County Committee

If you want to get more involved locally, we encourage you to run for this Democratic Party position. But to help you make your decision, read through these FAQs:

What is County Committee? 

The County Committee is the grass roots level and governing board of the New York County Democratic Party. Its most basic function is to approve the rules of the New York County Democratic Committee at a meeting that occurs once every two years. Every election district (ED) in Manhattan has between two and four representatives. One becomes a Democratic County Committeeperson by running in the Democratic Primary, usually held in June. Running for and serving on County Committee is a great way to be involved and make change happen at the local level. A term is two years.

What does County Committee do?

Besides approving the rules of the NY County Democratic Committee, they select the Democratic nominee for the general election when a vacancy occurs during a specific time frame as defined by law. For example: in 1992, after Representative Ted Weiss died, Jerrold Nadler was chosen by the County Committee to be the Democratic nominee. He went on to win the general election and has served his district in the US Congress ever since. The County Committee also votes on resolutions of public concern submitted by members.         

How do you run?

You need to be a registered Democrat to run for the Democratic County Committee. With the help of your local Democratic Club you petition to get on the Democratic Primary ballot by getting signatures of registered Democrats in your ED. If you are unopposed, you automically win the seat. If you have opposition you campaign among your neighbors and stand for election in the Democratic Primary in June.   

What do you actually do as a County Committee official?

Since you are the grass roots level of the Democratic Party your neighbors may contact you over political questions or local concerns they have. County Committee members can help resolve these issues in numerous ways with the help of officials in their Democratic club.

So why is County Committee important?

County Committee offers the opportunity to build stronger ties between the community and the local Democratic Party. It’s a constructive way of participating and going local.

Who do I contact to get more information?

You can contact the President of VID at president@villageindependentdemocrats.org