by Ruth Musser-Lopez
(January 15)  It rained again in the Mojave Desert last Sunday, pouring life and renewal into its parched soils. Meanwhile, renewing the election cycle for the Democratic party, inside the halls of the California Teacher’s Association office in Hesperia, Victor Valley resident Mike Curran was being elected as “Executive Board Representative” from amongst the 14 newly elected Democratic State Central Committee (DSCC) Delegates from Assembly District 33. Curran will represent Democratic voters in Assembly District 33 at California Democratic State Central Committee Executive Board Meetings. Curran replaces outgoing AD33 Executive Board Representative (EBd-Rep), John Putcko. Mr. Michael Castellano was a close runner up for the E-Board position.
Reorganization of the Democratic State Central Committee  begins at the end of 2014 when applications are made for the fourteen Delegate seats, which Delegates then elect the Executive Board Representative. The biennial meeting in January to elect Delegates and E-Board Reps commences the 2015-2017 election cycle for the California Democratic party. In each of California’s 80 Assembly Districts, the Democratic party convened elections either on Saturday, January 10 or Sunday January 11 to elect the assembly district delegates (ADDs). A person may only participate in the assembly district election meeting (ADEM) if he/she is a Democrat residing in and registered to vote by the October 20, 2014, voter registration deadline, in the assembly district that person wishes to represent, unless the person turned 18 or was a naturalized after the deadline, and is registered or registers on-site.
Delegate hopefuls must submit applications for the positions in advance of the election. Where insufficient applications are submitted, nominations are taken from the floor providing that the individuals are present to agree to their nominations. Upon their election, newly elected Delegates then elect an assembly district executive board representatives (“EBd Reps”) at the same meeting.
The newly elected delegates had the option of selecting an executive board representative from amongst the newly elected Delegates or from one of the their elected Democrats or nominee in a State or Congressional office or their highest vote getting Democrat in a state or congressional special election in which that Democrat did not win the election. In the case of Assembly District 33, those Delegates are Robert Conaway, John Coffey and Ruth Musser-Lopez who serve by virtue of their nomination as party candidates in the 2014 election cycle for Congressional and State offices. Each of these candidates or elected officials also appoint two or three delegates depending upon the office they ran for. Appointed delegates residing within the assembly district could have also been elected an assembly district executive board representative from amongst the two or three Delegates appointed by Conaway, Coffey or Musser-Lopez. Since the deadline for making appointments is February 9, sometime after the assembly district executive board representatives election, appointed delegates are often never considered for the position of assembly district executive board representative.
The California Assembly District Delegation consists of fourteen people (7 men / 7 women) from each assembly district elected to represent their district as Democratic State Central Committee delegates at both the 2015 and 2016 state conventions. They become voting members at those state conventions.
Regional Coordinator Diana Love convened the meeting in AD33 where all who were eligible and desired to volunteer as Delegates, were elected. Since only six women were available to serve, an eighth man was seated as a delegate. Newly seated delegates were:
Michael J. Curran, Michael Castellano, Mark Wirth, Antonio Vazquez, Kirk Anderson, Jeffrey McClain, Richard Turnbull, John Putcko, Laura Quigley, Donna Castellano, Adele Turner-McClain, Jacquese Conaway, Barbara James-Dew, and Diedra Mathis.
Elsewhere in San Bernardino County, Marlene Flowers convened the AD 47 assembly district election meeting election at USCW local 11 in Bloomington on Saturday, January 10. Joe Britt was elected executive board representative. Other Delegates include Carlos Avalos, Victor Quiroz, Edward Killgore, Robert Garcia, Jordan Wright, Rikki VanJohnson, Sara Garcia, Linda Gonzalez, Bobi Johnson, Dina Walker, Lynn Brown-Summers, Roxanne Williams and Ayanna Blackmon-Balogun.
San Bernardino County Democratic Central Committee Chairperson, Chris Robles convened the assembly district election meeting for AD 40 on Saturday, January 10 at the Islamic Center of the Inland Empire. Elected as assembly district executive board representative is Talat Khan. Other Delegates include Elvira Harris, Stacey Aldstadt, Laurie Stalnaker, Sanjuana Laurel, D. Dianne Landeros, Kristin Washington, Erick Jimenez, Terrace Masl, Donald Singer, Mohamed Gibani, Sean Houle, Dr. Reyes L. Quezada and Mike Saifie.
AD 41 overlaps in both Los Angeles and San Bernardino County. Tray Taylor was the Convener for the election held at UFCW1428 in Claremont on Sunday, January 11. Alexandra Zucco was elected as executive board representative. Other delegates include Tim Wendler, Hoyt Hilsman, Peter Baker, Garland Byrum II, John Harabedian, Sahag Yedalian, Garen Kirakosian, Linda Baker, Joanne Wendler, Darla Dyson, Teresa Lamb Simpson, Wendy Eccles and Aida Dimejian.
AD42 overlaps in both Riverside and San Bernardino County. Doris Foreman convened the election at the Democratic Headquarters in Hemet on Saturday, January 10, at which time Karalee Hargrove, a Delegate by virtue of her candidacy for assembly in that District was appointed as assembly district executive board representative. The 2015 assembly district delegates include Ruth Debra, Nancy Carroll Eileen Stern, Marie McDonald, July Bornstein, Nancy Humenik Sappington, Maryanne Ennis, Craig Scott, Steve Mehiman, Robert Westwood, Robert Moon, Lanny Swedlow, Tim Johnson and Norberto Gonzalez.
Delegates attend the annual California Democratic Party convention, this year to be held at the Anaheim Convention Center on May 15 – 17. Roughly 3500 people are expected to attend from throughout the state providing Delegates the opportunity to network with other Democrats. Delegates represent their constituency and also elect party officers, promote the California Democratic Party agenda, endorse candidates for statewide, legislative and congressional office positions and vote to endorse resolutions and ballot measures. Besides the commitment in time, according to Diana Love, assembly district executive board representatives can expect to spend twice as much as Delegates in travel and miscellaneous costs, somewhere upwards of $2,000 per election cycle.