Candidate Endorsement Process

Endorsement/ Approval process per 23rd Legislative District Bylaws and Policies: 

ARTICLE IX. ENDORSEMENTS, APPROVAL AND APPOINTMENTS:

SECTION 1. Endorsements and Approval of Candidates.

The 23rd LD Central Committee may take the following actions with respect to support for candidates seeking elected office:

• A. Endorsement and full support by the body. Endorsement shall:
• • 1. Be limited to one candidate per office in each primary or general election;
  • 2. Require a 75% majority of the members present and voting;
  • 3. Take precedence over any other action for a particular office; and
  • 4. Be the sole action that shall be taken for an elected position in which it is bestowed.
  • 5. Endorsements shall not be allowed before the filing date (but approvals are OK). No exceptions shall be made for incumbents or prior endorsees.
  • 6. When there are two or more eligible and qualified democratic candidates for a position, no endorsement shall be recommended by the Executive Board until after the Primary. This does not preclude the Central Committee from endorsing candidates between the filing date and the Primary.
  • 7. If no endorsement has been made, but only an approval, the approval may be reconsidered after the Primary has occurred. (Reconsideration means to possibly upgrade from approval to endorsement or downgrade from approval to No Action).
  • 8. Monetary contributions to candidates may be made by the Executive Board only to those endorsed by the 23rd LD. The Central Committee will be notified at the next scheduled Central Committee meeting of the contributions that were made.
  • 9. Endorsements for local races (LD, municipal, non-paid positions, and junior taxing districts) are given to only to members of the 23rd. Approvals may be allowed in such circumstances. Candidates may request relief from dues payment.
• B. Approval, allowing candidates access to mailing lists and other assistance as the Executive Board feels is prudent. Approval requires a simple majority (50%+1) of the members present and voting and may be granted to more than one candidate per elected position.
• C. Non-endorsement with no official support from the 23rd LD Central Committee .
• D. No action.
• E. Only endorsed candidates may seek financial assistance.

SECTION 2. ENDORSEMENT OF OTHER BALLOT MEASURES.

The 23rd LD Central Committee , upon a 75% majority of those present and voting, may take the following actions with respect to support for levy proposals, initiatives, or other ballot measures in which there are no candidates:

• A. Endorsement and support for the measure,
• B. Opposition and support against the measure.
• C. Only endorsed issues may seek financial assistance.

SECTION 3. PROCEDURE FOR SEEKING ENDORSEMENT OR APPROVAL.

Candidates or Election Committees seeking assistance from the 23rd LD Central Committee shall contact the Chairperson, who shall present the request to the Executive Board and may request the candidate to:

• A. Submit a written application to the Executive Board electronically or by mail.
• B. Appear in person before the Executive Board.

Thank you again for your interest in our endorsement or approval.

If you have any questions, please email the Chairperson at chair@kitsap23rd.com

Part A of your completed questionnaire will be made available to members prior to the vote to endorse or approve and to other interested individuals via our regular communications and our website only for candidates/issues endorsed or approved by the membership.

Part B of your completed questionnaire will be confidential and under normal circumstances will not be viewed by anyone outside of the Executive Board. Unless other arrangements have been made, the Candidate Endorsement/Approval Questionnaire must be received by the chair of the 23rd LD Democrats (or designee) at least one week prior to the interview with the Executive Board in order to allow for review of the responses prior to the interview.

If the questionnaire is not returned by the deadline, consideration of the endorsement/approval may be postponed.

*Note to potential candidates- the 23rd LD Democrats and Kitsap County Democrats are two separate organizations. 

Each has their own documents, please ensure you are sending them to the correct organization for action*

Candidate Endorsement/ Approval Questionnaire (Part A)

Candidate Endorsement/ Approval Questionnaire (Part B)

Civility Pledge (Recommended)

Accessibility Pledge (Recommended) 

You might find our endorsement/approval process more rigorous than some others. This is because the public looks upon an endorsement by the 23rd LD Democrats as a seal of approval for the candidate. People assume that before endorsing a candidate, the 23rd LD Democrats have looked carefully at the candidate and found the candidate’s personal background to be exemplary and record to be solidly Democratic. Consequently, the 23rd LD Democrats feel a responsibility to make an informed endorsement.

We also take seriously the potential damage to the reputation of the 23rd LD Democrats should someone we endorse fail in his or her ethical duty to the public. We acknowledge and understand that there will be instances where a candidate and the 23rd LD Democrats will have differing opinions on an issue. The 23rd LD Democrats do not require candidates to march in lockstep with it on every issue, only that they conduct their affairs in an honorable fashion and be with us on the issues that are truly vital to a well-run society and the Democratic Party.

You will be sent, electronically, a questionnaire to complete. We encourage you to be thorough and thoughtful in completing the questionnaire.

After completing the questionnaire, please email it to the chair of 23rd LD Democrats at chair@kitsap23rd.com (if you’d prefer to deliver the completed questionnaire in a format other than email, contact the Chairperson and inquire about other options).

The chair of the 23rd LD Democrats (or designee) will contact you to schedule an appointment for an interview with the Executive Board. Typically the Executive Board meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month though special meetings may be held to interview candidates during active election times.

The Executive Board may use information from other sources to supplement the information gathered from the questionnaire and the interview. Other sources may include public statements made by the candidate, voting records while in office, participation in elections, and public records of campaign contributions made and received by the candidate.

Once the interview is completed, the Executive Board will make a recommendation to the members of the 23rd LD Democrats at a regularly-scheduled 23rd LD Democrats Membership meeting. The Executive Board will recommend that the members (a) endorse the candidate*, (b) approve the candidate, or (c) take no action. A vote of the qualified members** in attendance at that general membership meeting will determine if an endorsement or approval for an office will be made and, if so, who will receive it.

All candidates are welcome and encouraged to attend the General Membership meetings of the 23rd LD Democrats. Depending on time constraints and other factors, the candidate or their representative may be invited to speak at the general membership meeting at which their endorsement/approval is being considered.

Candidates seeking endorsement or approval from the 23rd LD Democrats will be notified of the membership’s decision. An official endorsement (or approval) letter will then be mailed or e-mailed to the successful candidate allowing them to announce our endorsement (or approval) and use it in their campaign literature.

* following the primary

** A qualified member must have a current membership in the 23rd LD Democrats established at least 28 days prior to the meeting at which the endorsement vote is conducted.