By Lisa Plymate and Chris Porter
WSDCC Quarterly Meeting WSDCC met September 12-13, 2014 at the Silver Reef Hotel Casino in Ferndale. Call to Order by State Party Chair Jaxon Ravens at 1:36pm. Flag Salute led by Julie Johnson (Clallam County); Justin Finkbonner performs the Lummi National Anthem. Welcome by Whatcom County Chair Mike Estes. Roll Call by State Party Secretary Rob Dolin.
There are 45 County and 76 Legislative District State Committee Members present, for a total of 121 individuals. Al Garman (41st LD) receives a standing ovation. Welcome back, Al! The 4 WDSCC officers, 4 DNC members, the President of the Federation of Democratic Women, the Chair of the Chairs’ Organization, and a representative from the Young Democrats of Washington are also present. Adoption of the Agenda M/S/A. Approval of the Minutes M/S/A
Chair’s Report – Chair Jaxon Ravens Chair Ravens thanks a number of individuals for their support in his first seven months in office, including the Executive Board, the Chairs of the Committees and Caucuses, the staff, the members of the SCC, chairs, vice-chairs, and PCOs. Chair Ravens reports on his attendance at party, campaign, and other functions throughout the state. Chair Ravens reports on a variety of State Party programs and recognizes the department directors for Party Affairs, Fundraising, Compliance, Digital Media and Technology Campaign Director Rob Dible and Organizing for Washington Director Max Brown report on the 2014 campaign.
Rob Dible reports on the importance of data – elections are all about targeting the right voters. Max Brown says that this election will be all about turnout–Washington State has enough Democrats for us to win the election. State Party Executive Director Karen Deal and Vice Chair Valerie Brady Rongey announce the State Party’s new DEM (Donate Every Month) program, and encourage SCC members to become sustaining donors.
DNC Reports
- David McDonald – the DNC Rules Committee has passed its preliminary guidelines for the 2016 Delegate Selection Process; the number of delegates have been reduced across the board, dropping Washington State’s likely delegate count from 103 to 86. DNC Rep. McDonald reports that we were successful in retaining our ability to have SCC members from LD’s elect our at-large delegates as we did in 2012. Iowa has been under pressure to adopt an absentee ballot – they will have a single statewide telephone caucus for military service members. Federal funding for national convention has been stopped; the DNC is taking over direct management of the convention and will be raising money directly.
- Ed Cote–the DNC has retired its debt from 2012; all campaign committees are out-raising their Republican counterparts The 2016 National Convention will be in one of the following cities: Columbus, OH; Phoenix, AZ; Philadelphia, PA; Brooklyn, NY; or Birmingham, AL; the final decision will likely be made in January 2015.
- Sharon Mast—is now Secretary of the Western States Caucus; the Western Caucus is especially concerned with Hispanic/Latin issues.
- Lona Wilbur—was not able to attend the Atlanta meeting, because of a death in a family; she is glad that Chair Ravens attended the Native Caucus with Rion Ramirez, an At-Large DNC member who lives in Washington and is Chair of the DNC Native American Caucus.
Committee Reports
- Affirmative Action—report from Alec Stephens (37th LD & Affirmative Action Committee Chair) for 2016.
- Elections Committee report from Roger Erskine (Thurston County & Elections Committee Chair)
- Technology Committee report from Rob Dolin (State Party Secretary & Technology Committee Chair)
- Eastern Washington report from Ed Wood (4th LD) for Eastern Washington Committee Chair Valerie Brady Rongey
- Rules report from Ann Martin (34th LD) for Rules Committee Chair Todd Nichols