2024 Call to Convention

How to Become a Delegate, Alternate or Elector

Adopted Call to the 2024 Eighth Congressional District Democratic Committee

1. 1. Call. Pursuant to the authority provided by the Virginia Democratic Party Plan (“Party Plan”) and the 2024 Call to the Democratic Party of Virginia State Convention, the 8th Congressional District Convention shall convene at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 18, 2024, at Alexandria City High School, 3330 King St, Alexandria, VA 22302.
   2. Incorporated Documents. All appropriate provisions of the the most recent version of the Virginia Democratic Party Plan, the Delegate Selection Plan for the 2024 Democratic National Convention Plan, and the Call to the 2024Virginia State Democratic Convention are incorporated into this Call by reference and  made a part hereof.
   3. Purpose. The purpose of the 8th Congressional District Convention shall be:
      
      1. To select eight (8) delegates and one (1) alternate to the 2024 Democratic National Convention;
      2. Nominate one (1) permanent member each to the permanent credentials, rules and resolutions committees to the State Democratic Convention;
      3. To select a presidential elector representing the 8th Congressional District in the 2024 general presidential election;
      4. D. To conduct such other business as may properly come before the Convention. Selection of District Convention Delegates and Alternates.

The delegates and alternates to the 8th Congressional District Convention shall also be the  delegates or alternates to the State Democratic Convention to be held Saturday, June 22, 2024 beginning at  10:00 a.m., Greater Richmond Convention Center, Grand Ballroom, 403 North Third Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219. The State Convention shall continue until all business set forth in the 2024 State Convention Call and any subsequent agenda to be provided by the  Convention Rules Committee has been completed. 

Delegates and alternates to the 8th Congressional District Convention and the State Democratic Convention shall be those elected by city or county caucuses beginning at 12:00 noon on Saturday, April 20, 2024, or on Monday, April 22, 2024 beginning at 7:30 p.m., at the option of the respective city or county Democratic committee. City and county caucuses may be assembled or unassembled.

Pursuant to the Call to the State Convention, each county and city Democratic Committee shall meet to determine the day and time (April 20, 2024 at 12:00 noon or April 22, 2024 at 7:30 pm), and location of the caucus, the type of caucus (assembled or unassembled), the method of selecting alternate delegates, local committee voluntary administrative fees (if any), and the apportionment of delegates and alternates among the electing units, if applicable, and shall advise the State Party headquarters of such information no later than March 14, 2024.

Any county or city committee holding an unassembled caucus on Saturday, April 20, 2024 or Monday, April 22, 2024, may provide an opportunity for voters to appear in person and cast an absentee ballot to be counted in the final totals for delegates and alternates in such caucuses. Such absentee voting may be scheduled for Thursday, April 18, 2024, beginning at 7:00 p.m. and ending at a reasonable time. The day and time for beginning and ending of such absentee voting and the location shall be stated in the Call for the caucus and shall be publicized under the Affirmative Action provisions of the Delegate Selection Plan. The chairs of committees exercising this option of absentee voting shall ensure that sites are fully staffed to serve the voters as well as ADA accessible, properly supervised, information materials and ballots provided, declaration forms available, and that voted ballots are secured and properly counted in the caucus voting totals.

5. Allocation of State/District Convention Delegates and Alternates.

Delegates and alternates elected at county or city caucuses or convention shall serve as delegates and alternates to both the Congressional District and State Convention (“State Delegates and  Alternates”). There shall be elected 2,000 State Delegates and 500 State Alternates to the State  Convention. The apportionment of State Delegates and Alternates among counties and cities is  detailed in the State Convention Call, as determined by the State Central Committee, based on a formula giving equal weight population and to average of the Democratic Vote for President in 2020 (Biden), for Governor in 2021 (McAuliffe), and for U.S. Senator in 2020 (Warner) (method (a) of Section 15.1 of the Party Plan).

