When all 5 constitutional officers are Democrats, it’s funny how undemocratic the Norfolk Democratic Party is about allowing people to compete for a nomination.
First, you hold a caucus (not a primary…that always makes me giggle about Democrats) and then you advertise it on your website.
Second, you charge an exorbitant filing fee of $5,000, far above any filing fee the State asks for a primary for the same jobs. Might as well make a giant sign saying “Challenge our incumbents, and you’ll pay – one way or the other.”
Third, you give candidates less than two weeks to come up with the money and the other documentation required. I can’t prove it, but somehow I can imagine that Democrat incumbents didn’t have to wait until April 22nd to find out what was expected of them.
Here’s the clincher. You know you’re pretty undemocratic when you have to write this in your caucus call.
“Waivers: The NCDC shall seek appropriate waivers from the Democratic Party of Virginia regarding expediting the time frames required by the Party Plan, if necessary.”
I am no expert, but that sounds an awful lot like “We’re breaking the Party rules being in such a rush about this, and if we get caught, we’ll ask to be forgiven later.”
If Norfolk Democrats are violating the Party Plan in their procedures, let’s hope the Party insists on the rules being followed.
No one would oppose that, right?
