Each town and city has a town committee for each political party, which serves as the party’s local governing body. In January of 2010, a caucus (which is a meeting at which an official vote takes place) will be held (as it is each even-numbered year) which all registered party members in the community are eligible to attend. Those present choose the party’s town committee members. As a practical matter, most attendees at such caucuses are already members of the town committee or aspirants for the position.
Local by-laws establish the method by which each town committee selects delegates for conventions to nominate candidates for state and federal office. In May, 2010, a convention of these delegates will be held in Hartford to pick nominees for the major elected positions: at the state level, Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Comptroller; at the federal level, United States Senator and five Representatives to the Congress.
Balloting by the delegates (of which there will be over a thousand) continues until a candidate receives the support of a majority of those present, or the convention is adjourned without an endorsed candidate. The winner of the convention is the nominee of the party in the November elections unless challenged in a primary.
Any candidate who receives the support of 15% of the delegates at the convention or obtains the signatures of 2% of the registered party voters in the voting area involved is entitled to primary. The primary will be held in August, with the winner of the primary on the ballot in the November.