2010-2011 Election Information

• The Cornell Democrats Executive Board members shall be elected for annual terms.
• All Executive Board positions shall be open to all members of Cornell Democrats. Any member (anyone who has attended at least three meetings in a year) who submits his or her intention to seek office to the election manager of the Cornell Democrats at least one week before the election shall be a valid candidate and treated equally with other candidates, so long as said member follows other publicly available election rules.
• All members of the Cornell Democrats may vote in Executive Board elections. The winners of the elections shall be the candidate who receives the majority of votes for each position.
• If there are more than two candidates for a position and no candidate receives more than half of the total votes, then there must be an immediate revote in which only the two candidates who have received the most votes are eligible candidates. The winner of this revote is the new officeholder.
• The election manager shall be the President of the Cornell Democrats, if the President is not a candidate in the election. If the President is a candidate, the manager shall be the senior executive board member who is not a candidate. The election manager shall manage elections subject to the restrictions of this Constitution.
• All candidates for office shall have the right to speak to the general membership during the election meeting before voting. Maximum speaking times are to be set by the election manager, and may not be less than three minutes for any officer position and five minutes for the office of the President.
• Each candidate for an office may take questions from the general membership after giving their speech during the election meeting. The election manager may set a maximum time for questions.
• After all candidates for an office have spoken to the group and answered questions, they must leave the room so that members can discuss privately.
• The election manager may require all candidates to formally declare their candidacy, or submit a written statement to be sent to the group, so long as all such requirements are declared to the entire membership at least seven days before the election and there are no requirements that candidates must fulfill within two days of said announcement.
• Voting shall be by secret ballot, with the exact method determined by the President with the approval of a majority of the Executive Board.
• All candidates may see vote totals and review ballots after the election should they so request.
• The new elected officers shall assume office immediately after the election meeting is concluded.

Candidates

President

Terry Moynihan

Hey everybody, my name is Terry Moynihan, I’m a Junior Math/Government major, and I’m running for President of the Cornell Democrats.

I’ve been an active member of the Dems since the start of my freshman year at Cornell, when I took part in a campaign trip to New Hampshire for the presidential primary and was on the planning committee for the year’s CDNY convention, which we hosted. At the end of my freshman year, I was elected as Director of Public Relations, and I served in that position last year. During the election year I participated in numerous campaign trips for both the Obama campaign in Pennsylvania, and Eric Massa for Congress (if elected, I promise to do my best to find candidates who don’t sexually harass their staffers). This year I’ve served as the club’s treasurer, and have been responsible for our bank account, the SAFC budget (along with Mike), room reservations, the occasional Facebook event, and various miscellaneous Dems tasks throughout the year.

In addition to my experience with the club, I have substantial outside political experience that I believe will prove useful to the club next year in the 2010 elections. I got my start in the 2006 elections, working as an intern for the Minnesota Democratic Party and Senator Amy Klobuchar and Congressman Tim Walz. I interned again with Congressman Walz in the summer of 2008, worked in his DC office in summer 2009, and this summer I will work as an intern in Senator Gillibrand’s DC office. I have extensive experience recruiting and training volunteers from these jobs, which will come in handy in planning for our campaign trips in the fall.

Our goal for next year must be to repeat the success we had in the fall of 2008, when we had almost 100 members participate in campaign trips to Pennsylvania and Central New York. We need to plan two or three major campaign trips, along with excursions to nearby congressional districts every weekend. We also need to mix campaign and social events. Campaigning together on Saturday afternoons and then partying together Saturday night helped create a tight-knit group that remained active that year. And also like 2008, I believe that voter registration drives should be a major part of our first semester agenda, which we need to plan over the summer so we can hit the ground running. After the campaign, we will continue our issue advocacy and aggressively pursue more speakers like Joan Walsh and Congressman Barney Frank.

Thanks for your consideration; I look forward to seeing all of you on Wednesday,

Terry Moynihan
Tmm87

Max McCullough

I am declaring my intention to run for President of the Cornell Democrats for the 2010-2011 academic year. I joined only this year, my sophomore year and first as a Cornell student, but I have deeply enjoyed being a part of the organization. I attend meetings regularly, am present at nearly every planning meeting, and, like all members of the Cornell Democrats, am passionate about liberal politics. While I haven’t had the time or the chances yet to occupy a position of leadership within the Cornell Democrats, I have experience as both a leader and organizer from my high school and prior college days. Running logistics for performing ensembles of 60 and 180 individuals, leading a Quiz Bowl team to a state-ranked finish, and putting together and managing trips ranging from math team competitions, fencing meets, and week-long camping trips; while I may not have proven myself as a leader of the Cornell Democrats yet, these experiences have given me the skills to lead our organization efficiently and effectively.

