Keep California Blue

CA Young Democrats Demand That Governor Schwarzenegger Let All Californians Into His Jacuzzi

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:00:00 +0000

California Young Democrats Press Release
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Contacts: Claire Conlon, Executive Director, 916/595-3090, cconlon@youngdems.org

CA Young Democrats Demand That Governor Schwarzenegger Let All Californians Into His Jacuzzi

SACRAMENTO – The California Young Democrats (CYD), offended by Governor Schwarzenegger’s flippant remarks regarding his lack of stress about California’s budget situation, are demanding that the Governor grant all Californians access to his Jacuzzi while California's economy remains stalled due to his governance and the Republican legislators’ bargaining tactics.

In an interview published in Sunday’s New York Times, Governor Schwarzenegger made the following comments: "Someone else might walk out of here every day depressed, but I don't walk out of here depressed". Whatever happens, "I will sit down in my Jacuzzi tonight," he said. "I'm going to lay back with a stogie."

With California’s bond rating being downgraded, the budget deficit having risen by another 2 billion dollars to its current level of $26.3 billion, and a group of the biggest U.S. banks saying they will not accept California’s IOU’s after Friday, this is not the time for levity.

“We as young democrats are very disappointed in Governor Schwarzenegger’s actions and statements,” said Julie Lind, Political Director of the California Young Democrats. Lind continued, “If he’s not willing to come to the table when Democrats passed a balanced budget the least he could do is invite us to the Jacuzzi so we can have a moment of relaxation. Then he’d at least be doing something for the people.”

“Schwarzenegger’s demands include cuts that would obliterate social programs that help our neediest citizens survive,” said Alissa Ko, President of the California Young Democrats. “His comments in the New York Times make Californians feel that he neither acknowledges nor cares about the real human impact of his actions. With young people getting hit by raising costs and every state service being cut, Governor Schwarzenegger’s attitude is unbecoming of the office he was elected to.”

CYD is encouraging all of its members and anyone else who is worried about the state of California’s economy to take a few minutes to call the governor and express their disapproval of his obstinacy, in addition to requesting a moment of relief in the Governor’s hot tub.

CYD implores both political parties to work together to find a responsible solution sooner rather than later, one that assists those who need help the most, and one that does not continue to saddle our generation with further debt in the years to come.

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The California Young Democrats (CYD) is the official youth arm of the California Democratic Party, comprised of progressive people ages 14-35. The California Young Democrats are committed to creating a bloc of young voters who will elect Democrats for an entire generation. Using proven peer to Peer campaign methods, Young Democrats have made significant differences in races all over California. Young Democrats in California work everyday to promote social justice, women's rights, peace and stability in the world, and many other progressive values.

House Passes American Clean Energy and Security Act!

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 23:21:00 +0000

Congratulations to the United States House of Representatives on passing LANDMARK legislation on Clean Energy, 219-212.

There is still much work to do in the Senate on this bill, and hopefully we can strengthen many aspects of the bill in the upcoming Senate debate.

Special thanks to California Congressmember and former CYD leader Henry Waxman, who shepherded this bill through Congress and made the compromises necessary to get the bill passed.

This is what HOPE and CHANGE look like!

One week until the CYD Convention!

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 04:41:00 +0000

One week from tomorrow, the California Young Democrats kick off our 2009 State Convention. It will be a weekend of training, special guests, important parties, and excitement!

Over 750 Young Democrats from around the state are signed up for the convention. It will be a time to reflect on our success in 2008 and get working on the 2010 election.

If you're not planning to be in Sacramento next weekend, we'll tell you soon how you can follow CYD's activities online, as well as through Twitter and Facebook.

Congratulations to Tim Kaine, new Chair of the DNC!

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 05:59:00 +0000

The California Young Democrats would like to congratulate Virginia Governor Tim Kaine on becoming the next Chairman of the Democratic National Committee! We know from our colleagues in Virginia that he will be attentive to the youth vote and our issues in the coming years, and look forward to his leadership.

Now where do I start on all the adulation of Howard Dean as our chair for the past four years?

As someone who was inspired to work on my first Presidential race by Howard Dean in 2004 (along with a lot of CYD's leadership), we will look back very fondly on Dr. Dean's chairmanship.

When he said we ought to organize in all 50 states-including Alaska and Idaho-many thought he was wasting party resources. Yet on election night, he looked like a genius, as we had the organizing muscle to win a Senate race in Alaska and a congressional seat in Idaho. That's in addition to all the red states that parties strong enough to win seats for Democrats in places previously "off limits" to us.

