ATTENDING YOUR SENATE DISTRICT CONVENTION

ATTENDING YOUR SENATE DISTRICT CONVENTION Gerry Birnberg Chair, Harris County Democratic Party (713) 802-0085

First, Check To See Which Senate District You Are In

Then, Determine The Location Of (And Starting Time For) The Convention for That Senatorial District

Five Reasons It’s Important To Attend Senate District Conventions

1. To Increase The Number of Delegates Your Presidential Preference Gets To The Democratic National Convention • Democratic National Convention To Be Held in Denver, August 25-28 • Selects Nominee To Be Democratic Candidate for Office of President of the United States in November General Election

While The March 4 Primary Determined The Allocation of 126 Texas Delegates Between Senators Clinton and Obama, There Are Another 67 Delegates To Be Allocated Based (In Large Part) On The Presidential Preferences Of Those Delegates Who Attend The March 29 Senate District Conventions

2. To Become A Delegate Yourself (Or Help Elect Someone Else) To The Texas Democratic Convention State Democratic Convention To Be Held in Austin, June 5-7 Elects Delegates To Democratic National Convention in Denver

3. Meet and Hear From Candidates and Local Officeholders Also Opportunity to Network with Other Democrats

4. Debate and Pass (or Defeat) Resolutions

5. Learn Grassroots Techniques and Start Organizing for Fall Elections • Many Senate Districts Are Planning Grassroots Training Workshops for Their Conventions • Opportunity to Find Out About Democratic Organizations and Exchange Ideas

What Happens At A Senate District Convention? • Sign In • Convention Called to Order; Opening Ceremonies • Senate District Chair Submits List Of All Delegates In Attendance Who Were Duly Elected As Delegates At Their Respective Precinct Conventions Held March 4 (This Is The “Temporary Roll of Delegates”)

What Happens At A Senate District Convention? • Next, Credentials Committee (Elected At Meeting Held Immediately After Canvass Of Primary Election Vote) Reports To The Convention Concerning Any Challenges Of Delegates And Its Recommendations Concerning Same And Delegates On Temporary Roll Of Delegates Vote On Report • Committee On Rules And Procedures Reports To Convention And Its Report Is Acted Upon • Election Of Permanent Chair, Secretary, And Other Officers Of The Convention (Such As Parliamentarian And/Or Sergeant At Arms) • Establishment Of Final Roll Of Convention With Indication Of Presidential Preference Of Each Delegate (Via Roll Call Or Written Poll Of Delegates)

Then, Election Of Delegates To State Convention • Precincts Which Cast Fewer Than 180 Votes For Chris Bell For Governor In 2006 General Election Have Been “Paired” By The Senate District Committee (Before The Convention) With One Or More Other Precincts Which Cast Fewer Than 180 Votes For Bell So That The 180 Vote Threshold Is Met By The “Paired Precincts” • Then, Precincts And/Or “Paired Precincts” Caucus And Nominate One Delegate To The State Convention And One Alternate For Each 180 Votes Cast In That Precinct Or In That “Paired Precinct” For Chris Bell In The General Election In 2006 • Precinct Or “Paired Precinct” Results Are Forwarded To The Nominations Committee

Election Of Delegates To State Convention • Nominations Committee Selects Additional Nominees For At-Large Delegates And Alternate To The End That The Senate District Delegation To The State Convention Uses The Full Number Of Delegates Authorized For the Senatorial District, The Overall Delegation Adheres To The Percentage Of Votes For Each Candidate On The Final Roll Of The Convention, And The Delegation Is Balanced By Gender, Age, And Ethnicity In Accordance With The Rules Of The Texas Democratic Party • The Nominations Committee Reports Its Recommendations To The Full Convention • Additional Nominations For At-Large (But Not For Precinct Or Paired Precinct Designated Nominees) Can Be Made From The Floor, But Must Identify The Nominations Committee Nominee Sought To Be Replaced And Must Match The Presidential Preference And Demographic Characteristics Of The Person Sought To Be Replaced

Meanwhile . . .Platform and Resolutions Committee Meeting • Hears Debate On and Makes Recommendations Concerning Resolutions To Be Submitted To And Acted Upon By Convention As A Whole (Usually From Resolutions Adopted At Precinct Conventions) • Presents Resolutions For Debate, Adoption, Or Rejection By Full Convention, Pursuant To Rules And Procedures Adopted By Convention Acting On Rules Committee Report

So, The Four Committees Are: • Credentials – Makes Recommendations Concerning Any Challenges To Delegates • Rules and Procedures – Proposes Rules and Procedures For Convention • Nominations – Makes Recommendations Concerning At-Large Delegates And Alternates To State Convention (Based on Presidential Preference And Gender, Ethnic, & Age Guidelines In State Party Rules) • Platform and Resolutions – Hears Debate On and Makes Recommendations Concerning Resolutions To Be Adopted At Senate District Convention And Referred To State Convention

Other Convention Activities • Candidate and Office Holder Speeches • Workshops

Official Rules The Rules of The Texas Democratic Party: 2006-2007 (Especially Article IV) Can Be Obtained From: Harris County Democratic Party or On-Line at http://www.txdemocrats.org/the_party/tdp_rules/

Still Have Questions? • Contact the Harris County Democratic Party Headquarters

See You Saturday, March 29!

ATTENDING YOUR SENATE DISTRICT CONVENTION