The fall of 2010 promises to be a harrowing time for Democrats across the country, and our organization is poised to make a difference in as many races as we will have time to contribute to. Michael Arcuri, Kirsten Gillibrand, and possibly Andrew Cuomo will all face challenging elections this year, and these are just some of the races we could involve ourselves in. In addition to campaigning heavily for Northeastern Democrats in hot water, we need to work especially hard on registration and get-out-the-vote initiatives on campus. Midterms are always difficult for incumbents, but this is especially so when our incumbents rely so heavily on the youth vote. It is out principal obligation as a college Democrat organization to mobilize the on-campus, student voting bloc.

We also must try to attract new members and keep the ones who show up at the beginning of the year. While this certainly will be easier in an election year, when more opportunities for exciting trips and events will present then we will have time for, we must trip very hard to keep our membership engaged, informed, and attracted to our organization. Frequent electronic communications, updates on races in which we invest ourselves, and compelling speakers and weekly events can all help us to this end.

The tasks and hurdles that face us both as Democrats in general and as a college political organization more specifically are impressive. However, we have proven ourselves capable of working together, and with the resourcefulness and dedication of our membership, accomplishing the improbable is clearly possible. I do not believe I can do anything on my own. Rather, I feel that I can lend the leadership and persistence our organization will require to achieve its inherent potential, and that is why I am running for the Presidency of the Cornell Democrats. Thanks you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Max McCullough, 2012

Vice President

Andrew White

Hi everyone! My name is Andrew White and I am running to be your Vice-President next year. I am currently a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, majoring in History, Classics and Economics. I first got involved with the Cornell Democrats in the second semester of my freshman year, and have truly immersed myself over the past year. I helped organize Joan Walsh’s visit to Cornell a few weeks ago, an event that many people enjoyed. In addition to being a member of the Cornell Democrats, I have served on the executive board of the College Democrats of New York as the Region Chair for the Finger Lakes and I was recently elected Membership Director for the upcoming year.

2010 will be an extremely important year for Democrats across New York. There will be competitive elections at the local, state and national levels, which will be looking to us for help. We’ve all heard the predictions that this November will be something of a doomsday for Democrats. It is our job to make sure that those predictions do not come true. We have to develop a cohesive election strategy, be in constant contact with the various campaigns we choose to work with, and also have fun while doing it.

In addition, one key issue that must be addressed this year is that of membership. I expect that during the fall semester our numbers will be strong. After the mid-term elections however, we need to make sure that we sustain those numbers into the spring as well. This means having engaging speakers and activities and planning those events in the fall. In addition, we need to have membership drives (quarter carding, posters all around campus, and Facebook campaigns to name a few) to attract new members during both semesters.

I believe that next year can be one of the best that the Cornell Democrats have ever had. I hope to be able to make that a reality as your Vice President. Thank you so much for your time and I look forward to working with all of you next year!

Hallie Mitnick

I, Hallie Mitnick, am excited to run for Vice President of the Cornell University Democrats. This year, I've been lucky enough to serve as the Secretary for the Cornell Democrats, and I bring to the table both enthusiasm and experience. One of the ideas I have for next year is to conduct two date auction fundraisers, one in the fall and one in the spring. This year, I planned the date auction and have an established relationship with The Nines and some people we could auction off again next year. The fall date auction would serve two purposes. First would be to raise money for campaign trips, and second would be to engage new freshmen in a social activity other than Drinking Liberally. That leads me to my next point. In terms of campaigns, I think we should start with local canvassing in the Ithaca and Dryden area, and then move on to state-wide campaigning or out of state campaigning. This way, people can start off committing just a few hours before committing their entire weekend. For the fall semester, I'd like bring Professors Isaac Kramnick and Ross Brann to speak about their respective specialties. Additionally, I'd like to do some fun weekend activities, like the frisbee we just had, so as to engage new members. Also, I'd like to do a voter registration drive on North and West to make sure that we have as many Democrats on campus registered as possible. I hope that you will join me in these efforts to engage even more Democrats in the upcoming campaign season.

Paul Wincester

I am declaring my candidacy to be the next Vice President of the Cornell University Democrats. As a sophomore, I worked with other CU Democrats members to color East Stroudsburg Pennsylvania blue for Barack Obama. My experience during our weekend campaign trip was great, and the relationships I established during my trip were key to my desire to remain active in the organization after Obama’s election.