So we thank you, Governor Dean, for your leadership in our party and wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:27:00 +0000

Congratulations to everyone on an excellent 2008 election. Cheers to everyone continuing the hard work needed to change our country in 2009!

Young Voter Revolution at full steam in Stockton

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:30:00 +0000

I'm here in the Stockton headquarters, where volunteers are pouring in, taking their assignments, and heading out into the streets to get out the Youth Vote and vote down Propositions 4 & 8.

Volunteer to make some calls or walk some precincts to get out the Youth Vote-the media is already expecting us to give up early!

Hey media-get the youth vote story right tomorrow, please

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:09:00 +0000

In the 2004 election, the media blew it big time-they misreported the huge turnout of youth voters, who increased their numbers by 4.6 million over the 2000 election. They said we didn't show up.

How did they screw that one up? By using a deceptive measure-the percentage of the electorate that were young.

Thanks to Mike Connery at Future Majority:

Common Mistakes (and Basic Facts) About the Youth Vote:

Some of these might be repetitive from above, but they bare repeating. Use these as a guide when reporting on young voter turnout on Tuesday night:

1) When reporting on youth participation, do not confuse "share of the electorate" with "turnout." Share of the electorate is a measure of the proportion of young voters who cast a ballot in relation to all other voters. Turnout is the percentage of all eligible young voters who cast a ballot. Share measures the influence of young voters within the electorate as a whole. Turnout tells us whether or not more young people showed up at the polls. Please do not confuse them.

2) It is possible for turnout to rise, while share of the electorate remains steady. Indeed, this is exactly what happened in 2004. Young voter turnout (18 - 29) increased by 9 percentage points from 40 to 49% (an increase of about 4.3 million votes). However, young voter's share of the electorate remained steady at 17%.

3) Young voters can only be held accountable for their own actions, not those of the entire electorate. If the youth vote's share of the electorate holds steady from 2004 to 2008, that will mean that older voters also went to the polls in higher numbers. Young voters cannot be held accountable for that. As such, turnout and the hard number of votes are the only accurate measure to gauge the success of efforts to get out young voters.

4) Rising youth turnout is a trend, not a fad tied to the popularity of Senator Obama. Contrary to conventional wisdom, or media reports from 2004, Obama's campaign is not solely responsible for higher youth turnout, though it has played a crucial role during this election cycle. Youth turnout began to rise in 2004, when youth it jumped by 9 percentage points, from 40 to 49%, and 4.3 million more young voters cast a ballot than in 2000. This trend continued in 2006, which saw the first increase in young voter turnout during a midterm election since the 1980s. It reached a new height in early 2008 when youth turnout in the primaries was double that from 2000, the last comparable year. In some states, youth turnout in the primaries was triple or quadruple that of previous years.

5) The margin of victory among young voters may be just as important as the overall increase in youth turnout. In 2004, 20 million young voters cast a ballot, with 54% selecting John Kerry. That gave Kerry an advantage of 1.6 million votes over President Bush among young voters. This year, if 22 million young voters cast ballots and 62% choosing Obama vs. 38% for McCain (numbers roughly found in most polling), that would give Senator Obama an advantage of 5.28 million votes.

6) Youth turnout is about access, not apathy. When young people are registered to vote - they turn out. According to the US Census, 81.6% of all registered young voters actually cast a ballot in 2004. That is on par with other portions of electorate. The more campaigns and independent organizations work to register young voters, and the easier we make the registration process, the higher youth turnout will be.

7) Regardless of youth turnout on Tuesday, young voters have already played a crucial and decisive role in this contest. In the Iowa Democratic caucuses, young voter turnout tripled and their share of caucus-goers was equal to that of the "reliable" 65+ demographic. Obama won the support of 60% of Iowa's youth, catapulting him to the front of the Democratic pack. Similar levels of support from youth in the following primaries and caucuses were the foundation of Obama's primary success.

Please take a moment to let this sink in, especially the Nay-Sayers who are already spreading the seeds of doubt to try stopping the Young Voter Revolution here in California.

Young Democrats Getting Out the Youth Vote

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 22:00:00 +0000

California Young Democrats
For Immediate Release: Friday, October 31, 2008
Press Contact: Claire Conlon, (916) 595-3090, cconlon@youngdems.org

Contact Claire to arrange pre/during/post Election Day interviews with young Democratic leaders. Our GOYTV efforts make for great visuals for photo or video. We will arrange interviews based on requests for young voters/leaders from specific geographic areas and even gender and background categories. We now have over 200 Chapters statewide and our membership truly represents the diversity of our great state.

