The ONLY reason he gave to me for saying he wouldn't allow the FCDC members to vote me in (self-appointed dictator in the mold of G.W. ?) was that he wouldn't support anyone who had worked for Jim Webb !

He repeatedly said to me that he had refused to support Webb after Miller lost the primary, although he never admitted to me that the "Thomas Paine Patriot" blog was his, where he said many nasty things about Webb in his blog name, all of which he knew were lies and sufficient cause for removal from his chairmanship, FCDC, and the party -- none of which ever happened as it should have for reasons that most of you know.

I was (and still am) so upset with my former county committee (I lived in Fairfax County for 25 years) that sometimes I still think I should rent a room in the county and make the county my legal residence so I could join the FCDC and FORCE a total house cleaning. There are some really good, honest and true devoted Dems. on that committee and the reorg. is an ideal time to get rid of the dictatorial George and the rest of the Old Guard who support him.

The FCDC situation and how to fix it is not rocket science. If we were able to change the PWCDC bi-laws that enabled us to get rid of the "private club" Old Guard that nearly burned the party to the ground, there's no reason on earth that the FCDC can't do the same.

That's all I have to say at the moment, but you know I'll have a lot more to say at Gerry's Thank You brunch this Saturday. And I encourage ll of you great RK-posting FCDC members to have a few things to say as well. As our GMDDC PWC BOCS candidate Corey Riley said as his campaign theme wheh he ran against John Stirrup (anti-immigrant resolution author): "Together We Can". I'm counting on you, and I know you can and will do it.

                     T.C.

The Springfield reorganization caucus and FCDC must follow the party plan.

So don't blame FCDC for following the state party plan. And don't blame the 11th CD Committee because we were not involved in that local caucus.

In this case, because FCDC is pathetic, the committee was underfiled so the caucuses were canceled and everyone was automatically elected.

It's the same idea as someone running for Congress in a district they don't live in (as allowed by the constitution for the U.S. House).  They can't vote for themselves in the primary or caucus because they are not registered voters- but if the electorate chooses them they are elected just like anyone else.

You should understand this.  You were elected to the 11th District Committee at a caucus, and then all those elected convened to elect a Chair.  The Caucus did NOT elect the Chair.  

THIS IS THE SAME THING.

To correct the record, Kenton and I "huddled" over his computer before the vote was taken, not after the tie was announced.  My decision to concede the election was made to save the Committee the uncertainty of having the two high school member's status appealed to the State Party and probably another vote.  I felt it was more important for the Committee to begin preparations for the February primary and to avoid more infighting.  I believe that Ruth Miller will be an excellent Magesterial Chair.

I tried the Sully Democrats, but never could seem to get on their mailing list. I would go to their website to get information on an event and it would say something like "Its at Jane's house." (unbelievable!). This is reminiscent of driving in the Massachusetts suburbs where there are no street signs. The idea is that if you don't know already you shouldn't be there.

I think all the committees should have outreach activities for those who want to be involved at some level. It shouldn't be a situation of either you're in or out. Democracy shouldn't be run like a bunch of in and out crowds. That approach is what has turned off the Amercian people to both parties.

While I'm on a roll I might as well add that longevity in the party can be detremental to democracy if people consider they owe and deserve payback from party members simply because they have been in the committee so long, and that supercedes the will of Democrats in general (even non-party members).  

Tom is a good guy, but I didn't say any of the gibberish he is attributing to me in this diary.  I don't think he listened very well, but I told Tom Counts there are two ways to get on the committee:

* He must wait until there is an opening among the Prince William County members of the committee and then he must lobby them to get on.  There are no openings at this point.  It is the Prince William members of the CD committee who select who serves on the committee from that county between CD conventions, just as Fairfax County members select their new CD committee new members.

* Or Tom Counts can wait until the May 2009 11th CD convention that elects a new committee and he can file as a candidate from Prince William County and run like the rest of us did.  Prince William caucuses separately from Fairfax during the convention to nominate members and cast their votes for the winners who get the prized committee slots. It is Prince William voters who come to the convention who select their members of the committee just like Fairfax Democratic voters select the Fairfax members of the committee.

Tom Counts worked hard for Jim Webb and other candidates in Prince William County so when an opening occurs or the 2009 CD convention is held, I am sure he can win the support of many PW County Democrats to come support his candidacy.

My explanation may be a bit complicated, but that is how it works under state and CD rules.  Tom Counts can bluster all he wants and accuse me of whatever, but the fact is HE is wrong, just like Ben and Lowell are wrong about blasting the Springfield committee reorganization caucus for following the DPVA Party Plan and trying to refuse to allow non-registered voters to participate last night.

Tom, Ben, Lowell, and Kenton may not like the state party plan, but it is what it is.

I know I will regret trying to correct the record here on RK or on NLS because it brings out the rabblerousers and haters who just want to criticize, fight, and bitch.

-- George Burke, Chair
  11th CD Committee, DPVA

Yeah, that's a great way to make friends.

You are pathetic Burke.

Come say it to me in person George.  C'mon, do it and see what happens...

I'll say though, kudos to Ben for being boxy enough to call you out for this garbage. I can't see how people get away with this crap....

*Believes in the principles of the Democratic Party

*Does not intend to support any candidate who is opposed to a Democratic nominee in the next ensuing election.

Or do you just selectively enforce the rules you want to enforce, when you want to enforce them, like when it's time to kick out Kenton Ngo?

I am fairly new to FCDC, while I do not agree with all of their practices, (i.e. the resolution about the union printer - not the actual result - but the level of politics and back stabbing and yes you 11thcd - your vitriol against a fellow member which I witness was exactly what I image the gentlemen above was referring to.  I gotta tell ya - you really pissed me off!)

Anyway - Many of the members of the "old guard" have worked hard over the years, that service cannot be swept under the rug, but should be thanked and put into the history books.  It is a new time, with new technology and new strategies that must be implemented.  

We cannot have scheduled lit drops in the 11cd and have a half page of "xeroxed" literature be our representation.  We cannot have phone banking scheduled to get out the vote and have volunteers calling people to attend a pep rally.  

The days of the "coffee's" for outreach are over - live blogging, house parties and text messaging is the voter outreach of today and tomorrow.  You don't have to like it - you just got to understand it is what it is and support it.

I hope the reorganization goes well and FCDC structures itself for success in 2008. Ladies and Gentlemen we have to bring home NOVA for the Presidential, VA Senatorial and the 11th CD.

Good Night - And stop all the bickering.

We need to interact with our neighbors and talk with them about politics. Basically we need to get a lot more creative about how we get our message out. We need to CREATE more Democrats and Progressives, not just get the current ones out to vote.

But bloggers need to tell the truth and if they think they are telling the truth and find out they are wrong, they should stand up and note they were wrong.

It is all about accepting responsibility.

There are, by far, more feedback mechanisms for ascertaining the truth and correcting errors on political blogs (at least the ones that are worth reading ... but every citizen gets to decide for him or herself which ones those are, and indeed what the truth even is) than in traditional print and broadcast journalism and anywhere in the establishment media.

Blogs and commmunity grass- and net-roots websites like Raising Kaine have done more to democratize news and opinion gathering, reporting, distribution, and amplification than anything since the advent of cable.

If you have a specific gripe you wish to air, or believe that someone is telling a lie or a mis- or half-truth, then say so. But spare us the "Time for another blogger ethics panel" (as Atrios would say) line; I trust the news I get here much more than the average CNN or AP piece.

Then again, that little bit of truthiness was not so much "inaccurate information" as it is an orchestrated smear campaign designed to deceive primary voters.  Anyone taking responsibility for that one?????

I will say this: anyone who seeks to exclude Kenton Ngo is behaving foolishly.  This young man is a unique talent who needs to be mentored.  Stop using him as a football to punish bloggers for the "sins" you think us guilty of.

1:16,

I totally agree. That's the question I kept asking myself when I read all of this -- why would Ginny Peters drive all the way from Mt. Vernon where she lives to the Govt Center in FX on a cold winter's night to make sure that ONE enthusiastic and committed 17 year old didn't vote in a magisterial caucus?????? That's what is lost in this whole discussion here and on Raising Kaine. Why is the chair of FCDC obviously going out of her way to make sure that Kenton doesn't vote??

George, you can cite the rules all day long and it still doesn't explain why Ginny decided to enforce this [supposed] rule, at this time, and against this one individual. This is shameful and doesn't represent the Democratic Party well at all.

I remember when Kenton first came to the Braddock meeting with his Dad four years ago when he was 13..we were all so pleased to have someone his age and his intelligence interested in helping us win elections for Dems. It was so refreshing. Kenton, you've been nothing but a joy to work with and your commitment to the Democratic Party should be commended. Please don't take the actions of a few old guards seriously. They don't deserve it.

What all of us in FCDC deserve is an apology from Ginny, George, and the rest of their gang who want to tear down rather than build up the party. George, do the right thing and apologize to Kenton publicly and stop hiding behind the rule book. What you all did is wrong. And while you are at it, how about apologizing to Scott for the many, many times you have belittled him instead of thanking him for all of the time, talent and treasure he has given to the Democratic Party in Fx County (far, far more than most others including all of you).

Everything I've ever seen from Kenton suggests he is a very special person (I do not know him personally).

Debate keeps the Party alive.

The ball is in your court, George.  

All I did was cite a section of the DPVA party plan that covers the issue and present it to your "community."  Now all of you synchophants are doing a fanny dance.

I also think it is funny that Lowell calls me out for suggesting that some bloggers are haters, use gibberish, etc., yet some of the young zealots out for blood, including NLS, use much fouler language to spew their venom.

As for Senator Webb, I have a good relationship with his office and I think he is doing a great job.  I am not going to revisit that nasty primary.

As for your oh-so-pure heros, Ben Tribbett and Lowell Feld, let's ask them a couple of questions.

For Ben:  Why did you allow the Republicans to put out a district-wide mailer in 2005 that listed "10 Reasons Why This Democrat is Voting Republican for Michael Golden by Ben Tribbett, Democratic Candidate for Delegate, Campaign Manager for Chap Petersen, Democratic Activist, and Robinson HS graduate." As we know, it resulted in Ben getting kicked out of the Democratic Party on November 10, 2005. In that mailer, Ben says:

"I know a lot of you will wonder why I will vote for Michael Golden for Delegate, so I made this list to show the top 10 reasons why. In fact, therer are even more than I could fit on this list. Knowing both candidates as well as I do made this a tremendously easy selection."
-- Ben Tribbett

I can send you the entire document, if you wish and want to see something, to quote Ben, that is truly "pathetic."  If anyone want the entire mailer, send me an email.  It is outrageous.

For Lowell: When did you change your position on the Iraq War since you were an early supporter of the war in your article "A Liberal Case for War Against Iraq" in Intervention magazine.  In that article, Lowell makes an impassioned argument for War against Iraq, saying,

"I must still conclude that liberals and progressives are wrong to oppose war with Iraq, even with Bush as Commander-in-Chief."
-- Lowell Feld in Intervention Magazine

If you guys want to continue to waste time fighting, go ahead.  I would rather spend my time electing Democrats.

Again, you compared both Lowell and I to nazis under an anonymous screen name.  Once again I challenge you to do so in person you fucking coward.

You are always so quick to threaten to sue people so why didn't you sue the Republicans for using your comments without authorization in a district-wide mailer?  

Why didn't you appeal the Democratic Party decision to kick you out on your ass for your actions.

If you didn't agree to allow your name on the mailer (and no one believes that you didn't), it was a serious violation of state election law.

Also, I have a copy of Ben's mailer.  Why doesn't Ben you post one on the blog for all to see?  Let people judge for themselves.

Finally, I thought Lowell didn't allow posters to use profanity like "p*ssy" and "f*ck."  And now he is allowing Ben to threaten physical violence on RK.  I guess he gives a pass to his mentor.
 

Obviously, you have no counterargument to the issues surrounding your own behavior as "Thomas Paine Patriot" and also with regard to the FCDC, so you're trying desperately to change the subject.  It's not working.

I was wrong, wrong, wrong, but I'll use that moment as a lesson for the rest of my life. My naivete back then was founded on a trust of the establishment that was undeserved, an intellectual laziness accepting the tenets of neo-conservatism, and insufficient skepticism at the empirical claims (see: Powell's presentation at the UN) being put forward as "proof" of WMD.

However, it is flat out ridiculous to impugn the motives or dedication of Democrats that were wrong back in 2002 -- the country was flat out lied to. While that moment helped me decipher after the fact who some of the good faith and clear thinking actors in the system are (Jim Webb, Wes Clark, Russ Feingold, Barack Obama, among others), it does not mean that normal citizens that were taken for a ride were somehow to blame for what has occurred.

The anger of being systematically lied to and having my good faith betrayed is what drives my current passion for politics, purity trolls and straw man arguments from people like Mr. Burke notwithstanding.

Regardless, the issue of "electing Democrats" is the ultimate point of this post and the similar post of NLS.  When young, bright, enthusiastic people such as Kenton walk away from a party meeting with a sour taste in their mouths, the party has been set back.  What if these young people become disillusioned and drop out all together?  That won't help get Democrats elected.  

And based on the comments on these two sites, there are a number of other (not so young) people who are very unhappy with various NOVA Democratic committees.  How is it that alienating these people, many of who bust their asses to help get Democrats elected, good for the party?

Quoting and following guidelines is all well and good.  But when the committees become all about procedures and existing power structures you really have lost sight of the ultimate goal: getting Democrats elected.  

Guidelines and party plans don't win elections, people do.  But, of course, you and the other committee leadership already know this.  Kinda makes me wonder why you aren't putting people first...

BYLAWS OF THE FAIRFAX COUNTY DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE

As amended January, 2006
ARTICLE I - NAME, AUTHORITY, PURPOSE
AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Section 1. This committee shall be known as the "Fairfax County Democratic Committee", referred to in these Bylaws as the "County Committee".

Section 2. These Bylaws are adopted by the County Committee under the auspices of the Democratic voters of Fairfax County and the authority of the Virginia Democratic Party Plan and shall continue in effect subject to amendment as elsewhere provided. The County Committee shall have full charge of the affairs of the Democratic Party in Fairfax County, including the nominating process for, and support of, Democratic candidates. If any provision of these Bylaws conflicts with a provision of the Virginia Democratic Party Plan, the Party Plan shall control.

