As reported on the home page, the county convention of 2008 was extremely well attended and a good time was had by all.  From what we hear of other county conventions, ours was among the best planned and executed for our size and inexperience in the process.  As for the work we had scheduled, we finished all of it by 7:30pm with relative ease, considering a glitch here or there occasionally.  Click in the outline below to see a summary of the convention efforts. 

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Each of the titles in the outline of contents below is a hotlink to the subject indicated.  Just click to read.

• County chair address to convention

• Summary of Minutes (including Tabulation)

• County Convention Committees

• Committee Reports

  • Credentials

  • Nominations

  • Rules and Procedures

  • Resolutions

  • Planning and Organization

• Members of Delegation to State CONvention

County Chair Convention Address

Given by Mitzi VanSant, Executive Committee Chair, Democratic Bastrop County Convention, 3/29/08.

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We would like to welcome you to the 2008 Bastrop County Democratic Convention.   For some of you this may be one of the first one or two steps you’ve ever taken in Party politics.  For some others, it represents a continuation of many years of activism in support of the Democratic Party.

This year has been a very special year in political history.  More than ever before, large numbers of people have felt inspired and empowered by our Democratic Party Presidential candidates.  That inspiration promises a welcome change from the 8 years of imperial rule we have endured with the Republican administration of George W. Bush.  Some of you may have arrived thinking this gathering is simply about nominating a candidate for the Party ticket, through the election of delegates to the state convention.  I would like to suggest that it is much more than that.

We come into Party politics in a variety of ways.  Some feel moved by a person or candidate.  For others it is a dedication to a cause, like peace, in my case.  I would like to suggest that it is those causes or ideals we share that matter here today.  Whether you are inspired to work for peace and social justice, increasing respect of our environment, the welfare and education of the young--and old--in our society, whatever the cause, remember it while we are deliberating today.  What is really important in this convention is that we treat each other with respect, form personal relationships that bring us closer together, and that we come out of here this afternoon united as a Party.

One of my other favorite organizations, along with the Democratic Party, is the Public Broadcasting System.  I give money to them, and time and money to the Democrats.  Two nights ago, after an exhausting day preparing for this convention, I flopped down on the couch to relax and get sleepy.  PBS was having a fund drive and the program running was about the folksinger and songwriter Pete Seeger.  One of the many songs he has immortalized in his 60 years of activism is “We Shall Overcome”, a song that I consider a hymn, more than folk song.  In any case, one of the statements he made that caught my attention was this:  “Participation, that’s what is going to save the human race.”   I couldn’t agree with him more.

I want to thank all the people who worked so hard to make this convention happen.  Yesterday there were 8 or 9 people working in the two small offices, some over 12 hours at a stretch.  There were many others working on committees over the last 3 and one half weeks.  I know many of us already feel a bond forged in political activism. 

For the rest of you, so new to this, I hope you find a beginning connection today, and that you will come back to work with us.  There are many opportunities to serve, and in a variety of ways.  Once we finish here today, we will begin planning our GET OUT THE VOTE effort over the summer and into fall.  We will need money for yard signs, office supplies and overhead, and other materials useful in the campaign.  You’ll find Sustaining Membership forms on your chairs, along with the Agenda.  But more than money, we need your help to get our Democratic candidates, all together the local, state, and national elected this fall.  Please remember the causes or ideals that inspire you, along with the candidates, and work for them through your efforts today. 

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Summary of Convention Minutes

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Summary of Minutes for Bastrop County Democratic Convention

March 29, 2008

The Temporary Chair, Martha E. (Mitzi) VanSant, called the convention to order at 1 pm.

Lloyd Doggett, U. S. Congressman, TX District 25 spoke to the convention.

Vickie Vogel, TX Senate District 18 Committeewoman spoke to the convention.

The Temporary Chair then fulfilled requirements to explain how the business of the convention would be conducted based on the rules of the party.

The Temporary Chair appointed a Tabulations Committee to determine the ratio of candidate delegates who could be elected to go to the state convention.  That committee consisted of 2 Obama and 3 Clinton supporters.

The Temporary Chair called for nominations for the Permanent Chair.  Joan Barton was nominated and elected to be the Permanent Chair of the convention.  She then took the podium.

Judith Evanicky was nominated and elected to be the Secretary of the convention.

Mary Bishop and Bill Dunn were nominated to be the Parliamentarian of the convention.  Mary Bishop was elected Parliamentarian of the convention.

The Chair announced that the county could select 32 delegates to go to the state convention.  County Chair Mitzi VanSant would be the 33^rd Delegate.

The Tabulations Committee reported that per preferences of 373 delegates attending the convention, the ratio of delegates to choose for the state convention was 40% for Clinton and 60% Obama.

The Chair asked the precincts to convene for caucuses to elect delegates and alternates to the state convention.  After reconvening the convention, the names were sent to the Nominations committee who recommended ratification of those elected.  The convention voted to ratify the recommendations of the Nominations Committee.

Some 200 applications for the at-large delegate seats were filed with the Nominations Committee.  After deliberation, at-large delegates and alternates were nominated.  Some substitutions were offered from the floor, after which the convention voted to elect 3 Clinton delegates and 2 Obama delegates.  There were also 6 Clinton alternates and 2 Obama alternates elected.

The Chair asked for nominations for Delegation Chair to State Convention.  Michael Flowers, Clara Maynard and Mitzi VanSant were nominated.  Mitzi VanSant was elected.

The Chair requested that the resolutions be read and voted upon.  Thirty resolutions were presented, with 3 failing and all others adopted.

The Chair adjourned the convention at 7:05 pm.

The diversity represented by the delegates attending the convention is as follows:

By Gender:          Male = 127 or 38%;   Female = 211 or 62%

By Age:                 <36 = 49 or 13%;         36 through 64 = 266 or 72%;                >64 = 58 or 15%

By Race:                White = 215 or 75%;  African American = 37 or 13%;  Hispanic = 30 or 10%;

                                 Asian = 1 or 0%;  Other = 5 or 2%

Disabled:              24 or 6%

LGBT:                      16 or 4%

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County Convention Committees

Credentials: