Marisa Richmond has become Tennessee’s first openly transgender person to win an election in the history of the State of Tennessee.

Richmond won 99.7% of the vote in the Feb. 5 election to become the Davidson County Democratic Committeewoman to represent District 23. Richmond received more than 1,800 votes, while a write-in candidate received six votes.

Richmond is also a candidate to be a delegate to the Democratic National Convention this summer in Denver. The selection begins officially this weekend (Feb. 9) in 95 separate County Conventions.

"I have officially declared my candidacy to be a delegate pledged to Senator Hillary Clinton, but if you live in the 5th Congressional District, you are eligible to vote for me regardless of who you supported in the primaries,” she said in an email to supporters. “. … now begins the process of selecting the individuals to fill those positions. The 2004 Democratic National Convention had several out GLBT delegates, seven of whom were transgender. I want to see Tennessee be part of an even larger GLBT, and especially transgender, caucus in 2008 in Denver.”

The voting that takes place on Saturday, Feb. 9 will allow each county to hold a convention to select delegates to attend the Congressional District Conventions. Each county will be assigned a number of delegates for each presidential candidate based on the results of the February 5th primary.

5th District County Convention locations are:

Cheatham County
Prime Trust Bank, Denny Room (2nd Floor)
310 South Main Street
Ashland City
Doors open at 11am
Convention starts at 12 Noon

Davidson County
IBEW Union Hall, Local 429
2001 Elm Hill Pike
Nashville 37210
Doors open at 11am
Convention starts at 12 Noon

Wilson County
Old Schoolhouse Building
Wilson County Fairgrounds
Lebanon
Doors open at 11am
Convention starts at 12 Noon

Delegates elected at the County Democratic Conventions will then attend the Congressional District Conventions on Saturday, February 23rd at 12 noon (CST) or 1 pm (EST).

Only delegates elected at the County Democratic Conventions will be eligible to attend the Congressional District Conventions. Each Congressional District will be assigned a number of delegates for each presidential candidate based on the results of the February 5th primary.

The 44 Delegates and 7 Alternates will be selected at the Congressional District Convention will compromise the majority of Tennessee’s National Convention Delegation.

The final Congressional District Conventions will be held on Saturday, February 23.  The 5th Congressional District Convention will be at:

IBEW Union Hall, Local 429
2001 Elm Hill Pike
Nashville 37210
Doors open at 11am
Convention starts at 12 Noon

15 At-Large Delegates and 4 Alternates will be selected by the State Democratic Executive Committee during their meeting on March 8th, 2008.