Ward 5's Joan Shipps gathering signatures at Rustik Tavern today for John Salatti, candidate for DC Democratic State Committee

See this message from Bloomingdale resident John Salatti:
                                                                                              

C.mon out to Rustik Tavern Sunday for brunch and while there say hello to Joan Shipps of Ward 5 (wife of former Bloomingdale resident and current ANC commissioner Nolan Treadway).  From 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm, she'll be there at Rustik collecting signatures for the DC for Progress slate.  I am proud to be a member of that slate as we seek positions on the Democratic State Committee (info about the State Committee is below).  Elections for the State Committee will be held on primary day in April.  So please add your signature to Joan's petitions when she is at Rustik or welcome her if she comes by your home as she canvasses in Bloomingdale Sunday afternoon.  

Thanks and have a Happy and Safe New Year,

John

John T. Salatti
(202) 986-2592
"Together, Building a Better Bloomingdale" 

THE DC DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE

The DC Democratic State Committee is the elected board of the Democratic Party in the District of Columbia and is chartered by the Democratic National Committee.  The DC DSC Chair, Vice Chair, National Committeeman and National Committeewoman are all voting members of the DNC.  

Every four years* 48 members of the DC Democratic State Committee are elected along with other offices subject to party primaries (Council, Mayor).  The Chairs of each Ward Democratic Party are automatically seated on the DC DSC. Additional voting members include the representatives of several DC DSC chartered organizations: DC Young Democrats, Gertrude Stein Democratic Club, DC Federation Of Democratic Women Club, DC Latino Democratic Caucus, DC Asian Pacific Islanders Democratic Caucus, DC Federation Of College Democrats, Labor Caucus, Ethnic Council, and Religious Council.  After the Primary election, the newly seated Committee directly elects 12 “Ex-Officio” members to a two-year term, 6 men and 6 women. These Ex-Officio members then become voting members of the DC DSC, as well. 

The DC DSC is responsible for authoring the DC Democrats Platform and supporting Democrats both locally and nationally. The Committee serves as the central planner and coordinator for the DC delegation to the Democratic National Convention. The DC DSC also oversees the elections of its Chartered Ward Committees, often determining election rules and resolving election disputes.

As the governing board of the Democratic Party in the DC, the DC DSC determines the rules that govern the Presidential Primary process in the District. For instance, the DC DSC decides if delegates to the DNC will be selected via a ballot election, a citywide caucus or a vote of DC DSC members. In years past, the process has included both a citywide caucus and a DC DSC vote. But every 4 years, the DC DSC Rules Committee is free to submit a new plan to the DNC.

In 2008, the DC DSC delegate selection process was pivotal in the Presidential Primary. Rarely had a primary been so close as to come down to a handful of swing delegates in each state. The final DC delegates were selected by a vote of the Committee.  The elected members of the DC DSC not only determined the process for the delegate selection but also chose the final delegates to the Convention, and in turn, whether those final few delegates would lean Obama or Clinton.  

When an At-Large City Council seat is vacated between elections, the DC DSC is responsible for electing the interim At-Large Council Member. The DC DSC has filled two vacancies on the City Council in recent years.

On the April Primary Ballot:

The DC DSC elects both city-wide representatives and Ward representatives.

National CommitteeMan: Represents DC on the DNC (voting member DNC)

National CommitteeWoman: Represents DC on the DNC (voting member DNC)

Alternate National CommitteeMan:

Alternate National CommitteeWoman:

6 At-Large CommitteeWomen

6 At-Large CommitteeMen

2 Female Representatives of each Ward

2 Male Representatives of each Ward

* The current DC DSC elected members last stood for election in 2008. As the governing body of the DC Democratic Party, the DC DSC is also responsible for setting the rules for their own election.  Current DC law requires that if a Political Party is to elect their Committee members via election (rather than caucus), then they must appear on a ballot that is for the Party’s Primary. The DC DSC failed to file the proper paperwork with the DC Board of Elections and Ethics to be on the 2012 ballot. As a result, those members have now held their seats for nearly 6 years.

And this is Joan Shipps.