PARTY RULES GOVERNING THE CAUCUS
200. General Requirements
Municipal Caucuses shall be conducted in each general election year in compliance with the Maine Election Code (Title 21‑A M.R.S.A. §§ 311-315 as amended), these Rules, and the call of the Convention.
210. Caucuses Regulated
1. Responsibilities of the DSC
A. The DSC shall establish a Uniform Caucus Date for the following year's municipal caucuses no later than June 1 of each odd-numbered year.
B. The DSC Chair shall issue the call of the Convention to the Chair of each County Committee and each Municipal Committee no later than ninety (90) days before the Uniform Caucus Date.
C. The DSC shall distribute caucus packets, after they have been reviewed by the Rules Committee for compliance with the rules, to all municipalities at least thirty (30) days before the Uniform Caucus Date. The packets shall include registration and reporting forms, copies of the appropriate State laws and pertinent Democratic Party rules, and instructional materials for caucus Conveners and officers.
2. Responsibilities of Local Committees
A. No later than seventy-five (75) days before the Uniform Caucus Date, each County Chair shall confer with each Municipal Chair or Municipal Secretary in order to make preparations for the municipality to call the municipal caucus.
B. If there is no active Municipal Chair or Municipal Secretary, the County Committee shall make reasonable efforts to consult with interested Democrats within the municipality to encourage them to organize a caucus.
C. Each Municipal Committee shall notify the County Chair at least sixty (60) days before the Uniform Caucus Date of the time and place of the Municipal Caucus. In any municipality where the Municipal Chair or a majority of the Municipal Committee has not given notice, the County Committee shall if feasible call a caucus and appoint a Convener, making efforts to work with local Democrats to establish a suitable time and place, and ensure that adequate publicity of the caucus is given to Democrats within the municipality.
D. The County Committee may delegate to the County Chair or to a subcommittee the power to call caucuses and appoint Conveners in municipalities where the municipal committee has failed to do so.
3. Caucus Convener
A. A Caucus Convener shall be responsible for the organization of each Municipal Caucus. The Convener shall be the Municipal Committee Chair or the Chair's designee, or if the Chair fails to serve or to designate a Convener, the Municipal Committee or the County Committee shall appoint a Convener.
B. The Convener's duties shall include:
(1) Selecting a time and place for the caucus and making the necessary arrangements.
(2) Attending caucus training scheduled by the State or County Democratic Party.
(3) Ensuring that the caucus is properly called to order by a resident of the municipality.
(4) Ensuring that the DSC has received the names and contact information for the Caucus Chair and Caucus Secretary.
(5) Preparing and submitting the Caucus Report if the Caucus Secretary fails to do so. If the Convener is a nonresident and no resident attends the caucus, the Convener shall report to the DSC that no caucus was held.
C. The Convener need not be a resident of the municipality. If multiple municipalities caucus together, they may share a Convener. A nonresident Convener may not serve as an officer of the Caucus or formally call the Caucus to order, but may provide such assistance as may be needed to conduct the business of the Caucus.
4. Time and Place. The Caucus shall begin between 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., on the Uniform Caucus Date. Municipal Caucuses shall be held in public places whenever possible, within or convenient to the municipality. In no event shall a caucus be held in a private home except in a municipality with less than one hundred (100) enrolled Democrats. A Municipal Committee may vote to hold precinct caucuses in separate locations throughout the municipality.
5. Late Caucuses
A. A Municipal Caucus may not be held after the Uniform Caucus Date unless severe inclement weather or some other compelling reason makes it impossible to caucus on that date.
B. If the caucus is held within fourteen (14) days after the Uniform Caucus Date, the municipality's State Convention delegates shall be seated at the State Convention only upon the approval of the Credentials Committee.
C. If a caucus is held more than fourteen (14) days after the Uniform Caucus Date, the delegates elected by that caucus shall not be seated at the State Convention unless specifically exempted by a three-fourths (3/4) affirmative vote of the members of the Credentials Committee present and voting, or by a majority affirmative vote of the State Convention upon receiving the report of the Credentials Committee.
220. Notice
1. Public Notice. Public notice of the caucus (21‑A M.R.S.A. § 311(3)) shall include, but need not be limited to:
A. A notice published in a newspaper of general circulation in the municipality at least three (3) and not more than seven (7) days before the caucus is to be held, or
B. A notice posted in a conspicuous public place in each municipal voting district at least seven (7) days before the caucus.
2. Notice to Municipality and DSC. In addition, a copy of the notice shall be filed with the Municipal Clerk (21‑A M.R.S.A. § 311(3)(B)) and the DSC. Failure to notify the DSC of any change in the time or place of the caucus less than three (3) days before the caucus may constitute grounds for the Committee on Credentials to void the caucus.
3. Contents of Notice. The notice shall state the name of the Party, the time and place of the caucus, the name of the person calling it, and the availability and location of voter registration on the caucus day. In presidential election years the notice shall also state the time balloting for presidential preferences will begin and the availability of caucus registration and presidential preference declaration by mail. If the caucus is to divide by precincts, the notice shall say so and shall include the location of each precinct caucus. The notice may include a procedure for notification and rescheduling if the caucus must be postponed. If a caucus is postponed and the alternative date was not included in the original notice, a new notice must be published in accordance with this Section.
230. Caucus Procedures
1. Membership. Any enrolled Democrat within a municipality who attends the municipal caucus, or registers for the caucus by mail in accordance with Section 250 of these Rules, shall be a member of that caucus, unless barred by the Maine Election Code due to enrollment in another political party after the statutory deadline for changing parties. Opportunity shall be provided for new voters and unenrolled voters to enroll as Democrats at the time of the caucus.
