Parties Hold Nominating Conventions Online

In just one more way that life has been changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Democratic and Republican political parties are holding nominating conventions online.

Springtime in even numbered years, in Connecticut politics, is nominating convention time.

Nominating conventions are a time honored part of the democratic process in the United States. The gatherings of party activists are part decision-making and part rally.

The way they are conducted, and the way delegates who serve in them are chosen, has changed over the years, and differs from party to party and state to state, but the idea that activists gather together in a single room to decide party nominees or endorsed candidates has been a staple of American democracy for nearly two centuries.

But, with swift power, the coronavirus has forced that to change – at least for this year. Democratic and Republican parties have been holding nominating conventions online.

At the Democratic Party’s State Convention, delegates elected Democratic National Committee members and Democratic State Central Committee members and nominated candidates for Presidential Elector in online voting in the morning. In the afternoon, party leaders announced the results of the voting and delegates listened to rallying speeches.

Democrats held their nominating convention for the Fifth Congressional District, the district representing New Britain, online yesterday, May 11, 2020. Delegates unanimously nominated United States Representative Jahana Hayes for re-election.

Republicans are to hold their Fifth Congressional District convention online, as well, on May 14th.

Republicans will hold the Sixth State Senatorial District Convention online on May 18th, and are widely expected to re-nominate Sen. Gennaro Bizzarro (R-6).

Republicans will hold their State Representative nominating conventions online on May 19th for the Twenty Second Assembly District and the Twenty Fourth Assembly District. Republicans are widely expected to renominate Rep. William Petit (R-22) in the 22nd District, which mostly represents Plainville.

The Democrats’ state legislative conventions are on opposite days from the Republicans.

The Democratic state representative conventions are on May 18th online. The Democratic Twenty Fourth Assembly District Convention is expected to feature a choice for delegates between the City Council Democratic leader, Ald. Manny Sanchez (D-AL) and Democratic activist Richard Lacourciere.

The Twenty Fourth Assembly District represents neighborhoods in New Britain, from the West End, through the Willow Brook neighborhood and the southern East Side, to the southwest corner of Newington.

On May 19th, delegates to the online Sixth State Senatorial District Convention are widely expected to nominate State Representative Rick Lopes (D-24) for the Senate seat that represents New Britain, Berlin and part of Farmington.

Lopes’s candidacy for Senate has created the open seat election in the Twenty Fourth Assembly District.

The Twenty Fifth District, represented by Rep. Bobby Sanchez (D-25) and the Twenty Sixth District, represented by Rep. Peter Tercyak (D-26th) are entirely within New Britain. As single city districts, nominations for those seats are held by party town committees.

The Twenty Fifth Assembly District represents neighborhoods including the Mount Pleasant, Arch area, downtown and North-Oak Neighborhoods, and parts of the East Side and Belvedere neighborhoods.

The Twenty Sixth Assembly District represents neighborhoods including the Broad Street, Farmingdale, Little Warsaw, Alexander Avenue, Batterson Pond, Brittany Farms and Stanley park areas and parts of the Belvedere neighborhood.