The 8th Congressional Democratic District apportionment is 209 delegates and 52 alternates totaling 261 to the 2024 8th Congressional District Convention and to the Virginia State Democratic Convention, allocated as follows:

Alexandria 44 Delegates, 11 Alternates

Arlington 69 Delegates, 17 Alternates

Fairfax County 91 Delegates, 23 Alternates

Falls Church 5 Delegates, 1 Alternate

. Rules for the 8th District Convention Delegate Selection.

1. 1. Participation and Access. Participation in Virginia’s Democratic delegate selection process is open to all registered voters who wish to participate as Democrats. All  meetings shall be open to all members of the Democratic Party regardless of race, sex, gender identity,  age, color, creed, national origin, religion, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, economic  status, philosophical persuasion, or disability, and all meetings should be publicized fully.  Each county and city committee shall comply with the Affirmative Action, Outreach and  Inclusion Plan action provisions of the Virginia Delegate Selection Plan for the 2024  Democratic National Convention.
   2. Filing. Any Democrat wishing to be a delegate or alternate to the 8th Congressional District Convention and to the State Convention must file a certificate of candidacy with the Chairperson of the local county or city Democratic committee, the magisterial district chairs in Fairfax County or a designated representative, by the filing deadline. Each person prefiling must designate a Presidential candidate preference. Only persons designating Presidential candidates receiving 15% of the votes in the March 5, 2024 Presidential Preference Primary as their Presidential candidate may be elected as State Delegates or Alternates. To encourage participation by youth in the delegate selection process (and pursuant to state law), any individual who will have turned 18 by the date of the general election will be allowed to participate in the delegate selection process, provided they have registered to vote.

The pre-filing deadline for State Delegate and Alternate candidates shall be 5:00 p.m., Saturday, April 13, 2024, for caucuses held on Saturday, April 20, 2024. The prefilling deadline will be Monday, April 15, 2024 at 5:00 p.m., for caucuses held on Monday, April 22, 2024. The county or city committee will determine whether State Alternates shall be elected separately from State Delegates, or whether the Alternates shall be those persons with the next highest number of votes after the persons with the highest number of votes have been elected State Delegates.

Any Democrat wishing to run for one of the Democratic National Convention Delegate or Alternate slots or Presidential Elector to be selected at the 8th District Convention must file a certificate of candidacy by Friday May 3, 2024 at 5 pm with the Chair of the 8th Congressional District Democratic Committee (with a copy to the State Party Chair at Chair@vademocrats.org), and as outlined in Section 8 and 9 of this Call.

Mail: Margo Horner, Chair 8th Congressional District Democratic Committee c/o

c/o Alexandria Democratic Headquarters

618 N. Washington Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

 E-mail: margohorner@yahoo.com

Phone: 703-347-3017

Only those delegate and alternate delegate candidates who have filed by the deadline will  appear on the ballots distributed at the caucuses. 

