Guide to the National Delegate
Selection Process:
2012 Democratic National
Convention
Charlotte, North Carolina
September 3rd-6th, 2012
Democratic National Committee (DNC)
2012 Convention
• Massachusetts will send a total of 135 delegates
and 9 Alternates to the Convention
• Together with other delegates from across the
country, will nominate Barack Obama as the
President of the United States
• September 3rd-6th, 2012
• Charlotte, North Carolina
Massachusetts Delegates to the
Convention:
72 District-Level Delegates and 9 Alternates
-Selected April 21, 2012 by Congressional District Caucuses
24 At-Large Delegates
-Selected May 5, 2012 by the Democratic State
Committee
14 Pledged Party Leader and Elected Official (PLEO)
Delegates
-Selected May 5, 2012 by the Democratic State
Committee
25 Unpledged Party Leader and Elected Official Delegates
-Designated Elected Officials
District-Level Delegates
• Massachusetts is allotted 72 District-Level Delegates
and 9 Alternates
• To qualify, candidates must be registered Democrats
by 8pm on February 15, 2012
– Any person who is a U.S. Citizen; and a Massachusetts resident; and is 18 years
old can register to vote. In Massachusetts you can register to vote or join a
Party if already registered, by mail or at any municipal office.
– Registration of Democrats shall be verified at each Congressional District
caucus through recent official registration lists or by the presentation of
certificates of party enrollment. Certificates can be picked up at any municipal
clerk’s office
• Must file candidacy and pledge of support forms
with the Democratic Party by 5pm, March 23, 2012.
District-Level Delegate Assignments*:
Delegates
Districts
Total
Male
Female
Alternates
Total
#1
4
4
8
#2
4
4
8
#3
4
4
8
#4
4
4
8
#5
4
4
8
#6
4
4
8
#7
4
4
8
#8
4
4
8
#9
4
4
8
36
36
72
Male
Female
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
*Post-Redistricting Changes
1
1
1
4
Total
1
1
1
1
5
9
On the Day of the Caucus:
• District-level Delegates will be elected by Congressional
Caucuses on April 21, 2012
– Each congressional district will have a caucus on this day, time and
location will be released sometime in February
– Caucuses will be held in newly re-drawn Congressional Districts. You
can go to mass.gov to find new congressional maps and
wheredoivotema.com to find your election information and district
• Each candidate will be allowed to make a twominute speech and to distribute materials on his/her
behalf at the Caucus
– The provision to make a speech may be amended by 2/3 of those
present and voting
• All district-Level candidates must be present at the
Congressional Caucuses to give consent to
nomination
– Nomination must be seconded by two persons present at the
caucus
– Persons must be registered Democrats within the District to
nominate and vote
• Candidates and voters should plan to be at the
Caucus for the entire day as several votes will take
place on each ballot
Key Dates to Remember for District-Level
Delegate and Alternate
Selection:
•
January 16, 2012- Candidacy and pledge of support
forms and filing instructions available
• Can be picked up in person from the Massachusetts Democratic Party
office, by mail, or on the web at [www.massdems.org]
• February 15, 2012- by 8:00pm. Last day and hour to
register to vote and/or change party enrollment for
presidential primary
• Only registered Democrats shall be allowed to run as delegate or
alternate, or to vote on any matter at the congressional caucuses
• March 6, 2012-Presidential Primary
• March 23, 2012- by 5:00pm. Deadline for filing
statement of candidacy and pledge of support forms
with the State Party
– Please note this is a hard and inflexible deadline. Materials must be in our
hands by the deadline.
By Mail:
Massachusetts Democratic Party
c/o National Delegate Selection Process
77 Summer Street, 10th Floor, Boston MA 02110
At-Large Delegates:
• Massachusetts is allotted 24 At-Large Delegates
• To qualify, candidates must file a statement of candidacy and
a pledge of support for the presidential candidate with the
state party by 5pm on April 13, 2012 (Please note this is a hard
and inflexible deadline. Materials must be in our hands by the deadline)
By Mail:
Massachusetts Democratic Party
c/o National Delegate Selection Process
77 Summer Street, 10th Floor, Boston MA 02110
• Selections for At-Large Delegates will take place on
May 5, 2012 by the Democratic State Committee
• At-Large delegates will be selected by the
Democratic State Committee using the following
procedure:
– The state chair will announce the candidates pledged to presidential
candidate and call for a separate vote for each set of delegates
– The vote shall be taken by hand vote or signed ballot
– If no preference reaches a threshold to receive delegates; nominations
would be accepted from the floor at the May 5, 2012 Democratic State
Committee Meeting
Pledge Party Leader and Elected
Official (PLEO)
• Massachusetts is allotted 14 PLEO Delegates
• Individuals eligible for PLEO delegate positions:
–
–
–
–
Big City Mayors
State-Wide Elected Officials
State legislative Leaders
Other state, county and local elected officials and party
leaders
Requirements:
• A candidate for PLEOs must file a statement of
candidacy and a pledge of support with the
Democratic State Committee by 5pm on April 13,
2012
– Please note this is a hard and inflexible deadline. Materials must be in
our hands by the deadline
– File by 5:00pm on April 27, 2012 for those not elected at District-Level
• Selections for PLEOs Delegates will take place on
May 5, 2012 by the Democratic State Committee
Unpledged Party Leaders and Elected
Officials:
• Massachusetts is allotted 25 Unpledged Party Leader
and Elected Official Delegates
• The following categories shall constitute the Unpledged Party
Leaders and Elected Official delegate positions:
• Members of the Democratic National Committee who legally
reside in the state (10)
• All of Massachusetts’ Democratic Members of the U.S. House of
Representatives and the U.S. Senate (11)
• The Democratic Governor (1)
• Distinguished Party Leader delegates who legally reside in the
state (3)
How to Run for Delegate:
• Call your friends and family and ask them to attend the caucus
and vote for you
– Must be registered Democrats in your district to vote
• Attend local town/ward committee meetings, social
gatherings and introduce yourself (Go to www. mass
dems.org to find a listing).