CALIFORNIA YOUNG VOTER REVOLUTION
Young Democrats Getting Out the Youth Vote

SACRAMENTO – The Young Democrats of America’s Young Voter Revolution campaigns are mobilizing the youth vote across the country. Between now and Election Day, Young Voter Revolution teams in California will contact thousands of young voters to ask them to pledge for Democrats on Election Day and then we’ll make sure they turn out to vote.

The expectations for the youth vote are once again high, but the Nay-Sayers are already at it. Senator McCain's political director, Mike Duhaime, recently told reporters that he does not believe the data shows that young people are changing the electorate. Well, the California Young Democrats will prove him and all the other Nay-Sayers wrong.

In person, peer to peer outreach is the basis of our program. Young Voter Revolution campaigns target young people at their homes and hangouts by using both door to door canvasses and street teams. YDA targets young people under the age of 36 in areas where the youth population can swing key elections. Young Voter Revolution campaigns also employ new media, particularly SMS text messaging and interactions on social networking websites like Facebook.

The CYD Young Voter Revolution campaign office is located at 1825 Pacific Avenue on Stockton’s Miracle Mile. CYD is running intense Get-Out-The-Youth-Vote operations all around the Northern San Joaquin Valley, which include precincts in Congressional District 11, Senate District 5 and Assembly Districts 10, 15, 17 and 26. Our campaign is also focusing on defeating Proposition 4, which is a threat to teenage safety, and Proposition 8, the anti-marriage initiative.

Predicting a large young vote can be traced back to the record-breaking participation of young voters in the 2008 Democratic Primary. Over 6.5 million young people participated in the primary, an increase of 103% since 2004. In California alone, close to 900,000 young voters participated in the primary. It is also clear that young people are voting for change. On Super Tuesday, young voter ballots favored Democrats by more than a 2:1 margin.

Go to www.youngvoterrevolution.com/california to read blog posts from organizers, check out photos from events, and review resources like our campaign toolkit, Election Protection guide, and online vote pledge.

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Work a weeknight-and stay if you can-to beat Props 4 & 8 & elect Democrats

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 20:01:00 +0000

A lot people have gone to Nevada and even more are planning to this weekend. Far be it from me to say that it isn't important.

But here in California, there is a lot of work to be done. I'll probably get in trouble for saying this, but going to Nevada might not be the most important thing for us to be doing in the final few hours, now with so many close races in our grasp.

Propositions 4 & 8 are so dangerous to our future in California. In addition to unfairly taking people's rights away in the state, they set a dangerous precedent that we have rejected time and time again. If Republicans try to divide us over this and take away our rights, what will they go for next?

Don't just take it from me-Heather Brown, President of the Young Democrats of Nevada, agrees:

For those of you who must go to Nevada, please take a weeknight and help out.

For the many of you who aren't, spend a weeknight-and this weekend, and Election Day-defeating these initiatives and getting out the vote for Democrats.

So many more races are in play than we expected. As I said, let's not look back and see missed opportunities!

VOTING MAN A BIG SUCCESS!

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 06:42:00 +0000

To those who attended Voting Man 2008-"The Greatest Camping and Canvassing Experience...EVER"-I want to thank all of you for such a great weekend. We made thousands of contacts this weekend and collected hundreds of pledge cards for follow up in November. To those of you who didn't, YOU MISSED OUT!

Some serious campers

Super-Trainer Laurel gets the Voting Man crew going

Peer-t0-peer practice

S'mores prep

Getting canvass assignments

Breakfast time

Afternoon canvass prep

The California Young Democrats decided to combine two things we love to do-canvass for Democrats and camp out in the wilderness we believe ought to be around for generations to come-and it added up to one heck of an invasion.

Momentum in the Central Valley is growing. The Young Voter Revolution campaign is making a big impact in a place growing bluer and bluer by the day.

Like all the battleground states, the Central Valley will be the Margin of Victory in 2008 for Californians. Turning out young voters to vote here will lead to wins up and down the ticket-including a few upsets that nobody saw coming!

Voting Man Live Blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:22:00 +0000

I'm here at our Stockton headquarters this afternoon, taking a moment to let you know that California Young Democrats from all over Northern California are in the Central Valley today, canvassing our fellow young voters.

Last night, we braved strong winds and bitter cold but had a great time camping out along the Stanislaus River. We huddled around the campfire, told a lot of stories-including WHY we got involved in politics and elections in the first place, and yes, even made some S'mores! And yes, they're still delicious.

Then, it was up bright and early this morning to get going. The temperature dropped down into the 40's for most of the night. Leaving the sleeping bags took a little longer than we expected. This was the scene about a half hour before we were supposed to leave:

Okay, so we're not morning people. Eventually we left the warmth of our sleeping bags and drove to Stockton for breakfast and training.