Section 3. It shall be the duty of the County Committee, as well as each officer and member thereof, to actively seek the registration of voters, to perfect the Democratic organization within the County, to encourage the expression of positions to elected officials on policy issues, and to do all within their power to aid in the victory of the Democratic Party's nominees in all elections, except as otherwise provided in the Virginia Democratic Party Plan as it deals with nominees who support candidates opposed to a Democratic nominee.

ARTICLE II - BIENNIAL REORGANIZATION BY

PRECINCT, DISTRICT AND COUNTY COMMITTEE

Section 1. As provided in the State Party Plan and Article III of these Bylaws, the membership of the County Committee shall expire and new members shall be elected at caucuses to be held on or between the first and second Saturday in December of each odd numbered year at one venue within each magisterial district.

Section 2. As provided in Article V of these bylaws, immediately following the election of precinct and At-Large representatives to the County Committee, those newly elected members shall organize the District Committee, including the election of District officers.

Section 3.  As provided in the State Party Plan and Article IV of these Bylaws, the newly elected members of the County Committee shall meet within 40 days of the precinct caucuses to reorganize and elect officers of the County Committee.

Section 4. For the purpose of transition, exceptions to the foregoing Sections of this Article are provided in Article IV.

ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1.

     (a) The County Committee shall consist of those members elected by the Democratic voters of Fairfax County and those members elected by the County Committee itself to fill vacancies which occur subsequent to such election by voters.

     (b) Those Democratic elected officials, including officials in non-partisan office who are endorsed by the Democratic Party, holding office in, or from, Virginia who reside in Fairfax County shall be voting ex officio members of the County Committee upon signing a filing form and payment of the filing fee.

     (c) Elected members of the Democratic National Committee who reside in Fairfax County shall be voting ex officio members of the County Committee upon payment of the filing fee.

     (d) Members of the Virginia State Central Committee who are not otherwise members of the County Committee and who reside in Fairfax County shall be voting ex officio members of the County Committee upon payment of the filing fee.

     (e) Democratic members of the Electoral Board, and the County Registrar of Voters, if a Democrat, shall be voting ex officio members of the County Committee upon signing a filing form and payment of the filing fee.

     (f) Immediate past County Chair and chairs of each District Committee who reside in Fairfax County shall be voting ex officio members of that District Committee and the County Committee upon payment of the filing fee.

     (g) Any former Virginia Governor who is a Democrat and resides in Fairfax County shall be life time honorary member of the County Committee and shall be a voting member upon signing a filing form and payment of the filing fee.

     (h) Any former Democratic member of the Virginia General Assembly and any former Democratic Supervisor or Democratic Constitutional Officer elected in the Commonwealth of Virginia who resides in Fairfax County and is currently a Democrat shall be a voting ex officio member of the County Committee upon signing a filing form and payment of the filing fee.

     (i) Elected Democratic officials who represent districts which include precincts in Fairfax County, but who do not reside in Fairfax County, shall be nonvoting ex officio members of the County Committee upon signing a filing form.

     (j) Persons who have given long-term, exceptional service to the County Committee may be elected at the January reorganization meeting as honorary lifetime voting members; these shall be known as the Mary Anne and Jack Hurt Memberships; there shall be no filing fee for lifetime memberships.

     (k) Up to four persons who have been members of the County Committee for at least 20 years or elected officials who have represented Fairfax County for at least 10 years may be elected at the District reorganization caucuses as emeritus members; payment of the filing fees for emeritus memberships shall be optional.

Section 2.  When the County Committee is to be reconstituted by the Democratic voters of Fairfax County, the existing County Committee shall determine, by resolution at its September meeting, the time, place and manner of such election, the basis of representation of each precinct and district, and the time, place and manner of filing declarations of candidacy for election to the County Committee. As provided in the State Party Plan, the precinct and district meetings for this purpose shall be held on or between the first and second Saturday in December of each odd numbered year. The County Chair shall cause ample public notice of all these actions to encourage maximum participation of Democratic voters.

Section 3. Each precinct shall be represented by the number of members apportioned in accordance with Article II, Section 2. One of the seats apportioned to each precinct shall be reserved for a member who is a resident of that precinct at the time of his or her election. If no such resident seeks election to the County Committee, one seat shall remain vacant until such a person is available.

Section 4. Declarations of candidacy for election to the County Committee shall be accompanied by a filing fee in an amount fixed by the County Committee; fees shall be waived for any Democrat who signs a statement of inability to pay.

ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS

Section 1. At the reorganization meeting, the members of the County Committee shall elect the following officers: Chair, referred to in these Bylaws as the "County Chair;" Vice Chair South; Vice Chair Central; Vice Chair North; Vice Chair for Precinct Operations; Vice Chair for Administration; Vice Chair for Voter Registration; Vice Chair for Finance; Corresponding Secretary; Recording Secretary; Treasurer; and, Assistant Treasurer. Such elections shall be by secret ballot except when a candidate is unopposed.

Section 2. The Vice Chairs South, Central and North shall be referred to as the "Regional Vice Chairs". The Vice Chair South shall reside in Lee, Mount Vernon or Springfield District. The Vice Chair Central shall reside in Braddock, Mason or Providence District. The Vice Chair North shall reside in Dranesville, Hunter Mill or Sully District.

Section 3.  The Regional Vice Chair who resides in the same region as the County Chair shall be the third ranking Vice Chair; the other two Regional Vice Chairs shall each be the first ranking Vice Chair for one year during the biennium, the three Regional Vice Chairs to determine in which order. The highest regional Vice Chair available shall preside in the absence of the County Chair.

Section 4. The Vice Chair for Administration shall be the Chair of the Voter Records Committee; the Vice Chair for Voter Registration shall be the Chair of the Voter Registration Committee; and, the Vice Chair for Finance shall be the Chair of the Finance Committee.

Section 5. The Vice Chairs, South, Central and North, shall be the County Committee's representatives to joint campaigns in Fairfax County.

Section 6. Vacancies in any of the above offices shall be filled by election at the next regularly scheduled meeting. When a vacancy in the County Chair occurs in the three-month period prior to a general election, the ranking Vice Chair, North or South, shall assume the duties of the County Chair and the election of the County Chair shall be postponed until the first County Committee meeting subsequent to the general election, except in the year of the County Committee's reorganization, when it shall be held at the January reorganization meeting.

Section 7. No person may hold office on the County Committee who is not a member of the County Committee or who does not reside within the political boundaries which the County Committee serves. Any officer who ceases to reside in Fairfax County or to be a member of the County Committee shall forfeit office.

Section 8. During the period following the last regular meeting in each biennium, all outgoing officers of the County Committee and district committees, and officers and members of standing committees shall continue to serve until they have been replaced in the manner provided in the Bylaws.

Section 9. The County Chair shall be the chief executive officer of the County Committee. The County Chair shall have the authority to suspend any elected officer or Standing Committee Chair for neglect of duty for a period not to exceed 65 days.

Section 10.  The County Committee may remove an elected officer for cause by the following procedure. The County Chair or ranking Vice Chair may offer a motion to remove an elected officer. The motion shall be considered by the Steering Committee. The officer to whom the motion pertains shall be advised in writing at least two weeks in advance of the Steering Committee meeting at which the motion is to be considered. If two-thirds of the Steering Committee members present and voting concur, the motion will be presented to the County Committee.

Section 11. The Steering Committee shall prepare a document describing the authority and responsibilities of the elected officers and standing committees. This document, with such changes as the Steering Committee deems necessary, shall be presented to each subsequent reorganization meeting of the County Committee for consideration as an administrative resolution which may be adopted prior to the election of officers.
ARTICLE V - SERVICE DISTRICT COMMITTEES

Section 1. The members of the County Committee who reside in each service district of Fairfax County shall constitute the District Committee for that district.

Section 2.  The members of each district committee shall elect a Chair, a Secretary, and such other officers as they see fit, and may adopt bylaws consistent with these Bylaws and the Party Plan.

ARTICLE VI - STEERING COMMITTEE

Section 1. There shall be a Steering Committee of the County Committee to coordinate the work of the district committees and the standing committees.

Section 2. The Steering Committee shall consist of: the elected officers of the County Committee; the chairs of the district committees; the chairs of the standing committees; a representative selected by the Advisory Committee; the highest ranking officer of the Eighth, Tenth and Eleventh Congressional District Democratic Committees who are members of the County Committee; a representative selected by the Young Democrats Council who is a resident of Fairfax County; the immediate past County Chair; and any member of the State Central Committee's Steering Committee who resides in Fairfax County. If an officer of the County Committee who chairs a standing committee or a district chair is unable to attend a meeting of the Steering Committee, they may designate another officer of their committee to represent that committee with full privileges; if a chair of a standing committee who was elected by the members of the committee is unable to attend a meeting of the Steering Committee, they may designate another member of their committee to represent that committee with full privileges. The County Chair shall be the Chair of the Steering Committee.

Section 3. When situations arise in which a policy decision of the County Committee would normally be required, but cannot be achieved in a timely fashion, powers of the County Committee shall inhere in the Steering Committee. In such situations, all members of the Steering Committee shall have the right to speak but only the elected officers of the County Committee and the chairs of the District Committees may vote.