1. Declaration. The certificate of delegate candidacy shall include an affirmation that the person is registered to vote in the jurisdiction holding the caucus; is a Democrat; does not intend to support any candidate who is opposed to a Democratic nominee in the next ensuing general election; is not a member of any other political party; and has not participated and will not participate in the nominating process of any other political party for the 2024 elections. Any person attending a caucus, before participating in that meeting, shall sign a standardized declaration form, stating that he or she is a Democrat; does not intend to support any candidate who is opposed to a Democratic nominee in the next ensuing election; is not a member of any other political party; has not participated and will not participate in the nominating process of any other party for the 2024 Presidential election; and is a registered voter in such jurisdiction..
2. Candidate Preference. All State Delegates and Alternates shall be pledged in each jurisdiction according to the Presidential candidate vote in that jurisdiction. Only those Presidential candidates receiving at least 15% of the 8th district vote in the March 5, 2024 Presidential Preference Primary shall receive delegates and alternates.
3. Voluntary Administrative Filing Fee. There will be a voluntary State Convention fee of $25.00 for each candidate for State Convention and District Convention Delegate and District Convention Alternate. The fee, collected by the local city/county committees, is distributed as follows: $10 to DPVA; $10 to local city/county committee; $5 to 8th CD Committee. Each county or city committee shall send one check to the State Party and one check to the 8th Congressional District Chair containing each entity’s portion of the voluntary filing fees. No person shall be denied the right to participate in the delegate selection process due to nonpayment of the voluntary administrative fee.
4. Method of Election and Fair Reflection of Candidate Preference. Each jurisdiction shall be responsible for choosing the method for selection of delegates and alternates,  consistent with the procedures of the Delegate Selection plan. Such delegate selection  process shall ensure fair reflection of candidate preference as provided by the Delegate  Selection Plan.
5. Caucus Cancellation. Caucuses in which delegates and alternates are to be elected on separate ballots may be cancelled provided the number of individuals filed for  delegate does not exceed the number of delegates to be elected and the number filed for  alternate does not exceed the number of alternates to be elected.
6. Certification of State Convention and District Convention Delegates and Within five (5) days after each caucus, each county and city Democratic  Committee Chair shall provide the Chair of the 8th Congressional District Democratic  Committee and the State Democratic Party with a certified list of delegates and alternates,  including the name, address, telephone (preferably the mobile number), email, and presidential candidate preference of each delegate. Vacancies occurring in  the delegation after the caucus election and certification of delegates may be filled pursuant to Section 15.9 of the Party Plan and consultation with the 8^th CD and  city/county committee chairs.
7. Any vacancy occurring in the delegation after the caucus election shall be filled by the delegation. Such action may be done prior to the district or state  convention at a scheduled and publicized meeting. Alternatively, it may be done by a  majority of the delegation at the district or state convention. Alternates should first be  moved to the position of delegate and additional alternates elected. The newly elected  alternates must be of the same gender and candidate preference as the delegates they  replace.
8. Rules and Notice. Each county and city Democratic Committee within the 8th Congressional District shall establish rules for its caucuses in conformity with this call, the State Party Plan, and the Delegate Selection Plan. Subject to Section 9.1 of the Party Plan, a minimum of seven days notice must be provided prior to any caucus.
9. Each individual Delegate or alternative, whether to the Democratic National Convention or to the Democratic Party of Virginia State Convention, shall be responsible for covering their own costs associated with travel. Neither the 8th District Committee nor the Democratic Party of Virginia will cover any such costs. Virginia law provides for the pay of presidential electors at a rate of $50 per day, plus mileage. (Va. Code Ann. § 24.2-205.)

7. District Convention Rules and Committees.

The District Convention shall be governed by the rules developed by the temporary Rules  Committee and rules developed by the permanent rules committee and adopted by the  Convention.

Local committee chairs shall appoint the members of the temporary Committees  on Credentials, and Rules. TheseCommittees shall be composed of 15 members. The membership of the temporary committees shall be apportioned as follows:

Alexandria City - Three

Arlington - Five

Fairfax County - Six

Falls Church City - One

Each city or county committee chair shall appoint their locality’s representatives to the temporary committees. The Chair of the 8th District Democratic Committee shall select a non-voting chair of each committee, subject to the approval of the 8th District Democratic Committee. The District Convention shall elect the Permanent Committees. Each committee shall be composed of 15 members. The membership of the Permanent Committees shall be apportioned in the same manner as the temporary committees.

The Temporary Rules Committee shall make available its report for consideration by the full convention. The convention shall vote on acceptance of the presented Temporary Rules Report, at which case it shall become the Permanent Rules. The convention shall be guided by the Temporary Rules Report until the adoption of the Permenant Rules.

8. Rules for Selection of the Presidential Elector.

The District Convention shall elect one person to serve as Presidential Elector representing the  8th Congressional District. Such person shall be pledged formally and in good conscience to the  election to the Democratic Presidential and Vice Presidential nominee. All candidates for  Presidential Elector shall file statements of candidacy with the 8th Congressional District  Democratic Chair by Friday, May 3, 2024 before 5:00 pm. All statements of candidacy shall include an affirmation that the person is registered to vote in the 8th Congressional District; is a  Democrat; does not intend to support any candidate who is opposed to the Democratic  Presidential nominee in the next ensuing general election; and is not a member of any other  political party.

