December 16, 2010
From: Jaxon Ravens, Executive Director
RE: Election Information for Candidate
If you are running for election as an officer of the State Central Committee the State Party will
send out on email on your behalf and at a time of your choosing to Chairs, Vice Chairs and State
Committee Members.
The State Party will also send out an email on your behalf the week before the State Central
Committee reorganization meeting on Saturday, January 29th.
In addition, the State Party will provide candidates with a list of the names, addresses and
phone numbers of newly elected State Central Committee members. This list will be updated
on a regular basis as results of the elections at County and Legislative District reorganization
meetings are received.
If you have any questions about these policies and procedures please contact me at
(206) 583-0664 or jaxon@wa-democrats.org.
1 Rules for the Election of
2 State Democratic Party Officers
3 (Approved by the WSDCC on January 24, 2009)
4
5
6 Pursuant to the Charter and the Bylaws of the Democratic Party of the State of Washington, the
7 officers of the State Central Committee (SCC) shall be elected for two-year terms at the first
8 meeting of the SCC in the odd-numbered years following the general election. The officers of
9 the SCC are the Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. The following rules shall apply to
10 such elections:
11
12 In the event of a vacancy in an office, the office may be filled by election at any regular or
13 special meeting of the SCC, provided the written notice of the proposed election has been
14 deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, to each member of the SCC at least fifteen (15) days in
15 advance of the meeting.
16
17 1. The elections for the four Party officers shall be nominated, counted and announced
18 separately. The elections shall be held in the following order: Chair, Vice-Chair,
19 Secretary, and Treasurer.
20
21 2. The officers of the SCC need not be members of the SCC. Candidates must be
22 resident, registered voters of the State of Washington. A candidate need not be
23 present to be elected but if not present must have filed a letter of intent with the State
24 Chair prior to the meeting at which the elections will be held.
25
26 3. All candidates for Party officer shall be nominated and seconded by members of the
27 SCC. Each candidate may use up to five (5) minutes on his or her behalf for
28 nominating and seconding speeches and a speech by the candidate, to include the
29 time spent by the temporary chair in reading the letter for a candidate not in
30 attendance. The five (5) minutes may be allocated at the candidate’s discretion.
31
32 4. After all candidates for one of the above-listed Party offices are nominated, the State
33 Central Committee shall vote as follows: a ballot to be counted must be signed, and
34 clearly state one (1) name of a properly nominated candidate for that office. In order
35 to be elected, a candidate must have a majority of the votes of those casting valid
36 ballots. A candidate who receives a majority on the first ballot and is the highest vote
37 getter shall be declared elected. If no candidate receives a majority of the first ballot,
38 then there shall be a runoff election between the two (2) highest vote getters for that
39 office. Voting on the runoff ballot shall be the same as the first ballot. If only one (1)
40 candidate is nominated for an office, voting shall be by voice.
41
42
43
44 The Washington State Democratic Central Committee “PASSED” these rules at their meeting
45 held on January 24, 2009 in Olympia.
