Anne Arundel Central Committee Seeks Applications for House Vacancy

Joseph Kitchen

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Young Democrats of Maryland

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4 min read

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Mar 22, 2020

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As a result of Delegate Alice Cain’s resignation from the Maryland General Assembly, I write to announce and outline the process the Anne Arundel County Democratic Central Committee (AACDCC) will follow to fill her seat. Please know, despite the conditions the COVID-19 outbreak has caused in our community, we will manage this process in a fair and extremely transparent manner. We ask for patience and understanding as we work to adjust norms.

Delegate Cain’s decision is highly respected — we have come to know her as a very prudent and measured community leader. In a very short period, her presence and work in the Maryland General Assembly, on behalf of her constituents in District 30 A and our entire state, has made a significant impact on the quality of lives for all Marylanders. We applaud her for her service to our community
and wish her the very best in her future endeavors.

The Appointment Process:
When a seat in the Maryland General Assembly becomes vacant, the local Central Committee of the party of the person who held the seat, will nominate an individual to the Governor to fill the vacancy. This process has been in place for many years and is not a new process. In fact, the Anne Arundel County Democratic Central Committee followed this same process just one year ago when filling the
District 30 Delegate seat vacated by the Late Speaker Busch.

Delegate Alice Cain is a registered member of the Democratic Party; therefore, the Democratic Party organization is given the responsibility of recommending a name to Governor Hogan for the seat. Our committee is made up of 13 elected members who were elected by registered Democrats on June 26, 2018. Per our Bylaws, our Committee also nominates at-large members to create a gender balance among the committee members. These at-large members are, legally, not permitted to vote to fill a vacancy in the General Assembly. The rules are clearly outlined in Maryland law, and our committee’s internal processes are laid out in our Bylaws and the Bylaws of the Maryland Democratic Party. The AACDCC will follow current law for this selection process.

When a vacancy in the House of Delegates or State Senate occurs, our committee has 30 days to submit a name to Governor Hogan for his review. Ultimately, it is Governor Hogan who will approve or reject the nominee.

We are required to allow at least a 14-day period to accept applications and a minimum of 24 hours to review applications before conducting interviews. To this end, we will be accepting applications from 12:00 a.m. Saturday, March 21, 2020 through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, April 11, 2020. Our Committee will review the submitted documents April 13th through April 15th and will interview candidates at a special meeting to be held Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 7 p.m. This meets state requirements.

If our Committee does not submit a name to Governor Hogan within 30 days of Delegate Cain’s March 18th resignation, he will be permitted to select any registered Democrat in district 30A to fill the seat without consultation of the Democratic Party.

Important dates and information:
Deadline to submit your application:
Saturday, April 11, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.

Materials required for submission:
Resume and a letter of interest explaining why you are interested in serving D30A for the remainder of Delegate Cain’s term.

Additional optional materials:
Members of the community may submit letters of support for their preferred candidate by 11:59 p.m.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020. The applicant listing will be posted on our website by 9:00 a.m. Monday, April 13, 2020.

Email all documents to: annearundeldems@gmail.com
• Applications received after 11:59 p.m. EST on April 11, 2020 will not be considered
• Letters of support received after 11:59 p.m. on April 14, 2020 will not be forwarded to Central Committee members

Applicant Requirements:
• Must be 21 years of age or older
• Resident of Maryland for at least one year prior to April 18, 2020
• Resident of legislative District 30A for at least 6 months prior to April 18, 2020
• Candidates must be registered voters in the Democratic Party

Interview Process:
Candidates will be interviewed by our Committee. The members of our Committee will review the resumes, letters, and other documents ahead of the meeting. Each candidate will be given equal time for the interview process.

Meeting Date and Time:
Thursday, April 16, 2020 at 7 p.m.

Meeting Location:
The meeting will be held at our regular meeting location:
Village Commons Community Center
1326 Main Chapel Way
Gambrills, MD 21054

Public Participation:
Our meeting will be open to the public, subject to COVID-19 restrictions. Members of the public are welcome to attend and watch the interview process and the voting process through streaming or online services that will be made available. Please watch for more information. Our Committee member’s votes will also be posted in our minutes for public review. Due to COVID-19 concerns, there will be no public comment at this meeting. Questions and letters of support or concerns should be emailed to our Committee by 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, 2020.

Questions? Comments?
Please email them to annearundeldems@gmail.com