Historically, Virginia is a red (Republican) state. In recent years, Northern Virginia has become more Democratic in their votes. While the southern half of the state remains very Republican, the northern and south eastern edges are strongly Democratic. However, given the broad appeal of Ron Paul's message to Republicans, Liberterians, Independents, non-voters, and yes, even Democrats, this state divide does not dimish our focus or effort here in Northern Virginia. In fact it may give us an edge.
Virginia Republican Presidential Nominating Process
Links to your local GOP can be found below. Please check ronpaulva.com to see if there is a co-whip in your city/county already. If there isn't one, contact Mark (email at the bottom of this page) to be the lead for your area.
Primary: Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Local Mass Meetings and Party Canvasses: February - April 2008 (tentative date)
District Conventions: Friday 9 May - Saturday 24 May 2008 (tentative date)
State Conventions: Friday 6 June - Saturday 7 June 2008 (tentative date)
Delegate Selection: Winner-Take-All,
Polling hours 6:00a EST (1100 UTC) to 7:00p EST (0000 UTC).
Voter Eligibility: Open Primary
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Tuesday 12 February 2008: Virginia Primary. The winner of Virginia Republican Primary will receive all of Virginia's 63 votes on the first ballot at the national convention, unless released by the candidate. The Delegates are not bound on any subsequent ballot, or for a vice presidential candidate, or for any particular issue in the platform. |
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March - April 2008 (tentative date): Local Mass Meetings, Party Canvasses, and Conventions:
The election of the actual National Convention delegates (who will be formally pledged to the winner of the Virginia Republican Primary) begins with local meetings held in each independent city and county of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The State Party Plan requires each independent city and county Republican Party to hold a Mass Meeting, Party Canvass or Convention to select delegates to the congressional district conventions and state convention and to elect local Party officials.
A Mass Meeting is comprised of Republican voters for the independent city or county. The Mass Meeting elects a chairman and a secretary. The chairman of the meeting appoints various committees to propose rules for the meeting, check voter registration credentials of the participants, review potential candidates for election at the meeting, and recommend resolutions. The Mass Meeting may have guest speakers in addition to voting. The Mass Meeting is thus a form of a first-tier caucus.
A Party Canvass is similar to a primary, but it is conducted by the Party rather than the government. Republican voters of the independent city or county may vote at scheduled times and places. A Party Canvass is thus a form of "party-run primary" at the most local level.
A local Convention is used less frequently than the other two methods. Delegates for the Independent City or County Convention are elected at either a mass meeting or party canvass that precedes the convention. Only Delegates may vote at an Independent City or County Convention. Large-population localities such as Fairfax County and Richmond City tend to hold such conventions because of the high number of participants which would be involved in either a mass meeting or party canvass without a convention. |
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Congressional District Conventions
33 delegates will be elected in total, by the 11 Congressional District Conventions.
Each congressional district will hold a convention and elect three Delegates to the Republican National Convention (who will be pledged to support the winner of the Virginia Republican Primary on the first voting round at the national convention)
- The district convention also nominates a Presidential Elector who would represent the district in the Electoral College if the Republican Presidential nominee carries Virginia on Tuesday 4 November 2008. Only duly elected Delegates representing the independent cities and counties of the congressional district may vote at the congressional district convention.
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The State Convention
27 At-Large Delegates will be selected at the State Convention.
Only duly elected Delegates representing the each of the independent cities and counties in Virginia may vote at the State Convention.
UNCERTAIN: The State Convention elects 3 party leader delegates (a State Party Chairman, a National Committeeman and a National Committeewoman).
- The State Convention nominates two At-Large Presidential Electors to serve in the Electoral College if the Republican Presidential nominee carries Virginia on Tuesday 4 November 2008.
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Republican National Convention
Delegates for the Republican National Convention are the most important item we can do.
Virginia gets 63 delegates to the convention:
10 base at-large
33 re: 11 congressional districts / 3 party / 17 bonus.
33 delegates will be assigned during the Virginia District Conventions and the other 27 at the State Convention. We must all become district delegates and possibly also state delegates to the District Conventions and Virginia State Convention respectively to ensure Ron Paul supporters go to theRepublican convention at national delegates.
Monday 1 September - Thursday 4 September 2008: 39th Republican National Convention, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota
The 39th REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION will have a total of 2,380 delegates, with 1,191 (a majority) necessary in order for a Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidate to be nominated. This very well may be a contested convention and hence the absolute need for Ron Paul supporters to be national convention delegates.
Got Questions? Want to help in VA?
E-mail Mark now at virginiacd8@gmail.com
