The city did not have endorsed ballot at the precincts until one party decided to do it in 2015. I think it was Galloway/Hilliard in the Senate/House run. Endorsement Ballots work: They won in 'The City'. (to this day, the GOP will not use them). Until the 2015 Election, we had a favored 'Fredericksburg Tradition' of not doing this aka, 'We get along with each other. We don't have a D or R by a candidate's name, like counties in VA do. We're 'The City'. We're Above That'. Actually, The Party Endorsement Ballot in 2015 was not 'a membership' decision. It was Caitlin Durham, Dem Chair, who made the decision then called a few members of the Exec Board by phone until she had the majority number and stopped calling. It's doubtful any were thinking of the divisive LOCAL impact. She had printed 1000s of The Party Endorsement Ballots which had to be discarded because they did not have the required text on them: 'Paid for by ____. Not authorized by any candidate, etc'. Local attorney Walt Sheffied repeatedly asked for the Party Membership Minutes to see how this decision to have the first Endorsement by Party Ballot was made. There were none because there was no meeting. The Party Endorsement Ballot was used again in July 2024. This time, not even the Exec Board, knew that it was going to be an agenda item or that a significant vote would be taken that night. The agenda was released late. It had 'sample ballot'. The room was filled with 'new members' never seen before at the previous meetings. A member questioned the late agenda release, the generality of the term 'sample ballot', was shrugged off as 'it's just semantics'. Contentious tone in the room. Rude interruptions of more respected, longtimer members/previous Chair calmly explaining 'Not in favor of Endorsement ballot because it's going to split the city', as in political tribes. All pleas ignored by the 'new majority' showing that night to overwhelmingly vote for The Party Endorsement Ballot. Even the Soil & Water Conservation candidate pointed out, 'I don't need this endorsement. I'm the only one running.' Most telling that for subsequent meetings, only 1 or 2 'New Majority' showed up. Proving they were brought in just for this vote with behind the scenes manipulation. So Charlie Payne's commentary 'Why 'All Politics' Should Not Be Local?' We're living the divisiveness of The Party Endorsement Ballot. To Drew's comment, 'BAN THE PARTY ENDORSEMENT BALLOT FOR LOCAL CANDIDATES' in the Spirit of Community and Goodwill 4 Fredericksburg.
I agree with Mr. Payne but how can we drop the political affiliations from the local Boards? I’d vote for that measure.
The city did not have endorsed ballot at the precincts until one party decided to do it in 2015. I think it was Galloway/Hilliard in the Senate/House run. Endorsement Ballots work: They won in 'The City'. (to this day, the GOP will not use them). Until the 2015 Election, we had a favored 'Fredericksburg Tradition' of not doing this aka, 'We get along with each other. We don't have a D or R by a candidate's name, like counties in VA do. We're 'The City'. We're Above That'. Actually, The Party Endorsement Ballot in 2015 was not 'a membership' decision. It was Caitlin Durham, Dem Chair, who made the decision then called a few members of the Exec Board by phone until she had the majority number and stopped calling. It's doubtful any were thinking of the divisive LOCAL impact. She had printed 1000s of The Party Endorsement Ballots which had to be discarded because they did not have the required text on them: 'Paid for by ____. Not authorized by any candidate, etc'. Local attorney Walt Sheffied repeatedly asked for the Party Membership Minutes to see how this decision to have the first Endorsement by Party Ballot was made. There were none because there was no meeting. The Party Endorsement Ballot was used again in July 2024. This time, not even the Exec Board, knew that it was going to be an agenda item or that a significant vote would be taken that night. The agenda was released late. It had 'sample ballot'. The room was filled with 'new members' never seen before at the previous meetings. A member questioned the late agenda release, the generality of the term 'sample ballot', was shrugged off as 'it's just semantics'. Contentious tone in the room. Rude interruptions of more respected, longtimer members/previous Chair calmly explaining 'Not in favor of Endorsement ballot because it's going to split the city', as in political tribes. All pleas ignored by the 'new majority' showing that night to overwhelmingly vote for The Party Endorsement Ballot. Even the Soil & Water Conservation candidate pointed out, 'I don't need this endorsement. I'm the only one running.' Most telling that for subsequent meetings, only 1 or 2 'New Majority' showed up. Proving they were brought in just for this vote with behind the scenes manipulation. So Charlie Payne's commentary 'Why 'All Politics' Should Not Be Local?' We're living the divisiveness of The Party Endorsement Ballot. To Drew's comment, 'BAN THE PARTY ENDORSEMENT BALLOT FOR LOCAL CANDIDATES' in the Spirit of Community and Goodwill 4 Fredericksburg.