Unless otherwise determined by the District Convention, the candidate obtaining a plurality of the vote for Presidential Elector shall be elected.

9. Rules for Selection of National Convention Delegates.

The 8th District Democratic Convention shall elect eight (8) delegates and one (1) alternate to  the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Four (4) delegates shall be female, four (4)  delegates shall be male, and one (1) shall be a female alternate.

Should one or more non-binary individuals be elected, any remaining delegate positions to be elected shall be apportioned by gender so that no single gender receives 50% plus one of any delegate or alternate slots, as governed by Sections III.A.7 and VII.C of the 2024 Virginia Delegate Selection Plan.

 

Pursuant to the Delegate Selection Plan provisions, only those Presidential candidates receiving  15% of the vote qualified in the March 5, 2024 Democratic Presidential Preference Primary, and  therefore all National Convention Delegates and Alternates shall be pledged according to the  percentage vote of Presidential candidates in the 8th Congressional District.

Persons wishing to be elected as a District-level Delegate to the Democratic National Convention  or as a congressional district Presidential Elector must file with the 8^th Congressional District  Chairwoman (and with a copy to the State Party Chairwoman) fifteen (15) days prior to the  Congressional District Convention, no later than Friday May 3, 2024, before 5:00 p.m.

Election of State Delegates and Alternates shall be conducted as provided in the Delegate  Selection Plan. Separate ballots shall be prepared for county and city caucuses that shall list  candidates pledged to each viable Presidential preference. The stated Presidential preference  shall be binding at the Congressional District and State Conventions for all elected delegates and  alternates and shall prevail in all caucuses and voting for National Delegates and Alternates. 

The 8th Congressional District Democratic Chair shall certify in writing to the State Democratic  Chairwoman the election of the district’s national convention delegates and alternates within 24 hours of their election, as required by Section III, A, 8 of the Democratic Party of Virginia Delegate Selection Plan.

10. Resolutions.

The 8th Congressional District Democratic Committee voted unanimously on February 19, 2024 to not consider resolutions at the 2024 Congressional District Democratic Convention. Resolutions will be considered at the 2024 Democratic Party of Virginia State Convention, in accordance with Section 17.1 of the Party Plan and Article V of the Call to the State Convention.

11. 11. Rules for Nomination of Members of the State Democratic Convention Rules, Credentials, and Resolutions Committees.

The 8th Congressional District Democratic Committee shall nominate one (1) member to the  state temporary credentials committee, one (1) member to the state temporary rules committee,  and one (1) member to the state temporary resolutions committee. 

 

Filing Locations:

All filing forms are available at the DPVA website, 

https://vademocrats.org/delegateselection/.

All papers to be filed with the Chair of the 8^th District Democratic Committee:

Mail: Margo Horner, Chair 8th Congressional District Democratic Committee c/o

c/o Alexandria Democratic Headquarters

618 N. Washington Street

Alexandria, VA 22314

 E-mail: margohorner@yahoo.com

Phone: 703-347-3017

All papers to be filed with the State Democratic Party or its Chairwoman shall be filed with the  Democratic Party of Virginia, Truist Building, 919 East Main Street, Suite 2050, Richmond, Virginia 23218, Telephone: 804-644-1966 (or toll-free 1-800-322-1144) or through electronic  means as provided by the Democratic Party of Virginia.

12. Additional Documents for Reference

Democratic Party of Virginia Party Plan	Call to the 2024 State Convention
Virginia Delegate Selection Plan	Call to the 2024 National Convention

Adopted unanimously by the 8th Congressional District Democratic Committee on Monday, February 19, 2024

Resources for the 2024 Delegate selection process:

• • • DPVA PowerPoint on the 2024 Delegate Selection Process 
    • 2024 Adopted Call for 8th CD Democratic District Convention
    • Virginia Delegate Selection Plan
    • Call to the 2024 State Convention
    • Call to the 2024 National Convention
    • Democratic Party of Virginia Party Plan
    • 2024 8th congressional District Democratic Committee adopted Temporary Rules (3/26/2024)