Presidential Campaigns

– and –

Selection of Candidates for Election Commissioner
Thursday, February 27, 2020 at 7:00pm
Lesley University Hall, 1815 Mass. Ave.

All politics is local (more about that below!) — but you also have national politics on the brain, right?

So after we take care of Election Commissioner business on Thursday (again more about that below) we will hear from all six of the competitive presidential campaigns!

Now calm down, we have none of the actual candidates. We're not miracle workers, people.

But the six candidates who participated in the last Democratic debate in Las Vegas are all sending surrogates to make their final pitch for your vote before the Massachusetts Presidential Primary next Tuesday, March 3. Each campaign will present a short closing argument, and then we will have a question-and-answer period for all the campaign representatives.

OK, now let's get local.

Cambridge's own Tip O'Neil, the longest continuously serving Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, was fond of saying that "all politics is local." One of our most important responsibilities as Cambridge Democrats is intensely local — it falls to us to select candidates for the office of Cambridge Democratic Election Commissioner. This is local politics at its finest and most pure, as we are entrusted with helping to maintain the integrity of elections here in Cambridge.

Following the public hearing held on Feb. 12, the Cambridge Democratic City Committee will meet on Feb. 27th and vote to select ranked choices for a four-year term on the Cambridge Election Commission. The city manager will choose the next election commissioner from this list.

Questionnaire responses were submitted by two candidates, Gary Mello and Larry Ward, and both candidates appeared at the public hearing held on Feb. 12th. The questionnaire and the submitted responses are available as PDF files:

2020 Election Commissioner Candidate Questionnaire
Gary Mello Responses
Larry Ward Responses and Resume

When and Where:

Thursday, February 27 at 7:00pm (wards may meet at 6:30)
Lesley University Hall, 1815 Mass. Ave.

Agenda:

I. Approve minutes of previous meeting
II. Officer reports
III. Unfinished business — endorsement resolution
IV. Selection of Election Commissioner candidates
V. Program — presidential campaigns
VI. Announcements
VII. Adjourn

January Meeting: U.S. Senate Candidates!

Sunday January 26 at 6pm
Fitzgerald Theater
Cambridge Rindge & Latin School

Free – No Tickets Necessary – Open Seating

Doors Open at 5:30pm

Senator Ed Markey and Congressman Joe Kennedy are vying for the US Senate seat in Massachusetts. And guess where you can first hear both of them share their visions for Massachusetts and the nation?

We are excited and honored to welcome Senator Markey and Congressman Kennedy to the next Cambridge Democrats meeting on January 26th!

Come hear these remarkable candidates share their visions for Massachusetts and the nation. This is a public meeting, so bring your neighbors, bring your friends… and bring your questions! This is really gonna be extraordinary.

Before the program, we will also consider a resolution endorsing two CDCC members in the Middlesex & Suffolk State Committee races.

When and Where:

Sunday, January 26 at 6:00pm (note the earlier than usual time!)
Fitzgerald Theater at Cambridge Rindge & Latin School

Note that Google Maps gives the address as 459 Broadway, but the entrance to the Fitzgerald Theater is actually on Cambridge Street, in the school entrance plaza between Felton and Ellery Streets.

By the T: The theater is a 10 min. walk from Harvard Square Station
Or take the #69 bus, Cambridge St. @ Trowbridge St. stop

Parking: Street parking is free on Sundays

Eat before, eat after — we will not be serving food at this meeting.

Please fill out the Potluck Food Signup Sheet
(also for setup and cleanup)

Signup Sheet

Hope to see you there!

Ten candidates — you can count them on your fingers! Come watch the primary debate with your progressive Cambridge friends and neighbors. The party gets going at 8:30pm on Wed. Nov. 20 at 730 Tavern, Kitchen & Patio in Central Square — debate starts at 9pm.

When and Where:

Wednesday, November 20 at 8:30pm (debate starts at 9:00)
730 Tavern, Kitchen & Patio (730 Mass. Ave. in Central Square)