Democratic Party of California
| Democratic Party of California | |
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| Basic facts | |
| Location: | Sacramento, Calif. |
| Type: | Political party |
| Affiliation: | Democratic |
| Top official: | Alex Gallardo-Rooker, acting chair |
| Website: | Official website |
The Democratic Party of California is the California political party affiliate of the national Democratic Party. The group is headquartered in Sacramento, Calif.
Background
The California Democratic Party dates to the 1850s, when the party had control of the state's politics. The Republican Party gained control on an anti-slavery platform; Democrats regained power in the late nineteenth century on promises of reforming the railroad industry. The state's power shifted between parties until the 1990s, when the Democratic Party won the state's governorship and increased their majorities in the state assembly and state senate.[1]
As of November 2018, Democrats in California have a state government trifecta with supermajorities. Democrats control the governorship, with Gov. Jerry Brown, and have supermajorities in both chambers of the state legislature.
Platform
The party's stated platform is composed of 23 main issues:[2]
- Business and economy
"A robust economy and business climate that creates jobs and economic opportunity for all is fundamental to the promise of the American Dream and the spirit of California." - Children, young adults, and their families
"California Democrats believe that we must invest in the well-being of children and young people in order for them to become thriving and productive members of society. To do so, we will work to provide them with a healthy start, a solid education, and a safe community in which to thrive." - Civil justice
"California Democrats support a strong and accessible civil justice system to defend public health, safety and the environment, and to vindicate the rights of consumers, injured persons, employees, and all Californians equally." - Communications and the internet
"In order to promote vigorous exercise of our fundamental human rights, California Democrats support policies to preserve and encourage continued innovation of open, fast, accessible, and competitive communication and Internet services." - Criminal justice
"We are dedicated to ensuring that our criminal justice system provides fair and equitable treatment for all. 'Smart on crime' must include evidence-based criminal justice prevention programs as the best use of taxpayer funds." - Culture and arts
"California Democrats believe in freedom of expression without compromise, public support of the arts and the principles promoted by the California Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). We further commit to involve artists and cultural organization workers in the planning and implementation processes of artistic endeavors." - Death with dignity
"To ensure death with dignity, we support the right of any competent adult, suffering intractable pain as a consequence of a fatal illness to obtain the assistance of medical doctors in painlessly ending her or his own life." - Disabilities
"People with disabilities have an inalienable right to participate as self-sufficiently as possible through employment and equal opportunity for political expression. The California democrats support and uphold the enforcement and funding of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), the Lanterman Act, and all federal and state disability and access laws and regulations." - Education
"We believe that the right to human dignity and equality can be preserved only with a universally well-educated population, and that only public education, free to all through high school and available and affordable to all through college and university, can achieve that goal." - Energy and environment
"All Californians, urban, suburban and rural, hold a shared interest in preserving and protecting the environment that sustains us. California Democrats have led the way toward effective bi-partisan solutions to problems arising from our industrial society – resource extraction, waste disposal and pollution – and their disparate impact on our forests, family farms, the poor, ethnic minorities, and indigenous people." - Equality of opportunity
"The California Democratic Party recognizes the growing disparity between the top two percent and the rest of Americans. We understand that institutionalized racism, classism, sexism, and anti-gay bias contribute to that disparity, and we believe that all Americans deserve the opportunity to participate fully in the economic, cultural, political, and social facets of society." - Healthcare
"California Democrats believe that health care is a human right not a privilege. We recognizes the health and well-being of Californians cannot continue to be based on arbitrary private and public financial decisions and therefore advocates legislation to create and implement a publicly funded (single-payer), privately delivered, fiscally tractable, affordable, comprehensive, secure, high-quality, efficient, and sustainable health care system for all Californians." - Freedom of Speech, Communication, and the Internet
"In the 21st century, civil liberties, especially freedom of speech and expression, are bolstered by unfettered and uncensored access to wired and wireless telecommunication infrastructure and its many applications, voice, video, and the Internet. In order to promote vigorous exercise of civil rights, California Democrats support policies to preserve and expand an open, accessible, content-rich, and fast Internet infrastructure." - Healthcare
"California Democrats believe that healthcare is a human right not a privilege. The CDP recognizes the health and well-being of Californians cannot continue to be based on arbitrary private and public financial decisions and therefore advocates legislation to create and implement a publicly funded (single-payer), privately delivered, fiscally tractable, affordable, comprehensive, secure, high-quality, efficient, and sustainable healthcare system for all Californians." - Immigration
"California Democrats believe that the American immigration system should be inclusive, fair, and just. Immigration must be consistent with American values of freedom, opportunity, compassion, and respect for human rights." - Labor, economic justice, and poverty elimination
"California's future prosperity will depend upon jobs that ensure a minimum standard of living and that improve the quality of life for all its residents." - National security