Then, it was time to head out to the streets, fairs, and hangouts to get people pledged for Democrats in November.

More to come later...

VOTING MAN 2008 is here!

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 20:34:00 +0000

In just a few hours, Young Democrats from around the state will be gathering for Voting Man 2008. It combines camping, a three-day weekend, and canvassing for Democrats in the Central Valley, all into one weekend!

CYD is targeting young voters in the Central Valley because we need more Democrats elected to the legislature and every other level of government. We'll be canvassing the local areas to get the youth vote out for Democrats.

While we're at it, we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and three-day weekend (for some) to camp out at night at Caswell Memorial State Park.

It's not too late to join us for this weekend of fun and stoking the Democratic wave set to hit in November. You can sign up right here.

Online Voter Registration Act Signed

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 06:09:00 +0000

Today Governor Schwarzenegger signed a very important bill-SB 381, the Online Voter Registration Act. This bill will allow people to register online if they have a signature on file with the state DMV.

Previous attempts to register people online have always run into a problem: you couldn't do so without a signature. Attempts to get people to register via text messages or Rock The Vote's popular online voter registration tool have always involved the extra step of printing out and mailing an application or receiving a pre-filled out card in the mail to sign and return. For anyone with a California ID or driver's license, this requirement falls away.

As California Secretary of State Debra Bowen has said,

"Californians can pay bills and file their taxes online. Being able to register to vote online is the next logical step in making it easier for Californians to participate fully in their democracy."

Well said.

Why is this so important to young voters?

We move a lot. It's true. Much more so than any other group. And every time we move, we have to re-register.

We also use our computers and phones a lot. When this bill is implemented, we will be able to quickly and conveniently use that technology to register to vote online. No printers or stamps necessary.

Really, the only question will be: what's the coolest place to say you registered to vote from...?

CYD Kicks off CA's Young Voter Revolution in Stockton!

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 05:14:00 +0000

The California Young Democrats kicked off California's Young Voter Revolution at our brand new headquarters in Stockton on a sunny Saturday morning.

(Rocky and Christine at the HQ)

A few dozen YDs showed up to get trained on peer-to-peer canvassing and pledge cards.

(Laurel trains a crew of CYD canvassers)

We were then sent out to several local hangouts-coffee shops, malls, and parks-to get young voters pledged to vote for Democrats this November.

(CYD Campaign Director Gabe Gonzalez gets 'em going)

It was a great success, with dozens of cards signed during just a few hours out in the streets. We will soon follow up with all of our new supporters and make sure they get out and vote by Election Day.

Want to help us out in the Central Valley soon? Sign up for Voting Man 2008, coming up October 10th-12th.

Sacramento Bee sets the record straight: Students can vote on campus!

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:50:00 +0000

In case you haven't heard, there's a common intimidation factor that is used to suppress the youth vote on college campuses: tell students registering to vote at their college that doing so might cause them to lose their scholarships or financial aid, or that their parent's tax status will be jeopardized.

The New York Times recently reported on problems at Virginia Tech (which just happens to be a swing state), at which the local registrar sent out notices warning of dire consequences for registering on campus.

Well, thankfully the Sacramento Bee lays the facts out for us in an Editorial titled: "Students can vote at college addresses." They lay out the problems in Virginia:

"Too often, election officials actively discourage young people from voting. We're seeing this now, especially in battleground states.
Here's one example. Inside Higher Education has reported that in Virginia Tech University's county, a registrar issued a press release telling students that if they register to vote at their college address, their parents will no longer be able to declare them as dependents in income-tax filings, that the students could lose their scholarships and that they could lose health, auto or other insurance coverage.

None of this is true. But this county is not alone in spreading such untruths."

A 1979 Supreme Court decision affirmed a student's right to vote while away at school. Furthermore, the editorial points out that:

"The U.S. tax code explicitly allows dependents to live away from home while attending school. And students covered on their parents' health insurance plans aren't affected if they register to vote in another county or state. Financial aid has nothing to do with where a student votes.
Virginia isn't the only place this is happening. Other states and local communities make it difficult for students to vote. This stuff needs to be exposed. People everywhere should stand up for voting rights."

As we head out in the next few weeks to register voters, make sure you spread the word: Students can register, and vote, right where they go to school.

Yes We Can!

noreply@blogger.com (Becca Doten) — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 05:00:00 +0000

It's Friday afternoon, and I'm sitting in the lobby of the Sheraton Hotel in Denver.

