrats voted at their spring state central meeting to conduct a Presidential election (caucus) vote on February 5, 2008. Like many other states, we wanted to be important and have our votes considered by the candidates, and we felt an early election would address this. You may have your own opinion on this - 21 states are having early primaries now - but that is what we voted on.
This election is conducted and run by the party, not the county, with volunteer labor. The poll hours are 12-7 PM. The ballot will be a paper ballot, with only the office of President of the United States on the ballot. The Ward 22 site is Mountainside Methodist Church at 4 Penny Lane, Cedar Crest, NM.
Why this is important:
The votes cast by Democrats will be proportionately split when delegates to the national convention are selected. In other words, if a candidate gets half our votes, then half the NM delegates will be pledged to him or her at the national convention. A candidate getting less than 15% of the vote will get no delegates.
It is important to support your presidential choice and vote if you want them to have national delegates from NM.
Step 2- Running for delegate to DNC:
If someone wants to represent one of these candidates, and be a delegate to the national convention, you must apply by March 20th to the state party. See the Delegate Selection Plan on the state web site www.nmdemocrats.org.
Step 3- Delegate selection to DNC:
Delegates - chosen by Congressional District - will be voted on and selected at the April 19 District Conventions. There are pledged and un-pledged delegates. If you pledge yourself to a candidate when you apply, the presidential candidate will choose his/her delegates. You will have to be active with that candidate to be considered. The delegation will be gender balanced and represent the ethnic diversity of New Mexico.
Un-pledged, alternates, and add-on delegates will be elected at the April 26th State Central Committee meeting, attended by current State Central Committee members.
There are only 38 delegates total from NM, including automatic delegates like the state party chair and elected officials, like Sen. Bingaman. There are only 6 delegates total elected from CD1, 3 male, 3 female, plus a male alternate. Therefore, the odds of becoming a delegate are very slim, even if you have been active in the party.
Remember, all the above activities are concerned with the office of President only!
VOTING FOR OTHER STATE-WIDE OFFICES (Pre-Primary Convention):
The first step in creating the ballot for state-wide offices like Senator, Congressperson, Supreme Court Judge, etc. starts with the Ward and Precinct Conventions and progresses up through the State Convention.
February 7- Ward and Precinct Delegate Elections:
There will be cluster meetings held throughout the city on Thursday, February 7th. Wards will register at 6:30 PM, and the meeting called to order at 7:00 PM with registration closing at 7:30 PM when balloting will commence. Each ward will be assigned a certain number of delegates to elect, based on precinct performance in the last 2 general elections. Each precinct will elect delegates. If the total number of delegates elected doesn’t fill the ward assigned quota, the ward can vote in more delegates to fill the roster, as long as they live in the ward. Alternates can also be elected, as many as a ward wishes to elect. Ward 22 has 12 delegates to elect. Others receiving votes but not elected will become alternates in the order of number of votes received. The following are automatic delegates to the conventions as they are on the State Central Committee: Jim Buhaug, Lynn Buhaug, Marlys Lesley, Jason Burnette, Maxine Wilson.
There are no proxies at this meeting. You must be present to vote. This election will be held at Los Vecinos Community Center in Tijeras and combined with Ward 20C.
Why it is important:
Delegates elected at the ward/precinct level go to the State Convention. The County Convention is just a “pass-through” election to confirm those who were elected at the ward level.
The other purpose of the ward and precinct meetings is to introduce Resolutions, which become the basis of our platform and our beliefs. Any one in the ward can present a resolution. If it passes, it goes to the Resolutions committee, and then on to the State Convention. If you have a resolution you wish considered, please have a typed copy available for presentation to the ward at this time.
February 16- County Resolutions and County Rules/Credentials meetings:
These 2 meetings will be held the same day. The credentials committee will review all the delegates elected February 7th and make sure they are registered Democrats who reside in the Precincts and Wards they state, and approve the slate to present at the county meeting.
The Resolutions Committee will gather all the ward resolutions, group them into like categories, and accept, re-write, wordsmith them, etc. for presentation at the county meeting.
RESOLUTIONS COMMITTEE AND CREDENTIAL/RULES COMMITTEE, SATURDAY, February 16, 2008, 9:00 A.M. Rooms 2401 and 2402 UNM LAW SCHOOL, 1117 STANFORD N.E, ALBUQUERQUE.
Why these 2 meetings are important:
Any challenges to the Delegates legality - their place of residence, etc. must be brought before the Credentials Committee if someone feels there has been a misrepresentation.
The Resolutions Committee is important so that our beliefs and values can be properly expressed and preparations completed to present these ideas at the County and State Conventions.
Each ward has one representative on each of these committees.
March 1- The County Convention:
This meeting of all Delegates is held for 3 reasons: to accept the slate of Delegates from the Wards to the State Convention, to listen to, discuss, and debate the Resolutions, and to conduct other business as the Party has called for in the Call Letter. Normally there is not any other business, possibly rules changes in some years.
This meeting can be quite long. Registration will be from 9 to 10 AM, with the Call to Order at 10 AM. If there are lots of Resolutions, and lots of discussion and debate on them, the meeting can easily go until mid-afternoon.
PRE-PRIMARY COUNTY CONVENTION, SATURDAY, March 1, 2008, Registration 9-10, Meeting begins at 10:00 AM.
Performing Arts Center at Cibola High School, 1510 Ellison NW, ABQ 87114 - Phone 897-0110
Why it is important:
We must have a quorum of Delegates in attendance to conduct business, including passing through the delegates. If a delegate cannot attend, it is imperative to appoint one of the alternates from the ward to attend. Alternates should attend only if they are filling an absent position.
It is also important to have Resolutions fairly and completely debated, so we are getting the best ideas out to discussion. It is our convictions and beliefs in the Constitution and the goodness of WE THE PEOPLE that separate us from those other guys in red.
This is also an opportunity to talk one-on-one with the candidates. They will be there in force asking for your vote at the up-coming State Convention.
State Pre-Primary Convention - March 15:
At this convention, delegates from all the counties/wards/precincts are present to vote for candidates for state-wide office. Other business is also conducted, including the discussion and approval of Resolutions.
A new state law passed last year requires that a candidate for state-wide office receive at least 20% of the delegate vote to appear on the ballot. Candidates receiving less than 20% of the vote cannot go out and get more petition signatures to get on the ballot. They are just out of the running completely.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF NEW MEXICO PRE-PRIMARY CONVENTION, SATURDAY, MARCH 15, 2008, 8:00 A.M., Location: Santa Ana Star Center, 3001 Civic Center Circle NE, in Rio Rancho, NM
Why it is important:
Again, a quorum must be present, so it is vital for all delegates to be present, or their elected alternate.
This is the key vote for a candidate to make the ballot. If there are 3 candidates running for CD1, for example, and one candidate receives only 15% of the delegate vote, he/she will not appear on the ballot. Only the top 2 candidates will be on the ballot.
The candidates will all be there in force requesting your vote.
This is also the final opportunity for the platform to be discussed and debated and voted on, in the form of Resolutions. These become our platform that we ask the candidates to support and run on. If they do not, there should be consequences in the voting booth!
Primary Election Day- Tuesday, June 3:
It all comes down to this day when we select our slate of Democratic candidates, to run against, and beat, the Republicans, in the General Elections. May we pick the best possible group of people to represent us and bring real change to America!
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