Charlottesville’s Democrats used a new “unassembled caucus” Saturday, May 9, to elect Dave Norris and Kristin Szakos as their candidates for City Council, and James Brown, III, as their candidate for Sheriff in the November 3 general election.
Until this year, Democrats had gathered at a nomination meeting to decide their slate of candidates. The meeting, however, could be drawn out and difficult for some people to attend.
On March 19 of this year, the Charlottesville City Democratic Committee introduced procedures for the new unassembled caucus.
Registered Democrats who acknowledged Democratic principles and pledged not to vote against Democratic nominees in the fall could cast their ballot at Burley Middle School on Rose Hill any time between 9am and 7pm on Saturday.
People who could not easily leave their car could even vote from the curb. Meanwhile, people who could not make the May 9 date had two earlier alternate dates for casting their ballots, and ill or infirm Democrats could complete a ballot at home. Candidates had also held a rally in April and posted videos of their 12-minute speeches on YouTube.
Kristin Szakos, who won the nom against current Vice Mayor Julian Taliaferro, will use the months leading up to the November election to learn.
The new rules pleased many people. “I thought the process was great, absolutely great,” says Brown, his sentiment echoed by other candidates. “It gave the public the opportunity to decide who would be the candidate in the fall.
A lot more people were involved in the process, almost four times as many. It opened the process up.”
Indeed, throughout the day, the polls resembled a small festival. People milled around outside the school and talked beneath the many brightly colored tents. Campaign signs covered the grass. Cars continually pulled in and out. By the end, 1,600 people had cast their votes, exceeding expectations.
Mayor Dave Norris, overwhelming chosen to represent the Democrats for City Council, noted that a large turnout “bodes well for the general election in November. I was obviously pleased with my showing and heartened to have the support of so many voters, and I’m grateful for the contributions of volunteers on my behalf,” he says.
He also expressed appreciation for Julian Taliaferro’s service to the community and City Council; the current Vice Mayor did not make the Democrats’ ticket.
“November is a long way off,” continues Norris. “The primary comes too early if you ask me. It should really be in late summer or early fall.” That way, momentum from the primary can carry into the election.
The candidates, however, can use the time to rest and regroup. “My immediate task is catching up on sleep. The long-term task is learning a lot. I’ve been talking to people all along, but I’ll be boning up on the issues and thinking about my vision for the city,” says Szakos.
Brown also plans to relax and regain his voice before canvassing over the summer and coordinating his campaign with the Party. “I’d like to compare those ideas with things I’d like to do and come up with a game plan,” he says.
Norris, meanwhile, doesn’t expect “a lot of real intense campaigning over the summer. But obviously, I’m going to get started pretty soon pulling together a general election strategy.” That strategy will depend on which Republicans enter the race and how closely the Democratic Party aligns local campaigns with campaigns for governor and General Assembly.