Section 4. The Steering Committee may not amend the Bylaws; may not authorize expenditures which equal more than 5% of the annual budget of the County Committee; may not elect members to the County Committee; may not elect or remove officers of the County Committee; may not endorse candidates for nonpartisan elections; may not determine the apportionment or procedures for the reorganization of the County Committee; may not nominate candidates for public office or determine the method of nominating candidates for public office except in cases in which a nominated candidate dies, refuses candidacy, withdraws or if the nomination is set aside for any reason; and may not approve resolutions on issues of public policy except by a three-fourths absolute vote of the members eligible to vote.

Section 5. All actions taken by the Steering Committee in lieu of the County Committee shall be published in The Democrat, shall be discussed at the next meeting of the County Committee, and, unless legal requirements preclude it, may be reversed or amended by the County Committee.  

Section 6. Meetings of the Steering Committee to take actions described in Sections 4 and 5 shall be convened as needed. Meetings may be called by the County Chair or any three of its members. All members must be notified of any meeting. If necessary, such meetings may occur as soon as possible after they are called.

ARTICLE VII - OTHER COMMITTEES AND APPOINTMENTS

Section 1. There shall be the following standing committees: The Democrat; Finance; Headquarters; Labor; Local Affairs; Diversity; National Affairs; Precinct Operations Northwest; Precinct Operation Central; Precinct Operations Southeast; Senior Citizen Affairs; State Affairs; Voter Records; Voter Registration; Women's Rights; and Youth Affairs.

Section 2. On each standing committee other than Precinct Operations, each district committee may have more than one member, but shall be entitled to one vote. The vote for each district may be established as a priority among members or as fractional, the determination to be made in order by (a) the relevant district committee, (b) the members on the standing committee from the district, or (c) the other members of the standing committee.

Section 3. The Precinct Operations Committees shall have one member for every thirty County Committee members or major fraction thereof apportioned to each district committee; but no district shall have less than two members. The Precinct Operations Committee Northwest shall comprise the members elected from the Hunter Mill, Dranesville and Sully Districts; the Precinct Operations Committee Central shall comprise the members elected from the Braddock, Mason and Providence Districts; the Precinct Operations Committee Southeast shall comprise the members elected from the Lee, Mount Vernon and Springfield Districts. The membership of the Precinct Operations Committees shall be elected in the manner prescribed for all other committees.

Section 4. A standing committee shall meet at the call chair or upon the request of any five of its members.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall be a member of the Finance Committee.

Section 6. A convener of the reorganization meeting of each standing committee shall be designated by the County Chair. The members of each standing committee shall elect a chair from themselves, except as provided elsewhere in these Bylaws.

Section 7. Chairs of standing committees who are not elected officers of the County Committee may be removed from office by the following procedure. The County Chair may offer a motion to remove the chair for cause. The chair to whom the motion pertains shall be advised in writing at least two weeks in advance of the Steering Committee meeting at which the motion is to be considered. If two-thirds of the Steering Committee members present and voting concur, the chairmanship of the standing committee shall become vacant.

Section 8.  The County Chair shall be an ex officio, nonvoting member of all standing committees; but the attendance of the County Chair shall not be considered for purposes of a quorum.

Section 9. The County Committee may establish special committees. The purpose of a special committee and the method of election or appointment of its members and the method of selection of its chair shall be expressed in the resolution of the County Committee by which the special committee is established.

Section 10. The County Chair may establish task forces and appoint their members and chair for a limited purpose to be concluded within 90 days. If the work of a task force cannot be concluded within 90 days, the County Committee may establish a special committee for the purpose.

Section 11. The County Chair may convene a meeting of any standing or special committee.

Section 12. The Democratic elected officials shall constitute an Advisory Committee. Advisory Committee shall elect a chair and Steering Committee from among themselves.

Section 13. The County Chair shall appoint a parliamentarian and a Communications Advisor, who shall advise the County Chair and the Steering Committee but shall not serve as members of the Steering Committee.

ARTICLE VIII - MEETINGS

Section 1. As provided in the State Party Plan, after the biennial election of the complete membership of the County Committee in district caucuses, the County Chair of the outgoing County Committee shall within 40 days convene a reorganization meeting, the agenda to include the election of officers.

Section 2. The County Committee shall hold its regular meetings on the fourth Tuesday of January in even numbered years and the fourth Tuesday of each alternate month thereafter.  When the date of a meeting of the County Committee falls on the day of an election in Fairfax County, the meeting shall be held on the following day.  The regular meeting date of a County Committee meeting may be changed by the County Committee or the Steering Committee, provided that written notice is sent to all members

Section 3. Special meetings of the County Committee may be held upon the call of the County Chair or upon receipt by the County Chair of a written request signed by at least 10% of the members of the County Committee. At least 10 days written notice of the time and place shall be given of any special meeting.

