Vote for Delegates to the California Democratic Convention at January 7th Election Caucuses.
Every two years, the California Democratic Party holds caucuses to elect delegates to the State Convention. Elected delegates get to vote on the Party’s platform and leadership, as well as on which candidates for state and national office should get the Democratic Party’s endorsement. Given that California is a heavily Democratic state, the Party’s endorsement can often propel a candidate into a win.
Generally, the only people who run for these positions are party insiders and supporters of politicians that sponsor a given slate. The traumatic failure of the Democratic Party nationwide, however, has propelled hundreds of progressives to run for these positions and try to transform the Democratic party from within. While in 2014, only 25 candidates ran for the 14 available seats in AD 18 – there are 64 such candidates now vying for those positions!
Candidates often organize themselves on slates. Elected officials sponsor some of these, with the understanding that the people running in those slates will vote to endorse them when they run for re-election or for higher office. Some sponsoring politicians, like Assemblymember Rob Bonta, go further and require their members of the slate they sponsor to “consult” with them as to all their votes. In previous elections, Bonta asked delegates elected through his slate to support former Assembly speaker John Perez for State Treasurer, despite the fact that Perez had no background on economics and no college degree, instead of far more progressive and well-educated candidate Betty Yee. Bonta also asked his delegates to vote to endorse then state Senator Alex Padilla for Secretary of State, despite his own former troubles with the Fair Political Practices Commission, instead of the far better qualified Derek Cressman, a voting rights advocate.
The following are the slates of reform-minded and independent candidates running in Alameda County. To vote, you must be a registered Democrat in the Assembly District where you go to vote (if you are not sure where that is, check here). If you are not a registered Democrat, you can register on site. There is a $5 donation requested from voters, but you can ask for a waiver for financial difficulties. Please note the location and time for the caucus.
You can find other Bay Area progressive slates here.
AD 15: Southwestern Contra Costa County/Northwestern Alameda County
Saturday, January 7, 2017
speeches: 11:30am, pick-up ballots: 12pm – 2:00pm
Albany Community Room at the Albany Library
1247 Marin Ave.
Albany, CA 94706
Democrats Rising slate:
Ben Choi; Richmond City Councilmember-elect; Urban Habitat Boardmember
Charlie Davidson; Environmental Justics Organizer; Medical Researcher
Hussain Gilani; Nephrologist and Chief Medical Advisor at Livzo, inc.
Alejandro Soto-Vigil; Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Commissioner; Legislative Aide, Berkeley City Council
Alex M White; Sanders Delegate; UX Designer & Documentary Filmmaker
Melvin Willis; Richmond City Councilmember; Community Organizer, Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment
Alfred Twu; Berkeley Zero Waste Commission Chair;Berkeley Student Cooperative Alumni Association Boardmember
Kori Anderson; Graduate student, Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley; E-board member, East Bay Young Democrats
Yelda Bartlett, Attorney; President, Berkeley Democratic Caucus
Christina Murphy; Berkeley Rent Stabilization Board Commissioner; Housing Coordinator, Berkeley Drop In Center
Seren Pendleton-Knoll; Program Director, Berkeley-Haas Center for Responsible Business; Commissioner and Policy Chair, Alameda County Human Relations Commission
Julia Schnell; Transit Planner, Western Contra Costa Transit Authority; Deputy Chair of Communications, Young Professionals in Transportation International
Joey Smith; Black Women Organized for Political Action (BWOPA) Richmond/Contra Costa Chapter, 1st VP; Tradeswoman/Water Conservation
Selina Williams; President, Hercules Democratic Club; CADEM E-Board Member 2015-2016
AD 18: Alameda, San Leandro and the Oakland Flats
Saturday, January 7, 2017
9:30AM speeches – pick up your ballot: 10AM – 12PM
Sheet Metal Workers Local 104
1720 Marina Blvd
San Leandro, CA 94577
The Groundswell Progressives slate
Eleanor “Ellie” Casson, former community organizer with Greenbelt Alliance and homeless rights activist.
Amber Childress, mom and newly elected Trustee on the Alameda County Board of Education.
Lisa (LaFave) Cysewski, a registered nurse, CNA member and veteran of the successful Campaign to Save San Leandro Hospital from closing
Gabrielle “Gaby” Dolphin, community activist in Alameda and Bernie Sanders delegate to the DNC
Pamela Harris activist, former Fullbright scholar and Oscar-nominated filmmaker
Rabia Keeble, Muslim political activist and author
Mara Schechter, Campaign Director at Daily Kos
Sean Dugar, former Western Regional Director for the NAACP and former Co-Founder and Chair of the California Young Democrats Black Caucus. Please also vote for Sean for E-board on separate ballot.
Michael Fortes, musician and Bernie Sanders delegate to the DNC
Mike Katz (Lacabe), Director of Research for the Center for Human Rights and Privacy and former San Leandro School Board member.
Carter Lavin, Climate Hawk and activist involved with the fights to Save Knowland Park, Stop the Domain Awareness Center, No Coal in Oakland, and expand bike lanes and transit options for Oaklanders.
Michael “Mike” Lee, Bernie Sanders volunteer
Jeromey Shafer, founder of San Leandro for Bernie and Bernie Sanders delegate to the DNC
Daniel “Dan” Wood, long time campaign volunteer and former state delegate
AD 20: Hayward, Union City, Unincorporated Alameda County and north Fremont
Saturday, January 7, 2017
9:30AM speeches – pick up your ballot: 10AM – 12PM
28870 Mission Blvd, Hayward
Fun Progressives Slate
Moira “Mimi” Dean, teacher in the San Lorenzo Unified School District and food justice activist.
Raisa Donato, Bernie Sanders delegate to the DNC
Michele Jenkins, Bernie Sanders volunteer
Jennifer Kassan, attorney and anti-money-in-politics activist.
Miki Nakamura, millennial inspired by Bernie Sanders
Diana Silva
Althea Weber
Frederic Morrison, Bernie Sanders campaign volunteer
Seth Rediker, US Air Force veteran and graduate student
Cullen Tiernan, US Marines veteran and former Bernie Sanders delegate to the DNC