If you want to be a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, get cracking!

Timetable and information from the state Democratic Party

By Will Collette

If you wish to go to the National Democratic Convention on September 3 in Charlotte, NC, it’s time to take steps. To go as a delegate, you will have to earn it. Your name will appear on the ballot in the April 24 Rhode Island Presidential Preference Primary and you will need to win enough support from other Democrats to be part of the RI delegation.

A week from this coming Friday, the RI Democratic Party will host a workshop and “Academy” to help any registered Democrat interested in going to the Convention understand the process.

That workshop will be on January 27, starting at 6:30 PM at the Kingston Free Library, 2605 Kingstown Road, Kingstown. This is one of six such sessions. Click here for more detail, including the dates and sites for the other five workshops. 

For the full detail on the Rhode Island delegate selection process, click here.  .

Other crucial dates:

January 24, 2012 - Deadline for interested candidates to register to vote in RI

February 22-23, 2012 - Deadline to file declaration of candidacy form with the Rhode Island Secretary of State Elections Division located at 148 West River Street in Providence

Once declared, candidates must sign a Pledge of Support form

February 28, 2012 - Deadline to return nomination papers with at least 150 valid signatures

April 24, 2012 - Presidential Preference primary

If you are seriously interested in becoming a delegate, you should get in touch with your city or town Democratic Committee. Click here for a list 

If you are a Charlestown Democrat, please get in touch with the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee at info@charlestowndemocrats.org