Warren County (Ohio) Democratic Party

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Who We Are

Mission Statement: The Warren County Democratic Party strives to elect Democratic candidates and promote Democratic issues that reflect our commitment to social and economic justice, environmental stewardship, and effective government. By raising awareness of our party and its core beliefs through meetings, forums, trainings, social events, and community service, we will strengthen our community and create a more balanced electorate.

Elected Leadership

Chair: Kelly Sakalas (kelly.sakalas@warrencountydems.org)
Vice Chair: James Gilmore (james.gilmore@warrencountydems.org)
Secretary: Noel Shamleffer (secretary@warrencountydems.org)
Treasurer: Janie Zecher (treasurer@warrencountydems.org)
State Candidate Fund Treasurer: Don Magee (scf.treasurer@warrencountydems.org)

Central Committee

Members of the WCDP Central Committee are elected by Democrats in their precinct, in the primary election in even-numbered non-presidential years. The Central Committee has a few special functions under state law, such as choosing alternative candidates if the Democratic nominee for a county-level elected office drops out of the race, but most of the ongoing work of the party is done by the Executive Committee, which includes the entire Central Committee as well as additional “at-large” members and officers. Central Committee members are often informally referred to as “precinct executives,” since their primary job is to organize and get out the vote for Democrats in their specific precinct.

Executive Committee

The WCDP Executive Committee, which meets at least four times per year, is responsible for the bulk of the ongoing oversight of the county party. It includes all the members of the Central Committee as well as the officers (elected by the Executive Committee) and numerous “at-large” members, who are elected by the existing Executive Committee at the recommendation of the chair.

Committees and Working Groups

In order to make sure that the party’s core functions are running smoothly, we’ve set up several committees and working groups to handle key elements of the party’s work.

Political Committee (political@warrencountydems.org): Responsible for identifying and recruiting candidates for public office, vetting candidates who seek WCDP’s endorsement, and supporting candidates and issues endorsed by the party. Co-Chairs: Rick Smith and Kelly Sakalas.
Welcome Committee (welcome@warrencountydems.org): Responsible for helping new folks get connected to their neighborhood Democrats and find out where they fit. Co-Chairs: Noel Shamleffer and Julia Voyles
Community Outreach Committee (outreach@warrencountydems.org): Responsible for coordinating our community outreach efforts (fundraisers or support for local organizations, food/clothing/supply drives, etc.). Chair: Becky Wuest
Communications Committee (comms@warrencountydems.org): Responsible for overseeing the party’s communications efforts, including social media pages, the website, media outreach, and messaging. Chair: James Gilmore.
Events & Engagement Committee (events@warrencountydems.org): Responsible for organizing party events and facilitating civic engagement, including monitoring local government meetings. Co-Chairs: Melissa Hoin and Renee Westermeyer.
Fundraising Committee (fundraising@warrencountydems.org): Responsible for organizing fundraising events and helping to raise money to support party operations and our endorsed candidates and issues. Co-Chairs: Laura Alesi and Kelly Sakalas.