by Robert in Monterey [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

California Democratic Party Political Director and Young Democrat DNC member cites Obama’s ability to build the party with younger voters

By Frank D. Russo

In a move that puts Barack Obama ahead in most, if not virtually all super delegate counts and reduces his magic number to clinch the nomination, Crystal Strait, the Political Action Director for the California Democratic Party, endorsed Obama for President.

Strait, 28 years of age, the immediate past President of the California Young Democrats, and a member of the Democratic National Committee representing Young Democrats of America, is a powerful boost for Obama. She had been cited as an undecided delegate in an article as late as one appearing in this morning’s Oakland Tribune in which she praised the efforts of Chelsea Clinton to secure delegate commitments to her mother, Hillary Clinton. She becomes the 276th superdelegate to endorse Obama in a rare Sunday announcement from the campaign. Sshe has been active both within California and nationally.

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Excitement about doubling of youth vote in California and candidates speaking to them about issues that matter

By Rocky Fernandez
National Committeeman
California Young Democrats

The California Young Democrats are traveling in droves to San Jose this weekend for the California Democratic Party State Convention. For many Young Democrats, it will be their first convention.

There's never been a better time to be a Young Democrat.

The Presidential Candidates are taking the youth vote seriously and investing resources to talking to young voters about our issues. Due to this and a lot of hard work by the California Young Democrats, the California College Democrats, and the Young Democrats of America, young voter turnout is rising.

In the February primary, youth turnout doubled from the 2000 and 2004 elections. Most of the turnout was for the Democratic candidates. Young Decline-to-State voters picked up Democratic ballots and took their first step towards becoming lifetime Democrats.

So we arrive at the state convention with a lot of momentum. We're looking at the trends in primaries and caucuses across the country and see similar increases in turnout. We know that with more hard work, we can get our peers to vote and in doing so win a lot of elections for Democrats.