Learn About The Importance of ADEMs in CA Democratic Party

The California Democratic Party  Bylaws (Article VI) 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 California Democrats.

Assembly District Delegates (ADD)  the Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) are responsible for planning and attending informational meetings throughout the region and working with other DSCC delegates throughout California to represent their community.

AD Delegates are elected by voters (to participate in the ADEM you MUST be a registered Democrat in that Assembly District).

AD delegates vote within CA Democratic Party on behalf of the community they represent at CDP Regional Meetings, the California Democratic Party Convention, and those who are also elected to serve as an Executive Board member are responsible for voting and representing their community at the semi-annual E-Board meetings.

Please ensure you request your ballot by January 11, 2021, & mail it off by January 23, 2021.

Role of Delegates

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

ADEM FAQ SHEET:

1. What is the purpose of the ADEM Election meetings?

A biennial meeting to elect ADDs (Assembly District Delegates) and E-Board representatives shall be held over two weekends by splitting the ADs within each Region between the two weekends. The two weekends would be the weekend immediately prior to the weekend containing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and the weekend following the King holiday weekend. This will be to elect California Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) members to attend the California Democratic Party Conventions for 2019 and 2020. ("self-identified female” / “other than self-identified female”) shall be elected from each of the 80 Assembly Districts in the State of California. There will also be an election of one person to represent the AD on the State Party’s Executive Board. To be eligible to run for ADEM Executive Board Representative, a candidate MUST be elected/appointed in one of the following categories of membership on the upcoming Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) (in this case the 2019- 21 term): • Any Democrat holding a state or congressional office (or the highest vote-getting Democrat if no Democrat was elected to that office in the most recent election) • Any Delegate appointed to the DSCC by a person identified in the previous bullet above. • Anyone who was just elected at that day’s ADEM as an Assembly District Delegate (ADD) • Any Delegate appointed to the DSCC by one of the Statewide Officers of the CDP.

2. Who may participate?

A person may participate (attend & vote) in the ADEM if they: • Are a Democrat residing in and registered to vote in the Assembly District as of the date of the ADEM. Same day registration is allowed of otherwise qualified citizens. • Sign in on the sign-in sheet (to be provide by the California Democratic Party) indicating their willingness to volunteer for one or more precincts within the district or to assume another specified organizational responsibility for the Party. • Accepts having their hand stamped prior to receiving a ballot (to prevent double voting).

3. Who may run for Assembly District Delegate to the Democratic State Central Committee?

The qualifications for running for Assembly District Delegate to the Democratic State Central Committee are the same as those for voting participants in the Assembly District Election Meeting, with four important caveats • Candidates must submit their names to the California Democratic Party at least 30 calendar days prior to the Assembly District Election Meeting. Candidates must be registered to vote in the Assembly district by the California deadline to register to vote in any election, which is 15 days before any Election Day, unless the candidate turned 18 or was naturalized after the deadline and is registered to vote at the time of candidacy filing • A candidate does not need to be present to be eligible for election.

4. Are voters required to stay for the entire Election Meeting?

No. Participants who do not wish to attend the full length of the ADEM may receive their ballot, vote, and leave, provided that each voter: 1. Signs in on the ADEM sign-in sheet by the close of registration at their ADEM site 2. Requests their ballots (one for delegate voting, one for Executive Board Representative voting) by having their hand stamped prior to receiving a ballot to prevent double voting, to the Convener, or their representative; and deposits the delegate and executive board ballots in the ballot box; 3. As soon as an ADEM site is set up (as early as 10 AM but no later than 3PM) and the process starts with registering and distributing ballots, a participant can vote and leave;