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 March 2024 Primary election endorsement applicants.

If you have any questions about your application or on the process, please contact:

Jeffrey Cárdenas, jeffrey@ocdemocrats.org, (949) 438-0281.

 

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

Per DPOC bylaws, any office can be considered for endorsement after the filing period opens. The Declaration of Candidacy and Nomination period for the March 2024 primary election, commonly known as “Candidate Filing”, begins on or around September 14, 2023. The DPOC’s governing board, the Central Committee, can consider a race for endorsement if there hasn’t been a candidate endorsed for that race already. The DPOC will not endorse more candidates for an office than the number to be elected for that office.

The offices which may be considered for the 2024 primary election endorsement include:

  • Orange County Supervisor Districts 1 or 3
  • Orange County Board of Education Trustee Area 1,3, or 4
  • Orange County Superior Court Judge (if applicable)

 

The California Democratic Party issues endorsements in federal and state election contests, including statewide, U.S. House, State Assembly, State Senate offices, and statewide ballot measures. The Endorsement calendar and procedure for these offices is on the California Democratic party website. https://cadem.org/endorsements/

Applicants for the DPOC endorsement must:

 Submit the completed endorsement questionnaire at this Google Form

                    Non-Judicial Questionnaire

                     or

                    Judicial Questionnaire

                  Pay the $50 endorsement application fee 

                  Receive Central Committee list

 

Calendar

  • August 1, 2023 – DPOC Application submission opens 

  • September 14, 2023 – Candidate Filing Period Opens with OC Registrar 

  • September 18, 2023 – County Party Endorsement Submission Deadline

  • September 18-21, 4 – 8 pm, 2023 – Interview by Zoom Endorsement Committee

  • September 27, 2023 – Central Committee Vote on Endorsement

  • December 8, 2023 – Candidate Filing Period Closes

  • February 5, 2024 – Ballots start to be Mailed

  • March 5, 2024 – Election Day

After the application submission, an endorsement interview will be scheduled. Applicants will also be emailed a full roster of the Democratic Party of Orange County’s Central Committee, to use for endorsement purposes only. 

 

Endorsement interview committees will be made up of relevant DPOC chartered 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, by a majority vote of the committee members present and voting, will make endorsement recommendations to the full Central Committee.

 

The full Central Committee can vote on endorsements at the next regular meeting or at a special 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.

DPOC chartered clubs participating in the Central Committee endorsement vote through their associate must issue instructions to their associate in advance of the Central Committee meeting. Club leadership should ensure their clubs vote on such instructions before the September 27 Central Committee meeting. Candidates seeking endorsement are encouraged to meet with their local Democratic clubs well in advance to seek or secure their support.

 Endorsement Finalization

Candidates for the March 2024 primary election must receive the affirmative vote of at least 60% of the Central Committee members present and voting to receive the DPOC endorsement for regular endorsement.


If you have any questions about your application or on the process, please contact Jeffrey Cárdenas, jeffrey@ocdemocrats.org, (949) 438-0281.