The numbers are in

According to The Richmond Times-Dispatch, Virginia Democrats now know how many delegates we will have at the national convention in 2008.

The Democratic Party of Virginia will send 103 delegates and 14 alternates to the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver on Aug. 25-28.

The delegates will be allocated on the basis of the results of the Democratic presidential primary in Virginia next Feb. 12.

Amy Reger, executive director of the state party, said 54 delegates and 11 alternates will be elected at congressional district conventions in May of next year. An additional 20 at-large delegates, 11 party leader and elected official delegates and three alternates will be elected at the state convention next June, she said.

Eighteen of the 103 delegates are automatically allocated to party leaders.

This is one of the many reasons why I encourage people to get involved with the local committees. The ability to participate in the decision-making process is severely limited without it. Being unhappy about the way the party is run is not enough. Griping about it on the blogs is not enough. Working your butt off to help elect a single candidate is not enough.

You can’t stand on the outside, throwing rocks, and be a force for change. Change comes from within. So, hold you nose if you have to, and get to those local committee meetings.

Norfolk meets tonight at 7pm at the Fire and Training Center, on the corner of Granby and Thole Streets. (1st Wednesday of each month)

Virginia Beach also meets tonight at 7pm at the Virginia Beach Central Library.

Portsmouth meets tomorrow night at 6pm at the Portsmouth Circuit Court, Courtroom #1, 601 Crawford St. (1st Thursday of each month)

Chesapeake meets next Thursday, May 10, at 7pm at the Major Hillard Library, N. George Washington Highway.