Berkeley City Councilmember Jesse Arreguin filed paperwork last week to run for the Alameda County Democratic Central Committee as the representative for the 15th Assembly District during the first presidential primary this June.
The central committee is the governing body of the county’s Democratic Party, made up of representatives from each of the assembly districts in the county. The 15th District includes Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont and North Oakland.
The committee meets once a month and oversees the party’s local endorsements and campaigns and adopts official positions on behalf of the California Democratic Party. Members are elected by registered democrats every two years.
“In an election year when we’re trying to re-elect the president and pass several important ballot measures, I think it’s important that young people have a seat at the table in helping to influence the direction of the Democratic Party,” Arreguin said.
According to Arreguin, the committee currently has six seats, but an increase in the number of registered democrats in the county has raised the number of seats to nine, for which 11 candidates are currently running.
Arreguin has been an associate member of the committee since February — meaning he could speak and make motions at meetings but not vote — but said he has been attending meetings for two years.
Since the majority of the committee members are over 50 years old, Arreguin said he believes it is important to have more young people on the committee to represent the concerns of younger voters.
“2008 was a huge turnout of young voters,” said Arreguin, who is 27 years old. “I think there will be a huge turnout this year as well, but we need to make sure they’re active in the Democratic Party.”
If elected, Arreguin said he would balance his role on City Council with his work with the committee. His term would begin in January.
Adelyn Baxter is the lead city government reporter.
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