All members and PCOs are eligible to vote on candidate endorsements
32nd District Candidate Endorsement Process
1. The Endorsement Committee interviews for 2024 candidates will be held February-September on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month. All interviews are open for members to attend as observers. Contact endorsements@32democrats.org for the Zoom link.
2. The Endorsement Committee recommends candidates to the Executive Board and the Executive Board then recommends candidates to the membership. If a candidate is not recommended, the candidate can still be nominated by a member from the floor.
3. All members and PCOs are eligible to vote on candidate endorsements.
4. Candidates can seek an “early endorsement” if they have previously been endorsed by the 32nd District and are running for the same position. Consideration of “early endorsements” will take place at the March 6 monthly meeting.
5. For candidates not eligible for “early endorsement,” we held a large endorsement meeting immediately following the Candidate Filing Week. This year the filing week is May 6-10th. We will hold our Special Endorsement Meeting on May 15.
6. We will also vote on endorsements at our August 6 meeting.
7. Here is a quick summary of our endorsement meeting rules:
a. Candidates will need a member to nominate them from the floor if not recommended for endorsement.
b. Multiple endorsements for the same office are allowed. Motions to endorse a candidate are voted on individually.
c. The candidate (or substitute spokesperson authorized in writing) will be given two (2) minutes to present reasons for endorsement.
d. Then there will be a question-and-answer (Q&A) period (of up to three minutes per candidate) for a panel composed of all potential endorsees in the race.
e. Each question may last up to fifteen (15) seconds, and each answer may last up to thirty (30) seconds.
f. Up to four speakers, alternating pro and con are allowed on the motion to endorse a candidate. Those speeches may last up to 30 seconds. If there is no speaker against the motion to endorse, there will be no additional pro speeches.
g. For endorsement, a candidate must receive a 60% threshold vote.
h. With the exception of a slate, all nominated candidates will receive individual votes.
i. Only candidates who publicly identify as a Democrat, or have openly participated as a Democrat, as a matter of public record, may be endorsed.
8. The chair recommends members to the Endorsement Committee every two years. The membership then votes on these recommendations.
Endorsement Committee for 2023-2024
Chair: Stephanie Harris, Esperance
Members: Colin Berg, Lynnwood; Maralyn Chase, Esperance; Marguerite Dekker, Mountlake Terrace; Rosamaria Graziani, Lynnwood; Lillian Hawkins, Shoreline; Ted Hikel, Lynnwood; Brent McFarlane, Seattle; William Paige Jr., Mountlake Terrace; Sally Soriano, Seattle; Pat Weber, Shoreline.
If you would like to be considered to be a member of the Endorsement Committee, contact chair@32democrats.org
9. Below are the 32nd District Standing Rules for Endorsement. Please familiarize yourself with these rules so our endorsement meetings will run as effectively as possible.
10. Questions? Contact: endorsements@32democrats.org
32nd District Standing Rules for Endorsement
Amended February 1, 2023
Standing Rule 2: Endorsement Policy and Procedures
Section 1.
A. Candidates may be endorsed for elective office, and positions may be taken on ballot issues, at any regular meeting in which written notice has been given as an agenda item on the District Organization’s Newsletter, whether mailed or e-mailed a minimum of ten (10) days prior to the meeting.
Section 2.
A. Only candidates who publicly identify as a Democrat, or have openly participated as a Democrat, as a matter of public record, may be endorsed by the District Organization.
B. Judicial candidates, who are not allowed to make such identifications, are the only exception to this requirement.
Section 3.
A. Only candidates, or ballot issues, that will appear on a ballot in the 32nd Legislative District can be endorsed or a position taken.
Section 4.
A. In races in which no candidates who publicly identify as a Democrat, nor have openly participated as a Democrat, as a matter of public record, will be on the ballot, a preference for one of the candidates on the ballot may be decided using the same procedure as used for endorsements.
Section 5.
A. The Executive Board shall establish an Endorsement Committee by March of each year and the Board may make recommendations to the membership regarding endorsement of candidates and incumbents and issues.
Section 6. Voting procedures shall be as follows:
A. Endorsements shall require a sixty-percent (60%) vote of the members present and voting.
B. More than one candidate may be endorsed for the same office.
C. Voting will be by raised credential. Written ballots may be requested by fifteen percent (15%) of the eligible voters present and voting.
Section 7. Early Endorsement
A. A candidate is eligible for early endorsement when the candidate is an incumbent running for the same office and position number, was previously endorsed by the District for the same position, and has submitted their candidate questionnaire.
B. No endorsement of a candidate shall occur before the close of candidate filing except when notice is provided in the District Newsletter before the General-membership meeting or by first-class mail or e‐mail postmarked at least ten (10) days before the meeting when such an endorsement is proposed.
C. If the meeting is to be held before the close of filing, a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present and voting (excluding abstentions) shall be required for endorsement.
Section 8. All motions to endorse shall require a second except motions from the Executive Board.
A. After all motions to endorse individuals for a given race have been made; the candidate (or substitute spokesperson authorized in writing) will be given two (2) minutes to present reasons for endorsement; then there will be a question-and-answer (Q&A) period for a panel composed of all potential endorsees in the race, (including substitute spokespeople authorized as such in writing), each of whom will have an opportunity to respond to each question. The maximum Q&A time will be three (3) minutes times the number of potential endorsees for that race. Each question may last up to fifteen (15) seconds, and each answer may last up to thirty (30) seconds.
B. The motions will then be debated and voted upon in the order in which they were made, starting with the Executive Board motion(s)
C. Up to four speakers, alternating pro (two) and con (two), will be allowed. Each speaker may take up to thirty (30) seconds. If no one requests recognition to speak against the motion after the first pro speaker has spoken, then debate will be closed, and the vote taken. This sequence of “debate and vote” will be followed for each of the motions, in turn.
D. If more than one individual receives a three-fifths (3/5) or 60% vote, the result is a multiple endorsement. If only one individual is endorsed, it is a sole endorsement. If no individual is endorsed, motions for multiple endorsements will then be in order, and the same procedures for “debate and vote” (Sec. 6B above) will be followed.
Section 9.
A. Only the Executive Board or a member of the 32nd Legislative District Democratic Organization may move for endorsement or move for a position on a ballot issue.
Section 10.
A. A spokesperson will be given two (2) minutes to present reasons for endorsement, then members may debate a motion for positions on ballot measures, alternating pro and con. Questions and answers shall be allowed. Debate may be closed by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) or 66.67% of the members present and voting.
Section 11.
A. Sections 1 through 8 of this Standing Rule also apply to motions for “revocation of endorsement“ and “rejection of endorsement,” substituting “revocation of endorsement” as “rejection of endorsement” as applicable.
Section 12.
A. The organization shall support and publicize its endorsements and positions in ways that it deems appropriate. The District organization’s literature-distribution system will be available only for endorsed candidates and endorsed ballot issues.
Standing Rule 3: Endorsement Committee
Section 1. Establishment and Composition
The Executive Board shall appoint an Endorsement Committee from among volunteers from the general membership. Executive Board members may serve as Endorsement Committee members, but no more than one-half of the committee members can also be Executive Board members. Appointees must be ratified by majority vote at the next regularly scheduled General Membership meeting following their appointment. The Endorsement Committee shall consist of a minimum of five (5) members but a larger number is preferred.
Section 2. Invitation to Candidates
A. The Endorsement Committee shall send a letter to Democratic candidates and candidates for nonpartisan office who will appear on the ballot in the 32nd Legislative District for a given election.
B. The letter shall ask if the candidate is interested in seeking our endorsement and shall include the provisions of Sections 4 and 5 of this Rule, and any other information the Committee wishes to furnish.
C. The Committee shall keep a record of letters sent and responses received and shall begin to schedule interview meetings as soon as possible.
Section 3. Endorsement Committee Interviews and Questionnaires
A. Except as provided in Section 7 of Standing Rule 2, every candidate who seeks the endorsement of the 32nd Legislative District Democratic Organization, during the year in which endorsement is sought, must complete a questionnaire provided by the Endorsement Committee prior to the interview.
B. Every congressional, legislative, and local candidate who wants the recommendation of the 32nd Legislative District Executive Board must, during the year in which endorsement is sought, appear in person or through an authorized representative at an interview meeting of the Endorsement Committee.
C. Prior to the interview meetings, the Executive Board, or the general membership, by majority vote (present and voting), may waive the interview or questionnaire requirement.
D. If a candidate does not interview with the Endorsement Committee, or obtain a waiver as described in this Section, neither the Endorsement Committee nor the Executive Board may recommend to the membership that the candidate be endorsed.
Section 4. Interview Meetings
A. Except as provided in Section 7 of Standing Rule 2, every candidate who seeks the endorsement of the 32nd Legislative District Democratic Organization, during the year in which endorsement is sought, must complete a questionnaire provided by the Endorsement Committee prior to the interview.
B. All deliberations and votes shall be conducted in Executive Session. A written record shall be kept of the number of votes cast for or against each candidate.
C. Every congressional, legislative, and local candidate who wants the recommendation of the 32nd Legislative District Executive Board must, during the year in which endorsement is sought, appear in person or through an authorized representative at an interview meeting of the Endorsement Committee.
D. Prior to the interview meetings, the Executive Board, or the general membership, by majority vote (present and voting), may waive the interview or questionnaire requirement.
E. If a candidate does not interview with the Endorsement Committee, or obtain a waiver as described in this Section, neither the Endorsement Committee nor the Executive Board may recommend to the membership that the candidate be endorsed.
F. An interview meeting may consist of a candidate forum during a general membership meeting.
Section 5. Number of Interview Meetings
A. The Endorsement Committee shall hold at least one interview meeting with Democratic candidates seeking the endorsement of the 32nd Legislative District Democratic Organization, and as many more meetings as it deems necessary to accommodate all of the candidates requesting endorsement prior to the Endorsement Meeting of each year. All meetings of the Endorsement Committee shall be open to the membership. In addition, the Endorsement Committee will make every effort to schedule a candidate forum, open to the public, for candidates running for open seats.
Section 6. Endorsement Committee Files and Questionnaires
A. The Endorsement Committee shall develop a list of questions appropriate to each office to be asked of candidates during interviews, and may ask candidates to submit copies of questionnaires they have filled out for other organizations. It shall keep a file on each candidate who appears during the year, their positions on issues, their responses to questions, and any other pertinent information they can gather.
Section 7. Review by the Executive Board
A. The Executive Board, by a 2/3 vote of members present and voting, may overrule any recommendation of the Endorsement Committee.
32nd District Standing Rules
32nd District Bylaws