Section 4.  The Steering Committee shall meet on the second Tuesday in January of even numbered years and the second Tuesday of each alternate month thereafter.  The Steering Committee may meet on the second Tuesday of any other month as called by the County Chair, or as elsewhere provided in these Bylaws.  When the date of a meeting of the Steering Committee falls on the day of an election in Fairfax County, or on the date of the January Reorganization meeting of the County committee, the meeting shall be held on the following day.

Section 5.  When meetings of the County Committee or Steering Committee cannot be held on the regular dates, the County Chair shall reschedule the meetings and notify the appropriate members.

Section 6. Each district committee and standing committee shall have a regularly scheduled meeting date. Written notice of all district committee meetings shall be sent to all members of the pertinent committee.

Section 7.  The presence of 30% of the members of the County Committee and each of its committees shall constitute a quorum for the conduct of business.

Section 8.  The use of proxies at any meeting is prohibited.

Section 9.  Meetings of the County Committee and its committees shall be open to the public with the exceptions that:

     (a) any meeting of the Steering Committee may be closed for discussions of personnel matters regarding paid employees of the County Committee or litigation in which the County Committee is, or is likely to become, a party; and,

     (b) the Steering Committee may decide, by a two-thirds vote of all its members, to meet in closed session if the nature or the issues discussed is made public.

Section 10. The right of a member of the County Committee to introduce resolutions at a meeting shall not be abridged.  Members shall make every effort to submit proposed resolutions to the Steering Committee prior to consideration by the County Committee.

Section 11. All resolutions calling for the expenditure of money by the County Committee shall be submitted to the Steering Committee before consideration by the County Committee, except in the case of an emergency as determined by a two-thirds vote of those members of the County Committee present and voting.

Section 12.  All resolutions published in the Democrat or otherwise transmitted to members seven days prior to consideration at a meeting of the County Committee may be adopted by a majority of the County Committee members present and voting.   All resolutions not published in the Democrat or otherwise transmitted to members seven days prior to consideration at a meeting of the County Committee may be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members of the County Committee present and voting.

Section 13.  In addition to consideration of resolutions offered, the County Chair may, at the request of any individual member, make available on the agenda up to ten minutes for general discussion of any policy issue or issues.

ARTICLE IX - BUDGET PROCESS

Section 1. The County Chair shall present a draft budget to the County Committee for review, at its regularly scheduled meeting on the fourth Tuesday of January of each year.

Section 2.  The Steering Committee shall review the draft budget at its January, February and March meetings and make amendments as it deems necessary.

Section 3.  The amended budget shall be presented to the County Committee for consideration at its regularly scheduled meeting on the fourth Tuesday of March of each year.
ARTICLE X - RULES

Section 1.  Where not inconsistent with these Bylaws or with the Virginia Democratic Party Plan, Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the conduct of business of the County Committee and its committees.
ARTICLE XI - NOTICES OF MEETINGS AND EVENTS

Section 1.  The distribution of The Democrat or some other means shall comply with the requirement in the State Party Plan for seven-day notice of meetings of the County Committee.  Notice of all meetings of the County Committee, including the agenda, shall be sent to all members.

Section 2.  Electronic means of communication may serve as prior notice for all meetings, provided that an adequate combination of means shall be used to assure that all members of the pertinent committee receive the notice.

Section 3. In supplement to any requirements of the State Party Plan, the County Chair shall cause to be published in a timely manner, and by paid advertisement if necessary, the filing deadline and all other essential filing requirements for the Democratic nomination for any elective public office below the state level which will appear on the general election ballot in Fairfax County.
ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Each member of the County Committee shall be notified, at the expense of the County Committee, of proposed amendments to, or revisions of, the Bylaws.  Such notice shall be published in The Democrat or mailed to arrive at least seven days prior to each meeting at which the amendments are to be considered.

Section 2. The Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at the biennial reorganization meeting of the County Committee.  Amendments to the Bylaws considered at the reorganization meeting may not be amended from the form mailed to members.

Section 3. The Bylaws may be amended by a majority vote of the members present and voting at two consecutive regular meetings of the County Committee within a biennium.  Except to delete provisions which do not alter the effect of other provisions, proposed amendments to the Bylaws may not be amended at the second of the consecutive regular meetings without requiring passage in the amended form at the next regular meeting.

If you look at the memo sent out by Ginny Peters (see below), the reorganization "Meeting" was broken into 3 distinct sections.  First there were the precinct caucuses, followed by the District Caucus "For the election of At Large members." The "The Temporary Chair entertained a motion to adjourn the caucuses." and a District Meeting was convened.  Since it was a meeting, not a caucus or convention, Section 18.3 no longer applied.  Kenton, as a duly elected member of The Committee, had the same right to vote as every other member.

The FCDC bylaws do not contain any provision limiting membership by age or voter registration (See Article III, Section 1).  Similarly, Section 8.3 of the DPVA Party Plan, Committee Membership, does not impose any age limit or voter registration requirement on membership.

