The Fifth District Democrats met in Chatham, Virginia on Saturday to elect 20 members to the State Committee of the Democratic party. The newly elected committee then elected officers for the next four years:

Chair is Fred Hudson of Albemarle County;
First Vice-Chair is Phillip Burnett of Henry County;
Second Vice-Chair is Aubrey Fane of Charlotte County;
Treasurer is Richard Koepsell of Fluvanna County;
Secretary is Lorene Martin of Martinsville.

In addition, the Fifth District Central Committee members elected are:
Sheila Baynes (Danville),
Cecil Bridgeforth (Danville),
Judy Duncan (Cumberland),
Will Harvey (Albemarle),
Connie Jorgensen (Charlottesville),
Josephine Marshall (Halifax),
Gwen McMillan (Brunswick),
Cheryl Oliver (Albemarle),
Christian Rikers (Lunenburg),
Virginia Lee Saunders (Pittsylvania),
Lloyd Snook (Charlottesville),
Margaret Thome (Buckingham),
Katherine Turner (Bedford County),
Earl Vaughn (Campbell),
Chapin Wilson (Nelson).

The Convention was held at the Chatham Circuit Courthouse Saturday, May 14. There were 156 delegates in attendance and several alternates, some of whom were moved into delegate status so they could vote [in the place of] delegates who were absent.

Meredith Richards was elected permanent chair to the convention and Carol Black was elected secretary.

The election of new officers became necessary when many of the outgoing officers chose not to run for the committee for another term. The outgoing officers, who were given a round of applause for their long service to the committee, were: Chair-Carl U. Eggleston; Raymond W. Mitchell-First Vice-Chair; Sheila Baynes-Second Vice-Chair; Agnes D., Anderson-Treasurer and Carol W. Black-Secretary.

Al Weed introduced a resolution regarding the United States involvement in the wars in Iraq and Afganistan, which was approved.

The election of the State Committee members was decided on the first ballot and the Convention was adjourned in mid-afternoon with many delegates going to a well-deserved, late lunch afterward.

Richard Koepsell (electronic mail, May 16, 2005)