Special Meeting Called to Endorse in CD5 Primary

  Hello PCPs, I have received in writing a request for a special meeting called by ten Precinct Committee Persons (PCPs) for a special meeting of the Deschutes County Democrats to consider endorsing in the primary race for the 5th Congressional District. Under Article VIII Section 2 of the Deschutes County Democratic Central Committee Bylaws, “Special meetings may be called by the Chair, by a majority of the vote of the Executive Committee, or by written request of 10 members of the Central Committee. In this case, the Chair received via email a request for a special meeting to be called by ten PCPs. Recognizing that the request was properly called for by the Central Committee members, I am calling a Special Meeting as the Chair under Article VIII Section 2 to take place via Zoom on Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 7pm. Credentialing will begin at 6:45pm. Our rules do not allow for proxy voting so you must be a credentialed PCP to vote that evening. While endorsements are not new to our local party, we have not endorsed in Congressional primaries in the past. This endorsement was requested due to the unusual circumstances of this particular election cycle. With redistricting taking place after the 2020 census, much of Deschutes County moved out of CD2 and into a newly formed CD5. In this new district, our County represents 25-33% of the voters in the Democratic Primary. Deschutes County finally has a voice in congressional races. Although we have not endorsed in these races in the past, Article IV Section 5 of our bylaws clearly states that the Central Committee will “make all decisions as to financial contributions to and endorsements of candidates for public office.” With that in mind, the request for a special meeting to endorse in CD5 was properly requested and will move forward. We have a six day notice requirement so that is why we will meet on Thursday, February 24, 2022. We will inform both campaigns about the process and send out invites to attend. Each campaign will have an option to let the candidate speak, a proxy can speak, or they can pre-record their speech. They will have ten minutes to speak. There will be no questions asked during the meeting. We will ask both campaigns to submit any written material they would like to share prior to the meeting and will email that out to our PCPs. We will also suggest that both campaigns provide good contact information to our PCPs for any questions they might have prior to the meeting. It is imperative for our PCPs to go the campaign websites, read up on the candidates, reach out directly to the campaigns and ask your questions, and then hear their ten minute pitch at the meeting. Both campaigns have already come before our group and talked and answered questions. Below is the agenda for the special meeting as well as the Special Rule of Order that we will vote on during the meeting. If the Special Rule fails, then we will not move onto the Endorsement in the race. If the Special Rule passes, we will immediately begin the Endorsement Process. If you have any questions, you can reach out to the local party by emailing chair@deschutesdemocrats.org. We will place this information on our website and send letters via the US Mail to go along with this email to provide notice to our Central Committee. We hope you will be able to join us for this meeting. Thank you in advance. Sincerely, Jason Burge Chair, Deschutes Democrats  

Agenda for Special Meeting on Thursday, February 24, 2022 of the Deschutes County Democrats

1. Zoom meeting opens 15 minutes prior to the meeting time. This gives time for candidates to do a sound check, and to accommodate credentialing of the PCPs.  PCPs will be credentialed as they enter.
2. Welcome statement from the chair
3. Credentials Report
4. Approval of Special Rule of Order Regarding the 2022 CD5 Primary Endorsement Process
5. CD5 Primary Endorsement
6. Adjourn

 

Special Rule of Order

Regarding the 2022 CD5 Primary Endorsement Process

To be proposed to the Precinct Committee Persons The endorsement election at the special meeting of the Deschutes County Democratic Central Committee, held on Thursday, February 24, 2022, shall be conducted as follows:

1. The chair shall make a statement explaining the process.
2. The Zoom chat shall be turned off except to contact a designated person regarding technical difficulties.
3. Technical difficulties on the side of the participants shall not be reason to pause, delay, or adjourn the meeting.
4. The chair shall invite Democratic candidates for US Representative for Oregon’s 5th Congressional District (CD5) to speak in person, through their designee, or via pre-recorded video. Videos shall be submitted by 6:00 pm the day before to ensure it can be played appropriately.  Nobody shall have access to the video or its information prior to the meeting except the one(s) preparing for its playback at the meeting.

