It's a big year for the party, which dominates city elected offices: experienced members of both City Council and the School Board are retiring. And that has created a bit of drama as party members decide who they want to put on the ballot.

Democratic committees throughout the city have been holding their designation meetings this spring, and while several committees have yet to meet, some candidates have received enough votes to lock in their designation. Among them are candidates for three of the four City Council seats:

Still to be decided: the designation for the Northeast District City Council seat. The seat has been held by Ben Douglas, who recently resigned to accept a position in the Duffy administration. Two Democrats want to run for that seat: Lovely Warren, an attorney who is president of the Rochester Black Bar Association, and St. John Fisher professor Jim Bowers, a former Rochester School Board member.

The candidacies of Warren and Bowers have added some tension to the Democrats' designation process. Douglas's term wasn't to expire until December 31. His early resignation left a vacancy, and City Council will name someone to fill out his term soon. While Councilmembers are said to have not made a decision on this interim appointment, the Monroe Democratic Party has recommended that Council name Lovely Warren. That has prompted rumors that Douglas was persuaded to resign early from Council to give Warren an advantage in a race for a full term on Council.

Bowers says that if Warren is the party's nominee, he'll force a primary in September. Asked if she would run in a primary if Bowers is the party's choice, Warren's response was "no comment."

Both Warren and Bowers have some heavy Democratic backing. Warren is deputy counsel to State Assemblymember David Gantt; former Rochester Mayor Bill Johnson has agreed to serve as Bowers' campaign chair.

There was drama in the selection of Elaine Spaull for the East District seat, too. Three other Democrats were seeking the nomination: the city's former commissioner of parks and recreation, Loretta Scott; businessman Peter Buckley; and businessman Anthony Giordano. At the Eastside Democrats' designating meeting last week, Buckley surprised committee members by pulling out of the race and throwing his support to Spaull. Spaull received more than 60 percent of the committee members' votes. Giordano says he's still pursuing the seat. Scott did not return phone calls seeking a comment.

In the Democrats' selection process for four Rochester School Board seats, the field has narrowed from 14 to five --- although any candidates not designated could run in a primary in September if they collect enough signatures to get on the ballot.

Incumbent Malik Evans has received the most committee votes at this point, followed by Melisza Campos, general manager for the Dale Carnegie Rochester office; financial advisor Allen Williams; incumbent Willa Powell; and Keenan Allen, director of Pathways to Peace.

The remaining committee designation meetings will be held on April 26, May 3, and May 7. The party has its nominating convention on May 17.