Local Democrats Set to Caucus

Democrats from all six New Bedford wards will be holding caucuses on Saturday, March 11.

The caucuses will take place beginning at 9 a.m. at the Our Lady of Angels Band Club, located at 1446 Acushnet Avenue in New Bedford, to elect up to 57 delegates and 24 alternates to the 2017 Massachusetts Democratic Convention.

The Convention will be held on Saturday, June 3, 2017 at the Tsongas Arena in Lowell. At that convention, Democrats from across the state will gather to meet fellow activists and hear from elected officials about our policies and the ongoing organizing to preent drastric reductions in our rights by Republican president Donald Trump and the Republican-held Congress.

Interested citizens should arrive at the caucuses on March 11 by 8:45 a.m., but must arrive by no later than 9:15 a.m. to be allowed to participate either to run as a delegate or simply to vote for convention delegates. Coffee and donuts will be available.

The caucuses are open to all registered Democrats in New Bedford and unregistered or unenrolled voters may register as Democrats on site that day so they may participate. Delegate selection will be divided equally between men and women, and all ballots will be written in secret. Youth, minorities and people with disabilities who are not elected as either delegates or alternates may apply to be "add-on" delegates. The caucus location is handicapped accessible.

Details on the rules can be found at www.massdems.org. To run as a delegate, you must either be a registered Democrat or be willing to register as a Democrat at the caucuses.

The New Bedford Democratic City Committee meets somewhat regularly on the first Tuesday evening of each month at the Painters/Greater SE MA Labor Council Office, located at 560 Pleasant Street in New Bedford, and always welcomes new members or participants. For information on the caucuses or the committee, please contact Chairperson Richard Drolet at (508) 801-2881 or email him at Branch18NALC@yahoo.com.

The committee will also hire a bus to take delegates up to the convention for a slight fee for the ride and a box lunch for New Bedford and surrounding town delegates. For general information on the Convention or the Democratic Party, please call (617) 939-0800 or email contact@massdems.org.

Other caucuses from surrounding cities and towns:

--Acushnet March 25 at 10 a.m. at the Council on Aging, 23½ S. Main Street
--Dartmouth March 25 at 11 a.m. at the Southworth Library, 732 Dartmouth Street
--Fairhaven March 25 at 9 a.m. at the Millicent Library, 45 Center Street
--Fall River March 4 at 10 a.m. at the Corky Row Club, 603 Third Street
--Lakeville March 18 at 11 a.m. at the Lakeville Public Library, 4 Precinct Street
--Mattapoisett March 25 at 10 a.m. at the Mattapoisett Library, 7 Barstow Street
--Somerset March 4 at 10:15 a.m. at the Somerset Library, 1464 County Street