1. Each candidate will have the opportunity to speak.
2. Candidate speeches shall be no longer than 10 minutes
   1. Speeches will be timed, and a timer may be displayed on the screen.
   2. The candidate will be notified at 10 minutes that their time is up.
   3. The candidate will be muted at 10 minutes, 15 seconds.
3. Speeches shall not be interrupted except for technical difficulties on the host’s side.  Meeting participants except the speaker shall be muted in order to facilitate participants’ ability to hear.
4. Technical difficulties may be reported in the chat, which shall be monitored by the chair or their designee.
5. The order of speeches shall be determined by lot or by coin toss.
6. If a candidate is having technical problems joining the Zoom meeting, then a reasonable effort shall be made by the chair or their designee to assist the candidate in joining the Zoom meeting.
7. Candidates shall have their cameras on and be on screen through their speech to the extent technically possible.

2. Once candidate speeches have concluded and the chair has issued any closing remarks or instructions, the meeting will recess and balloting will open. The meeting will be considered adjourned once final election results are announced to the Central Committee via email.
3. STAR voting (Score-Then-Automatic-Runoff) will be used, as specified in the existing Standing Rule regarding Endorsement Voting Procedures, which can be viewed here.
4. Casting of ballots:
   1. Balloting shall be conducted using an online balloting system.
   2. Ballots will include only names of each declared Democratic candidate for CD5, whose order will have been chosen randomly.
   3. Precinct Committee Persons (PCPs) will receive a unique link to their ballot via email.  PCPs will be responsible for checking their SPAM/Junk/Promotions folder for their ballot email.
   4. Only PCPs who attended the meeting and were credentialed will have their ballot tabulated.
   5. Balloting shall remain open for at least one hour after the meeting is recessed.
   6. The chair and/or their designee(s) will remain on the Zoom meeting during balloting in order to advise PCPs with any technical problems in submitting their ballot.  A reasonable effort will be made to assist PCPs with any technical difficulties, but PCPs are ultimately responsible for technical difficulties on their end.
5. Counting of ballots:
   • The chair shall appoint a teller and assistants or helpers to conduct the tabulation of ballots.

5. 1. Any Central Committee member, candidate, or candidate’s designee(s) may remain on the Zoom meeting to observe the tabulation of ballots.  The chair may also allow others to observe.  Candidates are strongly encouraged to designate at least one observer.  An eligible meeting participant may log back in to the Zoom meeting at any time during tabulation.
   2. Tabulation of ballots and viewing of results shall be conducted via Zoom screen share.
   3. The teller will ensure that only the ballots of credentialed PCPs who were in attendance at the meeting will be included in tabulation and results.
   4. Ballots will be tabulated, the results shall be read aloud to the chair and observers, and the teller shall take a screenshot of the results.
6. The winner of the STAR election, as specified in the Standing Rule regarding Endorsement Voting Procedures, shall be considered to have received the endorsement of the Deschutes County Democratic Central Committee for the May 2022 primary election for the position of US Representative, Oregon’s 5th Congressional District (CD5).
7. If a CD5 candidate receives the endorsement of the Deschutes County Democratic Central Committee, then no unendorsed CD5 candidate will receive the support of the Deschutes County Democratic Central Committee, to the extent allowed by law or by any other rules that supersede these rules.  This may include, but is not limited to:
   • An unendorsed candidate’s campaign materials will not be included in materials distributed by the Neighborhood Leader Program.

7. 1. An unendorsed candidate will not be included in Deschutes Democrats’ slate cards, and is not entitled to be included in other Deschutes Democrats campaign materials except that the unendorsed candidate’s picture, campaign website link, and Facebook link shall remain on the Deschutes Democrats’ webpage in the same format as other Democratic primary candidate(s).
8. A candidate receiving the endorsement is entitled to:
   • Include a statement of endorsement in any campaign materials.

8. 1. Include a statement of endorsement in their Voter’s Pamphlet Statement, including the signing of a completed SEL 400 form.
   2. Use of the Deschutes Democrats name and logo image, as provided by the Deschutes Democrats, as part of any statements of endorsement in campaign materials.
   3. An endorsement announcement from the Deschutes Democrats on social media and website, and emphasis as the endorsed candidate on the Deschutes Democrats’ website.
9. These rules shall apply only to the May 2022 primary election for CD5, and shall expire at the conclusion of the primary election.

 

Candidate Statements

Jamie McLeod Skinner Statement to Deschutes Dems PCPs (PDF) Kurt Schrader Statement to Deschutes Demts PCPs (PDF)