Resolution: Authorizing a 2026 Primary Endorsement Process Subcommittee
RESOLUTION: Authorizing a 2026 Primary Endorsement Process Subcommittee
Amended:
Dec. 18, 2025, Ward One Democrats
Author:
Executive Committee
RESOLUTION
Authorizing a 2026 Primary Endorsement Process Subcommittee
WHEREAS, the objectives of the Ward One Democrats include contributing to the growth and influence of the Democratic Party, maintaining and promoting harmony within the Democratic Party, supporting party nominees for public office, increasing party membership, voting and responsibility in Ward One, increasing citizen knowledge of and participation in the political processes of this city; and
WHEREAS, the 2026 primary election will be the District of Columbia's first with ranked-choice voting;
RESOLVED, That the Chairperson may appoint a special subcommittee of the Executive Committee with power to organize the Ward One Democrats 2026 primary endorsement process, concluding with endorsement votes or the decision not to conduct any;
RESOLVED, That the subcommittee shall include at least one Executive Committee member as chair and at least two members of the Ward One Democratic Committee (“the Committee”) who are not members of the Executive Committee, with the Chairperson and the chairs of the standing committees as ex-officio members, and may include other members of the Ward One Democrats who are not Executive Committee members with the approval of the Executive Committee, provided that no subcommittee member is an active candidate for office on the primary ballot;
RESOLVED, That the subcommittee may additionally report to the Committee;
RESOLVED, That the subcommittee shall conduct the endorsement process in the following sequence: first, develop and distribute a questionnaire to all eligible candidates; second, organize one or more candidate forums permitting questions from the membership; and third, conduct endorsement votes, unless otherwise ordered by the Executive Committee;
RESOLVED, That the subcommittee shall conduct its work to meet the following schedule: a draft candidate questionnaire shall be reported to the Committee no later than its regular December 2025 meeting; a proposed candidate questionnaire and plan for its distribution shall be reported to the Committee no later than its regular January 2026 meeting; the official candidate forum shall be held on March 21, 2026; and the endorsement meeting shall be on April 11, 2026; provided that additional forums before the endorsement meeting may be called with two weeks’ notice as needed and that all specific dates may be changed, with notice, by the Committee;
RESOLVED, That the candidate questionnaire shall be developed in consultation with the membership and shall be approved by the Committee before distribution, and responses shall be shared with the membership and general public;
RESOLVED, That the endorsement process shall constitute one session, which may be continued in one or more adjourned meetings, including candidate forums and endorsement votes;
RESOLVED, That reasonable effort shall be made to include each eligible candidate in at least one forum, at the final discretion of the Chairperson;
RESOLVED, That the subcommittee may, upon authorization of the Executive Committee, issue the call for any forum or endorsement vote consistent with the notice requirements of a ward-wide meeting, provided the Committee has authorized that a ward-wide meeting be held on that date;
RESOLVED, That the subcommittee shall, no later than the Committee’s regular January 2026 meeting, report recommendations, including any bylaws amendment or other rule needed, to permit the conduct of a ranked-choice endorsement at the endorsement meeting;
RESOLVED, That the subcommittee shall recommend final rules for endorsement votes and a plan for supporting endorsed candidates as part of a voter outreach and education program no later than the Committee’s regular March 2026 meeting; and
RESOLVED, That the subcommittee shall deliver a final report to the Executive Committee at its first meeting after endorsement votes or the decision not to conduct any.
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AUTHOR Executive Committee
ADOPTED Nov. 20, 2025, Ward One Democratic Committee
AMENDED Dec. 18, 2025, Ward One Democratic Committee
COMPLIANCE NOTICE: This resolution is published as a courtesy copy for informational purposes only and does not constitute the official action or record of the Ward One Democrats. Pursuant to the organization’s bylaws and its adopted parliamentary authority, only the approved minutes and certified records maintained by the Recording Secretary are authoritative. Members seeking the official record should submit a request to the Ward One Democrats by clicking here.
