UPDATED MAY 31: Arlington Democrats are invited to attend an in-person caucus on Saturday, June 17, at 10 a.m. to elect 36 delegates and six alternates to the 2023 Massachusetts Democratic Convention. The location is the function room at the back of Donut Villa, 319 Broadway (formerly Common Ground). Democrats had previously scheduled a virtual caucus for June 1.

There will be a special guest: Gov. Maura Healey, will kick off the caucus at 10, welcoming local Democrats.

Registration in advance is not required, but attendees are asked to register in advance using this Google form >>

Nearly 60 Democrats in Arlington held a caucus Saturday morning, June 17, to elect delegates to the 2023 Massachusetts Democratic Convention. The caucus filled the function room of Donut Villa on Broadway.

Before the caucus began, Gov. Maura Healey spoke to the attendees, thanking Arlington for its support for her election last fall. Also speaking was Steve Kerrigan, newly elected chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, who encouraged Arlington Democrats to help elect Democrats in Massachusetts and across the country. State Sen. Cindy Friedman introduced the speakers and welcomed attendees.

Elected as Arlington's 13 delegates were Barbara Atkins, Robin Bergman, Lynn Bishop, Elinore Charlton, Maureen Crewe, William Gardiner, Guillermo Hamlin, Jennifer Litowski, Linda Magram, Pearl Morrison, Paul Schlichtman, Michael Watson and Edward Witham Jr.

At the Arlington Democratic Town Committee's April 11 virtual meeting, Aimee Coolidge stepped down from her role as cochair after 18 years at the helm of the committee. Once the election of officers was complete, she was then unanimously designated as the committee's first ever chair emerita, in honor of her many years of service as chair.

Beginning as chair in 2004, Aimee has given countless hours of her time in service to the Arlington Democratic Town Committee. She has worked to create an inclusive, positive and active Democratic Party in town, helping to make Arlington a progressive powerhouse and a stronghold of Democratic votes. Aimee organized many coordinated Democratic campaigns over the years, increased committee membership and connected the Arlington Democratic Town Committee to many other like-minded organizations across the Commonwealth.

More than 100 Democrats in Arlington held a virtual caucus Feb. 12 to elect 40 delegates and seven alternates to the 2022 Massachusetts Democratic Convention. Arlington elects one of the largest delegate slates in the state.

Before the caucus began, each of the Democratic candidates for statewide office addressed the attendees briefly, along with U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark.

Elected as delegates were Carole Allen, Lynn Bishop, Shane Blundell, Eric Bourassa, Francis Callahan, Christine Carney, Sonya Coleman, Aimee Coolidge, Maureen Crewe, Sue Doctrow, Catherine Farrell, Peggy Gardiner, Bill Gardiner, Gary Goldsmith, Amy Goldstein, Irwin Grossman, Kim Haase, Patrick Hanlon, Bill Hayner, Eric Helmuth, John Hurd, Alan Jones, Sonya Khan, Bill Logan, Linda Magram, Jane Morgan, Patti Muldoon, Scott Mullen, John Page, Judson Pierce, Jennifer Roderick, Paul Schlichtman, Ed Schwartz, Paulette Schwartz, Amy L. Slutzky, Susan Stamps, Dave Swanson, Rieko Tanaka, Michael Watson, and Steven Wofsy.

Alternates elected were Robin Bergman, Guillermo Hamlin, Christa Kelleher, Colleen Kirby, Jennifer Litowski, Jordan Weinstein, and Ed Witham.

UPDATED, Feb. 10: Two candidates for governor, Sonia Chang-Diaz and Maura Healey, spoke at the Arlington Democratic Town Committee virtual meeting on Monday, Feb. 7.

As many 76 people watched, including state Sen. Cindy Friedman and state Reps. Sean Garballey and Dave Rogers.

Many more candidates will speak briefly at the beginning of the Arlington caucus, set for Saturday, Feb. 12, to elect delegates to the state convention.

For information, go to arlingtondems.org/.

Deval Patrick

The Arlington Democratic Town Committee held a forum about strengthening Democracy and voting rights May 6 that featured former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and was moderated by Arlington author Steve Almond.

“Our democracy is itself broken. The way that we move ideas through debate and onto legislation is broken,” said Patrick, who addressed the importance of balancing organizing efforts at both the local and national levels. “It’s a false choice. You have to do both.”

