How does California actually get candidates who run for elections and who, when elected, will affect our daily lives in profound ways? It’s both a democratic and a sausage-making process.
But there’s a way we can impact the election process at the local level. Here is an example of how both major parties, Democrats and Republicans, recruit candidates and focus on issues that will, hopefully, represent voters’ interests in general elections.
The California Democratic Party (CDP) Bylaws provide that an Assembly District Election
Meetings (ADEMS) be held in each of the 80 California Assembly Districts in January of each
odd-numbered year to elect 7 “self-identified female” and 7 “other than self-identified female” to
be Assembly District Delegates (ADDs) to represent the Assembly District they are registered in.
These elections are open to all registered Democrats in California.
Assembly Delegates vote and conduct Party business at the yearly State Convention and
Executive Board meetings, including:
- Establishment of the official CDP Platform and CDP Resolutions
- Vote for Party Endorsements for partisan legislative and statewide offices in California
- Vote for Positions on Ballot Propositions
- Election of Party Officers: Chairman, two Vice-Chairs, Secretary and Controller
- Election of 16-25 Regional Directors who function as liaisons between the CDP, County Central Committees, and Democratic Clubs
Learn more at:
adem.cadem.org
How to Vote in ADEM 2021
Due to the pandemic, the ADEM elections will be conducted via mail-in voting this cycle.
Request your ballot online
here
or via a dedicated phone line (916-442-5707).
ADEM Voting Process and Key Dates:
- Registered Democrats can request their mail-in ballot online from now until January 11.
- Once you submit the ballot request form, a confirmation code will be emailed to you that you will need to save this code and enter on your ballot once you receive it in the mail. Ballots will begin being mailed out the first week of January and you should receive your ballot in the mail by January 15.
- Complete your ballot by voting and mailing it out as soon as possible after you receive it.
- All ballots must be received by the Party in their PO Boxes no later than January 27.
In California, Republicans in each county elect a committee to oversee party activities at the local level. These committees are known as “County Central Committees.” Party activities include recruiting candidates, voter outreach, voter registration drives, coordinating volunteer activities, and fundraising. As in other counties, San Francisco Republicans elect a delegation to govern the San Francisco Republican Party (SFGOP). Delegates are elected every 4 years, during the Presidential Primary in California. The SFGOP delegates are elected by Assembly District. There are two Assembly Districts in San Francisco: Assembly District 19 and Assembly District 17. Eleven Republicans are elected from Assembly District 17, and 14 are elected from Assembly District 19. The last SFGOP delegation was elected on June 7, 2016. Republicans elected on that date took office in January, 2017. They do not appear to be holding these elections online. To find out about the 2021 election, you can contact the party at this link: