Special County Convention
August 9, 2008
A special reconvened County Convention for the delegates and alternates of District 4 was held Saturday, August 9, at 10:00 am in the Democratic Headquarters office in Washington, Iowa. The purpose of the meeting was to select a new candidate to run for County Supervisor from District 4 because Steve Butler is leaving the state.
Temporary Chair Sandra Johnson called the Convention to order at 10:38 am with five delegates and twelve total people present. John Greener moved that the temporary officers be made permanent officers for this Convention. Barb Edmonson seconded. Motion passed. Officers are Sandra Johnson, chair; Louise Frakes, secretary; John Greener, rules; Terry Philips, Sergeant at Arms.
Chair Sandra Johnson announced that there were 13 delegates selected from District 4 to the County Convention. The rules state that 40% must be present to hold the Convention so we need 5.2 people. Just to be on the safe side, Ms. Johnson said we will wait for the 6th person before taking official action.
Chair Johnson explained the reason for the special session (see Appendix A and B) and introduced the suggested nominee, Merle Hagie. Merle spoke to the group about his background, qualifications, and goals. He answered questions from the group.
At 10:40, the sixth delegate arrived. John Greener moved that we make Merle Hagie our supervisor candidate for District 4. Patrick Finney seconded. The vote was unanimous.
Terry Philips will send an article to the Washington Journal about the Special Convention. The Journal should also publish an interview with Merle Hagie.
The delegates asked how they could help Merle. Chair Johnson said he needs 35 signatures from District 4 to file at the Court House and anyone could help collect those. There was lots of discussion about other ways to help.
At 10:50, the Convention officially adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Louise Frakes
Appendix A
427 East Main St. Washington, Iowa 52353-2018
June 11, 2008
Mr. William c. Fredrick Washington county Auditor P.O. Box 889
Washington, IA 52353-0889
Dear Mr. Frederick:
I am moving out of my county supervisor district. Therefore, I will not be eligible to run for the office in the November, 2008 general election.
Please remove my name from the ballot so that the Democratic Party may nominate someone in my place.
Sincerely yours,
Stephen A. Butler
cc: Washington county Democratic Party
Appendix B
43.77 What constitutes a ballot vacancy.
A vacancy on the general election ballot exists when any political party lacks a candidate for an office to be filled at the general election because:
1. No person filed under section 43.11 as a candidate for the party's nomination for that office in the primary election were found to lack the requisite qualifications for the office or died before the date of the primary election, and no candidate received a sufficient number of write-in votes to be nominated.
43.78 Filling ballot vacancies.
1. A vacancy on the general election ballot may be filled by the political party in whose ticket the vacancy exists, as follows:
a. For senator in the Congress ofthe United States or any office listed in section 39.9, by the party's state convention, which may be reconvened by the state party chairperson if the vacancy occurs after the convention has been held or too late to be filled at the time it is held. However, a vacancy so occurring with respect to the offices of secretary of state, auditor of state, treasurer of state or secretary of agriculture may be filled by the party's state central committee in lieu of reconvening the state convention.
b. For representative in the Congress of the United States, by the party's congressional district convention, which may be convened or reconvened as appropriate by the state party chairperson.
c. For senator or representative in the general assembly, by the party precinct committee members whose precincts lie within the senatorial or representative district involved, who shall be convened or reconvened as appropriate by the state party chairperson. The party's state constitution or bylaws may allow the voting strength of each precinct represented at such a convention to be made proportionate to the vote cast for the party's candidate for the office in question in the respective precincts at the last general election for that office.
d. For any office to be filled by the voters of an entire county, by the party's county convention, which may be reconvened by the county party chairperson if the vacancy occurs after the convention has been held or too late to be filled at the time it is held.
f. For any other partisan office filled by the voters of a subdivision of a county, by those members of the party's county central committee who represent the precincts lying within that district, who shall be convened or reconvened as appropriate by the county party chairperson. However, this paragraph shall not apply to partisan city offices in special charter cities for which candidates are nominated under this chapter, but such ballot vacancies shall be filled as provided by section 43.116.
2. The name of any candidate designated to fill a vacancy on the general election ballot in accordance with subsection 1, paragraph "a", "b", or "c" shall be submitted in writing to the state commissioner not later than five o'clock p.m. on the eighty-first day before the date of the general election.
3. The name of any candidate designated to fill a vacancy on the general election ballot in accordance with subsection 1, paragraph "d", "e", or "f' shall be submitted in writing to the commissioner not later than five o'clock p.m. on the sixty-ninth day before the date of the general election.
4. Political party candidates for a vacant seat in the United States house of representatives, the board of supervisors, the elected county offices, or the general assembly which is to be filled at a special election called pursuant to section 69.14 or 69.l4A shall be nominated in the manner provided by subsection 1 of this section for filling a vacancy on the general election ballot for the same office. The name of a candidate so, nominated shall be submitted in writing to the appropriate commissioner, as required by section 43.88, at the earliest practicable time.
[S13, §1087-a24 - 1087-a27; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §604 - 607, 608, 609, 611, 614, 624, 633, 636, 637; C46, 50,54,58,62,66, 71, 73, §43.76 - 43.79, 43.81, 43.82, 43.84, 43.87, 43.97, 43.101, 43.106, 43.109, 43.110; ",.,r (,A'-' '7L A'l '70 A'1 Q1 A'1 Q') Ll1 Q4 41 'X.7 4.1 q7 4.1 10L 41.109. 43.110: C77. 79.81, &43.781
