After
mass
meetings, delegate elections, precinct officer elections, and
legislative
chair elections happen we have a County Convention.
This happens every year, but every year the convention is
different from the last. In alternating years (even years are
Nominating and odd years are Organizing) all the delegates gather for a
slightly different purpose. The difference is explained below.
Nominating Conventions
The nominating conventions
happen every other year in even numbered years. 2008 will be
a nominating convention year, as will 2010, 2012, 2014, etc...
The purpose of these conventions is to nominate the
Democratic candidate for the various house districts, senate districts,
county council districts, county mayor positions, and other county officer positions (basically all
partisan races that are up for election that November within the county
boundaries). The delegates (elected at mass meetings) will
vote in contested races between different Democrats running to
represent the Party in a particular district. In order for a candidate to secure the Party nomination they must get 60% of the vote. There are two attempts to achieve that if there are only two candidates on the ballot. If there are more than two candidates the first ballot narrows the field to two (unless one candidate gets 60% and becomes the nominee). There could be up to two more ballots. Again, If no one achieves 60%, the candidates must go to a primary election held in the district in which they are
running. Primary election dates are set by the state code
20A-1-201.5
which states "a regular primary election shall be held throughout the
state on the fourth Tuesday of June of each even numbered year..."
Once our nominee is chosen that is our Democratic nominee for that
district and the general election begins. Races that don't
require a primary or aren't contested have no more steps past the
Convention.
They must, however, be elected by acclamation by the general assembly
of delegates present at the convention.
Organizing
Conventions
Organizing conventions take place every
other year in odd number years. 2009 will be an organizing
convention, as will 2011, 2013, 2015, etc... The purpose of
these conventions is to elect Party leadership for the Salt Lake County
Democratic Party. We elect a Chair, First Vice Chair, Second
Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. The same delegates
chose a year earlier at the mass meetings are the ones that elect the
party leadership. The entire Party leadership is elected to a
term of two years. They are responsible for organizing and
running the mass meetings the next year, the nominating convention, and
helping Democratic candidates get elected in the General Election.
NOTE: All county conventions are followed by the State
convention in the same format (either nominating or organizing)
usually in May or June.