It’s completely safe to read this — no one is going to ask you for money
It’s completely safe to read this — no one is going to ask you for money.
Most people are surprised to learn that Placer County has an elected Democratic Central Committee. Members are chosen by Democratic voters, and every one of us serves as a volunteer. We have no staff, no paid consultants, and no outside operational support beyond professional accounting services for the complex FEC/FPPC filing requirements. Everything we accomplish is driven by volunteers who are committed to keeping local democracy healthy and functioning.
Through year‑round donations and fundraising, volunteers raise and invest about $132,000 annually to support voter education, community events, and candidate support. For context, recent filings show that Placer County Republicans raise more than twice that amount — over $180,000 in individual donations and nearly $250,000 when PAC contributions are included.
This September, when ballots are mailed out, Placer County Democrats will also send thousands of slate (information) cards to registered Democrats. These cards provide information about candidates for offices across the county — not just statewide or congressional seats, but school boards, city councils, airport districts, water boards, and other local positions.
Right now, volunteers are already hard at work: training candidates, organizing voter outreach, running phone banks, and supporting election‑season activities. All of this happens in our local office — again, entirely volunteer‑run.
The work continues all year. The Central Committee and our chartered Democratic clubs host town halls, candidate forums, endorsement meetings, and community events so residents can hear directly from candidates and learn about local issues.
A recent example is Prop 50. Volunteers staffed phone banks, canvassed neighborhoods, and mailed thousands of informational cards to every Democrat in the county — all 92,500 of them. That effort helped increase awareness and participation, and today Placer County has three Democratic congressional candidates in the general election with a viable chance to win. We have not seen the possibility of electing a Democratic member of Congress from Placer County in decades — much less three.
So what’s the takeaway? Every mailing, event, workshop, and outreach effort is funded entirely by local donations or events. There is no financial support from the state or national party. Most contributions come from neighbors giving $10–$20 a month. Events throughout the year help cover costs and keep the organization running. We also understand that not everyone can afford to donate regularly or attend fundraising dinners or receptions, and we deeply appreciate those who can.
Here’s what it takes to operate each year:
2-3 Mailings Per Election: $60,000 – $75,000 annually
Office, printing, insurance, utilities: $30,000–$35,000 annually
Communications: several thousand
Candidate workshops: several thousand
Town halls: $3,000–$5,000 (venue, sound, flyers, security)
In order to remain competitive in delivering our Democratic message and to close the gap with the Republican Placer Central Committee fundraising, our fundraising efforts must continue to grow. Your continuing support at any level increases our ability to impact elections across Placer County.
We hope this gives you a clearer picture of the work happening behind the scenes — all done by volunteers who care deeply about keeping our local democratic processes strong and accessible.
Charlie Riley, Placer County Democratic Central Committee/Controller
Kathleen Crawford, Placer County Democratic Central Committee / Past Chair, Controller