He went on to contextualize the anxiety and despair that many Democratic voters have begun to feel in light of the political upheaval of the last four years. “That’s the way black people have been feeling for generations. Now everybody’s feeling that way.”

UPDATED, May 25: Democrats in Arlington held a caucus May 14 at the Robbins Library Community Room to elect delegates to the 2019 Massachusetts Democratic Convention.

Elected were Adam Badik, Robin Bergman, Maureen Crewe, Pauline Gardiner, Adam MacNeill, Pearl Morrison, Christine O'Connell, Paul Schlichtman, Paulette Schwartz, Marlene Silva, David Swanson, Stephanie Swanson, Alice Trexler, Jordan Weinstein and Edward Witham.

A Democratic wave at the Arlington caucus in Town Hall Feb. 10. / Stephanie Swanson photo UPDATED, Feb. 11: A crowd of nearly 160 in Town Hall Auditorium on Saturday, Feb. 10 elected 36 delegates to the 2018 state Democratic Convention.

Almost one-third were newcomers to local Democratic politics, and 20 voters changed their registration to Democratic to participate in the caucus. 

Elected as delegates were Carole Allen, Thomas Allen, Robert Ames, Robin Bergman, Lynn Bishop, Shane Blundell, Colin Bunnell, Eric Chung, Stuart Cleinman, Maureen Crewe, Mary Cummings, Joseph Curro, Christopher Dimeo, Susan Doctrow, Anne Ehlert, Catherine Farrell, William Gardiner, Jeffrey Goldberg-Zieger, Mel Goldsipe, Amy Goldstein, Irwin Grossman, Sharon Grossman, Camilla Haase, Adele Kraus, June Lipton, Jeffrey Maxtutis, Thomas Michelman, John Page, Judson Pierce, Jennifer Roderick, Paul Schlichtman, David Swanson, Stephanie Swanson, Rieko Tanaka, Robert Tosi and Sandra Vorce.

Registered Democrats in Arlington elected 37 delegates to the 2017 state party convention, as almost 100 people came to the caucus, believed to be an Arlington record for a non-nominating event.

"The response to a Trump presidency in Arlington has served as a launch pad for Democratic activism. I've not seen this kind of enthusiasm by so many people new to politics," said Aimee Coolidge, chair of the Arlington Democrats, in a news release. "We were thrilled at the turnout for our caucus as well as the expressed interest by so many others to become involved in our work."

Elected at the Feb. 11 caucus at the Senior Center were:

Adam Badik, Sidi Belkziz, Bruce Bergman, Robin Bergman, Lynn Bishop, Shane Blundell, Colin Bunnell, Stuart Cleinman, Maureen Crewe, Mary Cummings, Gregory Dennis, Wilford Durbin, Catherine Farrell, William Gardiner, Mel Goldsipe, Deborah Goldsmith, Naomi Greenfield, David Greenwold, Pamela Hallett, Gwenyth Hooper, Christa Kelleher, Troy Lintz, Jeffrey Maxtutis, Richard McElroy, Pearl Morrison, Amy Pearsall, Maura Pfeifer, Rebecca Riccio, Mark Rosenthal, Paul Schlichtman, Nancy Strong, David Swanson, Stephanie Swanson, Alice Trexler, Jordan Weinstein, Michael Welch and Lynn Wolfsfeld.

Coolidge will serve as an ex-officio delegate. Also serving as ex-officio delegates are Patricia Deal, Heather Fowles and James DiTullio, all of whom serve on the Democratic State Committee. Alternates are Vivian Berlin, Katie Garrett and Sandra Vorce. 

The caucus was open to all Democrats who are registered or preregistered in Arlington as of the day of the caucus. Delegates were divided equally between men and women, and all ballots were written and secret. 

The convention is scheduled for Saturday, June 3, at the Tsongas Arena, Lowell. Democrats from across the state will gather to vote on the party platform, discuss issues and participate in training on party building, electoral techniques and issue-based organizing.

For more information about the caucus or the committee, contact Aimee Coolidge at 781-646-5339, visit the group's website at www.arlingtondems.org or visit its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/adtcma. 

This news announcement was published Thursday, Jan. 19, 2017, and updated Feb. 17, with a news release