Call to the 2017 11th Congressional District Democratic Convention
I. Call
Pursuant to the authority provided by the Virginia Democratic Party Plan, the Eleventh Congressional District Democratic Committee (“District Committee”) hereby calls a Convention to be held with Jurisdictional Caucuses beginning at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 13 2017, at the following location:
Luther Jackson Middle School
3020 Gallows Road
Falls Church, VA 22042
Registration shall start at 9:00 a.m.
II. Incorporated Documents
All appropriate provisions of the Virginia Democratic Party Plan (“State Party Plan”), as amended, and the March 2017 guidelines issued by the Democratic Party of Virginia are incorporated into this Call by reference and made a part hereof.
III. Purposes of the District Convention shall be:
- To elect twenty Democratic State Central Committee members;
- To consider resolutions; and
- To conduct such other business as may properly come before the convention.
IV. Organization of the District Convention
The Eleventh District Democratic Convention shall be organized in the following manner. The jurisdiction caucuses shall elect members to the State Central Committee as set forth below. All Democrats who are registered voters within the district may attend the jurisdiction caucuses and the District Convention. The Convention participants may Pre-file until April 28, 5:00 p.m. and all participants will sign-in between 9:00 am and 10:30 am, have their names checked against a registered voters list for their jurisdiction, and sign the Declaration Form. Registration will cease at 10:30 am, with the exception that anyone in line at that time will be accommodated for the registration process. The jurisdictional Caucuses will begin on completion of registration, and the Caucuses will each affirm the participants as delegates, and cast ballots for the 11th Congressional District/State Central Committee members. Upon completion of the registration and voting periods, the District Convention shall convene to ratify the election results and elect the State Central Committee members, and transact other business, as appropriate.
V. Participation and Outreach
Participation in the Eleventh District Democratic Convention 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 or gender identity, sexual orientation, economic status, or disability, and all meetings shall be publicized fully.
The District and local committees should encourage full participation by all Democrats in the State Central Committee election process, including notice, publicity and education programs. Such outreach should be directed to all Democratic constituencies, including groups such as ethnic minorities, young people, persons over 65 years of age, LGTBQ persons, persons with a high school education or less, persons with disabilities, and persons of low and moderate income.
VI. Declaration
All persons participating in the Convention shall sign a Declaration form which includes an affirmation that the person is a resident of, and registered to vote in, the Eleventh Congressional District; does not intend to support any candidate who is opposed to the Democratic nominee in the next ensuing general election; is a Democrat; 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 2017 general election.
VII. Voluntary Administrative Filing Fee
There will be a voluntary Convention fee of $10.00 for each District Convention Delegate. No person shall be denied the right to participate in the delegate selection process due to nonpayment of the voluntary administrative fee.
VIII. Jurisdiction Caucuses
The Chair, 11th Congressional District Democratic Committee will appoint conveners for the Jurisdiction Caucuses, head tellers, tellers, and other positions as needed. Following registration, all participants will meet in Jurisdiction Caucuses; Fairfax County, Prince William County, and Fairfax City, and affirm the participants as Convention Delegates. Next, Delegates will cast their ballots for State Central Committee members. Upon completion of the balloting, the Jurisdiction Caucuses will adjourn and the District Convention shall convene. Ballots and election results will be held by the Convention Head Teller, for presentation to the Convention.
IX. District Convention & Committees
Following the Jurisdiction Caucuses, the District Convention will convene.
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 District Chair shall appoint the Chair and members of the temporary Committees on Rules, Credentials, and Resolutions. Each committee shall be composed of up to 15 members.
Where possible, the membership of the temporary committees shall be apportioned as follows:
Fairfax County – 10 members
City of Fairfax – 1 members
Prince William County – 4 members
The District Convention shall elect Permanent Committees on Rules, Resolutions and Credentials. Each committee shall be composed of up to 15 members. The membership of the Permanent Committees shall be apportioned in the same manner as the temporary committees.
X. Delegates to the 11th Congressional District Democratic Convention
Method. The Delegates of the Congressional District shall be those 11th Congressional Democrats registering beginning at 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. On-line Pre-filing until April 28, 5:00 p.m. may be utilized to expedite registration on Convention day.
Pre-filing may be accomplished in advance of the Congressional District Convention. Persons wishing to pre-file may use the automated pre-filing on the Congressional District web site, http://11thdistrictdemocrats.org. Following April 28, registration will only be done during the registration period at the Convention.
XI. Election of Members of the State Central Committee
Method. The twenty members of the Democratic State Central Committee from the Congressional District shall be elected by Jurisdiction Caucuses via paper ballots cast following the registration period. The District Chair will appoint Conveners who will conduct the Jurisdictional Caucuses, and Head Tellers and other Tellers as necessary. Following the jurisdiction caucuses the names of persons selected by the jurisdiction caucuses shall be held by the Head Teller until presentation to the convention for ratification.
The caucuses shall elect the following numbers of State Central Committee members:
Fairfax County: 15 Members (7 female & 8 male)
Prince William County: 4 Members (2 female & 2 male)
Fairfax City: 1 Member (female OR male)
Pre-filing is required to be elected as members of the Congressional District Democratic Committee/State Central Committee. Persons wishing to be elected are required to pre-file the Membership Pre-Filing Form with the District Chair by 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 3, 2017. The form must be received by the 11th CD Chair by the designated deadline.
Although email is the preferred method, one may file via email, or mail, or fax, or in-person (hand deliver) provided that the form is received by the designated deadline. No matter which method one uses, a signature must be affixed to the Membership Pre-filing Form.
All documents to be filed with the District Chair shall be filed as follows using one of the following methods:
· By Email (preferred): haleyr@sprintmail.com
· By Mail:
Robert Haley, 11th CD Chair
2208 Glencourse Lane,
Reston, VA 22019
Phone: 703-864-4967 (C)
· By Fax: 703-476-9440
Slates. Any individual or group of Democrats may sponsor or endorse a slate of candidates for election to the Congressional District Committee/State Central Committee. However, no slate may receive preferential treatment or a preferential place on the ballot, nor may any slate be publicly identified on the ballot or otherwise as the “official slate.” Person(s) who want a slate listed on a ballot must provide (1) the name of the slate and (2) a list of persons comprising the slate, along with their Pre-Filing Forms. This information must be filed with the District Chair by 5:00 PM, on or prior to Wednesday, May 3, 2017.
XII. Resolutions
For a resolution to be considered at the District Convention, it must be received by the District Chair, or a designated representative, by 5:00 PM on Friday, April 28, 2017. All resolutions adopted by the District Convention shall be certified by the District Chair and forwarded to the State Central Committee for consideration by the DPVA Resolutions Committee no later than 10 days after the District Convention takes action.
XIII. Filing Deadlines and Methods
All documents required to be filed with District Chair must be submitted by the stated deadlines. All papers to be filed with the Chair of the Eleventh District Democratic Committee shall be filed by email at haleyr@sprintmail.com or by other methods as specified in the Pre-filing paragraph in Section VIII.
Gender Balance. The State Party Plan requires that the committee achieve gender balance. If the 20 elected members are not balanced by gender, the party plan provides that the three county/city members and the General Assembly member, all elected by District Committee at its first meeting, can be used to ensure that equal division by gender is met.
XIV. Other
The Chair, 11th District Committee shall serve as the Temporary Chair of the Convention. The Temporary Chair shall appoint the following temporary positions – a Parliamentarian, a Sergeant-at-Arms, Tellers, and shall appoint any other positions deemed necessary. Confirmation by the Convention of a Permanent Chair will serve to confirm the temporary positions as permanent positions. It shall be the responsibility of the Chair, 11th District Committee, as Temporary Chair, and the Permanent Chair to conduct and expedite the business of the Convention, and to preserve order and decorum. Each attendee is called upon and directed to assist in completing the business of the convention in an orderly and timely manner. The Chair shall be authorized to recess the Convention at any time. The Chair will state, whenever possible, when the Convention is to reconvene. The Chair may recognize special guests at appropriate times.
Forms to:
- Pre-file to be a Delegate (participate in this convention) [available on or before Wed. March 22, 2017]
- Pre-file for candidacy as a member of the 11th CD