At the Springfield meeting, there was a distinct end to the caucus and a convening of a Committee Meeting in compliance with the memo.

December, 2007 - Reorganization Meetings for Precinct and District Caucuses

Materials you will need to take to the meeting:

     A copy of Target D for your District;

     A list of all of the people who have filed to be members;

     List for contested precincts, if you have them;

     List of At Large candidates, if there are more candidates than slots to fill;

     A copy of the FCDC By-Laws;

     Colored 3 X 5 cards for credentials;

     Pens or pencils

     Ballots for the At Large caucus if it is over filed;

     Ballots for election of officers;

     Blank filing forms for those people that attend the meeting and wish to join.

Before the meeting starts:

     Check every one in on Target D to make sure they are registered to vote;

     Give them a 3 X 5 card with their name and the name of their precinct;

Agenda and Notes:

     Election of a Temporary Chair

Typically the proceedings are convened by the current District Chair or the most senior officer of the outgoing Committee.

     Precinct Caucuses

The State Party Plan provides that in precincts where no more people have filed than the allocated number, those candidates shall be considered elected.

     The Temporary Chair indicates that the voters from those precincts stand by.

For contested precincts:

     The Temporary Chair

              1. indicates which precincts have more than the allocated number of people filed;
              2. directs the voters from those precincts to meet in specific places of the room;
              3. instructs them to pick a precinct Caucus Chair from among themselves;
              4. instructs them that the caucuses are open - i.e. there are no secret ballots;
              5. instructs that they may have whatever relevant discussion they think they need about process and qualifications;
              6. instructs them to vote only from the list of candidates who have filed;

        7. instructs them that each voter may vote for only as many candidates as there are positions allocated to that precinct;

              8. instructs them that one of the members elected to the FCDC from each precinct must be a resident of that precinct.  If there are no such resident candidates, one position must remain open;
              9. if there are many candidates, instructs that they, if necessary should have a series of votes, eliminating the candidate with the lowest total from each successive vote;
             10. receives the report from each precinct caucus.

The Temporary Chair announces the result of all of the precinct caucuses, contested and uncontested.

District Caucus

     For the election of At Large members

The Temporary Chair convenes a caucus of all of the Democratic voters in attendance;

If there are no contests (i.e. if there are fewer candidates filed than the number of seats you have allocated for At Large;

If there is a contest:

     The Temporary Chair:

              1. proposes some ground rules for consideration of candidates and qualifications and process for voting.  You will want to eliminate one or two of the candidates receiving the fewest votes and then re-ballot.  Or you may want to simply take the persons who receive the highest number of votes on the ballot for your At Large members;
              2. instructs that voters may vote for only the number of people allocated for the At Large positions;
              3. has ballots distributed with the names of all of the At Large candidates; (remember that these are not secret ballots. The paper is just for the convenience of counting and assuring that each voter votes no more than the limit of candidates;
              4. announces the winners of the At Large positions.

Election of Emeritus Members

     Up to four members who have been members of the County Committee for at least 20 years or elected officials who have represented Fairfax County for at least 10 years may be elected at the District Reorganization caucuses as emeritus members, payment of the filing fee for emeritus memberships shall be optional.

The Temporary Chair may announce the inclusion of ex-officio members.  Ex-officio members do not have to stand for election, may or may not have to submit filing forms and/or fees (as provided by the FCDC By-Laws) and do not count as part of a District's membership apportionment.  Ex-Officio members are allowed to vote as soon as they have met the following criteria (filing form and fee, etc.).

The Temporary Chair entertains a motion to adjourn the caucuses.

District Meeting:

The Temporary Chair convenes the meeting of the newly elected members of FCDC as the District Committee;

Only those members (who pre-filed by November 30th) and were just elected by the caucuses are eligible to vote at the District meeting;

Election of a permanent Chair of the District Committee;

     The members of each District Committee shall elect a Chair, a Secretary and such other officers as they see fit.

     At this point the newly elected permanent Chair begins to preside;

Election of a Secretary;

Determination of what other officers you want;

Election of persons to those other offices;

Reports:

Old Business;

New Business:  New business may include consideration of recommending new members who filed after the Nov. 30th filing deadline.  Their membership will not be complete until they are vot4ed on As the last order of business at the FCDC meeting in January.  Therefore they will not be able to vote at the District meeting or for the officers of FCDC

On the other hand, every magesterial district in Fairfax welcomes volunteers, you do not need to join the Committee to be an active member of the Democratic Party.  You should contact one of the local Magesterial Districts, both Springfield and Braddock are close to Fairfax City, and let them know that you are willing to volunteer.  To contact these two Committees by e-mail, you can use the following addresses:

Springfield@fairfaxdemocrats.org  or
Braddock@fairfaxdemocrats.org