Newton City Democrats put on a dysfunctionality clinic last night when the party’s old guard narrowly squelched an uprising. But then — somewhat dramatically — the young upstarts struck back and elected their guy too — setting the stage for a year or more of internal drama as they head into a busy election year.
Oh and in the middle of it all, long-time party boss Martina Jackson, collapsed, depriving herself a chance to offer a victory speech and perhaps stop what was about to happen next.
OK here’s how it all went down: As we reported in February, afters years of complaints that the Newton City Democratic Committee were out of step with the times and technology and not especially welcoming to folks born, oh, elsewhere or in the last four decades or so, Shawn Fitzgibbons announced that he was going to challenge long-time chair Martina Jackson for the job of helping elect Democrats.
After months of lobbying — including a wussy NewTV ‘debate’ — and lots of behind the scenes maneuvering, the big election was held last night at Newton South.
Now when City Democrats hold their elections, they don’t exactly do it the way other elections are held in our city, our state or our country. No sirree. Elections for the party chair are an open ballot, meaning you get to vote, but you have to print your name and sign your ballot, which means that the winner or anyone else for that matter can later go back and look to see if they voted for you or not before they send out their holiday cards or endorse you for Governor’s Council.
So anyway, after speeches, voting, thumb-twiddling and ingesting Passover-appropriate macaroons, and ‘vote for Shawn’ brownies, Jackson was announced as the winner as the winner, 114-102.
As soon as the results were announced, Jackson fell to the ground. A crowd circled around. Cups of water magically appeared. And an ambulance was called. Thankfully, she seemed to be OK. After a few minutes, Jackson stood up, blushed, waved and as far as I could tell left the building — but not in the ambulance.
Now this post is already too long so I’ll let Ted Hess Mahan explain the minutia behind the next part. All I’ll say is that a few minutes later, a motion was made to elect a co-chair. While the insiders no doubt were expecting to re-elect Tim Snyder, who has held that post with Jackson, many of the insiders (was that Mayor Cohen in the lobby?) went home (“Victory Garden” reruns perhaps?) and Fitzgibbons was elected co-chair!
So now the City Dems have two co-chairs — think Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton or Al Capone and Bugs Moran — with two different visions for how to organize themselves; what a party chair should or shouldn’t do and important Congressional, Senate and Presidential election coming up where organizers and dollars from Newton Democrats could be important.
“I am not a member of any organized party — I am a Democrat.” — Will Rogers
And they ask why I am an independent:). I was there last night, but left before the vote and drama began. I hope Martina is alright.
Let me see if I’ve got this right… The vote was 114–102. So that would mean 216 people decided to go to this event rather than watch the Bruins game?
The EMTs arrived and were checking on Martina in the hallway when I left around 930. She seemed to be doing alright and was conscious and alert. My best wishes to Martina and congratulations to her and Shawn Fitzgibbons on being elected co-chairs of the Democratic City Committee.
I’m certain everyone will be relieved that Martina’s illness is not as serious as it first appeared to be. We all hope she will be back in action soon. And a special word for Tim Snyder who has done so much to help the Newton Party over the years. Tim and I first got to know each other when we were asked to co-chair the Newton Kerry/Edwards campaign 7 years ago. Tim was a Dennis Kucinich supporter and I was big for Howard Dean. My long associaiton with both Tim and Martina made this decision somewhat difficult to say the least.
Still, I did back Shawn and am pleased that I did so. I want to commend him for a spirited and remarkably positive campaign. Shawn did the Newton Democrats a big favor by throwing his hat into the ring. This was always going to be an uphill battle against some very serious and influential opposition. It’s a testament to him personally that he came so very close to victory.
The idea that his challenge was somehow detrimental to the unity and good order of the Party is quite frankly absurd. I saw more life in the old Newton party last night than I’ve seen in quite a long time and it was Shawn that helped to bring new life to it. On to November.
Can you imagine the turnout in our November election if candidates each brought sweets?
Tom Sheff — can you?
>>> “, but you have to print your name and sign your ballot”
Really? What’s with that?
Jerry — It’s probably to control proxy votes on behalf of incarcerated members (or a dead ones).
I would suggest a ballot sheet where you sign your name next to your ballot number.
I believe the reason you have to sign your name is that only committee members are allowed to vote. A whole bunch of new members were added last night, and during the vote count (which dragged on forever), Sally Rizzo asked for the committee member lists from each ward committee in order to match the votes to the eligible members. No doubt, there are other ways to ensure that only committee members are allowed to vote, but I believe that was why they asked for names and signatures on the ballots.
And, I should add, to guarantee that only votes of members who were present (and presumably alive) would count.
Oh my God, I miss Newton. You just don’t get this sort of thing anywhere else.
