Third Congressional District Candidate Forum in Littleton

The Littleton Town Democratic Committee in collaboration with Westford Indivisible recently held a forum in the Couper Room of the Reuben Hoar Library with three of the candidates running for the Third Congressional District to replace retiring Representative Niki Tsongas. The three candidates – Barbara L’Italien, Dan Koh, and Bopha Malone – are among thirteen Democratic candidates vying for this congressional seat by first winning the September 4^thDemocratic Primary. The last time this district experienced such a large field of candidates was in 1976 when current Senator Ed Markey won the primary for representative in a 12-person field. Many of the current candidates cite the results of the 2016 election as the motivating force behind their decisions to run for office.

Since the end of last year the candidates have been appearing individually and in small forums in towns and cities around the Third District attempting to distinguish themselves from each other. The forum in Littleton was an opportunity for the audience of twenty-five to hear first-hand the views and proposals of the three candidates.

Barbara L’Italien is currently a State Senator from Andover and one of only two elected officials in the field. Senator L’Italien noted her record of constituent services in a district of broad diversity. She led the fight in the State House for marriage equality and, as a parent of an autistic child, ran a successful campaign to secure medical coverage for people along the autism spectrum and those with intellectual disabilities.

Dan Koh was a former chief of staff for Mayor Marty Walsh and left the position to run for office. He emphasized his success in addressing constituent concerns in the Walsh administration. He spoke about this country’s past in welcoming immigrants, such as those in his family, and the need to return to a nation of inclusiveness.

Bopha Malone from Lowell is a bank vice president. She spoke about her past as a Cambodian refugee and the many opportunities she was given in this country to become a successful business person and live the American Dream. She regretted that the existence of extreme inequality in the country is now preventing many people from attaining that Dream.

Whichever Democrat wins the prize on September 4th, he/she will face Republican Rick Green, a Pepperell businessman, in the general election in November 2018.

Littleton Democrats Elect Delegates to State Convention

Registered Democrats in Littleton recently participated in a caucus to elect delegates to the 2018 Massachusetts State Democratic Convention.  

Caucus participants elected five delegates and four alternates, which included Helen Bailey, Katie Carruth, Rob Hueston, Anna Hueston, Grant Marley, Bartlett Harvey, Linda Taricano, Gretchen Webster and Mark Tervo. In addition, the chair of the Littleton Town Democratic Committee at the time of the convention will attend as an ex-officio delegate.

The Convention will be held at the DCU Center in Worcester on June 1^st and 2^nd where delegates will vote to determine which statewide candidates will be on the Democratic ticket in the 2018 Primary Election in September. This includes candidates for governor as well as other Constitutional officers such as secretary of the commonwealth, attorney general, treasurer and auditor. In each race the candidate receiving a majority vote of the Convention delegates will be the endorsed candidate of the Democratic Party. Candidates receiving at least 15% of the delegates’ votes at the Convention also qualify to appear on the September primary ballot along with the endorsed candidate.

The caucus was well attended and included, in addition to the voting participants, several candidates and their surrogates seeking signatures for their nomination papers and the opportunity to introduce themselves to the attendees.

The Littleton Town Democratic Committee meets quarterly at the Town Offices Building with sub-committees meeting on an ad-hoc basis. For more information on the town committee please contact Jane Chrisfield at 978-486-4419 or check out the committee’s website at www.littleton-dems.org. For general information on the Convention, visit the Democratic State Party’s website at MassDems.org

February Quarterly Meeting 2/3/2018

The Democratic Town Committee will hold its quarterly meeting on 2/3/2018 in Room 103 of the Town Offices building, 37 Shattuck St., immediately following the end of the caucus at the same location.

Littleton to Elect Delegates to Democratic State Convention

Registered Democrats in Littleton will hold a caucus on 2/3/2018 at 1:00 PM in Room 103 of Town Offices Building, 37 Shattuck Street to elect delegates and alternates to the 2018 Massachusetts Democratic State Convention. 

This year’s convention will be held June 1-2 at the DCU Center in Worcester, where thousands of Democrats from across the state will come together to endorse Democratic candidates for statewide office, including Constitutional Officers and governor.

The caucus is open to all registered and pre-registered Democrats in Littleton. Pre-registered Democrats who will be 18 by September 18, 2018 will be allowed to participate and run as a delegate or alternate. Littleton will elect 5 delegates and 4 alternates.

 Youth, minorities, people with disabilities and LGBTQ individuals who are not elected as a delegate or alternate may apply to be an add-on delegate either at the caucus or at www.massdems.org. 

Those interested in getting involved with the Littleton Town Democratic Committee should contact Jane Chrisfield at 978-486-4419 or visit the committee’s website atwww.littleton-dems.org.

December meeting 12/5

Our next meeting is Tuesday, 12/5 @ 7:30pm  in Room 230 of Town Offices building. We will be having a guest, Donna Patalano, 2018 candidate for Middlesex District Attorney. Marion Ryan is current DA.

We are attempting to get candidates for Congress to show up too. 

Town Committee meeting June 21

The Democratic Town Committee of Littleton will hold its quarterly meeting on June 21 at the Littleton Town offices. All are welcone.

Littleton Democrats Attend Massachusetts Democratic Party Platform Convention

On Saturday, June 3^rd, a Littleton delegation of six traveled to the Democratic State Convention in Worcester MA, joining more than 3000 party activists to vote on the draft of the 2017 Massachusetts Democratic Party platform. The platform is a statement of the party values and vision, and serves as a guide and focus for the party’s priorities for the next four years. Littleton delegates to the convention were elected at a caucus last February and included Anna Hueston, Irene Jackson, Linda Taricano , and Gretchen Webster. Also included in the delegation were two ex-officio delegates, Jane Chrisfield, Chair of the Littleton Town Democratic Committee, and Alex Pratt, State Committee member.

This year’s draft platform was considered to be the most progressive in recent history, having been shaped by testimony at numerous official and unofficial platform hearings across the state prior to the convention, including a combined Littleton/Boxborough hearing in Littleton. The passage of four amendments to the platform introduced by the progressive arm of the party pushed the platform even further left. Among the issues addressed by the amendments: a call to end for-profit prisons, prohibition on candidates accepting political contributions from fossil-fuel companies, student loan forgiveness, rank choice voting, and an Election Day holiday.

Delegates were obviously energized by the need to take a bold, principled stand against the regressive, backward policies of the Trump administration. Party officials noted that among the delegates attending almost 30% were first-timers who had never before attended a Democratic convention.

Delegates also voted on the party charter, which functions as the party’s “Constitution”. Two proposed amendments to the charter, which dealt with lowering the threshold for amending the charter and increasing the number of State Committee seats, were defeated.

Voting on eleven proposed resolutions was the last item of business for the delegates. Due to the late hour of the day all the resolutions were tabled and sent to a sub-committee for consideration.

Before voting began a roster of Democratic officials addressed the delegates. Speakers included Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, Congressman Jim McGovern, Secretary of State Bill Galvin, Attorney General Maura Healey, Treasurer Deb Goldberg, Auditor Suzanne Bump, Chair of Massachusetts Democratic Party Gus Bickford, and the three declared Democratic candidates for Governor in 2018: Setti Warren, Bob Massie, and Jay Gonzalez.

The Littleton Town Democratic Committee (LTDC) meets quarterly in Room 230 of the Town Offices Building. It focuses activities on the election of Democratic candidates for state and federal offices and is an advocate for programs that further the values and vision of the party platform. For further information contact Jane Chrisfield, LTDC chair, at jchrisfield1@verizon.net.