With my own experience in mind, I think it is important for us to take advantage of the recruitment opportunities that this election year brings. Specifically, I believe our organization should use this opportunity to find new ways to energize what is a largely liberal-leaning but politically dormant student body. Most of us are aware that there are “regulars” who attend both the meetings and the events, and the “occasional” members who may come out to one or two meetings or events per semester. Recognizing the busyness that is life as a Cornell student, the Cornell Democrats must ensure that even these “occasional” members remain engaged by emphasizing that our organization exists primarily to affect change. The reality is that a lot of current and potential members do not need the social opportunities provided by our organization, and while we should continue to plan and enjoy our various social events, we should place an even greater emphasis on individual engagement and campus coalition building during this election year. If we can convince various Cornell students and groups to work with us for worthwhile causes, I believe the social, "club"-like element of the Cornell Democrats will develop organically, and attendance of general body meetings will increase. All in all, I want to be instrumental in leaving The Cornell Democrats a better organization than it is now. I look forward to working with the future executive board and general body to do so, and I hope I will be able to do so as Vice President.

Director of Public Relations

Erin Szulman

My name is Erin Szulman and I am running for Director of Public Relations. I have been a member of the Cornell Democrats since the first week of my freshman year. I got involved working voter registration drives and dorm storms on north campus, and quickly realized the value of being a part of the Cornell Democrats. One of my greatest strengths is networking and connecting with other groups on Cornell's campus, and I want to bring that to the Democrats. As Director of Public Relations, I plan on

1) Tapping into the excitement of the midterm elections to increase participation in weekly meetings and events for the 2010-2011 school year. Specifically speaking, I would hold a "bring a friend to the Cornell Democrats meeting" and hold an introductory talk about Congress, democratic participation, or political media;

2) Increasing relations with other clubs (like CIPAC, Cornell Student Society for Public Health, Americans for an Informed Society, etc) in traditional and potentially unconventional manners (like cosponsoring events with the Cornell Daily Sun or having a joint Drinking Liberally). I would also tap into the resources of departments on campus (Government, PAM, ILR), specific institutes (the Political Theory Workshop, the Public Service Center, the Cornell Death Penalty Project) or even branch out and fundraise for local efforts with other clubs (relevant to campaigning efforts, concerning issues like healthcare). I have strong working relations with a number of clubs on campus including the Student Assembly, The Cornell Daily Sun, and the Cornell International Affairs Review. We should also work with surrounding college chapters for joint campaigning or to organize speaker visits;

3) Using new technologies like Twitter to gain followers and connect with other clubs to co-promote relevant events;

4) Collaborating with the Cornell-in-Washington center to get speakers, or learn of opportunities to get involved in on Ithaca’s campus, and

5) Enhancing political discussion on campus by publicizing the content on our website more, or writing a letter to the editor at the Sun occasionally.

As former Vice President for Public Relations and Events Planning Committee Chair for the Cornell International Affairs Society (CIAS), I’ve already had firsthand experience with PR. I planned a schedule of events for the year and maintained active relations with over 10 organizations on campus. By collaborating with other groups, we were able to produce greater events on campus.

I have a deeply seeded interest in the Democratic cause, and feel like the Cornell Democrats has an important place in my life and the lives of all Cornell students.

Jessie Palmer

I would like to be director of Public Relations because I want to be able to actively engage my fellow Cornellians in Cornell Democrats. While at college, we have the unique opportunity to interact and discuss viewpoints with Democrats from all over the country. I think as a club we need to increase vigor and interest in political events and activities.

In high school I was president of Amnesty International, a club which required complete revitalization. Over the course of the year, we doubled regular membership and got more than half the student body to participate in various club events. Additionally, I worked as Features editor of my school paper; a role which required active engagement with the students in order to choose article topics which pertinent and interesting. In addition to those credentials, I believe I am qualified for the position because I have a strong interest in design and marketing; both of which would help in packaging and advertising Club events.

As we move towards November, I believe we will see a spike in membership participation. I believe it crucial that we capitalize on this increased interest and work on maintaining it after the election season ends. I want to work closely with the fellow Executive Board members on doing so in a unique and fresh way.

Director of Community Relations

Antonio Bermudez

I am declaring my intention to run for the position of Director of Community Relations for the Cornell Democrats. Although I have only been in the club for one year I feel that I have learned much that qualifies me to hold this position. Since, my first meeting in Cornell Democrats I have attempted to become as involved as possible in the organization. As a member, I immediately began attending the executive board planning meetings. I wanted to help steer the club in a direction I felt would benefit it. As soon as I heard about an opening on the executive board, I jumped at the opportunity to fill the position of Speaker’s Chair. And now next year, I would again like the opportunity to serve the Cornell Democrats.

After a year of executive board meetings, I have learned just how important it is for the Cornell Democrats to keep ties with the Cornell community, other Cornell organizations, and the regional Democratic parties. A close relationship with other organizations on campus can benefit your own group in many ways. For one, can help when bringing speakers. A close group can help the Cornell Democrats bring a hard-to-get speaker and/or cosponsor the speaker. Close relations with the Cornell community at large is necessary in promoting Democratic ideals on campus as well as convincing members of the Cornell community to vote in elections. Keeping close relations with the surrounding regional Democratic parties is also very necessary. Part of the DNC’s 50-State Strategy is getting Democratic candidates elected in every election. By working with the surrounding Democratic parties, the Cornell Democrats can help campaign for Democrats who may be fighting a tough election or re-election battle.

Next year is an election year for a hurting Democratic Party and this makes the job of Director of Community Relations even more important. As Director, I plan of building very strong ties with all the progressive groups on campus from COLA to Kyoto Now to the Cornell Progressive. My vision is to create a get-out-the-vote coalition with progressive groups on campus. By doing this we can multiply our influence on campus by having all the groups help us increase voter-awareness and the necessity to vote for Democratic candidates. Being a member of the Greek system at Cornell, I also plan on bettering the relations between the Cornell Democrats and the fraternities on Cornell. The Greek system is somewhere where the Cornell Democrats can do a large voter-awareness drive. By closely working with all the groups on Cornell as well as the local Democratic Parties, we can educate voters on the importance of voting Democratic and stop the Republicans from taking power back.

Sam Moss

Dear Cornell Democrat,

I hereby declare my candidacy for the Cornell College Democrats’ E-Board position of Director of Community Relations for the upcoming academic year.

Arriving at Cornell in last August, I found myself immersed in a quick paced environment: opportunities to grow, develop, and learn abounded. One such meaningful opportunity was Cornell Democrats. Participating in Cornell Democrats allowed me to make a difference and have an impact on intellectual discourse on campus, in no small part due to the current leadership’s devotion to transparency and outreach.

It is in this tradition that I seek the position of Director of Community Relations. As director I would collaborate with the local Democratic Party and liaison between Cornell Democrats and other student groups. On both counts I am well qualified. Actively partaking in various campus groups, the Cornell Progressive being one, I would be able to raise awareness as to Cornell Democrat events, spread word as to our mission, and bolster the memberships’ ranks. A resident of upstate New York, I am involved in the state’s Democratic Party and can bring my organizational knowledge of it to the table.

My platform is two-fold. First, I propose closer coordination with student groups. Specifically, Cornell Democrats would host speakers, semi-formals, and fundraising activities in conjunction with like student groups. I would have Cornell Democrats spearhead an effort to unite liberal student groups under an umbrella organization. In this manner the goals of Cornell Democrats and the Democratic Party would be furthered.

Second, I submit that increased dialogue with the local party would be in all of our interests’. Recruiting speakers, like Jay Jacobs and Barney Frank, through local Party affiliation, provides a great foundation moving forward. This progress can be built upon by ensuring better coordination with the local Party, such that we will be able to supply expertise and time to local officials’ campaigns and initiatives.

Only together, as Cornell Democrats, can we create a stronger organization more responsive to the needs of its members. It is imperative we work with peer student organizations and the local Party alike to implement the change we need, heading into a historic midterm election year.

Thanks for your consideration, and please feel free to contact me with questions or comments. Stay Blue!

Democratically Yours,

Sam Moss Candidate, Director of Community Relations

Secretary

Tony Montgomery

Hey there guys, I’m Tony Montgomery and I am declaring my intention to run for the office of Secretary for the Cornell Democrats. I’m a freshman, but I’ve been really involved in the planning and execution of a majority of the club’s activities this year. I’ve attended CDNY and participated in a financial debate, in addition to blogging and regular attendance.

Secretaries are really just in charge of organizing stuff, being punctual and keeping track of things. I take copious notes when necessary, and I have a penchant for details. I’m also very quick to respond to emails and what have you. I believe that as a freshman, I’m not quite ready for the responsibilities that come with a higher-level position. However, I want to be involved on the executive level because I want to acquire the experience necessary to facilitate a future run for higher office within the organization all while helping our group to grow stronger and more efficient in the upcoming year of midterm elections. My senior year will be the year of Obama’s re-election (knock on wood), and I want to be fully prepared to handle the responsibilities of President or Vice President should the opportunity present itself.

I like the way things are being run right now, with the transparency and everything. I’d just try to get more members in by having rec events and stuff. I think that in addition to (or in conjunction with) our Drinking Liberallys, we should have stuff like Cornell Dems 3-on-3 Hoop Showcase or Obama’s Waterloo Texas Hold ‘Em. People like that kind of stuff.

There were no nominations for Treasurer or Director of Information Technology.