Westminster Democratic Town Committee to hold annual caucus

The Westminster Democratic Town Committee will hold its annual caucus on Saturday, Feb. 3 promptly at 2 p.m. at the American Legion Hall/Senior Center, 127 Main St., to elect three delegates and two alternates to the 2007 Massachusetts Democratic Convention.

This year's Action Agenda Convention will be held on Saturday, May 19, at the University of Massachusetts- Amherst Mullin Center. Delegates will develop a new Action Agenda outlining grassroots, party-building initiatives to prepare the Massachusetts Democratic Party for the 2008 presidential election. The Action Agenda will incorporate strategies the led to the landslide election of Gov. Deval Patrick and Lt. Gov. Tim Murray in November and provide recommendations for attracting more people to the Democratic Party.

Westminster residents at least 18 years old and registered as Democrats as of Dec. 31, 2006, are welcome to attend the caucus and run for a delegate or alternate position.

Candidates for delegate and alternate must attend the caucus and consent to nomination in writing. They will be permitted to give a one-minute statement and/or distribute materials regarding their nomination. The caucus votes are taken by written, secret ballots.

Unsuccessful candidates may apply to be "add-on" delegates in the following categories: youth (35 and under), minority and disabled.

Elected delegates must pay a $75 registration fee by March 1, 2007, or apply for a fee waiver within 10 days of the caucus. The Westminster DTC "passes the hat" among caucus participants to help delegates with their fees.

Discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, ethnic identity, sexual orientation or economic status in the conduct of the caucus is strictly prohibited.

Challenges to the delegate-selection process must be filled with the Massachusetts Democratic Party, 56 Roland St., Suite 203, Boston, MA 02120 within 10 days after the caucus.

For information about the Westminster DTC 2007 Caucus, contact the chair, Kimberly B. Caisse, at westminsterdtc@ gmail.com or (978) 874-1157. To learn more about the Massachusetts Democratic Convention, visit www. massdems.org.