While I’m on State Street at the Coffee Bean, people ask me about local party politics. Specifically they want to know, “who makes up the body, how’s that decided and how does it work?” I respond with an explanation of the body structure and an invitation to join, which I want to extend further.
The Santa Barbara Democratic Central Committee is made up 37 members.
There are three types of members. Elected members (one per every 10,000 registered Democrats in the county) are elected by supervisorial district. There are appointed members, appointed by all of the Democratic elected officials and candidates (congressional, statewide officials and Legislature). Lastly, there are club representatives who have the vote of their club, which includes LatiDems, Latino Democratic Caucus of Santa Barbara County, Campus Democrats at UCSB, Progressive Democrats of Santa Barbara, Democratic Service Club, Democratic Club of the Santa Maria Valley, Lompoc Valley Democratic Club, Democratic Women of Santa Barbara County and th Santa Ynez Valley Democratic Organization.
This body recruits and endorses candidates from special districts to congressional races, and raises the funds to run a campaign supporting the candidates we believe will carry the values of this body forward in decisions that impact all of us. Our values are the backbone of our party platform, and they guide the advocacy work that this party does. If they’re not already engaged with our Labor Day picnic, Roosevelt-Hamer Dinner or campaigns, voters usually encounter “the party” during election cycles or at voter registration events.
What makes our party strong are the people engaged with it.
As an elected member of the First District, I’m extending an invitation to any interested registered Democrat in the First District who wants to participate as my proxy in the April 4 meeting to contact me at oli_uribe@yahoo.com.
Click here for more information about the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party.
Olivia Uribe
Santa Barbara County Democratic Party