The final deadline to seek election to the Central Committee of the Montgomery County Democratic Party is Monday, February 26 at 4:00 PM, the last chance to become a write-in candidate. Becoming a write-in candidate requires submitting this form with your signature and correct precinct name.

As a write-in candidate, your name will not appear on the ballot. For your election to be certified, you will need to receive at least five votes. The names of Democrats who met the February 7 deadline — submitting a petition with at least five signatures — will appear on the ballot for the May 8 Democratic Primary.

Each precinct can elect one member to the MCDP Central Committee. Of the county’s 360 precincts, the list posted at the Board of Elections shows that only 109 precincts will have at least one candidate on the ballot. Ten of these precincts have two candidates, and two have three candidates. So far, there are only two write-in candidates. This means that as it stands now, 249 precincts in the county will have no elected member of the Central Committee. You can check to see if your precinct has a candidate in this list. After the May 8 Primary, individuals may be appointed to the Central Committee, but only elected members are eligible to vote in the Reorganization Meeting.

The MCD Reorganization Meeting happens every four years — after the election of the MCDP Central Committee. It usually occurs the last week in May. At the Reorganization Meeting, by majority vote of those in attendance, MCDP officers are selected and revisions, if any, are made to the MCDP Constitution and by-laws.

I’ve met and interviewed only one “great man” — W. Edwards Deming, when he was in his ninety’s. The “Deming Prize” is a yearly award that is a big deal in Japan. Deming was an early leader in understanding how organizations can be successful. He helped Japan rebuild after WWII. Deming taught that successful organizations and businesses are mission driven. He emphasized that business leaders must have a clear understanding of the mission of their company.

The goal of business is to make a profit — but making a profit is a poor mission. A successful business is customer-centered. An automobile company wants to make money, but it defines its mission as producing high quality automobiles at a competitive price. By centering its attention and resources on advancing a customer-centered mission, it achieves its goal.

For political parties, the mission has come down to winning. This is like a business being all about making money. The customers are not fooled. The cynicism and apathy of the electorate is a logical response to a political system that is all about winning. What animates our political process, with the help of hate radio and propagandized TV, are wedge issues that divide and polarize voters. Harsh partisan divisions empowered Trump.

What would the Democratic Party look like — if it saw its mission as acting as the party of the people? A party of the people would:

• Empower all interested Democrats within the Democratic Party.
• Prepare and advance candidates who are “of the people” who are committed to being public servants.
• Seek to win elections by creating unity — rather than through sowing discord.
• Help build nonpartisan civic groups that center on advancing local civics education.

Each of Ohio’s 88 counties has a Democratic Party organization — each with its own constitution and bylaws. This means that each local organization can make its own rules. Each is in control of its own structure and processes. Every four years these county organizations are required by state law to conduct elections. This year’s May 8 Democratic Primary will determine the membership of MCDP Central Committee. Those chosen in this election will conduct a Reorganization Meeting where officers will be selected and a MCDP Constitution approved.

The Democratic Party at every level is in need of big improvements. The transformation that is needed must start at the grassroots level. The MCDP should seek to lead the building of a 21st Century Democratic Party that acts as the party of the people. I’m wanting to work with other Montgomery County Democrats to find consensus on possible changes to the MCDP Constitution that could be approved at the Reorganization Meeting.

There are 130 Montgomery County Democrats who met the deadline to submit petitions to seek election to the Montgomery County Democratic Party Central Committee. The petitions are not yet certified by the Board of Elections, but, as it stands now, of the county’s 360 precincts, 100 precincts have one candidate, 12 precincts have two candidates, and 2 precincts have three candidates.

Of the 130 Democrats who turned in a petition, 35 were elected to the Central Committee in 2014 and 18 were appointed to the Central Committee after the election. So there are 53 Democrats who are current members of the Central Committee who are seeking election and there are 77 Democrats seeking election who are not current members.

Seventy-three of the 132 Democrats elected to the Central Committee in 2014, failed to meet the deadline to turn in a petition. Of the 73 precincts, only 22 precincts have a Democrat seeking election to replace the exiting member. This means that, as of now, there are 51 precincts that are losing a precinct leader and that will have no replacement.

Some Democrats who failed to make the February 7 deadline for petitions are intending on making the deadline to be a write-in candidate. That deadline is February 26 at 4:00 PM to complete and submit Form No 13 to the Board of Elections. Meeting this write-in deadline means that the name of the write-in candidate will be on the accepted list. To be elected to the Central Committee, a write-in candidate must get at least five votes (the same as the number of signatures required for the February 7 petition).

Interesting that many Democrats seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination for elected office seem to have no interest in being engaged in the local party organization. The following Democratic candidates live in one of the 246 precincts with no Democratic candidate for the Central Committee:

• Walter Hickman — State Representative for OHD-39
• Albert Griggs Jr — State Representative for OHD-40
• Ryan Taylor — State Representative for OHD-40
• Zach Dickerson — State Representative for OHD-42
• Autumn Kern — State Representative for OHD-42
• Daryl Ward — County Commissioner