As the 2020 General Election approaches, political organizations are getting ready for a year of campaigning and spreading the word about their candidates and their positions, and in Carter County, the Democrats are preparing themselves.

The Carter County Democrats held their Biennial Reorganization Convention this past weekend.

Democrat representatives gathered in the Elizabethton Star’s Conference Room Saturday, March 30, to vote on new board members, as well as an executive committee.

“The state has asked us to try to elect members to the executive committee,” Chairperson Kristi Carr said. “We ideally need one man and one woman.”

The debate on procedure launched immediately, as members were quick to point out the scarcity of numbers. With 15 members in attendance Saturday, they technically did not have enough people in attendance to vote in everyone they needed.

“Rather than electing at large, let’s go through the districts and see who is willing to serve,” Carr said.

Most everyone in attendance ended up on the executive board at the end of the meeting, including U.S. Representative candidate Chris Rowe, who will serve on the board from the first district alongside Carr. The group was not able to vote in all 16 slots, though there was discussion about the possibility of voting on people not in attendance.

Other elections included the general board. Carr will continue to serve as chairperson, serving alongside Ryan Bitner as Treasurer, Jessica Bitner as Secretary and Valerie Grill as Vice Chair.

A follow-up to last month’s meeting, the board discussed their failed attempts at modifying their bylaws to make their meetings more efficient. After a series of back-and-forth conversations on the matter, the organization voted to adopt the state’s version of the bylaws and swore in their new committee members using it.

Their next meeting does not have an official date just yet, though the board plans to meet either the first or second week of May. They will continue to meet in the Star’s Conference Room.

The Elizabethton Star holds its Conference Room as a meeting space for anyone in the community who wishes it. Those interested can set up a time with General Manager Delaney Scalf at 423-542-4151 or by stopping by the Star at 300 N. Sycamore St.