It's been a wonderful, amazing week here during the DNC convention. I have had the opportunity to be part of history - throughout the week as a delegate to the convention and then last night, as I sat in the seats on the floor of Invesco Field, I heard Sen. Barack Obama give an eloquent and inspiring speech.

There were speeches and receptions and breakfasts and parties. I got to spend time with some of my best friends and meet new friends. I connected with people I only knew through Facebook or had heard of through others and I shared this experience with 80,000 people at Invesco Field last night.

The following posts are my impresions of the week, breaking it down by events or time at the Pepsi Center.

But beyond the fun photos and the great opportunities that I had this past week is a unified message of hope that was sent throughout this convention. Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Joe Biden offer a change of course for our country, and opportunity to move to a new legacy, a 21st Century America, that deals with the tough realities that working men and women in our country face. Together, we have the ability to reject the failed policies of the last eight years and focus on the

During last night's speech I was most struck when Obama spoke not only of our differences, but our shared vision. To quote Sen. Barack Obama:

We may not agree on abortion, but surely we can agree on reducing the number of unwanted pregnancies in this country.

The reality of gun ownership may be different for hunters in rural Ohio than for those plagued by gang-violence in Cleveland, but don’t tell me we can’t uphold the Second Amendment while keeping AK-47s out of the hands of criminals.

I know there are differences on same-sex marriage, but surely we can agree that our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters deserve to visit the person they love in the hospital and to live lives free of discrimination.

Passions fly on immigration, but I don’t know anyone who benefits when a mother is separated from her infant child or an employer undercuts American wages by hiring illegal workers.

This too is part of America’s promise – the promise of a democracy where we can find the strength and grace to bridge divides and unite in common effort.

What a message.

When I got involved in politics 5 years ago, it was because I was inspired by Gov. Howard Dean's candidacy. But Sen. Obama has brought that to a whole new level, and inspired a whole new group of young people and those who have felt disenfrancished by politics.

This week was not the end -- it is the beginning of the next stage of the '08 presidential campaign.

Sen. Obama cannot do this alone. Each one of us must take the responsibility to talk to our friends and neighbors. To volunteer at a phone bank or register voters. Together we can make a statement to the world that the United State of America is ready to for CHANGE and ready to tackle the real problems that we face.

CONVENTION UPDATE: Monday Night - On the Convention Floor

noreply@blogger.com (Becca Doten) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 06:00:00 +0000

I am in absolute awe of this amazing opportunity to be at this '08 DNC Convention. I was in Boston, but not as a delegate. And it was fun and a great experience. But yesterday, when I walked into the Pepsi Center, it took my breath away. The place was decked out with red, white and blue.

The perimeter was pretty far out - and the whole week is going to include a LOT of walking. But you walk through the securtiy gates and see the huge Pepsi Center with all the DNC banners. You walk by the CNN Grill, where the exposed brick building has been painted with the CNN logo. And then you get into the convention center itself, and you can feel the buzz...

I got there extremely early (2:30 PM), because Fox 11 was following around myself and another Young Democrat, Rachel Pellam, and asked us to get there early. So while the energy of the crowd was just beginning to build, it gave us a great chance to walk around and get up close to the stage.

Wow.

(On the floor, waiting for the Convention to begin)

(Near the stage, at the beginning of the programming)

The CA Delegation is not on the actual floor, but our seats aren't horrible. We're actually right behind the CNN booth...

(CNN's Wolf Blitzer reporting -- right in front of the CA Delegation)

(CNN's John King, checking his blackberry at the CNN stage)

... which is how I was able to get this picture with Anderson Cooper!

(CNN's Anderson Cooper poses with Rachel Pellam and me)

Once the event really got rolling, we got to see just how impressive the production was. The stage has huge video screens that wrap above the stage to the ceiling, where images, colors and shapes are played, accenting the speaker. For instance, for the innvocation and benediction, they played what looked like stained glass. For the Sen. Kennedy introduction, there was a video and behind the major speakers are shapes or colors.

(The stage during Speaker Nancy Pelosi's speech)

(The stage during Jesse Jackson, Jr.'s speech)

In between the speakers, there are short Obama videos and lots of shots of delegates on the floor, waving and dancing. Yes, there are a lot of the stereo-typical delegates - decked out in buttons and weird hats. Several delegations have themes - for instance, Florida is wearing flamingo sunglasses and Alaska has matching jackets.

(Yep, this is Florida!)

