The state Democratic Party’s annual fundraising dinner is fast approaching, and the deadline to nominate party stalwarts for a slew of awards is arriving even sooner. The party is accepting nominations through Friday, Feb. 10, in four award categories, including a new honor that will be handed out for the first time this year, according to party officials.

The Colorado Democrats’ 84th Annual Dinner – it’s what used to be called the Jefferson Jackson Dinner until the state party ditched the name last year because of qualms about the presidential namesakes – will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 11, at the Denver Marriott City Center. The party’s state central committee convenes earlier that day at the same hotel in downtown Denver to conduct its biennial reorganizational meeting, including the election of the party’s chair, first and second vice chairs, secretary and treasurer.

While party officials have yet to announce this year’s keynote speaker, a leading Democrat told The Colorado Statesman last week that it’s a good bet the newly elected chair of the Democratic National Committee will be on hand. (The DNC elects its officers at the party’s winter meeting on Feb. 25 in Atlanta. Outgoing state party chair Rick Palacio is among nearly a dozen candidates seeking a vice chair position with the national party.)

Ticket prices to the dinner range from $150 to $10,000 for a table of 10 at the most generous level.

Last year, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Democratic presidential candidates still in the running for the nomination, both spoke at the dinner, held just a couple weeks before precinct caucuses. Speakers at previous dinners include Minnesota Sen. Al Franken, Texas Rep. Joaquin Castro, Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill and then-mayor of Newark, New Jersey, Cory Booker, who won a seat in the U.S. Senate a year later in a special election.

In addition to the keynote address, the dinner features awards given to the Democrat of the Year, the Rising Star, Volunteer of the Year, and – new this year – the Murphy Roberts Young Volunteer of the Year.

The new award honors Murphy Roberts, Steamboat Springs native, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 11 and developed an interest in politics after President George W. Bush vetoed stem cell research legislation, according to Democratic officials. He began volunteering regularly in 2008 at age 14 at the Routt County Democratic Party office, eventually knocking on thousands of doors in Routt and Eagle counties.

Murphy died last September at age 22, and Democratic officials say he volunteered as many hours as some of the party’s most active volunteers do over a much longer lifetime.

“This award is for young people like Murphy who choose to get involved in politics at a young age by knocking on doors, making phone calls, registering voters, and becoming active in their communities,” Beverly Benavidez Ryken, 1st vice chair of the state party, said in a statement.

Nominations for the awards may be submitted to Ryken via email at bryken@coloradodems.org .

Last year, the party named Roland Williams of Custer County as its Volunteer of the Year; then-House Majority Leader Crisanta Duran of Denver as the Rising Star; and Dr. Kathleen Ricker of El Paso County as the Democrat of the Year. Palacio named Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia the recipient of the Chair’s Award for Service.

– ernest@coloradostatesman.com