Thanks, Mr. Reibman, for your speedy report. Snarky though it be, I’m now regretfully aware of all the juicy melodrama I missed by leaving the NDCC meeting early last night–not because I’m a dreaded “insider” or anything like it but because I felt guilty coughing and sneezing all over my fellow Dems. As one of Shawn’s enablers, I’m pleased that he came so close in the balloting and that he’ll be a co-chair. Bob Burke is right: there was energy in that room last night, and lots of new faces, all to the good. (And less rancor than I recall at the reorg years ago when Martina first staged her own putsch.)
By the way, if you think last night’s proceedings were tedious and dysfunctional, you ought to try the state convention.
Voter ID issues hit Newton. Maybe one way around it is to have Ward Committee Chairs hand out blank ballots to their members when they sign in. Then you could compare the number of ballots handed out by Ward Committee Chairs to the number collected after the vote. As long as the number didn’t increase, it should be OK.
Personally I like secret ballots (as opposed to standing, voice counts, signed ballots etc.) makes it a little less of a public popularity contest. Though I suppose the argument could be made, one should be able to publicly support their candidates.
Hi Hoss,
What do you suggest I bring???
I should brush up on my U.S. history. How did Jefferson vs Hamilton compare to Jefferson vs John Adams?
Sounds like an exciting meeting. But I agree with Ted, there’s got to be a better way to regulate ballots than signing them. The same people would be up in arms if a vote on unionization were held that way.
@Julia gets it exactly right when she writes..
The solution doesn’t seem complicated to me, we do it each election day: You stand in line, have your name checked off the list and are handed one ballot. Then you vote, have your name checked off a second list and immediately insert your ballot into a box.
The method used last night clearly seems to be about intimidation, not lack of a better alternative. And I can tell you that several people told me last night that the signed ballots were a factor in their voting.
@Mike, there was no signal in the auditorium at South so I kept running outside to check on the score of the Bruins game. Fortunately, I got home in time for the end of the 3rd period and the overtime slapshot goal by Kelly. It wasn’t quite as exciting as the city committee meeting turned out to be, but it was up there. 😉 GO BRUINS!
Shawn is a class-act. Congrats to him!
And also to Martina Jackson.
One of the best written pieces on Newton that I’ve read in a long while.
Nice write-up Greg. Don’t let anyone ever tell you political committee work isn’t interesting! It was certainly a memorable night. Along with everyone else who was there, I am very relieved Martina is OK. And for anyone who is wondering, I think we will be a great team in the months and years ahead.
On the balloting, the Mass Democratic Party Charter does not allow for secret votes. That’s the reason why the ballots had to be signed and available for inspection by any and all after the vote. Once can certainly debate the pro’s and con’s of this rule, but that’s what we had to work with. State Committee Members Sally Rizzo, Ted Gross and Ken Parker did a great job running the meeting “by the books”.
Shawn Fitzgibbons is indeed a class-act.
I am out on the west coast right now but the news about this election reached me at lightening speed! I’m glad Martina is OK and I’m impressed with the maneuvering by the Shawn Fitzgibbons’ supporters.
I’d say I’m sorry I missed it, but really — I’m fairly certain that Half Moon Bay, CA was a much nicer venue last night than Newton South High School.
@Gail: Perhaps but were they serving Shawn Fitzgibbons brownies?
BTW, can anyone who was there tell me if former Mayor Cohen actually went into the auditorium last night? Or did he just hang out in the lobby (and presumably fill out his ballot there).
The signed ballots is a national party rule that the states, including Massachusetts, must abide by. The thinking that committee members are ballot elected and as such should be accountable. You are representing people who vote for you, not just yourselves. It is not a private club or organization. Just like the legislature and congress – the votes are not secret and should not be.
@Greg – I saw former Mayor Cohen in the balcony level inside the auditorium.
@Joe Kaplan – how are members of the Democratic City Committee representing anyone but themselves? No one voted me onto the committee, I just went and signed a form to become a member. I think having to sign your ballot is ridiculous and clearly helps incumbents.
Emily – If you are a member of a ward, town, or city committee you are representing members of that locality. The “form” you signed is a nomination paper to be on the ballot to be elected by the voters. Unless, it was to fill a vacancy after the election but in that case you are still filling a seat on a committee that exists through election law. Even in cases of filling a vacancy, the number of voting members and term of office is set by actual election law. It is highly unusual, but slates in ward or town committees may face opposition in Presidential Primary ballots. I hope that my comments are not misunderstood as argumentative – I’m just trying to bring clarity that the reason for “signed” ballots (and this goes back to national Democratic reforms promoted by a Commission chaired by George McGovern) was in recognition that the committees are elective, transparent, and accountable – and not to be run as private clubs. I understand the concern that many have but if you look at it in context, there is strong rationale for signed ballots. And in any case, this is not the creation of Newton Democrats but rather the child of reform national Democrats going back many decades.