Congratulations! Excuse the indulgence, but I’m having my own victory party complete with streamers and confetti floating to the ground.
During the caucuses, I was recently elected as one of Utah’s superdelegates.
OK, superdelegate is a bit of an overstatement, but with all the controversy I just couldn’t resist a little exaggeration. Instead, I’m a Democratic county and state delegate for Legislative District 26.
What does all this mean? That’s a good question. To be honest, I’m still not sure, but instead of a pay-as-you-go, it’s a learn-as-you-go process.
I know I’m invited to the Salt Lake County Democratic Convention in April as well as the State convention in May. Also included in my victory package is the option to petition to become a delegate at the national convention for either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton, where I’d award the delegates the candidates won during the primaries.
In non-election years, delegates like me will vote on and decide the party’s platform. What goes down in those party conventions will be the subject of future columns.
I believe delegates become crucial for contested legislative seats. However, Rep. David Litvack is not facing any competition within the party, and Sen. Scott McCoy isn’t up for re-election until 2010.
Sen. Fred Fife represents the other half of District 26. Luz Robles was challenging him for the nomination. Each gave short speeches about combating the Republicans, with Luz sounding more energetic and Fred’s speech sounding cursory. But in the end, I didn’t get to cast a ballot for either. So much for using my delegate super powers.
Sounds exciting? For a political junkie like me, the whole process was interesting. But let’s make this clear — I’m no party hack. To be honest, I changed my party affiliation just to vote in the Democratic primaries, which was funny because of Utah’s open Democratic primary rule.
Living in Utah has made me aware of how damaging single-party rule can be against a democracy. From ethics reform to a renewable energy standard, discussion and debate are stifled and shut down. Simply put, if the majority party doesn’t like something, not only does it get the last word, but it decides what will be said.
And I thought democracy was about competing viewpoints and discussion.
I realize these caucuses tend to be partisan, and I’ve been considering a run to be a national delegate for Obama. So I’m working on my experience credentials. Plus, I don’t think the next election will be as friendly to me as the last.
My delegate election in the caucus was the easiest campaign I ever won. No stump speeches, campaign signs, fundraisers or debates. No canvassing the street and knocking on doors. I did what 2 percent of Utahns in both political parties do. I showed up. And now, as one critic of the caucus process, or my archenemy, said, I control the fate of the Democratic Party.
Forgetting his overstatement, the caucus process was something with which he wasn’t comfortable. It wasn’t a personal attack. He just felt that the process was undemocratic. However, when asked if he attended his caucus, he looked down and shook his head from side to side.
The caucus process is like any other election: only a few people decide to come out. Within District 26, 50 people showed up inside Franklin Elementary and then broke up into 10 different precincts and elected chairs, vice chairs, secretaries, treasurers, three delegates each and election judges.
My precinct had a total of six people in it, which made the voting process easier — everyone got a position. It all comes down to simple math — if more people participate, more voices are heard, which equals a better, more functioning democracy.
Until then, I promise to use my Democratic super powers only for good.
