Category Archives: Uncategorized

Meet the #DNCC Delegates: Rachel Gonzalez

By DocJess | Published July 13, 2016

Rachel GonzalezRachel Gonzalez is a 17 year old high school student from Independence, MO, the home of Harry Truman. Rachel is an elected delegate for Hillary Clinton. She lives with her parents and two dogs. She has older siblings who live with their spouses and children.

DocJess: I was told that you are the youngest delegate attending the convention.

Rachel Gonzalez: I know that I’m Hillary Clinton’s youngest delegate, but I don’t know if there are any younger delegates. You need to turn 18 by Election Day to be a delegate, and my birthday is in October, so I don’t know that there will be anyone younger. Continue Reading...

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Meet the #DNCC Delegates: Anna Payne

By DocJess | Published July 12, 2016

Anna PayneAnna Payne is an elected delegate for Bernie Sanders from the 8th CD. She works for a credit union. Anna lives in Middletown Township, Bucks County with her mom and stepdad, a dog and a cat.

DocJess: When did you decide you wanted to be a delegate?

Anna Payne: Back in 2012, I watched the DNC in Charlotte, and thought it was very interesting and cool, and I was curious about the people on the floor and the roles they played. I thought that to get there, you’d have to know someone. I was in college majoring in Political Science, and one of my courses had a class about delegates, what they do and what the different processes were in various states to become a delegate. I learned that most of the delegates are pledged to a candidate. I started doing research on how the process works here in Pennsylvania. It’s a long process, but I knew I was up to the challenge! Continue Reading...

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Australian Election Preview (Updated 7-2-16)

By tmess2 | Published June 26, 2016

Australian politics has some similarity to the United States.  Seats in their House of Representatives are distributed by the population of the state (with each state guaranteed a certain number of seats).  The states have equal representation in their Senate (twelve senators each rather than two) and the election of senators are usually staggered (half from each state elected every three years).

This year, however, is an unusual election (scheduled for July 2).  The existence of staggered terms plus the voting system for the Senate creates the possibility that the party that controls the House will not control the Senate.  Unlike the U.S. which forces the parties to live with deadlock until the next regularly scheduled election, Australian law contains an out — the “double dissolution” election.  Normally, only the House of Representatives dissolves — either through expiration of the term or through the Prime Minister requesting an early election.  If the dissolution of the House occurs within the window for a half-Senate election (within the last year of a Senate term),  the House and half-Senate election occurs at the same time (but the new Senators do not take office — except for the Senators from the two territories — until the old term expires).

Continue Reading...

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Britain, Europe, and the Presidential Election

By tmess2 | Published June 20, 2016

There is no constitutional mechanism for a federal referendum in the United States.  The federal government has only limited authority over elections, and that limited authority does not give the federal government the ability to put legislation to a national referendum.  That is not the case in other countries.  In recent years, the United Kingdom has put major constitutional issues to a referendum.  This Thursday will see the latest of these referendums in which the issue is whether the United Kingdom will stay in the European Union.

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Pennsylvania Primary Day Thoughts

By DocJess | Published April 26, 2016

Vote by JessIt’s about 4:30 in the morning, and I am awake and excited (and already in need of coffee). Today I will be at the polls by 6:30 to prepare for our 7 a.m. opening. I will run the gauntlet of party regulars outside the doors, and I’ve already been told by the judge of elections that it will be my job to “help” them follow the law about staying the appropriate distance from the actual polling place – no one in the building, and don’t harass the voters. I wonder if there will be a line…I heard on the radio today that they’re expecting record primary turnout here in Pennsylvania, perhaps 40%, which would be double what we normally get. Not objectively great, but a large enough number that the effect of “the party” would be blunted. That may be interesting when the returns come in.

I love elections – I love participating, working for the county, working for a candidate and more than anything else, I love voting. I am bemused and kinda proud every time a neighbor walks by waving their voting receipt and telling someone nearby, as they point at me, “I only voted because I can’t go home if I don’t — I live near HER!”

The delegate slate is comprised of people I know: party regulars I’ve known for years, as well as two people brand new to the political process. I am hopeful for all of them, since we’re proportional. Continue Reading...

