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Every election your mailbox fills up with glossy political mailers informing you of the California Democratic Party\u2019s (CDP) endorsements. But if you\u2019re like the average John or Jane Dem, then you\u2019ve likely never wondered who within the party is actually doing the endorsing. A little digging though would show that the party\u2019s methods for selecting its endorsement body \u2014 the Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) \u2014 are far from the transparent, accessible processes you\u2019d expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thankfully the upcoming Assembly District Delegate (ADD) elections give you the chance to upend one part of that system. In doing so, you\u2019ll make the party\u2019s endorsements more reflective of everyday Dems\u2019 values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Insiders \u2014 those who know the aforementioned acronyms like the back of Barack Obama\u2019s head \u2014 selected by insiders generally make up the DSCC: one-third of the body is Assembly District Delegates, one-third is candidates elected by county Democratic Central Committees, and the final one-third is nominees selected by elected officials. Most party members play no role in any of these processes: Few people attend their Assembly District Delegate Election meetings, held every two years in January; even fewer regularly attend their county\u2019s Central Committee meetings, let alone earn membership on the committee; and, perhaps the smallest number of regular Dems are close enough to elected officials to be considered for nomination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sum of these processes is an endorsing body uncomfortably close with the likely endorsees. So what\u2019s the value of an endorsement if it doesn\u2019t come from a deliberative process? The value to undecided voters is nil. But to incumbents it\u2019s priceless \u2014 a seal of approval that tricks the busy voter into assuming the party has their views in mind. In short, the current makeup of the DSCC results in \u201cendorsed by the California Democratic Party\u201d meaning \u201cendorsed by my long-term supporters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The DSCC\u2019s membership will have to change for its work and its endorsements to serve the interests of the party\u2019s rank and file and to provide voters with actually valuable information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Jan. 13 at 10:00am in Daly City, consider joining me in trying to improve the caliber of CDP endorsements. I\u2019m running for ADD to raise awareness of the impactful, but often forgotten, office. The way the election currently works \u2014 registered Democrats in the district driving out to the election site, receiving a slate card of the Assemblymember\u2019s preferred candidates, and then voting for the pre-selected candidates \u2014 means folks like me trying to run independently have little chance of winning. Being left off the slate is like being left on the Warrior\u2019s bench: Only the most knowledgeable fans (voters) know you exist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can fix this process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bringing the party closer to the people requires your participation. Your first foray into party politics ought to be voting in the upcoming Assembly District Delegate Election meetings. Use the California Secretary of State\u2019s Find My Rep tool (findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov) to identify your district. Assuming you\u2019re a Democrat, you\u2019re eligible to vote for up to 14 candidates running for delegate in your district. Next, find your district\u2019s polling time and location by going to www.cadem.org\/our-party\/adem\/elections<\/a>. If you\u2019ve actually taken these two steps, then you are surely motivated enough to take just one more: Invite your friends!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Insider politics only work if John and Jane Dems stay on the couch. Go from couch to change-agent in 2019 by getting your community involved in the upcoming ADD elections. Together, we can make the DSCC a body that reflects everyday Dems. In turn, CDP endorsements will come to mean more than a signal of insider support. Voters deserve better than to base their votes on an insular process. A more independent DSCC will give voters more accurate information about how to make their voice heard in a party that desperately needs more participation (and fewer acronyms).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kevin Frazier previously served as President of the College Democrats of Oregon but now resides in Cow Hollow while pursuing graduate degrees at the Harvard Kennedy School and UC Berkeley School of Law. He is running for election as an Assembly District Delegate on the Democratic State Central Committee.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By\u00a0Kevin Frazier\u00a0on December 30, 2018 (SFExaminer.com) Every election your mailbox fills up with glossy political mailers informing you of the California Democratic Party\u2019s (CDP) endorsements. But if you\u2019re like the average John or Jane Dem, then you\u2019ve likely never wondered who within the party is actually doing the endorsing. A… Continue reading