If you want to be one of Rhode Island's 47 delegates to the Democratic National Convention this summer, the deadline to declare is February 22 and 23.
To have a shot at going, you must file a Declaration of Candidacy and a Pledge of Support with the Secretary of State. Come back the following day and if your filing has been done properly (i.e. you are registered to vote for the party whose Convention you want to attend), you will then be given the signature forms.
You must collect 150 valid signatures to be certified as a candidate and turn those forms into the correct city or town Board of Canvassers no later than February 28. There will be 11 Democratic Convention delegates per Congressional District.
If you live in Charlestown, you would be running in the Second Congressional District, which includes many more towns than Charlestown. You can collect the required 150 signatures from anyone who lives in the Second District - BUT if you do that, you will need to have separate pages for each town. Supposed you collect 50 signatures in Westerly - you will have to turn those signed, original sheets in to Westerly.
The same process applies to those Progressive Charlestown readers who are, for reasons that escape me, Republican.
The Rhode Island Secretary of State has certified six Presidential candidates to appear on the April 24 ballot. For the Democrats, its President Barack Obama, running unopposed.
For the Republicans, it's bring on the clowns time with Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and sleeper candidate Buddy Roemer.
Most of you have never heard of Buddy Roemer. Most Republicans have never heard of Buddy Roemer. But Roemer, a former Republican Louisiana Governor, who was NEVER actually indicted for anything, fills the niche left by Jon Huntsman and a few other non-insane Republicans whose names I forget. If you are a Republican and not crazy, you might want to look at Roemer. My environmental friends down in Louisiana swear that Roemer was a lot tougher on toxic polluters than any other Governor in the past generation.
Now, back to the process to become a Convention delegate. If you have collected 150 valid signatures, you are eligible to go on the April 24 Presidential Preference Primary ballot to compete for the 11 openings.
If you are a Democrat and want more detailed information on how to become a convention delegate, click here.