Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee District 16
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DUTIES: The Democratic County Central Committee directs the day-to-day operations of the local Democratic Party. The Central Committee recommends candidates to the Governor to fill vacancies in the General Assembly when a democratic Delegate or Senator from Montgomery County resigns or dies in office and to fill vacancies at the County Board of Elections and certain other county agencies. County Committee members also are members of the State Democratic Central Committee, which in turn helps choose the leaders of the Democratic National Committee. County Democratic Central Committee members are elected locally by registered party members.HOW ELECTED: Registered Democrats elect two members from each of the eight state legislative districts wholly in the County. Democratic County Central Committee policy requires that membership cannot be more than 50 percent male, female, or non-binary. A voter can cast no more than half of their votes for any gender.TERM: Four years, no term limit. SALARY: None. WEBSITE: mcdcc.org
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Bama Athreya (Female)
(Dem)
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Jim Michaels (Male)
(Dem)
SPECIAL ELECTIONS: When a vacancy occurs in the General Assembly, the party Central Committee appoints someone to complete the rest of the term. Do you support special elections to fill these vacancies?
GENERAL ASSEMBLY VACANCIES: What criteria will you use to choose a person to fill a vacancy in the Maryland General Assembly?
MOTIVATION: Why do you want to serve on your party's Central Committee?
VACANCY SELECTIONS: How can you ensure that your appointment decisions serve the best interest of the community when filling vacant positions?
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Campaign Phone
202-422-4614
I support the bill introduced by our Montgomery County legislators to allow vacancies in the General Assembly to be filled by elections instead of appointments. That bill would amend the Maryland Constitution. If enacted by the legislature, the amendment would be on the ballot for voters’ approval. Under the bill, appointments would still be needed to fill vacancies temporarily until an election is held, so that we are not underrepresented during the legislative session.
I was first elected in 2022 and we’ve filled 7 vacancies since then. Appointments involve a public trust and are the most important responsibility of the position. I’m proud of the choices I made. I prioritize experience and actions as measures for assessing the ability to achieve results. I prefer candidates with a history of community engagement, policy making and public service. I consider whether they have a history of earning public confidence as someone likely to be an effective leader.
There has never been a more important time to contribute to the Democratic Party’s success. After being elected to the Committee in 2022, I’ve chaired its Rules Committee, the Finance Committee and also the Ballot Questions Committee. I serve on the MD Democratic Party’s Rules & Bylaws Committee. I joined the 2024 Maryland Harris-Walz Campaign team. I chair the County’s Charter Review Commission. I choose to volunteer locally after a career as a senior official and attorney in a federal agency.
I will continue the practices I used during my first term. I offer each applicant the opportunity to meet with me one-on-one to discuss their candidacy, their experience, and their reason for seeking the appointment. I ask them questions that target areas not covered by traditional resumes which focus on positions they held. I rely more on past achievements than future promises. When possible, I talk to other people in the community who have observed them in action.
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