"California Democrats believe that keeping the United States of America and Americans safe is of the utmost importance. Therefore, a strong national defense should include aspects that go beyond military might. Our national security also depends upon a strong domestic economy, a stable federal budget, a healthy environment, and in addition to our perception in the world as a responsible member of the world community." - Political reform
"California Democrats believe that a healthy democracy is based on free and fair elections: public financing of political campaigns at all levels of government, campaign spending limits and full disclosure of political spending, restoration of the fairness doctrine and a strong role for political parties." - Seniors
"California Democrats continue to recognize the importance and dignity of our seniors, the fastest growing age group in the nation, and believe they enrich our everyday experiences, connect us with our past and forecast our collective future." - Sustainable communities
"California Democrats seek to build healthy, livable and sustainable communities that conserve natural resources, promote smart growth, are economically prosperous, and socially equitable. Unsustainable consumption reduces our energy independence, exacerbates both global warming and urban/suburban sprawl, while increasing our trade deficit. We are committed to environmental justice, a sustainable lifestyle, and a healthy economy over both the short and the long term." - Veterans and military families
"All U.S. veterans are entitled to receive equal treatment and benefits, including education, training, health care, home loans, and other financial assistance. No veteran should be discriminated against due to gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, religion, or political affiliation" - Women
"California is the proud home of pioneering women who have blazed new trails in business, entrepreneurship, culture, and politics. We proudly and vigorously support a woman's right to choose how to use her mind, her body and her time. Democrats respect women as full partners in family and society." - World Peace and International Relations
"We must be truthful with our allies and also with ourselves. We must be firm with those who threaten the American people and our democratic ideals, whether at home or abroad. And we must take the moral path as we strive to promote world peace."
Rules and bylaws
| Candidate ballot access |
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| Find detailed information on ballot access requirements in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. |
- See also: Rules of the California Democratic Party
The state party is governed by a set of rules and bylaws. Typically, these give structure to the different levels of organization—local, county, and state committees—and establish protocol for electing committee members. The bylaws also typically give details on the party's process for nominating and sending delegates to the national party convention during presidential elections. The following is a selection of the California Democratic Party's rules. This selection focuses on the structure and governance of the party:[3]
- The party is organized into assembly districts and is governed by the state central committee, which elects state party officers.
- Members of the state delegation to the Democratic National Committee are elected by the executive board of the state central committee.
Convention
2017
The 2017 state convention for the California Democratic Party took place from May 19 to May 21 in Sacramento, California.[4]
State party chair election
The Democratic Party of California initiated an audit of the election ballots for state party chair beginning on May 23, 2017. The audit occurred in response to Eric Bauman's victory over Kimberly Ellis in the race for state party chair on May 20, 2017, by 62 votes. According to Politico, Ellis gained the backing of state party members who support the policies of former 2016 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. On the other hand, Bauman garnered support from the state party's establishment Democrats. Following the election, Ellis' supporters claimed that Bauman's victory resulted from improper voting procedures, such as the casting of proxy votes without the required identification. Politico reported that the audit was "expected to be done quickly."[5]
On May 30, 2017, Ellis formally challenged the election results in order to comply with the state party's bylaws, which require a formal challenge to be issued within seven days of the contested event. Ellis called for an independent audit of the ballots, but her request was denied by party officials. Instead, the challenge is under review by the state party's compliance review commission. According to a July 6, 2017, press release, the commission identified "223 ballots that require further review, of which 104 were of those cast for Kimberly Ellis and 119 were of those cast for Eric C. Bauman." The commission contacted the delegates with irregular ballots for further clarification and met again on July 22, 2017, where the commission confirmed Bauman's election.[6][7][8][9][10]
Ellis announced her intention to appeal the commission's decision on July 24, 2017. On August 8, 2017, Ellis issued a statement to formally announce the appeal as well as to propose binding arbitration as method to resolve the dispute and avoid "a lengthy and expensive legal battle." The state party's credentials committee dismissed Ellis' appeal on August 20, 2017.[11][12][13]
2016
The 2016 state convention for the California Democratic Party, when the party selected its delegates for the Democratic National Convention, took place on June 26, 2016.[14]
National convention delegate allocation, 2016
| Hover over the terms below to display definitions. | |
| Ballot access laws | |
| Primary election | |
| Caucus | |
| Delegate | |
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A political party formally nominates its presidential candidate at a national nominating convention. At this convention, state delegates select the party's nominee. Prior to the nominating convention, the states conduct presidential preference primaries or caucuses. Generally speaking, only state-recognized parties — such as the Democratic Party and the Republican Party — conduct primaries and caucuses. These elections measure voter preference for the various candidates and help determine which delegates will be sent to the national nominating convention.[15][16][17]
The Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, the governing bodies of the nation's two major parties, establish their own guidelines for the presidential nomination process. State-level affiliates of the parties also have some say in determining rules and provisions in their own states. Individuals interested in learning more about the nomination process should contact the political parties themselves for full details.
