News

Represent the 3rd LD at State Convention/5th CD Caucus

March 27, 2020

Registration is now open to run for delegate to represent the 3rd Legislative District (LD) at the State Convention and the 5th Congressional District (CD) Caucus. The 3rd LD has 24 delegate positions available and 12 alternate positions.

Delegates are allocated to presidential campaigns by the results of the presidential primary in the 3rd LD --- so 14 Sanders delegates and 7 Sanders alternates and 10 Biden delegates and 5 Biden alternates will be chosen (based on our local presidential primary results.)

The 24 delegates chosen in this process will have dual roles at two upcoming meetings:

• State Convention delegates: The 24 State Convention delegates (14 Sanders/10 Biden) represent the 3rd LD at the State Party Convention (scheduled for Tacoma June 12-14.) Statewide, there are 1,400 elected delegates to the state convention (allocated between presidential candidates based on the results of the March 10 presidential primary.) The State Party indicates that of these 1,400 statewide elected delegates, 713 were tentatively allocated to Biden and 687 were tentatively allocated to Sanders. “Tentatively” is being used because some LD delegate allocations are extremely close and care is being used to determine exact allocations. Our allocation of the 24 state convention delegates was not close --- 14 Sanders/10 Biden. What does the State Convention do? It sets the State Party’s platform for the next two years and handles other business properly brought before the convention.
• Congressional District caucus delegates: The same 24 people elected as State Convention delegates from the 3rd LD will also serve as 5th Congressional District caucus delegates (14 Sanders/10 Biden). The Congressional District caucus will be convened electronically (a virtual meeting) on May 30th to vote on the four (4) national delegate positions to the Democratic National Convention (2 Sanders and 2 Biden) from the 5th Congressional District. The 3rd LD’s 14 Sanders delegates will vote only on people to fill the 2 Sanders national delegate positions from the 5th CD. The 3rd LD’s 10 Biden delegates will vote only on people to fill the 2 Biden national delegate positions from the 5th CD.

Alternates fill in for delegates in the event a delegate is unable to participate/attend either the State Convention or the virtual Congressional District Caucus.

Anyone who resides in the 3rd LD (who self-identifies as a Democrat) can declare their candidacy to run for one of the 24 State Convention/5th Congressional District delegate positions. Here’s the link to declare a candidacy (already coded for the 3rd LD):

https://wademscaucus2020.azurewebsites.net/caucus/ld3

Registration is OPEN NOW and continues through April 24. There is a hard deadline to self-nominate to be a delegate representing the 3rd LD to the State Convention and the 5th Congressional District Caucus. Submit your self-nomination no later than April 24.

If you want to be a delegate to the National Convention, you don’t need to run to be a delegate to the State Convention/5th Congressional District Caucus --- but it helps, because only people elected as delegates at this stage of the process get to vote for National Convention delegates at the 5th Congressional District Caucus on May 30th. There is a Phase 2 process of electing At Large delegates and alternates on a statewide basis which will occur on June 14.

To learn more about the delegate selection process, including the election of At Large delegates and alternates on a statewide basis and what paperwork needs to be submitted to run for a National Convention delegate position (at CD caucuses as well as statewide,) visit waelectioncenter.com. If you have questions about the delegate selection process, please email delegatehelp2020@wa-democrats.org.

If you need local assistance in registering your candidacy to be a delegate from the 3rd LD to the State Convention/5th Congressional District Caucus because you lack access to the internet or have other technology issues, please contact the Chair.