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D.C. Democrats to begin delegate selection process
(Published February 9, 2004)

By MELISSA FERRARA
Staff Writer

Registered Democrats in the District have two upcoming votes that will determine the local party’s presidential preference and many of its delegates to this summer’s Democratic National Convention.

"We have binding caucuses on Feb. 14, held in each ward," said Don Dinan, a spokesman for the D.C. Democrats. "They are open to all registered Democrats.

"People will go in and vote for their presidential preference and, although this is called a caucus, it looks a bit like a primary," he said. "You can actually just go in, vote and leave."

Each ward will have a polling place for registered Democrats to vote for the Democratic presidential candidate of their choice. The candidates will then be awarded a proportional number of delegates, based on the vote percentage they receive on Feb. 14. D.C. Democrats will elect 10 delegates. Each candidate who obtains 15 percent or more of the vote is entitled to at least one delegate.

Voting on Feb. 14 will be held at the following locations: Ward 1-Mount Pleasant Library, 16th and Lamont streets NW; Ward 2-Foundry Methodist Church, 1500 16th St. NW; Ward 3-St. Columba’s Church, 4201 Albemarle St. NW; Ward 4-St. John’s College High School, 2607 Military Road NW; Ward 5-Backus Middle School at South Dakota Avenue and Hamilton Street NE; Ward 6-St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 222 M St. SW; Ward 7-Houston Elementary School at 50th Place and Lee Street NE; Ward 8-Washington Highlands Library, 115 Atlantic St. SW.

A citywide caucus on March 6 will elect the District’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention. It is scheduled at the University of the District of Columbia’s auditorium from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Each presidential candidate will be designated a two-room location for his supporters’ caucus. Caucus attendees must declare which candidate they support at the door and then are assigned to that candidate’s caucus.

An equal number of male and female delegates are awarded to each candidate who earns delegates in the Feb. 14 vote. For example, if Howard Dean earns six delegates through the vote, then three delegates will be men and three will be women.

Each delegate is voted on in public, either by raising hands or marking a paper ballot that includes the voter’s signature. To get on the list to become a delegate, participants filled out a "declaration of candidacy" form and filed it with the state committee by Feb. 6. The application required the delegate’s name, address and the candidate the potential delegate supports.

In addition to the delegates voted on at the caucus, the District has 23 unpledged delegates who get to attend the convention automatically. These delegates include local party leaders and members of the Democratic National Committee who are residents of the District. Unpledged delegates do not have to declare their support for a specific candidate, but many party leaders publicly support a candidate prior to the convention.

Mayor Anthony A. Williams, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Shadow Senators Paul Strauss and Florence Pendleton, Shadow Representative Ray Browne, State Committee Chairman A. Scott Bolden, Vice Chairman Patricia Elwood, National Committeeman Arrington Dixon and National Committeewoman Barbara Lett Simmons are among local party leaders who will represent the District as convention delegates.

Copyright 2004, The Common Denominator