Californians, in most counties, will elect county central committee members by either assembly district or county supervisor district across the state at the California Presidential Primary Election on March 5, 2024. Some counties have opted out of the publicly run election and will elect members by caucus at dates to be determined in 2024.
Well, that's not totally true, because as many as half of those central committee positions will remain vacant for lack of interest or lack of awareness.
Do you like the way your party is run in your county? In California? Well, you can change that. But you have to get up off the couch and put yourself on the ballot or attend the caucus.
This is another opportunity to achieve a center of power and it won't come around again for another four years, except for caucus counties.
The deadline for candidates to file their Declaration of Candidacy and Nomination Documents is close of business on December 8, 2023.
Qualifications
The qualifications in California are somewhat complicated, but only for people who have changed party designation recently. The county clerks and election officials are trained in what to look for. While I'm going to go through this here, your best and quickest choice is to just file. You'll be notified if you don't qualify. If you disagree, then you'll be able to investigate a little more to make sure the clerk didn't make a mistake.
Most importantly, you have to get on the ballot.
Central Committee membership and election is covered by statute in California. The legislature actually took the time to write separate rules for the different parties. You don't have to read these unless you'd like to go to sleep. But you can bet that the parties had the rules written to favor the insiders.
- Democratic Party
- Elections Code §7225-7230
- Republican Party
- Elections Code §7420-7425
- American Independent Party
- Elections Code §7670-7675
- Peace and Freedom Party
- Elections Code §7850-7857
You must live within the supervisor district or assembly district boundary.
You must be registered to vote (18 years old before the November General Election) and indicate a party affiliation for the party you want to represent.
You must not have changed party affiliation within three months of the filing date deadline (December 8, 2023) for the primary election in which you are running for election. There are exceptions to this.
While write-in campaigns are challenging, when no one else has filed for one of the available positions, it's a definite possibility.
To answer questions so that you can get yourself elected at your primary election, Project City Hall will host live teleconferences in October and November (see below) to discuss strategy and answer your questions.
| What: | California Central Committee Election Teleconference |
| When: | Friday, October 13, 2024 at 9:00 pm (Pacific) Friday, November 10, 2024 at 9:00 pm (Pacific) |
| Where: | Your home or mobile telephone |
| Details: | To receive teleconference call details, Sign up or text California PC, {your name}, {your e-mail address} to (973)498-8066 |
How to Determine Your District
- Go to the California Secretary of State's Check Status of Your Voter Registration. All the counties have either a web page or a phone number where you can confirm your registration status.
- We recommend that you find out, not only your status, but also your precinct, county supervisor district, and assembly district based on your residence address. Note that the district maps were redrawn in 2021, so make sure to ask for the new districts.
Getting on the Ballot
When you have a plan, you don't have to guess what to do next. Written plans are always better than winging it. With that in mind, we've put together the Precinct Committee Candidate Checklist to give you a starting point for your plan.
- On some county web sites, you can download the Declaration of Candidacy, but you must pick up your Nominating Documents at the county clerk's office.
- You can authorize another person to pull your papers. If you live or work close to the registrar's office, please volunteer to be a paper puller.
- Call the county clerk and ask for the name, if any, of the current central committee members for your district and their contact information (e-mail address and telephone number).
- Ask if the central committee member was elected in the previous election cycle, how many people from the assembly or supervisor district voted in the same party, and how many votes were cast for each central committee member on the ballot or as write-ins.
- Join other Californians on the live teleconference call (see above) where you can ask questions.
- Prepare printed information about yourself so that you can quickly communicate the information to everyone you meet (your neighbors) from your assembly or supervisor district. Also, see How to Present Yourself at a Precinct Caucus.
- File your paperwork with the county clerk as soon as you can. The best approach is to file in person. When you do, you can ask to have your filing documents reviewed to make sure that you completed it as the clerk requires and get back a stamped copy across the counter. By statute, you can also authorize someone else to file your paperwork. If you think you'll need to do that make sure to get that form as well.
Winning the Election
Winning a central committee member election is relatively easy, even with someone running against you, which is possible, especially in highly populated districts. You can do it if you prepare in advance and have a plan. Many people are looking for leaders and will accept almost anyone who simply steps up to lead. Just look at your current set of elected officials for proof of that.
After the Election
- Get a current copy of your state party committee by-laws and of your county party committee by-laws.
- Find out from the out-going county party executive committee when the organizational meeting is scheduled to elect new officers.
- Keep in touch, because we'll be producing training teleconferences about all the aspects of being an effective central committee member.
Who Should Attend?
- Anyone who wants to take their country back.
- Anyone who values freedom and liberty.
- If you're already a central committee member, attend to encourage others and to relate your own experience.
What You'll Learn
- The power of the central committee member.
- The best strategies for getting your petition signatures.
- How to win in a competitive race.
Are you a lone wolf?
- If you think that one individual, working alone, can get elected to your central committee, you will be sadly disappointed.
- The purpose of this page is to begin to connect people who live in the same assembly or supervisor district and same county. The connections will not be made public.
- We have created a private membership association with a private communication, collaboration, and strategy platform to help you.
- You must request to join the platform.
- You must agree to strict non-closure of the materials you will find on the platform.
- To request to join, text Join platform, {your name}, {your e-mail address}, {county}, {supervisor or assembly district} to (973)498-8066. Note we don't answer questions at this number. You either follow the instructions or you don't.
- You will be vetted via one or more phone conversations.
- If you are approved, you will receive a text reply with a link to join.
California County Precinct Contacts
All politics is local. We cannot reach the goal alone. We need your help. These people are actively recruiting precinct committeemen in their county. If you'd like to recruit for your county, add your comment to this article and a way to contact you.
County Party Information
If you have corrections or additions to this information, please let us know.
Precinct / County Meeting Information
The Precinct Meetings may occur at multiple venues around the county on the same day, or on different days, and not necessarily at the same time. The County Conventions occur at a single venue within the county. This is the meeting at which the newly elected members of the county committee first exercise their power.
If you have corrections or additions to this information, please let us know.
You've Got A Friend
If this is your first meeting, it helps to get together with others who may already know the ropes or just to know someone else who will be at the meeting. The party insiders already know the other insiders, so incumbents, as usual, always have an advantage. Here are a list of contacts, by county, who are willing to connect. You may not agree with them on everything, but they are not insiders, so they, like you, are probably in the minority.
All politics is local. You cannot reach your goal alone. You need help. Some of these people are actively recruiting precinct committeemen in your county. If you'd like to recruit or connect with others in your county, add your comment to this article and a way to contact you.
County Rules Analysis
Below you will find an analysis of county organization rules that differ from the norm.
