Who's going to the Ohio Dem Caucus Jan 3rd?

[BillORightsMan]

DIDJA EVEN KNOW that Ohio ran caucuses?

That's right, we will be having our caucuses on January 3rd, 2008. The purpose of the caucus is to select the Ohio Dem Delegates that will represent Ohio at the 2008 Democratic Convention in Denver.
You can read all about how delegates are chosen here:
2008 Ohio Delegate Selection Plan (pdf)
Basically, if your candidate gets 15% of the Popular Vote on Primary Day IN YOUR CONGRESSINAL DISTRICT,
then the #1 delegate for that candidate gets to go to the Convention! 30% and the #2 goes, etc. etc.
(See the above pdf for a nice district-by-district chart on pg. 10.)


I put together some info you might find handy!

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HOW TO BE A DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION DELEGATE FROM OHIO

Fri, Oct 5, 2007 - 06:34 PM Posted by Todd Hoffman in Election 2008
http://www.ohiodems.org/index.php?page=blog&full=261

We are now accepting candidates for Ohio Delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Those wishing to apply can fax their applications to 1-877-THE-DEMS or send them by mail. Please read all of the accompanied documents closely.


**The Democratic National Convention will be held in Denver, Colorado August 25-28, 2008.**

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Delegates and alternates are selected either at a Congressional District caucus held in each CD on January 3, 2008 or by the State Executive Committee on May 10, 2008. There are also 18 delegates who are ex-officio (members of Congress or the DNC).

Declaration of Candidacy Form
District Level Delegates and Alternates

Filing Deadline – January 1, 2008
Must be received by 5:00PM

Please Return form by mail or fax to:
Ohio Democratic Party
271 E State St, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone [phone]
Fax (877) THE-DEMS [phone]


I hereby declare my desire to be a candidate for Ohio Delegate to the 2008 Democratic National Convention. I affirm that I am a qualified elector, and a member of the Democratic Party. I will not participate in the nominating processes of any other party for the 2008 elections.

You MUST indicate the candidate of your choice here.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

DOWNLOAD THE FORM http://www.billorightsman.com/docs/Declaration_of_Candidacy_Form.pdf
OR http://www.ohiodems.org/pdf/uploaded/Declaration_of_Candidacy_Form.pdf

MAKE SURE YOU SIGN THE FORM!
MAIL IN a copy AND FAX a copy, just to CYA.

Caucus Ettiquette:

• Speech! Speech!
  You will be asked to give a 2-minute (or so) speech why YOU should represent your District at the Denver Convention. Remember, the POPULAR VOTE in your district is NOT a vote for President; it is a vote for YOU to represent your CANDIDATE for your DISTRICT at the Democratic Convention. There are between four and eight delegates (plus alternate) PER CANDIDATE PER DISTRICT (see chart on page 10) and the Candidate's Primary Delegate is IN if YOUR CANDIDATE gets 15% in the Popular vote on sub-Super-Tuesday. There may be lots of people in your caucus (the Hillary crowd) or just a few (Kerry, Edwards & Gephardt come to mind from our CD-14 2004 caucus).
  
  
• Be Prepared!
  Know your candidate! Do your homework and research your candidate's positions, and most importantly, WHY you agree with your CANDIDATE'S positions and HOW it will affect YOUR District (and America of ya want to add that). Boil it all down to less than 1000 words.
  
  
• Friends!
  Ask EVERYBODY YOU KNOW (political or otherwise) to come to your caucus with you for two hours. If they are REALLY your friends, they will clap and cheer you, not raspberry and jeer you. (The Edwardians did a GREAT job when we had the FIRST EVER Secondary Caucus in 2004)
  
  
• Dress!
  Three choices:
  1) Corporate: put on yer sundaygotomeetin biznezz suit or dress and look the part (DLC Dem)
  2) Grassrooter: Decorate yourself in every kind of CANDIDATE BLING you can get! Make up flyers or 3x5's and wear MANY BUTTONS. Contact yer county Dem Party and see about a TABLE! Commit to GET THERE EARLY, to help set up AND shmooooooze.
  3) Go as yourself: This relies on REALLY knowing YOURSELF and your CANDIDATE. If you choose this option, your speech better be DY-NO-MITE! You're a leader, you have confidence in yourself and your CANDIDATE to DO THE RIGHT THING. Your PASSION will carry the day.
  Any combination will work. Know your District! Know yourself.
  
