11th CD 2012 Convention Call

11TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE OF VIRGINIA
2012 CONVENTION CALL

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1. Call. Pursuant to the authority provided by the Virginia Democratic Party Plan (“Party Plan”), the 11th Congressional District Convention will convene at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 19, 2012, at the Luther Jackson Middle School, 3020 Gallows Road, Falls Church, Virginia 22042.

2. Incorporated Documents. All appropriate provisions of the Virginia Democratic Party Plan, the Delegate Selection Plan for the 2012 Democratic National Convention Plan, and the Call to the 2012 Virginia State Democratic Convention are incorporated into this Call by reference and made a part hereof.

3. Purpose. The purpose of the 11th Congressional District Convention shall be:

A. To select seven (7) delegates and one (1) alternate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention;
B. To nominate three (3) members each to the permanent Credentials and Rules Committees of the State Convention;
C. To select a presidential elector representing the 11th Congressional District in the 2012 general presidential election;
D. To consider resolutions;
E. To conduct such other business as may properly come before the Convention.

4. Selection of District Convention Delegates and Alternates.

The delegates and alternates to the 11th Congressional District Convention shall also be the delegates or alternates to the State Democratic Convention to be held June 2, 2012 at the Patriot Center, George Mason University, 4500 Patriot Circle, Fairfax, Virginia 22030. The State Convention shall continue until all business set forth in the 2012 State Convention Call and any subsequent agenda to be provided by the Convention Rules Committee, shall be completed.

Delegates and alternates to the 11th Congressional District Convention and the State Democratic Convention shall be those elected by city, county or magisterial district caucuses beginning at 12:00 noon on Saturday, April 21, 2012. The caucuses may be assembled or unassembled. Localities having unassembled caucuses may also provide for absentee voting in person at a publicized location on Thursday April 19, beginning at 7:00 p.m. and ending at a reasonable time.

5. Allocation of District Convention Delegates and Alternates.

Delegates and alternates elected at county or city caucuses or convention shall serve as delegates and alternates to both the Congressional District and State Convention (“State Delegates and Alternates”). There shall be elected 2,500 State Delegates and 500 State Alternates to the State Convention. The apportionment of State Delegates and Alternates among counties and cities is detailed in the State Convention Call, as determined by the State Central Committee, based on a formula giving equal weight to population and to the average of the Democratic vote for President in 2008, for Governor in 2009, and for U.S. Senator in 2008.

The 11th Congressional Democratic District apportionment is 244 delegates and 49 alternates to the 2012 11th Congressional District Convention and to the Virginia State Democratic Convention, allocated as follows:

Fairfax County 157 Delegates, 31 Alternates
Prince William County 79 Delegates, 16 Alternates
City of Fairfax 8 Delegates, 2 Alternates

6. Rules for the 11th District Convention Delegate Selection.

A. Participation and Access.

Participation in Virginia’s Democratic delegate selection process is open to all registered voters who wish to participate as Democrats. All meetings shall be open to all members of the Democratic Party regardless of race, sex, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, economic status, philosophical persuasion or disability, and all meetings should be publicized fully. Each county and city committee shall comply with the Affirmative Action provisions of the Delegate Selection Plan.

B. Filing. Any Democrat wishing to be a delegate or alternate to the 11th Congressional District Convention and to the State Convention must file a certificate of candidacy with the Chairperson of the local county or city Democratic committee, the magisterial district chairs in Fairfax County or a designated representative, by the filing deadline. Each person prefiling must designate a Presidential candidate preference. Only persons designating President Barack Obama as their Presidential candidate may be elected as State Delegates or Alternates.

Prefiling deadline to run for District and State Convention Delegate or Alternate shall be 5:00 p.m., Monday, April 16, 2012 for the caucuses held on Saturday, April 21, 2012.

Any Democrat wishing to run for one of the Democratic National Convention Delegate or Alternate slots to be selected at the 11th District Convention must file a certificate of candidacy by Friday May 4, 2012 at 5 pm with the Chair of the 11th Congressional Democratic Committee, as outlined in Section 8 of this Call.

George Burke, Chair
11th Congressional District Democratic Committee
3226 Sleepy Hollow Rd
Falls Church, VA 22042
Email Address – georgeaburke@gmail.com
Phone: 202-288-2104
Fax: 703-852-4457

Only those delegate candidates who have filed by the deadline will appear on the ballots distributed at the caucuses.

C. Declaration. The certificate of delegate candidacy shall include an affirmation that the person is registered to vote in the jurisdiction holding the caucus; is a Democrat; does not intend to support any candidate who is opposed to a Democratic nominee in the next ensuing general election; is not a member of any other political party; and has not participated and will not participate in the nominating process of any other political party for the 2012 elections. Any person attending a caucus, before participating in that meeting, shall sign a standardized declaration form, stating that he or she is a Democrat; does not intend to support any candidate who is opposed to a Democratic nominee in the next ensuing election; is not a member of any other political party; has not participated and will not participate in the nominating process of any other party for the 2012 Presidential election; and is a registered voter in such jurisdiction.

D. Candidate Preference. Pursuant to the Delegate Selection Plan provisions, only President Barack Obama qualified for the March 6, 2012 Presidential Preference Primary, and therefore all State Delegates and Alternates shall be pledged to President Obama.

E. Voluntary Administrative Filing Fee. There will be a voluntary State Convention fee of $25.00 for each candidate for State Convention and District Convention Delegate and District Convention Alternate. The fee, collected by the local city/county committees, is distributed as follows: $10 to DPVA; $10 to local city/county committee; $5 to 11th CD Committee. Each county or city chair shall send one check to the State Party and one check to the 11th Congressional District Chair containing each entity’s portion of the voluntary filing fees. No person shall be denied the right to participate in the delegate selection process due to nonpayment of the voluntary administrative fee.

F. Method of Election and Fair Reflection of Candidate Preference. Each jurisdiction shall be responsible for choosing the method for selection of delegates and alternates, consistent with the procedures of the Delegate Selection plan. Such delegate selection process shall ensure fair reflection of candidate preference as provided by the Delegate Selection Plan.

G. Certification of State Convention and District Convention Delegates and Alternates. Within five days after each caucus, each county and city Democratic Committee Chair shall provide the Chair of the 11th Congressional District Democratic Committee and the State Democratic Party with a certified list of delegates and alternates including the name, address, telephone, fax and/or e-mail number (if available) and candidate preference of each delegate. Vacancies occurring in the delegation after the caucus election and certification of delegates may be filled pursuant to Section 15.9 of the Party Plan and consultation with the 11th CD and city/county committee chairs.

I. Rules and Notice. Each county and city Democratic Committee within the 11th Congressional District shall establish rules for its caucuses in conformity with this call, the State Party Plan, and the Delegate Selection Plan.

7. District Convention Rules and Committees.

The District Convention shall be governed by the rules developed by the temporary Rules Committee and rules developed by the permanent rules committee and adopted by the Convention.

The 11th District Democratic Committee shall appoint the members of the temporary Committees on Credentials, Rules and Resolutions. Each Committee shall be composed of 15 members. The membership of the temporary Committees shall be apportioned as follows:

Fairfax Nine (9)
Prince William Four (4)
Fairfax City Two (2)

The District Convention shall elect Permanent Committees on Credentials, Rules and Resolutions. Each committee shall be composed of 15 members. The membership of the Permanent Committees shall be apportioned in the same manner as the temporary committees.

8. Rules for Selection of National Convention Delegates.

The 11th District Democratic Convention shall elect seven delegates and one alternate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Four delegates shall be female and three delegates shall be male and the alternate shall be male.

Pursuant to the Delegate Selection Plan provisions, only President Barack Obama qualified for the March 6, 2012 Democratic Presidential Preference Primary, and therefore all National Convention Delegates and Alternates shall be pledged to President Obama.

Persons wishing to be elected as a District-level Delegate or Alternate to the National Convention or as a congressional district Presidential Elector should file with the 11th Congressional District Chair (and with a copy to the State Party Chair) fifteen (15) days prior to the Congressional District Convention, or by Friday, May 4, 2012, before 5:00 p.m.

Election of State Delegates and Alternates shall be conducted as provided in the Delegate Selection Plan. Ballots used in county and city caucuses shall list the Presidential preferences. The stated Presidential preference shall be binding at the Congressional District and State Conventions for all elected delegates and alternates and shall prevail in all caucuses and voting for National Delegates and Alternates.

Only those State Delegates elected through presidential caucuses shall be eligible to vote for members of the Democratic National Committee and Presidential Electors at the State Convention.

The 11th Congressional District Democratic Chair shall certify in writing to the State Democratic Chair the election of the district’s national convention delegates and alternates within 36 hours of their election.

9. Rules for Selection of the Presidential Elector.

The District Convention shall elect one person to serve as Presidential Elector representing the 11th Congressional District. Such person shall be pledged formally and in good conscience to the election to the Democratic Presidential and Vice Presidential nominee. All candidates for Presidential Elector shall file statements of candidacy with the 11th Congressional District Democratic Chair by Friday, May 4, 2012 before 5:00 pm. All statements of candidacy shall include an affirmation that the person is registered to vote in the 11th Congressional District; is a Democrat; does not intend to support any candidate who is opposed to the Democratic Presidential nominee in the next ensuing general election; and is not a member of any other political party.

Unless otherwise determined by the District Convention, voting for Elector shall be by written ballot and the candidate obtaining a majority of the vote shall be elected.

10. Rules for Nomination of Members of the State Democratic Convention Rules and Credential Committees.

The assembled convention shall nominate three members to the state permanent credentials committee and three members to the state permanent rules committee. All persons seeking to be nominated for State Convention committees shall file statements of candidacy with the 11th District Democratic Chair five days prior to the District Convention.

11. Resolutions.

For a resolution to be considered at the 11th Congressional District Democratic Convention, the 11th District Democratic Chair must receive it fourteen (14) days prior to the District Convention. For a resolution to be considered by the District Convention, the District Temporary Resolutions Committee must receive the draft resolutions by Friday, May 4, 2012, at 5:00 P.M.

Preferably, resolutions should be emailed or faxed to the 11th District Chair. Resolutions sent by mail must be received before the deadline, not merely postmarked by the deadline date. All resolutions adopted by the District Convention shall be forwarded promptly to the State Temporary Resolutions Committee for consideration.

Filing Locations:

All papers to be filed with the Chair of the 11th District Democratic Committee shall be filed with the chair:

George Burke, Chair
11th Congressional District Democratic Committee
3226 Sleepy Hollow Rd
Falls Church, VA 22042
Email Address – georgeaburke@gmail.com
Phone: 202-288-2104
Fax: 703-852-4457

All papers to be filed with the State Democratic Party or its chair shall be filed with the Democratic Party of Virginia, 1710 E. Franklin St., 2nd Floor, Richmond Va., 23223 (phone: 804-644-1966 or toll free 1-800-322-1144, Fax 804-343-3642).

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