As the evening moved on, more and more of our well-known local delegates showed up -- Mayor Villaraigosa (and his son), Controller Laura Chick, Councilmembers Garcetti, Greuel and Hahn, Congressmembers Maxine Waters and Diane Watson and School Board Member Yolie Flores Aguilar. I also sat two seats away from Delores Huerta for the majority of the major speeches. There were sightings of San Francisco District Attorney Kamala D. Harris (a wonderful young, dynamic political figure) and, celebrity-wise, Bill Maher.

(Council President Garcetti shows off his Obama Pride)

(Councilmember Janice Hahn was a huge fan of Michelle Obama's speech)

.... I'll break down the individual speechs in a later post. But the initial impression of the experience was a breathtaking one, and reminded me how incredibly lucky I am to be a part of this historic convention.

The Denver Convention Kicks Off

noreply@blogger.com (Rocky Fernandez) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:42:00 +0000

Well, I've now been in Denver for almost 48 hours. The scene here is, quite honestly, a little overwhelming. There is security all over the place, and quite a few entrepreneurs who are selling Obama everything. Posters, buttons, hats, t-shirts, etc.

Last night, I went to the media party-and it didn't disappoint. Held at Elitch Gardens, a local amusement park, people were treated to food, drink, thrill rides, and carnival games. Most people walked away with stuffed animals, and a good time was had by all. A fireworks show ended the evening for us.

Earlier today, the Young Democrats of America (YDA) held their Summer Conference at the Convention Hall. There, they continued the launch of the Young Voter Revolution, revealing a new logo and t-shirts. All of YDA looks forward to the November election, unified behind the Obama-Biden ticket. We started off the morning with a brunch with Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker, a Young Democrat with an inspirational story of a campaign victory against the odds. Here are myself, National Committeemembers Natalie Rojas and Owen Stephens, as well as CYD mascot Ralph at the brunch!

Later on, at the YDA National Committee meeting, Crystal Strait, a former CYD President, was re-elected by acclimation as YDA's Democratic National Committee Woman. She will continue to represent the national organization along with DNC Man Francisco Domenech at all DNC Meetings.

The great part so far has been the huge number of young voters in town. Delegate or not, this is the place to be. And thanks to the work of many in the party and many of YOU, youth delegates make up 16% of all the delegates to the convention. This is an amazing 5% increase from four years ago!

Stay tuned, there is much more to come...

Rocky Fernandez, President

California Young Democrats Take Strong Stances on November Ballot Initiatives

noreply@blogger.com (Stephanie Chan) — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 23:18:00 +0000

Contact: California Young Democrats: Jennifer Longley jlongley@youngdems.org 1-415-816-3914

California College Democrats: Stephanie Chan stephanie1281@gmail.com 1-650-678-6886

For Immediate Release: Monday, August 4, 2008

California Young Democrats Take Strong Stances

on November Ballot Initiatives

Young Voters make their voices heard in Los Angeles and kick off massive Peer-to-Peer vote pledge drive featuring State Senator Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles)

Number / Title/ Recommendation
Prop. 2
Treatment of Farm Animals. Statute. YES
Prop. 3
Children’s Hospital Bond Act. Grant Program. Statute. NO POSITION
Prop. 5
Nonviolent Offenders. Sentencing, Parole and Rehabilitation. Statute. YES

Prop. 6
Criminal Penalties and Laws. Public Safety Funding. Statute. NO
Prop. 7
Renewable Energy. Statute. NO

Prop. 9
Criminal Justice System. Victims’ Rights. Parole. Constitutional Amendment and Statute. NO
Prop. 10
Bonds. Alternative Fuel Vehicles and Renewable Energy. Statute. NO POSITION
Prop. 11
Redistricting. Constitutional Amendment and Statute. NO

The California Young Democrats (CYD) took these official ballot proposition stances this past Saturday, August 2, 2008, at the CYD Executive Board Meeting in Los Angeles, California. The California Young Democrats also took to the streets and kicked off a statewide, Peer-to-Peer "Pledge to Vote Democrat" campaign with State Senator Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles). In the coming months, CYD will contact, activate and mobilize 150,000 young voters to get to the polls.

CYD had already taken official stances on three ballot propositions at the California Democratic Party Executive Board Meeting in June

Prop. 1
Safe, Reliable High-Speed Passenger Train Bond Act for the 21st Century. YES
Prop. 4
Waiting Period and Parental Notification Before Termination of Minor’s Pregnancy. Constitutional Amendment. NO

Prop. 8
Eliminates the Rights of Same-Sex couples to marry. Constitutional Amendment. HELL NO

CYD also took support positions on two pieces of legislation. They came out in support of Senate Bill 831, by Senator Ron Calderon (D-Montebello), which allows for online voter registration provided the person has a signature on file with the DMV. CYD also voted to support Senate Bill 1672, by Senator Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), which provides funding for Green-Collar Job development as the state moves towards a Clean Energy Economy.