California had 551 delegates at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Of this total, 476 were pledged delegates. National party rules stipulated how Democratic delegates in all states were allocated. Pledged delegates were allocated to a candidate in proportion to the votes he or she received in a state's primary or caucus. A candidate was eligible to receive a share of the state's pledged delegates if he or she won at least 15 percent of the votes cast in the primary or caucus. There were three types of pledged Democratic delegates: congressional district delegates, at-large delegates, and party leaders and elected officials (PLEOs). Congressional district delegates were allocated proportionally based on the primary or caucus results in a given district. At-large and PLEO delegates were allocated proportionally based on statewide primary results.[18][19]
Seventy-five party leaders and elected officials served as unpledged delegates. These delegates were not required to adhere to the results of a state's primary or caucus.[18][20]
Leadership
As of June 2019, the California Democratic Party's executive director was Chris Myers.[21]
The website for the California Democratic Party lists the following individuals as the party's state leadership:[22]
- Rusty Hicks, Chair
- Alexandra Gallardo-Rooker, Vice-chair
- Daraka Larimore-Hall, Vice-chair
- Jenny Bach, Secretary
- Dan Weitzman, Controller
| District leaders, 2018[22] | ||
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Political activity
Ballot measure activity
Overview of ballot measure support and opposition
The following table details the California Democratic Party’s ballot measure stances available on Ballotpedia:
State political party revenue
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party maintain state affiliates in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and select U.S. territories. The following maps display total state political party revenue per capita for the Democratic and Republican state party affiliates from 2011 to 2016. The blue map displays Democratic state parties and the red map displays Republican state parties. Click on a state below to view the state party's revenue per capita totals:
Total Democratic and Republican state political party revenue per capita in the United States, 2011-2016
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'California Democratic Party'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
- California Democratic Party Website
- California Democratic Party on Facebook
- California Democratic Party on Twitter
Footnotes
- ↑ California Democratic Voter Guide, "California Democratic Party," accessed September 29, 2015
- ↑ California Democratic Party, "2016 Platform," February 26, 2016
- ↑ California Democratic Party, "By-laws and Rules of the California Democratic Party," January 2015
- ↑ California Democratic Party, "2017 Convention," accessed May 23, 2017
- ↑ Politico, "Bernie backers rage over Calif. Democratic Party chair race," May 22, 2017
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Kimberly Ellis files formal challenge over result of state Democratic Party chairperson election," May 30, 2017
- ↑ Facebook, "Kimberly Ellis," July 6, 2017
- ↑ The New York Times, "California Today: Division Among Democrats," June 14, 2017
- ↑ California Democratic Party, "Compliance Review Commission Update," July 6, 2017
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Eric Bauman confirmed as leader of California Democratic Party as rancor over close vote continues," July 22, 2017
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Kimberly Ellis to contest ruling that upheld her loss in race for California Democratic Party chair," July 24, 2017
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "California Democratic Party calls Kimberly Ellis' request for arbitration in election dispute a 'Hail Mary pass'," August 8, 2017
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "California politics updates: Legislature returns as Assembly Republicans are asked to pick a new leader," August 21, 2017
- ↑ California Democratic Party, "California Delegate Selection Plan," September 28, 2015
- ↑ Vote Smart, "Government 101: United States Presidential Primary," accessed January 13, 2025
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Everything you need to know about how the presidential primary works," May 12, 2015
- ↑ FactCheck.org, "Caucus vs. Primary," February 3, 2020
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Democratic National Committee, "2016 Democratic National Convention Delegate/Alternate Allocation," updated February 19, 2016
- ↑ The Green Papers, "2016 Democratic Convention," accessed May 7, 2021
- ↑ Democratic National Committee's Office of Party Affairs and Delegate Selection, "Unpledged Delegates -- By State," May 27, 2016
- ↑ California Democratic Party, "Contact Us," accessed June 7, 2019
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 California Democratic Party, "Party Leaders," accessed June 7, 2019
- ↑ 23.00 23.01 23.02 23.03 23.04 23.05 23.06 23.07 23.08 23.09 23.10 23.11 23.12 23.13 23.14 Democratic Party of California, "2016 ballot initiatives," accessed August 26, 2016
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 MapLight, "$147 Million Spent on California's Nov. Ballot Measures," November 5, 2010
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