2025 CT DSA Steering Committee Elections
Interested in stepping up to a leadership position within the chapter? We are currently accepting candidates for Connecticut DSA's Steering Committee for the 2025-2026 term.
The submission of nominations will be open between April 25 and May 20, 2025.
Nine (9) chapter officer positions are open, plus up to two (2) branch reps per branch:
- Two (2) co-chairs - public leadership of the chapter, responsible for convening and presiding over steering committee and general membership meetings
- One (1) treasurer - responsible for managing chapter funds, reimbursement requests, fundraising and the creation of a yearly chapter budget
- One (1) secretary - manages the membership list, chapter correspondence and inquiries, and note- and minute-taking for both the steering committee and general membership meetings
- One (1) membership coordinator - responsible for the proactive recruitment, retention and development of new DSA members, with a particular emphasis on expanding our base in the multi-racial working class
- Four (4) at-large members - assist the other officers in the fulfillment of their responsibilities and the coordination and growth of the Chapter, Branches, Working Groups, Committees, and other formations.
- Two (2) branch reps per branch - each chartered branch may elect up to two steering committee representatives, one automatically and a second at 50 members. Current branches are New Haven, Bridgeport, Middletown and Hartford. The merging chapters Western CT and Quiet Corner may also hold elections if they are able. Only branch members may vote for branch steering representatives.
If you are interested in running, please fill out this form to provide information about yourself to the broader membership including why you think you would be a good candidate for the Steering Committee. You can read in detail the responsibilities of each position on our bylaws, as reviewed and subject to approval by the national DSA.
Steering Committee Elections Process & Eligibility
- Any member in good standing of a local may run for a Steering Committee position.
- CT DSA will use an STV method in order to conduct their election.
- CT DSAs nomination period shall close on May 20th. During our Chapter Convention (May 31st), we will hold candidate panels and give members a chance to ask questions to candidates.
- The day after our Chapter Convention, on June 1st, Electronic Ballots will be sent out to members eligible to vote. Ballots will remain open until June 6th.
What follows are some general questions and answers around the Steering Committee seats and elections:
Q: What is the Steering Committee?
A: The Steering Committee (SC) is a group of chapter members who are elected by the membership at-large to be responsible for administration, facilitation, and oversight of the general chapter operations. This includes scheduling and facilitating regular chapter meetings, coordinating campaigns and organizing projects, and lending support to various chapter branches and committees. Steering Committee members are elected to a term of one year, and are subject to re-election at yearly chapter conventions.
Q: How many seats are there? What does "At-Large" mean?
A: The Steering Committee is composed of two different types of seats: "Officers" and "Branch Representative". There are nine (9) "Officer" seats; these are seats eligible to anyone in membership regardless of where in the state you live or whether you belong to a particular branch. "Branch Representatives" are seats allocated to and elected by each of our branches and apportioned based on the membership size of each branch. Only branch members may vote for their Branch Reps, while all members vote for at-large officers.
Q: Can you run for or hold multiple seats at once?
A: No, you may only hold one seat at a time. You may change the seat you are running for by alerting the election runners or interim steering committee.
Q: Who is eligible to run for an "Officer" seat?
A: Anyone can run who is a dues-paying member of the national Democratic Socialists of America organization, lives in Connecticut in the region of the Connecticut chapter and is willing to commit the portion of their time and labor required to fulfill their leadership duties. Generally, these duties require at least a few hours a week, or several days a month, in terms of time commitment.
Q: Are there assurances that the members elected to the Steering Committee will actually reflect the diversity of the working class?
A: Yes, our chapter bylaws require that not all officers be cisgender men, and we actively encourage members from minority ethnic or national backgrounds to consider submitting their candidacy.
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