California Young Democrats
For Immediate Release: Sunday, April 13, 2008
Contact: Claire Conlon, CYD Communications Director, (916) 266-1006, cconlon@youngdems.org

CALIFORNIA YOUNG DEMOCRATS
WIN DELEGATE SEATS TO DENVER CONVENTION
INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

The California Young Democrats (CYD) turned out to vote in droves today to support their candidates of choice to represent them in Denver at the Democratic National Convention, August 25-28, 2008. Over 300 California Young Democrats campaigned to be selected as delegates. While the California Democratic Party has not issued official results, we're reporting that dozens of California Young Democrats were chosen to represent their Congressional Districts around the state.

"I'm extremely fortunate that I'll have the opportunity to be a committed Obama delegate," said Taylor Honrath, a 22-year old from Orange County who won an Obama delegate seat in Congressional District 46 against 30 other male candidates. "Barak Obama is an inspiring figure for people from all age groups and backgrounds and I'm really excited that I'll get to be a delegate voting for the next President of the United States." Honrath continued, "Without the support of my friends and family my victory would not have been possible." Honrath was one of the 900 purged and then reinstated Obama delegate candidates.

"I am extremely proud and honored to be one of many young democrats across the state to be elected as a Clinton delegate to the Convention. Running for delegate was an amazingly strenuous, but fun, process," said Paula Villescaz, a 19-year old from Sacramento who is a student at the University of California, Berkeley and campaigned for Hillary in New Hampshire, Texas and California. "Across the state and country I met thousands of young people excited about Hillary. In Denver I won't just be representing Californians, but those young people everywhere that really believe in Hillary Clinton."

"We're very happy that all of the young activists in California were given the opportunity to run for delegate seats to the Denver Convention," said Rocky Fernandez, President of the California Young Democrats. "This is the year of the young voter, and we're showing that young people are the margin of victory for Democrats and that these newly engaged young activists have brought their friends and family into active participation in Democratic Party politics."

CYD urged many of its members to get active on the presidential campaigns, and lobbied the state Party to set an ambitious 10% youth goal for its delegation. This is the highest state goal in the nation and it looks like that goal was met and exceeded today.

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***Young Democrats from all parts of California were elected to be delegates and alternates to the DNC Convention. To arrange an interview contact Claire Conlon, CYD Communications Director, (916) 266-1006, cconlon@youngdems.org.

PRESS RELEASE
California Young Democrats
For Immediate Release: Thursday, April 10, 2008
Contact: Claire Conlon, CYD Communications Director, (916) 266-1006, cconlon@youngdems.org

CALIFORNIA YOUNG DEMOCRATS
CALL ON THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN
TO REINSTATE LOYAL YOUNG DEMOCRATIC LEADERS
AS DELEGATE CANDIDATES

The California Young Democrats (CYD) expressed dismay and disappointment over the large numbers of young activists "pruned" by the Obama campaign from the list of eligible delegates for this weekend's Democratic National Convention delegate selection caucuses.

"Lots of young activists are being shut out of their first opportunity to go to a convention as a delegate. Many of these volunteers have spent weeks setting up Facebook groups, organizing friends, family, and fellow organizers to come to the caucuses, to register as Democrats, and get them to vote,” said Rocky Fernandez, President of the California Young Democrats. “This is on top of the volunteer work many did and the money and time spent traveling to other states to support the Obama campaign."

CYD urged many of its members to get active on the presidential campaigns, and lobbied the state Party to set an ambitious 10% youth goal for its delegation. This is the highest state goal in the nation.

Over 60% of the Obama youth activists were cut from the final lists just days before the caucuses.

The California Young Democrats strongly urge the Obama campaign to reinstate the loyal young Democratic leaders as candidates for this Sunday’s elections.

From the California Progress Report...
Democrats Making the “Year of the Young Voter” Real in California

By Becca Doten
Political Director
California Young Democrats

This weekend Democrats of all ages converged on the San Jose convention center to listen to speakers and panels, participate in trainings and conduct Party business. Throughout the weekend there was a special buzz of excitement – that of the Young Democrats who were a part of this important convention.

You might have caught us wearing red CYD t-shirts or stickers with the phrase, "Year of the Young Voter" and the Chinese character for young, or seen us at the Assembly District Endorsement Caucuses or on the Convention floor. But no matter where you were, you'd be sure to see these young activists participating and engaging in the process. This year, more than ever, is a year that young people are getting involved in the political process. Not just as voters, but as active members of the Democratic Party.

It's important not to discount how critical it is that we're seeing this increase in young voter turnout and activism for the Democratic Party, because when young voters vote, the chances are they're going to vote for the Democrat – and this cuts across gender and race differences. This can't be said about any other age group. In 2008, 47% of young voters self-identify as Democrats and only 28% self-identify as Republicans – and the 47% who identify as Democrats is up from 40% in 2004, a year that young people ages 18-30 were the only age group to support the Democratic ticket for President.

One just has to look at the Super Tuesday numbers to see the increased impact of young voters on the Democratic Party. Nationally more than three million young voters cast a vote or caucused, with over two million votes cast for a Democratic candidate compared to only 900,000 for Republicans. Additionally, nearly every Super Tuesday state saw a dramatic increase in young voter turnout, with some states seeing turnout triple or even quadruple over past years.

This engagement can be attributed to a couple of factors – the first being the disgust for the current administration and the lack of a national agenda that speaks to our needs. Young people look around and wonder how we're ever going to own a home, worry that the worsening economy is going to mean we won't be able to find a job, and we are forced to go without health care because it's too expensive. And it's young people who have to watch our friends and peers go to Iraq for a senseless war and – if they're lucky enough to come back – many of our generation will spend the rest of their lives with physical or mental injuries because of the war. Seeing how poorly the country is responding to our needs, many young people naturally turn away from the status quo. But turning away is not enough – because young people need to know that there is a Party that we can join that speaks to our issues.

What is so exciting about 2008 is that this year young people have choices that are connecting our generation. The Democratic presidential candidates are speaking to our needs and reaching out to us on the issues that matter. And it's not just lip service or putting up a Facebook page – it's participating in a debate focuses on youth voter issues. It's presenting plans on keeping college costs low. It's talking about universal health coverage and green technology. And it's challenging our generation to step up and invest ourselves in our country and our neighborhoods.

We're seeing that when young people are targeted and brought into the process we will respond – and respond in a big way. And this is the year that we all need to do everything we can to ensure that young voters continue to engage and participate.

We all need to take responsibility to increase youth turnout. The Party establishment needs to respond to the needs of students and young professionals, include our issues in the greater policy agenda and ensure that the campaigns include real resources and organizers focused on young voter turnout. But young people also need to take responsibility for increasing turnout. We need to ensure that our friends, colleagues and peers all know the importance of this election on our futures. We need to take that extra time to get our friends who have voted to come out and work on a campaign and to get our friends who don't vote to go to the polls this year.

So far, 2008 has been the Year of the Young Voter in the primaries – now we all need to commit to continuing the Year of the Young Voter into the general election to ensure that a Democrat is in the White House and we can begin to get our country back on track for people of all ages.

Becca Doten is the Political Director of the California Young Democrats. She is also the President of the Los Angeles County Young Democrats and Co-Founder and Consultant of the Young Progressive Majority.

http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2008/04/democrats_makin.html

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