With its endorsement of Democrat Rev Ward over Democrat Rev Fairchild, the Montgomery County Democratic Party further eroded confidence in the party. The Selection Committee’s decision to endorse was not based on the competence and character of the two candidates. It was all about party politics. Evidently, Rev. Ward had more friends than Rev. Fairchild on the Selection Committee. There is no record of how this decision was made. The constitution calls for all endorsements to command a 2/3 support in the Central Committee. The problem is, there is no transparency. There is no way that I can discover who on the Central Committee voted for the endorsement and who voted against and who failed to vote.
The MCDP has lost legitimacy. I believe many Democrats are refusing to vote because they have lost confidence in the Democratic Party. To gain legitimacy, the Montgomery County Democratic Party Central Committee must uphold high standards for itself as a representative body. Of the ten proposed changes to the constitution, at the June 6 Reorganization Meeting, the one most crucial to find agreement on is number nine — calling for all endorsement votes to be by roll call and for this record to be made available to all Montgomery County Democrats. In addition to making a commitment to transparency, the MCDP must make a commitment to full participation. There is no good reason to maintain the rule that only those present at a meeting should have the right to vote. We need to make it easy for Central Committee members to participate in endorsement votes. Change number five calls for a period of five days for members to record their endorsement votes
1. Proposed Change — Addition of the following PREAMBLE, that will articulate the purpose of the Constitution:
WE THE REPRESENTATIVES of Montgomery County Democrats — in order to form a grassroots Democratic party organization that empowers representative democracy throughout the county — do establish this Montgomery County Democratic Party Constitution
2. Proposed Change — A New Name that will indicate that the MCDP is an organization of all Montgomery County Democrats, not just the Central Committee.
“The Montgomery County Democratic Party.”
3. Proposed Change — A New PURPOSE, that tells what the party seeks to accomplish.
The purpose of the Montgomery County Democratic Party is to unite Montgomery County Democrats within an extended MCDP community that nurtures, prepares and elect candidates that are of the people, for the people.
4. Proposed Change — An expansion of MEMBERSHIP so that the MCDP welcomes all Montgomery County Democrats, not just the Central Committee, into membership in a MCDP community:
The MCDP welcomes all Democrats registered in Montgomery County to become a member of the MCDP community. Every person who joins a local Democratic Committee also joins The MCDP. One reorganization goal is, by 2022, to create a large MCDP online community of at least 15% of Democrats registered in Montgomery County.
5. Proposed Change in Endorsement to increase the number of Committee Members who vote on Endorsement recommendations:
Endorsement recommendations by the Selection Committee must be announced at least five days prior to the Central Committee vote and Central Committee members may register their vote with the MCDP Secretary at any time during those five days. A vote of two-thirds of those voting is needed for endorsement.
6. Proposed Change in Endorsement to increase the number of Committee Members who vote on on Endorsement recommendations:
Endorsement nominations made from the floor, and seconded, will be communicated to Central Committee members not attending the meeting. Voting on these nominations will occur via communication with the MCDP Secretary and voting will be concluded after five days.
7. Proposed Change to prohibit early endorsements that suppress Primary participation:
The endorsement of Democratic Primary candidates must occur after the Board of Election deadline for filing for the primary.
8. Proposed Change in Endorsement to require the Endorsement of Primary candidates to command a super majority vote in the Central Committee:
To endorse a Primary candidate requires a vote of 75% of Central Committee members voting.
9. Proposed Change in Endorsement to show, as a representative body, transparency in Central Committee members’ votes:
All votes on endorsements will be by roll call. This roll call record, showing the action of each Central Committee member, will be posted on the MCDP website.
10. Proposed Change in STRUCTURE to undergird the present structure with a network of interconnected grassroots communities led by MCDP Central Committee members..
Democratic Caucuses for each of the five Ohio House Districts in the county.
Democratic Committees in each of the county’s sixteen political jurisdiction.
