Nobody likes a candidate whose name they can't spell

[sovay]

So I went to that local Democratic caucus tonight and now I am the first alternate female/gender-neutral delegate for Ward 4 of Somerville to the Massachusetts Democratic State Convention in June. I think I ran after all.

I did not make the cut as an actual delegate. I got sixteen votes in the gender-neutral category on a two-minute platform composed of self-identifying as a queer poly Jewish writer and describing my fervent desire to replace Governor Baker with an ethical artichoke or, if we want to get really freaky, an actual human being with a sense of ethics.* The winner got eighteen votes on a platform composed of actually being involved in local politics. When the voting came back around to the alternate delegates, also divided by gender, I was one of two winners in a close three-person election, eighteen votes each and seventeen for the runner-up. I think I did not do badly considering everyone else in our corner of the cafeteria was a total stranger to me. (I knew some people in other wards, but they were either in their own corners of the cafeteria or had left the room. The fact that this was all happening in a high school cafeteria, by the by, made me feel I should have brought a three-fold poster board at the least.) I am also amazed that our political system really does allow any yahoo to walk in off the street, talk about vegetables, and get sent to a convention center in Worcester with the potential to influence state elections. Admittedly in my case that will happen only if any of the actual delegates become unable to vote on the day, which I do not hope for since they were all very nice, politically committed people; in all likelihood my experience of this year's convention will consist of listening to politicians bloviate, not voting, and going home. In the meantime I think I am bound to attend a bunch of ward committee meetings and should probably buy some better clothes.

In conclusion: democracy! Jeez.

* Literally I did this. "Replace Governor Baker with an artichoke" is now a valid, proven political platform.

Comments

[skygiants]

Dang! Congrats to you, democracy in action. :D

[sovay]

Dang! Congrats to you, democracy in action.

Thank you! I am on some level relatively surprised it works.

[thistleingrey]

Very cool!

[sovay]

Very cool!

Thank you!

[genarti]

Whoa! Go you!

[sovay]

Whoa! Go you!

Thank you!

[rinue]

Would definitely vote artichoke over Baker. Glad to have you as a first alternate delegate.

[sovay]

Would definitely vote artichoke over Baker. Glad to have you as a first alternate delegate.

Thank you. I am glad to know it's a compelling platform.

[davidgillon]

For someone who was planning on not running, that's an awfully organised platform ;)

WRT clothes: Nah, it'll remind them they're supposed to be representative of everyone!

[sovay]

For someone who was planning on not running, that's an awfully organised platform

Well, I have espoused it since November.

WRT clothes: Nah, it'll remind them they're supposed to be representative of everyone!

Hah. I did win the election while wearing a very slobby sweater.

(I love Autolycus, but he has many claws and they are sharp and it is amazing how incompatible they are with maintaining sweaters that do not look, well, like a cat has been at them.)

[davidgillon]

Glad you didn't artichoke on the message!

[phi]

That's really cool!

[sovay]

That's really cool!

Thank you! It was totally not what I was expecting to do when I got there.

[choco_frosh]

I need to recreate my "I like this alot" icon. Take the alot as read.
Anyway,Go, you!

[sovay]

Take the alot as read.

Done.

Thank you!

[larryhammer]

"Replace Governor Baker with an artichoke" is now a valid, proven political platform.

But only with an ethical one.

[sovay]

But only with an ethical one.

Well, yeah. An evil artichoke would be worth it only for the mad science points.

[alexxkay]

So, no Avacado of Death?

[sovay]

So, no Avacado of Death?

Always vote for the Avocado of Death.

(We practically have the Snark in Somerville, anyway.)

[choco_frosh]

PS: May I post this fact to FB?

[sovay]

PS: May I post this fact to FB?

Sure! I assume it will be a matter of public record eventually. Just nothing about the number of votes, etc.; that sort of thing is part of the reason this post is locked. The queer poly Jewishness and the artichoke are totally fair game.

[teenybuffalo.livejournal.com]

My hat is off to you. I couldn't imagine a stance on Baker that accords better with my own opinions, so I am pleased that you are now in power. (That's how this works, right? I recognize you probably have other priorities for your time and energy, but already in my mind we're in a flashback-to-the-scrappy-underdog-past in a movie set in 2027 where you're Governor.)

[sovay]

My hat is off to you. I couldn't imagine a stance on Baker that accords better with my own opinions, so I am pleased that you are now in power.

Hee. Thank you.

(That's how this works, right? I recognize you probably have other priorities for your time and energy, but already in my mind we're in a flashback-to-the-scrappy-underdog-past in a movie set in 2027 where you're Governor.)

My mother has started saying, "So when you're Mayor . . ."

[nineweaving.livejournal.com]

I stand in awe of your might.

Ethical artichokes for the win!

Nine

[sovay]

I stand in awe of your might.

It was a completely open floor! If you were a Democrat in the room and you could get someone to nominate you, you could throw your hat into the ring! Ground-level democracy.

Ethical artichokes for the win!

I've really got to make a sign.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

That's so cool.

[sovay]

That's so cool.

Thank you. It wasn't what I expected at the start of my evening, but I'm really happy with it. I think also on some level it was great to discover that local government involves breaking up into groups in different corners of a high school cafeteria, making short presentations, and writing people's names on index cards. It was the most immediate demonstration of the applicability of public schooling to real life I think I'd seen in years.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Congratulations (I think)....

[sovay]

Congratulations (I think)....

Thank you! I figure if the system is broken, I can't fix it till I know how it works.

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

This looks like one of those occasions when US English and UK English use the same words, which fools you into thinking they are talking about the same thing. We don't have this caucus thing (except in Alice, obviously).

Anyway, well done!

[sovay]

We don't have this caucus thing (except in Alice, obviously).

I bet that explains why I came home and felt it necessary to clarify to derspatchel that there had actually been elections and not just appointments handed out for showing up, though! "Everybody has won, and all must have prizes."

Anyway, well done!

Thank you!

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

See also how my friend stood for parliament in England and now has a post in her local riding. Good on you!

[sovay]

See also how my friend stood for parliament in England and now has a post in her local riding.

That's great! May I ask where?

Good on you!

Thank you!

[gwynnega]

That is excellent.

[sovay]

That is excellent.

Thank you.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

I know someone who was a delegate for... something related to the national election, and I'm embarrassed to say that I don't understand how it all works. In fact, I don't even know where to begin to ask questions, but this is as good a place as any: what do you mean by category (as in, you were in the gender-neutral category)? What I mean is, I thought it was done by political party or something? Can people create categories?

[sovay]

Congratulations!

Thank you!

what do you mean by category (as in, you were in the gender-neutral category)? What I mean is, I thought it was done by political party or something? Can people create categories?

So this was all taking place under the auspices of the Massachusetts Democratic Party. I assume the numbers are different for different wards of different cities, but Ward 4 of Somerville sends eight delegates to the state convention. One is automatically the ward chair; of the remaining seven delegates, three are male, three female, and there is one designated gender-neutral slot. I suspect it is a combination of open-to-all-genders and available for candidates who do not identify as either male or female—one of the other people in my election was femme-presenting genderqueer, for example. (They did not win either and I was sorry. On the other hand, neither of us was running for alderman.) Each of these gender divisions had a separate round of nominations and then an election; after all delegates had been elected, there was an identical process for the alternates. That's what I meant by categories; I apologize if it was confusing. The delegates have the ability to vote on any issues at the state level of the party, which in election years means things like the nomination of the party's candidate for governor—which is why I plan to try for delegate again next year, though I expect so will everyone else—and this year means things like the party platform, which should be interesting to watch. Did that help?

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Yes, it helps a great deal! Thank you very much. (There wasn't anything confusing about your initial post; I just don't have enough basic knowledge, but what you've said here brings me more or less up to speed.)

[sovay]

(There wasn't anything confusing about your initial post; I just don't have enough basic knowledge, but what you've said here brings me more or less up to speed.)

I had no idea how any of this process worked before I walked through the door. It was a good civics lesson.

[gaudior.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! I cannot really say I'm surprised. :)

[sovay]

Congratulations! I cannot really say I'm surprised.

Thank you! I plan to try for delegate proper again next year.

[wordsofastory.livejournal.com]

Congratulations, I suppose! And go for you for putting in the time and effort on this.

[sovay]

Congratulations, I suppose! And go for you for putting in the time and effort on this.

Thank you! I put almost no time or effort whatsoever into the caucus itself, but I will have to pay close attention to state politics from now until June just in case I end up having to use it!

[ashlyme.livejournal.com]

I am late to this post but you are bloody awesome and I salute you.

...what kind of artichoke - globe or Jerusalem? Just curious.

[sovay]

I am late to this post but you are bloody awesome and I salute you.

Thank you!

...what kind of artichoke - globe or Jerusalem? Just curious.

Globe, because it's the kind I grew up eating and the first thing I think when I read or hear or imagine artichoke. (As I am doing now, in a vaguely wishful way, with hot butter.)