We are excited to support the Progressive Labor slates running to contest the corporate power within the Democratic Party this month! We have at least 50 members running for delegate spots in progressive labor slates across LA County!
What the ADEM Elections Are and Why They Matter
Every two years roughly a third of the 3,200 delegates to the California Democratic Party are elected in the Assembly District Meetings or ADEMs. Los Angeles County has 23 of California’s 80 Assembly Districts, so we will elect approximately 30% of these delegates alone! While most of the party is in the control of elected officials and county Democratic Party apparatuses, the ADEM election permits working people the rare opportunity to leverage our collective voice and gain some influence over the workings of the Democratic Party. Delegates vote on party leadership, endorse candidates and ballot measures, propose changes to the party’s rules and platforms, and represent their constituents at the annual convention. Having socialist and progressive ADEM delegates helps to contest the billionaires’ grip over the party and to open up political possibilities to fight for the interests of workers over greed and profit.
In 2016 a surge of Berniecrats (and DSA candidates!) ran in their local ADEM elections and won the majority of their seats and executive boards. It took the party by surprise and led to some surprising events including denying corporate stalwart, Diane Feinstein, the party’s endorsement and awarding it to the more progressive Kevin de Léon, endorsing Proposition 10, preventing an endorsement for Governor at all, and helping pressure then-chairman Eric Bauman to step down in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations.
We are aware of the limitations of spending too much energy on inside-game Democratic Party politics, but there is nothing to lose and much to gain from supporting this latest round of socialists and progressives. In strategic positions such as these, our members can be obstructionists to corporate Democratic politics-as-usual, and advocate for leftist policies that we believe in. They are selflessly running in Progressive Labor Slates to promote left policies within the party platform, oppose corporate nominations, and work to change the party rules to make them more democratic. If elected, DSA-LA members are committed to ensuring opportunities for ongoing engagement, discussion and accountability to our chapter’s political project in collaboration with the DSA-LA Electoral Politics Committee.
At least 50 DSA members are included in slates around the county. You can find out where your polling place is and who the Progressive Labor delegates in your district by going to http://adems.vote.
Our Plan to Win
The ADEMs are not very well attended. It only takes a few votes to turn the tides for a candidate on the margins. If you can make it on your district’s election day, you will give an outsized influence on who wins. Even though there are few that turn out compared to standard elections the fields can be competitive and every corporate democrat running will call themselves a progressive. We need our educated membership and allies to go and not be fooled by the corporate stooges posing as wannabe leftists. We’ve provided you the names of the slates below.
This Is Fun!
Show up with your comrades wearing your DSA swag, carrying your dog-eared copy of Das Kapital, and be the specter haunting Los Angeles that keeps liberals up at night.
But don’t I have to be a Democrat to vote in the election?
Technically, yes. But the California Democratic Party is very lax and encourages ADEM participation. They will register you on the spot to become a Democrat. If you can’t stand the “D” by your name, you can re-register as whatever you want afterwards on your phone (give it a few weeks so one does not supersede the other)!
Who to Vote For
If you’re in ADs 43, 45, 49, 53, 55, 57, 63, 64, or 70, your elections were on Jan 12-13!
If you’re in ADs 36, 38, 39, 41, 46, 48, 50, 51, 52, 54, 58, 59, 62, or 66, your elections are coming up this weekend, Jan 26-27!
Click here to find the Our Revolution slates we're supporting.