  
• Surprise!
  Going to an Ohio Caucus is exciting! Be prepared to meet MANY MANY people. Have some bizness cards (and BLING!) to hand out (make some up on yer 'puter) and/or a small spiral notebook you can have people you meet write in their contact info. Have MANY writing instruments! The Ohio Caucus system is a great way to network. In fact, you'll be able to pick out the local "heavies" pretty quickly. Don't be afraid to say, "Hello" and make yourself known.
  

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Well, I hope this makes some sense to you. I REALLY HOPE you spread this to YOUR LISTS - the more the merrier, yes? We need to know the MECHANICS of SELF-GOVERNANCE to be able to GET IN THE SYSTEM and then be able to AFFECT CHANGE. Right now, the whole thing is WIDE OPEN, as not ONE VOTE HAS BEEN CAST yet. This year we have a bizzarre situation where Iowa is Caucussing FOR REAL (since they don't have a popular vote, like we do) and OUR CAUCUS is happening as the IOWA polls are closing. BUT, you cannot decide on Jan 3 who you're gonna back, you have to decide NOW.

REMEMBER 2004: For the FIRST TIME EVER Ohio had to conduct a SECONDARY CAUCUS in May, because Kerry and Edwards DID NOT have enough Delegates from the January Caucus. That is, ANYTHING can happen.

Choose your candidate wisely. Advocate for them with FACTS and your heart. Get there early and discuss the ISSUES with whomever you meet. Get contact info. Sway opinions with your speech. You CAN do this.
Then be prepared to canvas your district for the next two months so you can get that 15%!

I'll see you at the Caucus!

imbillorightsmanandiapprovethismessage
:patriot:

[Kolesar]

1. Dean for America, baby!

The 2004 caucus is where I met Capri.
Consider your thread kicked. :dem:

[cmd]

2. I'll be there

I'm just not running for delegate. Have fun and good luck!
(John Edwards, FYI)

[Andrea]

3. Thanks for the great info

I'll be there. I'm planning to run for delegate for Edwards (unless a miracle happens and Al Gore gets in before I file my papers).

Can someone clarify this? Who is eligible to vote at the caucus? Is it only people from the delegate candidate's U.S. congressional district? Or is it even more specific - from your Ohio congressional district?

Thanks!

p.s. The caucuses are held on my birthday.

[BillORightsMan]

5. Go Andrea GO! and answers

AWRIGHT!
GIVE IT UP FOR ANDREA!!!
:applause:


Now, to some answers.... B-)

1. (unless a miracle happens and Al Gore gets in before I file my papers)
Al Gore is not running

2. Is it only people from the delegate candidate's U.S. congressional district?
Uh, you have to be a Registered Dem Voter that "claims a residence*" in your US Congressional District to qualify to be a Delegate. I'm NOT SURE what steps are taken to ensure EVERYBODY in the CAUCUSES (delegates and their supporters) are really Registered Dems! I recall signing in at the 2004 Caucus. Check with your local Dem Machine Office on how THEY do it. Then volunteer to help and organize. Then tell us what you found out (What District? What County?)

3. Is it even more specific - from your Ohio congressional district?
NO. It's EVERYBODY (who's a registered Dem who claims a residence* in your US Congressional District). I'm in LaTourette's District 14 (GO Judge Bill O'Neill!) that has all of Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula, and parts of Cuyahoga, Trumbull and Portage (see OH CD Map.pdf ). That's why I say, Take notes, Make contacts, Organize your peeps ALL OVER YOUR District for TWO Months to get the Magic 15% Popular Vote!
GET BUSY! :toast:

Caucus is Jan 3rd - Primary is Mar 4th.

What District are you in, Andrea? Who represents you now?

:patriot:

* Brian Bilbray (R-CA 50) claimed his MOTHER'S HOUSE as his "proof"
that he LIVED in the District!
Where Does Brian Bilbray Really Live?

SAN DIEGO -- It is now more than just mudslinging in the race for the 50th Congressional District.

Wednesday, the Democratic Party called for an investigation into allegations of perjury and voter fraud against Republican candidate Brian Bilbray.

Democrats said the proof is in property records from three homes and Bilbray’s declaration of candidacy.

