FRAMINGHAM DEMOCRATIC
TOWN COMMITTEE
Caucus February 11, 2007
Framingham Democrats will caucus on Sunday February 11, 2007 at Framingham
Green Community Room. The address is 136 Maynard Road, Framingham.
This caucus has been called to select Framingham's delegation to the 2007
Democratic State Convention that takes place in May at the Mullin Center on the
campus of UMASS, Amherst.
Registration for the caucus will begin at 6:30PM and closes at 7PM. Call to
order immediately following close of registration.
Important 2007 Caucus Information
In September, the Democratic State Committee approved
the "Method of Selecting Delegates to the 2007 Democratic State
Convention." This is intended to summarize key dates and major changes
from previous years. It is simply a summary and is not a substitute for the
"Method." Please refer to the "Method of Selecting Delegates to
the 2007 Democratic State Convention" for details.
The date for the 2007 caucus is February 3. With a waiver a caucus can be held on a different date, not later than February 11. So if your committee is planning your schedule for the upcoming year, keep these dates in mind.
CHANGES FROM PREVIOUS YEARS:
The chair, AT THE TIME OF THE CAUCUS, is an ex officio delegate. This is a change from previous years. There is added emphasis in the "Method" on the responsibility of the chair to conduct a caucus in compliance with the rules.
The FIFTEEN MINUTE WAITING PERIOD IS ELIMINATED. A voter must be in line by the posted caucus time to be able to run for delegate or vote at a caucus. There is no grace period.
Candidates for delegate MJST BE ALLOWED TO MAKE A ONE MINUTE SPEECH if they wish. This can no longer be waived by a vote of the caucus. Each candidate can choose whether or not to speak, but all candidates must be given an opportunity to do so.
CANDIDATES MUST BE PRESENT TO BE NOMINATED FOR DELEGATE OR ALTERNATE. This is a change from previous issues conventions. There continues to be an exemption for people serving in the Armed Forces of the United States.
Delegates, either elected, add-on or ex officio, and alternates cannot have or be publicly supporting or endorsing any candidate whose announced intention was/is to oppose a nominee of the Democratic Party in the current or any one of the two most recent biennial elections.
If the chair is a delegate in another capacity and the vice-chair, secretary, treasurer or affirmative action officer is called upon to serve and that officer is an elected delegate, then the officer is considered to be the ex officio delegate and the appropriate alternate would substitute for the delegate who becomes ex officio.
MAJOR DATES IN THE CAUCUS TIMELINE
December 31 - deadline by which people must be registered Democrats to
participate in a caucus.
January 3 - deadline for notifying the Democratic Party of date and place of caucus.
January 4 to January 24 - window for publicizing caucus.
February 3 - caucus date (unless a waiver has been granted).
February 11 - deadline by which a caucus must be held if a waiver has been granted.