“Mobilizing young voters in California will be the key to victory on many important issues this November” said Rocky Fernandez, President of the California Young Democrats. “We will fight back against the many flawed propositions on the ballot, and open up opportunities for young voters to find real solutions to our state’s long-term needs.”"This weekend we asked our peers to pledge to vote for change this November" says Nick Warshaw, President of the California College Democrats. "Studies show that when a young person asks another young person to get involved in the political process they are exponentially more likely to vote. Young people will be the key to ensuring inequality is not enshrined in the California Constitution."

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The California Young Democrats is the official youth arm of the California Democratic Party, comprised of progressive people ages 14-35. The California Young Democrats are committed to creating a bloc of young voters who will elect Democrats for an entire generation. Using proven Peer to Peer campaign methods, Young Democrats have made significant differences in races all over California. Young Democrats in California work everyday to promote social justice, women's rights, peace and stability in the world, and many other progressive values.

The California College Democrats is the official student arm of the California Democratic Party, comprised of progressive students.

National Young Democrats of America Conference in Nashville

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:00:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 2, 2008
Press Contact: Claire Conlon, (916) 595-3090

National Young Democrats of America Conference in Nashville

Young Voter Revolution Takes Hold in Nashville and Nationally
Young Democrats went to the streets of Music City USA

NASHVILLE, TN – This weekend, at the Young Democrats of America Spring National Conference in Nashville, hundreds of Young Democrats learned the skills needed to organize their communities for victory in November. Over one hundred Young Dems then took to the streets and got over three hundred people to pledge to vote for Democrats.

"We are thrilled to be in Tennessee as we build momentum for the 2008 general election," said YDA President David Hardt. "The Young Voter Revolution is underway, with young people voting – and voting for Democrats – in record numbers." Tennessee Young Democrats President Seannalyn Brandmeir added, "The Tennessee Young Democrats are excited to host Young Democrats from across the country in Nashville. This is an exciting year for young people as we have seen in the last primary with young people quadrupling in voter turnout in Tennessee. So it's the perfect place to come together to engage even more young people."

The afternoon pledge-to-vote scavenger hunt followed a luncheon with Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen who discussed his rise from an unknown candidate to one of the most popular Governors in either party. Then YDA kicked-off the 2008 YDA campaign by creating vote pledge goals for paid campaign programs in targeted states, local Young Democrats chapters, and constituency caucuses. Young Democrats were broken out into teams and given an hour to get people on the streets to pledge to vote in Downtown Music City USA.

Members of the Young Democrats are anxious to return to their home states to translate skills into action, as they engage thousands of young people to vote in upcoming elections. Young workers, young families, college and high school students will be the margin of victory for Democrats up and down the ballot, in red and blue states, in November.

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The Young Democrats of America (YDA) is the largest youth-led, national, partisan political organization. YDA mobilizes young people under the age of 36 to participate in the electoral process, influences the ideals of the Democratic Party, and develops the skills of the youth generation to serve as leaders at the local and national level. With 2,000 chapters in all 50 states, the Young Democrats of America works to engage young people in Democratic politics and mobilize the youth vote.

The Tennessee Young Democrats (TNYD) strive to stimulate in young people an active interest in governmental affairs, to provide opportunities for its members to acquire practical political experience in the operation of the Democratic Party, to represent the point of view of Democratic young people in the counsels of our party, to recruit new members and provide a ready means of entry into the party for all young people, to actively nourish a climate protective of minority rights and conducive to the practice of democratic liberties and to foster, encourage and support the candidacy of qualified young people for public office and positions of responsibility within the Democratic Party.

California Young Democrats Will Work to Defend a Women's Right to Choose

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Fri, 30 May 2008 21:00:00 +0000

PRESS RELEASE

California Young Democrats
For Immediate Release: Friday, May 30, 2008
Press Contact: Claire Conlon, (916) 595-3090, cconlon@youngdems.org

California Young Democrats Will Work to Defend a Women's Right to Choose

SACRAMENTO – California Young Democrats President Rocky Fernandez released the following statement today upon qualification of the Constitutional Amendment ballot measure "Waiting Period and Parental Notification Before Termination of Minor's Pregnancy": "The California Young Democrats are committed to defending women's reproductive rights and will fight to defeat this ballot measure in November."

Nick Warshaw, President of the California College Democrats also commented, "This is the third time the right wing Republicans in California have cynically attempted to use this as a wedge issue for divisive political gain. We fought it hard in 2005 and 2006. And we're going to fight it even harder this time. California's young voters are savvy enough to see through this mean-spirited effort to turn out the fringe right."

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YOUNG DEMOCRATS WIN DELEGATE SEATS TO DENVER CONVENTION

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0000

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.

CALL ON THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN TO REINSTATE LOYAL YOUNG DEMOCRATIC LEADERS

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0000

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.

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Democrats Making the “Year of the Young Voter” Real in California

noreply@blogger.com (Becca Doten) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:14:00 +0000

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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CYD ELECTS NEW OFFICERS AND HONORS SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR GAVIN NEWSOM AT THE 2008 ANNUAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENTION

noreply@blogger.com (Claire) — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 22:34:00 +0000

SAN JOSE - The California Young Democrats (CYD) and the California College Democrats (CYD) have returned from the 2008 California Democratic Party State Convention revved up for the upcoming election year with a fresh board of elected officers to rally California's young Democrats to bring even more young voters to the polls for California's June Primary and November General Election.

The California Young Democrats presented San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom with the CYD Mentor of the Year Award for his dedication to the California Young Democrats and our mission, and for his willingness to take action on the issues facing the young people of his city and of California. "I am proud to be honored by the young Democrats," said Mayor Gavin Newsom as he accepted his award. "These are tomorrow's leaders and it is my privilege to be recognized by such a committed group of young people."

The new CYD board was elected info office at the annual State Convention. "We have an excited group of young leaders and we are going to reach out to young voters, get them engaged and to the polls and make 2008 the year of the young voter," said Rocky Fernandez, the newly elected CYD President. "Young people in California and across the Nation are showing up to vote in record numbers, and they're turning out and voting for Democrats."

2008-2009 CYD Executive Board

President: Rocky Fernandez, Easy Bay Young Democrats

National Committeewoman: Natalie Rojas, University of California, Santa Cruz

National Committeeman: Owen Stephens, San Francisco Young Democrats

Vice President of Membership: David Phelps, San Fernando Valley Young Democrats

Vice President of Finance: Alissa Ko, Sacramento County Young Democrats

Political Director: Rebecca Doten, Los Angeles County Young Democrats

Secretary: Paula Villescaz, Cal Berkeley Democrats

Parliamentarian: Nick Caston, Sonoma County Young Democrats

Region 1 Director- North State: Amanda Sheldon, Sacramento County Young Democrats

Region 2 Director-Bay Area: Julie Lind, Silicon Valley Young Democrats

Region 5 Director- Los Angeles: Damian Carroll, San Fernando Valley Young Democrats

Region 6 Director- South State: Brandon Tate, Stonewall Young Democrats of San Diego

Region 7 Director- Orange County/Inland Empire: Rashad Al-Dabbagh, Arab American Democrats

2008-2009 CCD Executive Board

President: Nick Warshaw, Claremont McKenna

Executive Vice President: Christine Smith, University of California, Berkeley

Northern California Vice President: Ryan Mcelhinney, Chico

Southern California Vice President: Morgan Lucas, University of California Santa Barbara

Political Director: Charlie Carnow, University of Southern California

Communications Coordinator: Stephanie Chan, University of California, Berkeley

Treasurer/Secretary: Grace Bisel, Chapman University

"The California College Democrats have elected the most diverse and talented slate in the history of our organization," said Nick Warshaw, the newly re-elected California College Democrats President. "With these leaders who represent the diversity and passion of the students of our golden state, the California College students will turn out in record numbers in June and in November."

The California Young Democrats are positioned to engage thousands of young people to vote in California's upcoming elections. Young workers, young families, college and high school students will be the margin of victory in turning red California blue in 2008 and in electing a Democrat to the White House.

Keep California Blue

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One week until the CYD Convention!

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Happy New Year!

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Hey media-get the youth vote story right tomorrow, please

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National Young Democrats of America Conference in Nashville

National Young Democrats of America Conference in Nashville

Young Voter Revolution Takes Hold in Nashville and NationallyYoung Democrats went to the streets of Music City USA

California Young Democrats Will Work to Defend a Women's Right to Choose

PRESS RELEASE

YOUNG DEMOCRATS WIN DELEGATE SEATS TO DENVER CONVENTION

CALL ON THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN TO REINSTATE LOYAL YOUNG DEMOCRATIC LEADERS

Democrats Making the “Year of the Young Voter” Real in California

CYD ELECTS NEW OFFICERS AND HONORS SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR GAVIN NEWSOM AT THE 2008 ANNUAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY CONVENTION

Young Voter Revolution Takes Hold in Nashville and Nationally
Young Democrats went to the streets of Music City USA