The Proxy Problem

Amazingly, the hyper local Democratic County Committee has the potential to get even more local. Each Assembly District can form their own committee, organized in a similar format, which AD 52 did in the past year. We met in early 2019 to establish the district committee, electing a Chair and Secretary, but foregoing electing other standard officers, filling any standing committees or create new ones. The establishment of our District Committee was just a formality two accomplish two main points.

It is within the power of the party's county committee to appoint replacements of elected official, including state representatives that represent districts within the county. This actually happened a couple times in 2018. Elected officials who resigned were replaced by individuals chosen not by election or even by committee. The choice ultimately was made by the Democratic county chair. By establishing our AD Committee, the power transfers to us... or at least to those with the most proxies.

Filling seats in the county committee for our Assembly District is the second thing we accomplished that evening in January. If seats are vacant and people are nominated to fill them, we have the ability to simply appoint people to those seats without an election or signatures to get onto the ballot. Again, when I say we, I mean those with the most proxies.

Hold enough proxies, votes of members absent during a committee meeting, and you can begin to steer the direction of the committee and party unilaterally. I've described how the Democratic County Chair did this at my first County Committee meeting. Despite the hundreds of opposition votes in the room, Frank Seddio held enough proxy votes to tip the scale in his favor.

I saw the same happen in our district meeting, where one district leader held enough proxy votes to outnumber those who showed up. It was disheartening.

The proxies themselves are not the problem. Nor are those people who wield them. I appreciate that people live busy lives and making time for this volunteer gig is not the easiest. Being allowed to entrust another with you vote is a valuable option.

But the proxy becomes a power consolidating tool due to lack of engagement. If we the people don't care enough to show up, then we get no say in the decision making. So, I'll continue to show up.