2. Call to Order. The Convener or the Convener's designee shall call the caucus to order and conduct the election of the Caucus Secretary and Caucus Chair. In the Convener's absence, any resident Democrat present may call the caucus to order in accordance with the Maine Election Code.
3. Rulings. Any questions not covered by State Law or by Party Rules shall be decided by the Chair of the Municipal Caucus or Committee. Such rulings may be overruled by a majority vote of the members present at a caucus or committee meeting.
4. Organization; Division by Precincts. Each Municipal Caucus shall conduct its affairs as a committee of the whole, except that in any municipality that is divided into precincts for the conduct of elections, the Municipal or County Committee may choose by majority vote, at the time the caucus is called, to divide the caucus by precincts for any matter other than the election of Municipal Committee Officers and action on Municipal Bylaws. Each precinct caucus shall elect officers pro tempore, and while in session shall follow the same procedures as prescribed for municipal caucuses. If a municipality is regularly divided into precincts for the conduct of municipal elections and is entitled to at least fifty (50) delegates, the caucus must divide into precincts in presidential election years to elect state convention delegates.
5. Nominations. Nominations for all officers and positions shall be open to all persons qualified to be members of the Municipal Caucus. A person may nominate himself or herself. Nominations shall be entertained as long as any caucus member desires to make a further nomination. A person need not be present to be nominated and/or elected, as long as the person has indicated to a member of the Caucus that he or she is interested in being nominated.
6. Municipal Committee Bylaws. A Municipal Caucus, by majority vote, may adopt, repeal, or amend the Bylaws governing the Municipal Committee.
7. Open Dialogue. Every caucus member shall have a right to speak.
8. Presidential Balloting. In a presidential election year, any person not duly registered by mail or personally present at the time balloting for State Convention delegates and alternates begins shall be prohibited from voting. Presidential balloting may not begin until the announced time, and may not be delayed unreasonably beyond the announced time.
240. Caucus Reports
The DSC shall furnish forms suitable for accurate reporting of caucus activities to each Municipal Caucus. Within seven (7) days after a Municipal Caucus, the Caucus Secretary shall forward completed caucus report forms to the Municipal Committee Chair, the County Chair, and the DSC. In addition, the Caucus Secretary shall retain one copy of the completed report. If any Municipal Caucus files no report with the DSC within seven (7) days after the Municipal Caucus, the DSC shall promptly inquire of the Municipal Committee Chair, the County Chair, or the Caucus Convener as to its availability. Unless the completed municipal caucus report is challenged within fourteen (14) days following receipt of the report by the DSC, it shall become the official record of that caucus. If multiple caucuses have been scheduled to meet on a consolidated basis, the secretary of the host caucus shall report for any municipality that does not elect its own Caucus Secretary.
1. In Presidential election years, any enrolled Democrat who expects to be eligible to participate in a municipal caucus, but to be unable to attend, may apply to State Party Headquarters to register for the caucus and declare his or her presidential preference by mail.
2. Applications may be sent on or after January 1. The application must be made by the individual requesting to register by mail or by a member of his or her household. Applications submitted in bulk or by organizations shall not be accepted. A voter may apply by completing a paper form provided by the State Party and delivering it by mail, in hand, or by fax, or by sending an e-mail or making a telephone call providing the applicant's name as it appears on the voter roll, the address at which the applicant is registered to vote, and the mailing address to which the registration form will be sent. Applicants shall be requested to provide a telephone number and e-mail address but shall be advised that this information is optional. The State Party shall maintain a record of all requests received. If an application is submitted in a municipality for which no caucus has been convened, the State Party shall promptly notify the County Committee and direct it to call a caucus.
3. The State Party shall prepare a uniform registration-by-mail form, which shall incorporate the contents of the registration form used for in-person registrants, together with the following additional material:
A. Clear instructions on how to complete and submit the form, including the deadline by which the form must be received at State Party Headquarters;
B. In a prominent place on the form, a line for the voter to write the name of the Presidential candidate he or she prefers, or the word "Uncommitted."
C. A question allowing the voter to indicate whether he or she wishes to run for State Convention delegate.
D. A reminder that if the voter does not attend the caucus in person, he or she will be unable to participate in the business of the caucus, including the opportunity to change presidential preferences and the opportunity to vote for delegates, alternates, and party officers.
E. An oath, to be signed by the voter, in the following form: "I, [name] , swear that I am a registered and enrolled voter in this voting district, that I am a member of the party holding this caucus, and that I have not been enrolled in any other party in this municipality within the last 15 days. I understand that falsely swearing this oath of eligibility is a criminal act under the Maine Election Code, 21‑A M.R.S.A. § 314(3)."
4. In order to be valid, the signed registration form must be returned to State Party Headquarters no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday immediately preceding the Uniform Caucus Date, and the voter must be on record as having made a request to register by mail.
5. The State Party shall transmit all mail registration forms which are not obviously void to the respective Caucus Conveners in a manner that ensures that they will be available for the caucuses.
6. Any Democrat who is eligible to participate in a municipal caucus and who has submitted a registration form to State Party Headquarters in compliance with this Section shall be deemed a member of that caucus, whether or not he or she is physically in attendance, and shall have the right to be counted in the allocation of delegates among presidential preference groups and all other rights that do not depend on personal presence at the time a particular action is taken by the caucus.