Clubs may take positions on candidate races and ballot measures independently of the SDCDP, in accordance with their bylaws. While the power to endorse candidates can greatly strengthen a club’s influence, it should be used with discretion. A vigorous, thoughtful, and democratic process should be used for making endorsements by the club membership.

SDCDP Requirements for Chartered Club Endorsements

Clubs’ bylaws must be consistent with the SDCDP requirements for club endorsements. They include:

• Only registered Democrats may be endorsed.
• Non-Democrats may only be rated acceptable or unacceptable.
• Chartered clubs shall notice their full membership by email of an endorsement consideration at least two weeks prior to the endorsement meeting.
• Chartered clubs invite all prospective Democratic candidates at least 5 business days prior to the meeting and provide details on the club’s process.
• Endorsements are not to be construed as SDCDP or CDP endorsements; words to that effect must be included whenever the club’s endorsement is referred to.
• Any publication of endorsements shall delineate between endorsed and rated acceptable candidates.

SDCDP Endorsements and Club Participation

The SDCDP is solely responsible for making official Democratic Party endorsements for county, municipal, school/college board, and special district board races in San Diego County, as well as local ballot measures. That process begins at the Area level (Metro West, East, North, or South), with Central Committee members in that Area (including club Associate members) recommending an endorsement to the full Central Committee.

In 2019 the SDCDP introduced a rule so that club Associate members can only vote in Area endorsement recommendation meetings for contested races, if the club has held an endorsement meeting, and the club Associate member is bound to the decision of the club. This requires the club to be aware of when the Area will consider a particular race, and to schedule its own endorsement consideration accordingly.

Each club should have a process in its bylaws that governs the selection of its Associate member, if that person is not the club President. Associate members may vote in all Area meetings and may participate in discussion, though not vote, in full Central Committee meetings. More information is available from the Director of Clubs or the Vice Chair in your Area.

California Democratic Party (CDP) Endorsements and Club Participation

The California Democratic Party (CDP) is solely responsible for making endorsements for U.S. Senate, Congressional, Statewide, State Senate, State Assembly, and Board of Equalization races, as well as statewide ballot measures. Endorsements are made at the CDP Convention in February of each election year, which is preceded by Pre-Endorsement Conferences around the state in January where local delegates (a.k.a. Democratic State Central Committee members) in each CDP Region, in addition to club representatives, may vote to recommend endorsements to the full State Central Committee.

Clubs may designate one representative for each 20 members registered to vote in a single Assembly District. In order to be represented, clubs must submit their membership roster and their bylaws to the appropriate CDP Regional Director(s) by July of the year prior to the election year (or by May of the year prior to a Presidential election year). Additionally, a club’s bylaws must define “member in good standing” and stipulate the process by which the club selects its representative(s) for the Pre-Endorsement Conferences. Please contact the SDCDP office or your CDP Regional Director for more details.

Club Endorsement Process

Beyond the endorsement rules required for chartering with the SDCDP, there are several additional recommended endorsement policies that clubs may incorporate into their bylaws:

• Candidate surveys, which should be sent to all Democratic candidates for a race under consideration and received at least five days prior to the scheduled endorsement meeting. Bylaws can state whether a candidate or campaign representative must be present to be considered and how extenuating circumstances will be handled. Candidates can be asked to step out of the room during discussion and voting. A synopsis of completed candidate surveys can be made available to all club members eligible to vote.
• Successive votes in races with multiple candidates, so that if no candidate receives the required percentage for endorsement, further rounds are taken deleting the candidate receiving the least number of votes and those receiving no votes on the previous round.