• Call your local Town/Ward Chairs to ask if they are attending.
Listing can be found on www.massdems.org
• Create a flyer with your bio and why you should be elected as
a delegate.
• Begin volunteering as early as possible for President
Obama’s Re-election campaign (important for the campaign
to know who you are)
For ways to volunteer Contact:
Carl Nilsson, Massachusetts State Director, Obama for America, 617470-5664, CNilsson@barackobama.com
• You will need MANY (some have suggested at least 250, in some
cases it might be more) committed registered Democratic
supporters/voters from your district to come to the Delegate
Election location, so encourage your family, friends, city/town
Democratic committee members, your social/civic organization
members to VOTE for you
• Create your own visibility
materials, such as “hand-held”
signs, “pamphlets” to hand-out at
social events, city/town events,
organizations/group events, and
town/city Democratic meetings
and events as well as the Delegate
Caucus Selection
– Remember: You are running for an
elected position, possibly against
other elected officials
• Remember to keep speech at the
Delegate Selection Caucus short.
– Focus on why you’re excited to
support the President at the National
Convention and why the voting body
should elect you for one of the open
MA Delegate seats
• You can team up with others to run Delegate
slates
– Start having conversations with others in your
congressional district who are interested in running
– Make sure you are committed to bring a number of people
for your team
• Slates are allowed, but are not given any preference
when voting. Every person needs to write down
every name on the ballot
Commitment to Diversity
• Consistent with the Democratic
Party’s commitment to including the
historically underrepresented in the
Democratic Party’s Affairs, by virtue
of race/ethnicity, age, sexual
orientation or disability,
Massachusetts has developed Party
outreach programs. Such programs
include recruitment, education and
training, in order to achieve full
participation by such groups and
diversity in the delegate selection
process and at all levels of Party
affairs for 2012.
2012 DNC Delegation Goals**
White/NonHispanic
Black/NonHispanic
Asian/Pacifi
c Islanders
Native
Americans
Hispanic/Lat
ino
% in MA
Population
80.3%
8.3%
5.8%
1%
11.5%
Numeric
Goals for
Delegation
108
11
8
1
16
** Based on the 2010 Census Estimates, that do include Congressional
District breakdowns, the following goals are set for the 2012 DNC
Delegation
DNC Delegate Goals** Continued….
Disabled
Youth
Gay/Lesbian/Bisexu
al/Transgender
% Established by
AAC
9%
22%
8%
Numeric Goals for
Delegation
12
30
11
**Based on Massachusetts Office of Disabilities (MOD) estimate, voter file report, and
Affirmative Action Committee Established percentage, the following goals are set for the
2012 DNC delegation
** MOD established criteria of some type of disability which restricts one from 30% of
normal functioning daily. This percentage is an estimate. The AAC in good faith has
established a goal which will reflect 50% of the estimate of the MOD
**Voter file report and 2012 US Census Data established the number of Youth (18-35) that
are registered voters in 2008 as a percent of total registered voters.
**GLBT goals established by AAC in cooperation with the GLBT community.
At the Convention:
• The Massachusetts Democratic Party will inform you of all
event details for the Convention
– You will be able to rent a hotel room with the MA
delegation
• The Massachusetts Democratic Party has no responsibility to
pay delegate expenses (i.e. Hotel Fees, Air Fare Cost,
Delegate costs while in North Carolina, etc.)
• Persons elected as a National Delegate Representing
Massachusetts should consider possible National Convention
costs at between $4,000 to $6,000 in total expenses
Covering the Cost of the Convention:
• You should begin “early” to develop a Fund Raising strategy
indentifying possible “groups/organizations” or “persons”
who may have an interest in aiding you in funding your
convention costs
– Members of the National Delegate Committee can provide
you with fundraising ideas
• Arrange events/parties where you may charge the attendees
an “admission price” or ask for a “donation” to aid you in
offsetting your convention costs
– While fundraising, make sure that you abide by
regulations. Public employees are not allowed to fundraise
For Additional Information on the 2012
Democratic National Convention
Visit:
www.Charlottein2012.com
Special “Thank You” To:
• Our host organization today!!
• John Walsh, Chair, Massachusetts Democratic Party
• Clare Kelly, Executive Director, Massachusetts
Democratic Party
• Russell Ashton, 2011-2012 National Delegate
Selection Chairperson
• Melvin/Tina Poindexter, 2011-2012 National
Delegate Selection Training Directors
• Steven Driscoll/Tom Barbera, 2011-2012 National
Delegate Selection Fund Raising Directors
• And a very special “Thank you” to our National
Delegate Selection Trainers today and everyone who
attended today’s National Delegate Selection training
session!
Presentation Brought to you
By:
Contact:
Massachusetts Democratic Party
C/O National Delegate Selection Process
77 Summer Street, 10th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Phone: 617-939-0800