Deadline to Request an ADEM Mail-In Ballot is Dec. 31!

The governing body of the California Democratic Party is the Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) which is made up of approximately 3,200 – 3,600 delegates. Delegates come from one of three different paths:

1. Elections of members of the County Central Committees
2. Appointment by Elected Officials
3. Elections of Democrats in each Assembly District (AD)

Elections of delegates in the 3rd category normally take place at Assembly District Election Meetings (ADEMs); however, these are not yet normal times, and mail-in voting is still an option.  Please note that the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot is fast approaching!

In January of every odd-numbered year the California Democratic Party (CDP) elects delegates to their annual conventions for a two-year term.  These elections are held in each Assembly District and are called, logically, Assembly District Election Meetings (ADEM).  Until recently, they were held in person but COVID-19 has imposed a change and the elections will be conducted both in-person and by mail.

• Vote by Mail: To receive a vote-by-mail-ballot in the Assembly District Election Meeting, click here.  Registration form open from Dec 12th 12:00 PM to Dec 31st, 2022
• Vote In-Person:  Register to vote for the Assembly District Election Meeting, in person, click here. Registration is open from Dec 12th 12:00 PM to Jan 22nd, 2023

These new procedures were developed in response to COVID-19, but they are also expected to make the process more accessible to more voters than the in-person ADEMs.  And that’s a good thing.  Interest in these elections has grown tremendously in the last few years.  In 2013, 90 people voted in our Assembly District 66 election, in 2015 the number was about 200, in 2017 almost 400 voted, and in 2019, 635 showed up at Hesse Park to cast ballots.  It will be interesting to see how many vote this time with these new procedures.

Here’s more information from the CDP website about the CADEM Delegates’ roles.  Together, CADEM Delegates vote and conduct Party business at the yearly State Convention and Executive Board meetings, including:

• Election of CDP Officers: Chairman, two Vice-Chairs, Secretary and Controller (in odd-numbered years after presidential elections)
• Election of 16-25 Regional Directors who function as liaisons between the California Democratic Party, County Central Committees, and Democratic Clubs in regions comprised of 3 to 5 Assembly Districts (in odd-numbered years)
• Vote for the Endorsements of the California Democratic Party for partisan legislative and statewide offices in California
• Vote for Positions on Ballot Propositions (as needed)
• Establishment of the official California Democratic State Party Platform (in even-numbered years), and CDP Resolutions

For more information about the process, visit the CADEM website.

Registered Democrats in each Assembly District elect seven “self-identified females” and seven “other than self-identified female” delegates.  Also, the voters elect one of these 14 delegates to be the Executive Board member from the Assembly District.  The election of the Executive Board member was changed last year to be the highest vote-getting delegate from the 14 elected delegates.

Candidates for 66th Assembly District: