Apply for Endorsement.

Are you a registered Democrat running for county, municipal, school board, water board, or special district elected office in Orange County? Apply for our endorsement below!

Thank you for considering the Democratic Party of Orange County (DPOC) endorsement. This is the page for November 2022 general election applicants.

If you have any questions about your application or on the process, please contact ajay@ocdemocrats.org.

Qualifications

Applicants for the DPOC endorsement must meet the general qualifications for their office as listed on the OC Registrar of Voters website and must be a registered Democrat.

Offices Considered

The DPOC has two types of endorsement, early and regular endorsements. As of February 28, 2022, early endorsements have been opened for all November 2022 general election offices. The threshold for early endorsements ⅔ of present and eligible DPOC Central Committee members, and 60% for regular endorsement. Regular endorsements take place after the candidate filing period opens on July 18, 2022.

All November 2022 general election endorsements may be considered for early endorsement, except for races where the DPOC has already endorsed.

Application Process

Applicants for the DPOC endorsement must:

  1. Submit the completed endorsement questionnaire at this Google Form
  2. Pay the $50 endorsement application fee here

The appropriate application deadlines are below: 

EARLY ENDORSEMENTS

March 16 – Application deadline for March 28 Central Committee Meeting (MAYOR APPLICANTS ONLY)

March 28 – Central Committee Meeting

April 11 – Application deadline for April 25 Central Committee Meeting

April 25 – Central Committee Meeting

May 9 – Application deadline for May 30 Central Committee Meeting

May 23 – Central Committee Meeting

June 13 – Application deadline for June 27 Central Committee Meeting

June 27 – Central Committee Meeting

REGULAR ENDORSEMENTS

July 11 – Application deadline for July 25 Central Committee Meeting

July 25 – Central Committee Meeting

August 8 – Application deadline for August 22 Central Committee Meeting

August 18 – FINAL Application deadline for August 28 Special Central Committee Meeting

August 22 – Central Committee Meeting

August 28 – Special Central Committee Meeting

After application submission, an endorsement interview will be scheduled. Applicants will also be sent a full roster of the DPOC Central Committee, to use for endorsement purposes only. 

Endorsement interview committees will be made up of relevant club representatives, a Central Committee member within the geographic area of the office, a California Democratic Party Regional Director, and all 7 DPOC Officers. After interviewing all candidates for an office, the endorsement interview committee may recommend a candidate for endorsement to the full Central Committee.

The full Central Committee can vote on endorsements at the next regular meeting. Candidates are highly encouraged to attend. 

Any Central Committee member may pull a candidate recommended by the endorsement interview committee from the recommendation list (“consent calendar”). If a recommendation is pulled from the consent calendar, candidates for that office will have up to 3 minutes to address the Central Committee. Candidates may choose to split up their 3 minutes between themselves and/or up to 2 other speakers. The “no endorsement position” will also have up to 3 minutes to address the Central Committee, and speakers for the “no endorsement” position can include any registered Democrat in Orange County.

Endorsement Finalization

Candidates for the November 2022 general election must receive the votes of ⅔ of present and eligible Central Committee members during the early endorsement period, and 60% during the regular endorsement period.