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ADCC Regular Monthly Meeting

Fourth Tuesday of each month, 7:30 pm. If you are a registered Democrat and are interested in attending a meeting as an observer, please contact Chairman Tom McCarthy, contact info listed on the "About" tab.

PUBLIC HEARING - WARD 5 VACANCY ON THE ANNAPOLIS CITY COUNCIL The final result is that Brooks Schandelmeier was selected. On September 4, 2020, the Annapolis Democratic Central Committee (ADCC) was notified by Mayor Gavin Buckley that Alderman Mark Rodriguez resigned and that a vacancy existed on the Annapolis City Council for Ward 5. The Annapolis City Charter requires that the ADCC fill that vacancy. The ADCC met on September 28, 2020, at 7:00pm to interview candidates to fill the vacancy. The meeting took place via videoconference open to the public. The candidates were: Maria Casasco, Henry Green, Brooks Schandelmeier. The Zoom meeting was Sep 28, 2020, 07:00 PM Eastern Time. Annapolis Democratic Central Committee Ward 5 Alderman Candidate Hearing Recording of the Hearing Visit the link below where information on the candidates, including applications, letters of support, and information on the meeting format are posted.              ADCC Aldermanic Vacancy Appointment Proceduree, plus Ward 5 Applications

 

ADCC Vacancies We have vacancies for Alternates to the Members, who participate and stand in for voting members when they cannot attend, for Wards 2, 4, 6, 7, and At Large. If you are an active Democrat engaged in the civic life of our city, please consider applying for appointment by contacting the Member for the appropriate Ward.

 

ADCC Procedures for Filling Aldermanic Vacancies on City Council From time to time vacancies may occur on the Annapolis City Council. The ADCC is charged by law with the responsibility for filling such vacancies under some circumstances, for the balance of the unexpired term. The ADCC is committed to a fair and open process for doing so, and has adopted a formal procedure to that end.              ADCC Aldermanic Vacancy Appointment Proceduree, plus Ward 5 Applications

 

How to Vote in Anne Arundel County's 2020 Election The Board of Elections web site has full information on procedures, dates, where to vote, how to get and use mail-in ballots, etc.                                           Click Here for 2020 Voting Information

 

Almost 7:30 Friday Morning Democratic Breakfast Club This is the best forum in Annapolis for meeting civic-minded people and hearing from leaders in many fields, mostly but not always Democrats. This morning gathering has been going strong since 1979, with an amazing record of stimulating speakers, discussion of issues of the day, and social interaction among leading citizens in our community. Most Fridays the program is ON, 7:30 - 7:45 am socializing 7:45 - 8:45 am program, $8 includes breakfast and room rent. Address: 525 State St, Annapolis, MD 21403                      Click Here for Facebook Schedule of Speakers

 

Annapolis Democrats Platform for the 2017 City Elections                                                    Click Here for PDF File

The Annapolis Democratic Central Committee (ADCC) supports a strong and viable Democratic Party in the City of Annapolis through voter registration campaigns, promoting the election of the Democratic nominees, fund raising, and encouraging broad participation in the Democratic Party.

We are visible, active, and effective. You can make a difference by getting involved too!

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Insights: How the ADCC Helps Candidates, and More

As I thought through it I came to a better understanding of the purpose of both the central committee and party affiliation in general. For example, what is the purpose of parties?  Candidates for office in our system run with a party affiliation because they believe in the general values espoused by the party.  The party, in turn, supports all of its candidates.  Voters choose parties and candidates for the same reasons.

Speaker Bush addresses Democratic values very well when he describes the difference between Democrats and Republicans.  Democrats believe the the government can play a productive and supportive role in peoples lives.  Republicans don't.  Candidates affiliate with the Democratic party because they support that belief AND they want to support other Democrats.

At the city, county, and state level, central committees and political clubs will broadly support candidates not just as individuals, but as members of the party.  This usually happens through party centered, multiple candidate advertising or through GOTV efforts, but there are many other forms that broad support can take.

A symptom of a breakdown of party contiguity is a candidate that says they will run with a particular party affiliation, but will not support the party in general.  This suggests that that candidate doesn't support the party's positions, is running on a single issue and party affiliation is incidental, or they are simply taking advantage of the broader efforts of the party and the other affiliated candidates that ARE supporting the party's positions and outreach efforts.  Such a candidate will invariably fail to broadcast the party's message along with their own.  

As this breakdown spreads it infects the electorate in the form of a distortion or usurpation of the party's message.  The electorate begins to focus on specific issues that can be easily manipulated by the opposition in individual races.  The result is a voter that has lost touch with the reason they became a Democrat in the first place.  The inevitable next step is a change in party affiliation.  This is happening now in Annapolis and all across Maryland as voters chose to become independents or cross party lines.

A breakdown in party contiguity on the part of both candidates and the electorate is part of the reason that both Josh Cohen and Anthony Brown lost their respective elections.

The 2017 election will not be a normal city election; quite possibly in a significantly more contentious way than in 2013.  We are expecting the Republican party to give record breaking support to candidates in Annapolis.  They consider Mike Pantaledes' win a foot in the door that they will not give up without a bitter fight.  Council candidates who ran unopposed should not expect the same luxury in 2017.

We need to coalesce as a party - as Democrats - and begin preparing for that fight.  A key component of this is abandoning the idea that only individuals are running in a particular ward or district and recognizing that we are members of a team.  In this election, that may be the difference between winning and losing in the big picture.

 

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4th of July Parade, 2015

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