Endorsement process for statewide and state legislative candidates

In January, our members voted to support candidates running for state offices outside of Buncombe who sought our help. So starting today, Asheville Democracy for America invites candidates running in Democratic primaries for statewide and state legislative offices to apply for our endorsement. The process will follow these steps:

1. DFA Asheville will not formally invite anyone to start the endorsement process. Instead, candidates must seek our endorsement, though individual members may encourage their preferred candidates to apply. Candidates seeking our endorsement should contact Doug Gibson as soon as possible.

2. All Democratic candidates for Buncombe county commission seeking our endorsement must a) contact Doug Gibson by midnight on April 2, b) complete and return a brief questionnaire by midnight on Sunday, April 6, and b) attend, or send a representative to, our April meeting - 7pm, April 9, at the North Asheville Public Library. (Due to the variety of offices under consideration, questionnaires will be tailored to each applicant, and will be sent via e-mail to candidates expressing interest.)

3. We also encourage candidates to prepare a brief (2-3 minute) video appeal for those members who can't make the April meeting and wish to participate online. We ask candidates to make them available as YouTube videos (and send us a link) several days before April 9 so we can post them on our group blog.

4. A separate vote will be taken for each candidate seeking our endorsement. Only DFA-Link members who joined before March 5, 2008 will be able to vote. Members will be able to vote at the April meeting and then via e-mail for a week afterward.

5. To receive our endorsement, a candidate must receive at least 3/5 of the total votes cast at the meeting and via e-mail.

Please note that until May 6, we will only endorse candidates running in contested primaries. At that point we will provide information on our process for endorsing candidates in the general election.