Democratic Party Of Contra Costa County Elects New Leadership

News from the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County:

The Democratic Party of Contra Costa County (DPCCC) elected new leaders at the organization’s monthly meeting Thursday night.

More than 50 people attended the jam-packed election session at JFK University Law School, which featured a warmly contested and spirited race for party chair between Carolyn Phinney, Ph.D, of Orinda, and DPCCC Controller Jeff Koertzen, of Concord.

After the 34 voting members of the DPCCC cast ballots, Koertzen emerged victorious, succeeding longtime DPCCC chair and activist Chuck Carpenter of Concord.

“We must focus on electing more Democrats at every level of government in Contra Costa County,” Koertzen said. “Numerically, more Democrats now reside in Contra Costa County than San Francisco, yet -- as demonstrated in November 2014 -- we do not do enough to bring our supporters out to vote.”

Many cited Koertzen’s instrumental leadership in creating and organizing the inaugural Roosevelt Awards Dinner -- raising thousands of dollars for the party in June 2014 -- as a key reason to support him.

Prior to moving to Contra Costa County in 2010 from the Seattle area, Koertzen boasted a history of grassroots progressive activism everywhere he lived, from Oregon to Illinois. Befitting the fact that Koertzen is DPCCC’s first openly gay chair, Koertzen led the campaign while working at Microsoft in 2005 to cause the company to support LGBT rights legislation in the Washington state legislature.

Koertzen previously served as the DPCCC’s elected controller and has served as an elected California Democratic Party Executive Board Member for the 14th State Assembly District since 2013.

DPCCC also elected Jim Donnelly of San Ramon as First Vice Chair; Richard Mossman of Antioch as Second Vice Chair; Sharon Mossman as Controller; and Brodie Hilp of Danville as Secretary. Chuck Carpenter serves as Immediate Past Chair. (Of note, this represents the first time in modern DPCCC history that a husband and wife were elected together to serve in leadership positions.)

The DPCCC Executive Committee also includes five members representing each Contra Costa County Supervisorial District, and the diversity of the Democratic Party was on full display in the outcomes of the caucus elections for these posts:

• Pinole resident Maria Alegria represents District 1;
• Sarah Butler, an Orinda School District trustee, represents District 2;
• Debra Vinson, an Antioch School District trustee, represents District 3;
• Concord resident Greg Sanborn represents District 4; and
• Martinez resident Satinder Malhi, President of ContraCosta Young Democrats and District Director for Assemblymember Susan Bonilla, represents District 5.

The full list of elected leaders and members is below and also available on www.contracostadems.org. You can follow the DPCCC on Twitter at @contracostadems.

Koertzen added that the highest priority for the DPCCC for 2015 is ensuring a Democrat retains the 7th District State Senate seat recently vacated by Congressman Mark DeSaulnier and to begin laying the groundwork to win back the 16th State Assembly District seat.

“Building the party at the grassroots, local level will ensure Democrats in Contra Costa County are united behind electing great leaders to these important state posts,” Koertzen said.

DPCCC EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

OFFICERS 2015-2016

• Chair: Jeff Koertzen
• 1st Vice Chair: Jim Donnelly
• 2nd Vice Chair: Richard Mossman
• Controller: Sharon Mossman
• Secretary: Brodie Hilp
• Immediate Past Chair: Chuck Carpenter

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVES

• Supervisor District 1: Maria Alegria
• Supervisor District 2: Sarah Butler
• Supervisor District 3: Debra Vinson
• Supervisor District 4: Greg Sanborn
• Supervisor District 5: Satinder Malhi

DPCCC MEMBERSHIP
Updated January 15, 2015

REGULAR ELECTED MEMBERS
(alternate in parentheses)

SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 1

• Maria Alegria (John Marquez)
• Mister Phillips (Open)
• Gabriel Quinto (Indy Pahwa)
• Harpreet Sandhu (Joan Carpenter)

SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 2

• Sarah Butler (Mike McGill)
• Diddo Clark (Malcolm Brudigam)
• Jim Donnelly (John Hall)
• Carolyn Phinney (Calvin Sherwood)
• Brodie Hilp (Mary Linton)

SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 3

• Vince Cortese (Open)
• Argentina Davila-Luevano (Angel Luevano)
• Richard Mossman (Noel Pinto)
• Sharon Mossman (Open)
• Debra Vinson (Open)

SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 4

• Chuck Carpenter (Michael Munzell)
• Jeff Koertzen (Melanie Smith)
• Greg Sanborn (Edi Birsan)
• Carol Reed (Brent Trublood)

SUPERVISOR DISTRICT 5

• Tique Lee Caul (Charles Davidson)
• Satinder Malhi (Open)
• Alan Swislow (De’Shawn Woolridge)
• Rich Verrilli (Sally Sweetser)

EX OFFICIO MEMBERS

CONGRESS

• Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (Jerome Pandell)
• Congressman Jerry McNerney (Isaac Negrin)
• Congressman Eric Swalwell (Brad Tuvey)
• Congressman Mike Thompson (Jonathan Bash)

STATE SENATE

• State Senator Lois Wolk (Nadine Peyrucain)
• State Senator Loni Hancock (Cecelia Valdez)
• State Senate District 7 VACANT

STATE ASSEMBLY

• Assemblymember Jim Frazier (James Dupire)
• Assemblymember Susan Bonilla (Cathy McRoberts)
• Assemblymember Tony Thurmond (Selina Williams)
• Highest Finishing Democrat AD16 Tim Sbranti (Ellis Goldberg)

CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS & CDP OFFICIALS

• State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson (Jamie Qualk)
• CDP Controller Hilary Crosby (Rochelle Pardue-Okimoto)
• CDP Region 2 Director Craig Cheslog (Sharon Goldberg)
• CDP Region 5 Director Royce Kelley (Margaret Hanlon-Gradie)

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