These are serious allegations against a man who has run a campaign saying San Diego is and always will be his home.

The ad states San Diego is the home where Republican congressional candidate Bilbray said he lives.

“I live in Carlsbad, taking care of my mother,” Bilbray said.

He said he has lived in the Carlsbad house since March 2005.
It is the address he used in his declaration of candidacy for the North County congressional seat.

Democrats said Bilbray does not live at that address.

“It was a convenient residence to use for this particular election since it is the 50th Congressional District," said County Democratic Party Chair Jess Durfee

In fact, there are serious questions about where Bilbray really lives.

Virginia property records show Bilbray claims a home in Alexandria, Va., as his primary residence, for tax purposes.

The same is true for a home in Imperial Beach.

Bilbray and his wife, Karen, also claim the Imperial Beach home as their primary residence.

Bilbray won that race BTW. By a nose. With the help of Sleep-over Voting Machines in CA-50 and the US Congress SWEARING HIM IN BEFORE The CA SoS even CERTIFIED the VOTE! (look it up)
:wow:



imbillorightsandiapprovethismessage
:patriot:

[Andrea]

6. Thanks for the info

1) Hey, I said it would be a miracle - give me a break! A girl can hope, right? :)

2) Well, there's no question that I'm a registered Dem (have been forever) and that I live in my district (I sure can't afford multiple homes!). I know when we get the voter rolls for canvassing that they are frequently very outdated, so how they verify I don't know. I do volunteer a lot, but I'm not sure how appropriate it would be for me to help with this, since I'll be running.

3) I live in the 12th, Pat Tiberi's district. Almost all my friends live in the 15th, Pryce's (soon to be Kilroy's - yeah GO Mary Jo)district, which starts one street over from me. I have a lot of contacts in my neighborhood, from canvassing for Dems, and I plan to contact them, as well as sending out some appeals to a couple online communities I belong to.

Thanks for your help and advice and I am very open to hearing more.

So, anyone out there that lives in the 12th and will come and vote for me?

[cmd]

7. Here's a helpful hint

Find out who the Dems are who work at the board of elections in Franklin. Your chair person can help you with that. You don't necessarily have to go to the top. Ask one of the workers to get you an updated voter roll. They are usually very helpful to fellow Democrats. It's not illegal; and it's more efficient than waiting for a request to come down from the director.

[geiger]

4. good reminder, and to any potential first timers, go for it

[pf99]

8. Great post

Just signed up. Thanks for the update.

[BillORightsMan]

9. Jan 3rd 2008 Ohio Caucus locations

See where your district will be holding their caucus HERE!

Official Ohio Democratic Party January 3, 2008 Caucus Locations (pdf)

Also, I've been looking for which candidates have officially registered with the Ohio SoS to appear on the statewide primary ballot. Nothing but procedure papers on the OH SoS site.
I may make a call down there to see if they have that info.

(It would really suck to send in your delegate form only to find out your candidate didn't follow the rules to register in time!)

If anybody has this info, please post!

[DurShar]

10. I will be going to OH-7 caucus.

I am a rookie at this caucus thing, but will be going out to the OH-07 caucus to support Kucinich. I don't want to be a delegate but a few from my meet up group are going to try. Hope to see some of you out there.

Nobody but Kucinich in 2008.

[Ninga]

11. I'm running in the 14th, which is an interesting mix of Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga.

There will be bus loads of folks being trucked in by candidates. I will be able to bring a few warm bodies to vote for me,,,, but it will be interesting to say the least.

[Kolesar]

13. Is it at Lakeland Community College again

... as it was in 2004. I may attend for the helluvit.

[BillORightsMan]

12. Jan 1st @ 5 PM deadline has come and gone

The Deadline to apply to be a delegate has passed.
I hope the Ohio DU contingent has done their civic duty and applied to be a delegate.
If you DIDN'T apply, then PLEASE ATTEND your caucus this year.

(Does anybody have a DU DEM logo we can all wear? Here is the official button in the DU Store)


As Thom Hartmmann always says, we must affect CHANGE from WITHIN!

GOOD LUCK TO ALL! :applause:

See you Thursday Night!

imbillorightsmanandiapprovethismessage
:patriot:

[geiger]

14. How'd it go, everyone?