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Sanders sweeps Alaska, Washington and Hawaii

By Matt | Published March 27, 2016

Bernie Sanders had his best day of the campaign yesterday, winning caucuses in Alaska (13 delegates to 3 for Clinton), Washington (74-27) and Hawaii (18-7) to gain 68 delegates on Clinton, cutting Clinton’s pledged delegate lead to 227, 1265-1039.

All projections are that Clinton still has the nomination well in hand, unless something changes drastically in the voting patterns in upcoming states.

Pledged DelegatesSuperdelegatesTotal
ClintonSandersClintonSandersClintonSanders
Iowa232162921
New Hampshire915611516
Nevada2015712716
South Carolina391454414
Georgia7329118429
Vermont1646422
Virginia6233127433
Alabama4496509
Arkansas221052710
American Samoa424183
Massachusetts46452016646
Oklahoma1721111822
Tennessee442375123
Texas147752116875
Colorado254193441
Minnesota31461134249
Kansas102311123
Louisiana371464314
Nebraska1015311316
Maine817411218
Mississippi31532347
Michigan6367127567
Northern Marianas42592
Florida1417324216575
Illinois797724110378
Missouri3635114735
North Carolina6047826849
Ohio81621619763
Democrats Abroad4921610
Arizona4233524735
Idaho51812620
Utah62722829
Alaska31311414
Washington2774103774
Hawaii817431220
Wisconsin3848814649
Wyoming774117
New York13910838177108
Connecticut2827154327
Delaware12911239
Maryland60351717736
Pennsylvania106832112783
Rhode Island111392013
Indiana394474644
Guam43593
West Virginia1118621720
Kentucky282723027
Oregon2536733239
Virgin Islands613091
Puerto Rico362464224
California26920664333206
Montana101111012
North Dakota51311614
New Jersey79471229149
New Mexico181682616
South Dakota101021210
District of Columbia164242406
Total221818335474827651881

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Registering Voters

By DocJess | Published March 7, 2016

Vote!Before people can vote, they need to be registered. While some states allow same-day registration and others hold open primaries, some states, like my own Pennsylvania have closed systems and require early registration. In closed primary states, one must not only be registered but registered to the party in which he/she wants to vote. Independents, non-aligned people, and members of any other party cannot vote in the Democratic or Republican primaries.

I was at Starbucks this evening to meet someone and when he arrived, I was at the counter registering voters. He was not surprised, for I AM a voter registration booth!

I work campaigns. I turn out voters — I do all of that, as I know many of you do. However, often we run up against people who say that they’ll do anything but canvass or make calls. And trust me, it’s boots on the ground that create turnout. But often people who won’t work for the candidate of their choice WILL work voter registration. It’s non-threatening, it’s non-partisan, and it’s actually a lot of fun. Continue Reading...

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Common Questions about #DNCPHL2016

By DocJess | Published March 5, 2016

dnc2016I get questions everyday about the upcoming convention. If I’ve missed your question, please put it in the comments.

Where and when is the convention?
The Democratic Convention will be held in Philadelphia from 25 – 28 July. There will probably be interesting goings-on on the 23rd and 24th in Philadelphia for those people who choose to come in early.

Which convention goes first and why?
The SOP is that the incumbent party goes second. Continue Reading...

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The Pelosi Club is back

By Matt | Published March 4, 2016

Long-time readers of DCW will fondly remember The Pelosi Club from 2008:

This is a list of superdelegates who have specifically committed to vote for the leader in pledged delegates. It is named the “Pelosi Club”, in honor of its first two members Nancy Pelosi and Christine Pelosi.

Well we have our first official member in 2016: Continue Reading...

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Clinton romps in South Carolina

By Matt | Published February 27, 2016

Hillary Clinton made it clear that she will be the Democratic nominee in 2016 with a 74%-26% blowout victory in South Carolina. Unless something major changes before Tuesday, she will start to build a significant pledged delegate lead with large victories on Tuesday, and should be the clear presumptive nominee by the end of the month.

Looks like a 39-14 delegate split in SC, giving Clinton a 91-65 pledged delegate lead, and a 440+ delegate lead including superdelegates.

See the latest Democratic delegate count here.

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