2010

Letter from State Party Chairman Dwight Pelz, May 19th, 2010

Dear Party Leader,

Over the course of the past several weeks the 2010 State Convention Platform Committee has been working hard to review, amend and consolidate all of the platforms and resolutions that came from the Legislative District Caucuses and County Conventions. Under the guidance of Committee Chairs Jennifer Sutton and Ken Caylor they have done exceptional work. I want to thank them and the other members of the committee for their efforts on the Party’s behalf.

Yesterday we posted the results of their work on our website at http://wa-democrats.org/index.php?page=display&id=579.

From now until Friday, May 28th these materials will be available for review and comment. You may submit any comments or suggestions about these materials to the Platform Committee at http://wa-democrats.org/index.php?page=display&id=580. The committee will meet again on Saturday, June 5th to review the new material and make appropriate edits. I encourage you to also contact the Platform Committee member from your Legislative District or County Party with your concerns or suggestions.

Two of the primary activities at the State Convention are the passage of the State Party platform and resolutions clarifying the Party's position on issues of the day. It is important that this process is collaborative, inclusive and transparent. To this end I encourage you to share this information with members of your local party organization and to encourage them to submit their suggestions.

I have also attached a copy of the proposed agenda and rules for the Convention for your review. Rule 14 contains information regarding the submission of last minute amendments or resolutions.

Washington State Democrats
2010 State Convention
Proposed Rules

Passed by the State Convention Rules Committee on 5/1/2010

14. Submission of Proposed Platform Amendments and Resolutions

1. A hard copy or a scanned copy of the amendment or resolution with required signatures shall be presented to the office of the Washington State Democratic Party located at 615 – 2nd Ave., Suite #580, Seattle, WA 98104, received by mail at PO Box 4027, Seattle, WA 98194, faxed to (206) 583-0301, or emailed to gregh@wa-democrats.org by 5:00 pm on Friday, May 28, 2010. It must be signed by at least fifteen (15) delegates, no more than ten (10) of whom come from both the same County and the same Legislative District, or by any twenty five (25) delegates. A version in Microsoft Word (.doc not .docx) format must also be emailed to gregh@wa-democrats.org by the same deadline.
2. A hard copy or a scanned copy of an amendment or resolution with required signatures that is presented after the deadline in the preceding paragraph (Rule 14.A) shall be presented to the office of the Washington State Democratic Party located at 615 – 2nd Ave., Suite #580, Seattle, WA 98104, received by mail at PO Box 4027, Seattle, WA 98194, faxed to (206) 583-0301, or emailed to gregh@wa-democrats.org by 12:00 pm (noon) on Tuesday, June 22, 2010. It must be signed by at least 50 (fifty) delegates. The amendment or resolution and supporting signatures must be submitted as a single package. A version in Microsoft Word (.doc not .docx) format must also be emailed to gregh@wa-democrats.org by the same deadline.
3. The Platform Committee will determine whether an amendment or resolution meets the test of a platform amendment, resolution or neither. If such a determination is challenged, the Platform Committee Co-Chairs shall explain the determination and the challenge shall otherwise be non-debatable.

If you have any questions about this process please contact Party Affairs Coordinator Greg Haffner at gregh@wa-democrats.org.

Thank you for your efforts. I look forward to seeing you at the Convention.

Dwight Pelz
Chair
Washington State Democrats