CALL TO CAUCUS OF THE HANOVER COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE TO ELECT DELEGATES AND ALTERNATE TO THE CD-05 DISTRICT AND STATE CONVENTIONS
The Hanover County Democratic Committee (HDC) will hold an unassembled caucus on Saturday, April 20, 2024, from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m. at the Ashland Library (Ashland Meeting Room B) at 201 S Railroad Avenue, Ashland VA 23005. for the purpose of electing [4] delegates and [1] alternate to the Fifth District (CD-05) Convention to be held at the Fluvanna County High School in Palmyra, Virginia, at 11:00 a.m. on May 18, 2024, and the Virginia Democratic State Convention on Saturday, June 22, 2024 (10:00AM) in Richmond, Virginia at the Richmond Convention Center.
I. Candidate Filing:
Each person seeking to become a Delegate to the CD-05 and State Conventions shall need to file an electronic Declaration of Candidacy form by no later than 5:00 p.m., Saturday, April 13, 2024, for these caucuses held on Saturday, April 20, 2024. This declaration form shall include the Presidential Candidate this Delegate seeks to represent. This declaration form will be posted at www.vademocrats.org/delegateselection after the March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary.
A voluntary non-refundable administrative fee of $25 is requested to accompany all candidate filings, and can be paid via ActBlue immediately following the submission of an application. No waiver is necessary if a candidate is unable to pay the fee.
II. Candidate Qualification
In order to certify the eligibility of a candidate for election, the Chair shall ascertain that each prospective candidate:
● Is a resident of and registered to vote in the County of HANOVER, Virginia, and the 5th Congressional District;
● Is a Democrat;
● Does not intend to support, endorse, or assist any candidate who is opposed to a Democratic nominee or endorsee in the November 2024 election;
● is not a member of any other political party;
● and has not participated and will not participate in the nomination process of any other political party for the November 2024 election.
Only candidates committed to the nomination of the Democratic candidate for President of the United States may serve as Delegates or Alternates.
III. Notice
The Hanover County Democratic Committee shall provide notice of this caucus by placement of a general notice of the caucus, including noticing the caucus date, time, and location, along with the Call to Caucus, on the Democratic Party of Virginia, the Hanover County Democratic Committee websites; by email notification to the members of the Hanover Democrats who reside in the Hanover County; and through other reasonable means that will disseminate information about the caucus to registered voters in Hanover County. In addition, reasonable actions shall be taken to promote participation in the caucus in accordance with the Affirmative Action provisions of the Party Plan of the Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA).
IV. Participation:
Every Democrat who is a registered voter in Hanover County is urged to attend and participate. Each participant must sign a written declaration that he or she:
● Is a Democrat and not a member of any other political party;
● Does not intend to support any candidate who is opposed to a Democratic nominee in this General Election;
● Has not participated in and will not participate in the nominating process of any other party for the positions listed above; and
● Is registered to vote in Hanover County
V. Conduct of Caucus
Voting will begin at 12 noon and will close at 5:00 pm. Those in line at the close of voting will be permitted to vote.
The Chair of the Hanover County Democratic Committee, or his or her designee, shall be the Chair of the Caucus and shall appoint a Secretary and such other Officers of the Caucus as is deemed appropriate. The Hanover County Democratic Committee will prepare the Rules for the Caucus.
VI. Determination of the Delegates
If the number of candidates for delegate/alternate is greater than the total allocated to each presidential candidate per the March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary results in Hanover County, then an election shall be held.
Candidates for Delegate and Caucus Participants must all declare preference for a Presidential Candidate. For each Presidential Candidate who is allocated delegates, the delegates allocated to that candidate shall be elected by the caucus participants declared for that candidate. That candidate’s delegation shall comprise the top number of vote-getters equal to the number of delegates received.
For example: if Presidential
Candidate Barack Obama was entitled to 5 Delegates, then the top 5 vote getters who were pledged to Barack Obama shall be elected.
Alternates shall be elected separately from delegates. A candidate may file to run as a Delegate OR an Alternate. The highest vote getters from those who filed as Delegates shall be elected Delegate, and the highest vote getters of those who filed as Alternates shall be elected Alternates.
If the number of candidates for delegate/alternate is equal to or fewer than the total allocated to each presidential candidate per the March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary results in Hanover County, the Chair shall cancel the caucus and those delegate/alternate candidates who have filed shall be deemed to be elected by the caucus. In the event that fewer than the allocated number pledged to each candidate are elected in the caucus, the delegation members pledged to that candidate shall fill the vacancies.
The rules for the Virginia Democratic Party Selection of Delegates can be found here. Filing forms for delegate candidates and caucus attendees will be found here. Adopted by the Hanover County Executive Committee, March 20, 2024.