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Democratic Party Caucus Procedure​
Village of Hastings-on-Hudson

Check-in & Distribution of Ballots

 

Attendees check in at the door. Paper ballots are distributed to individuals who are eligible to participate in the Caucus, as follows:  
 

  1. Pursuant to New York State Election Law § 15-108 [2] [d], an individual must be registered to vote as a Democrat residing in the Village of Hastings-on-Hudson. Names will be confirmed at check-in against the most recent list of registered Democrats available from the Westchester County Board of Elections. Voters may view their registration status at voterlookup.elections.ny.gov.

  2. Pursuant to New York State Election Law § 15-108 [9], anyone who has already signed or carried an independent petition for the positions to be filled at the Caucus may not vote at the Caucus. 


For each open office, the ballot will list the name of any candidate who has been endorsed by the Hastings Democratic Committee and contain a space to write in the names of additional candidates.

Ballots for candidates cannot be cast until nominations are completed and polls opened. There are no proxies.
 

 

Call to Order

 

The Caucus Chair calls the meeting to order.

 

 

Swearing-in of Caucus Officers

 

The Caucus Chair swears in the Caucus Secretary, Parliamentarian, Tellers, and Sergeants at Arms.

 

 

Explanation of the Caucus

 

The Caucus Chair announces the offices that are open for election, and states in sum and substance the Caucus rules and procedure.

 

 

Nominations

 

For each open office:
 

  1. The Caucus Chair announces the names of any candidate(s) endorsed by the Hastings Democratic Committee for that office.
     

  2. Any eligible Caucus participant may ask to be recognized, nominate a candidate, and may then address the Caucus for up to two minutes in support of the nomination.
     

  3. Any eligible Caucus participant may ask to be recognized, second the nomination of a candidate, and may then address the Caucus for up to one minute in support of the nomination.
     

  4. When no other eligible Caucus participants seek recognition to nominate, the Caucus Chair declares the nominations for that office closed.
     

  5. Each nominee may address the Caucus for up to four minutes.

 

 

Election of Candidates

 

The Caucus Chair declares that the polls are open and specifies the length of time they will remain open. The Caucus Tellers observe the deposit of ballots one at a time into the ballot box(es). 

 

 

Tally and Announcement of Results

 

At the appointed time, the Caucus Chair declares that the polls are closed. The Tellers count the votes in public. Any nominee or one person designated by a nominee may observe the count and inspect the ballots as they are counted. Once the Tellers have completed the count, the result is reported to the Caucus Chair.

 

For each open office:

 

  1. The Caucus Chair announces the number of votes received by each of the candidates. The candidate who receives the highest number of votes is declared the Caucus Nominee for that office.
     

  2. For each open office, the Caucus Nominee must declare whether (or not) the nomination is accepted, and may then address the Caucus for up to one minute.

Announcement of Committee to Fill Vacancies

 

Pursuant to New York State Election Law § 6-148, a Committee to Fill Vacancies is announced. (In the event that the Caucus Nominee is disqualified or unavailable after nomination but before the general election, the Committee to Fill Vacancies will convene to select another candidate.)

Adjournment

 

On adoption of a motion to adjourn, the Caucus Chair declares the Caucus is closed.


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Note: The Caucus Nominees must remain after the meeting is adjourned to execute required documents (e.g., certificates of nomination).

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