Party chair hopeful files protest
Candidate challenges election results after narrow loss at state Democrats’ meeting.
The candidate who narrowly lost the race to be the next leader of the California Democratic Party on Tuesday filed a formal challenge of the election result.
Kimberly Ellis’ campaign, which was already in the process of reviewing the ballots cast during the state party’s convention two weekends ago, said they were filing the challenge to meet the deadline required by the party bylaws.
“Our review process is ongoing. It’s critical that all formal processes outlined by the CDP’s bylaws are followed at this time so that there can be no concern about raising issues in the manner prescribed by our party,” said Hilary Crosby, immediate past controller for the state party and an Ellis supporter.
Ellis’ campaign said challenges were also being filed in races for a vice chair, secretary and multiple regional directors.
Chris Masami Myers, state party executive director, acknowledged receiving the challenges and said in a statement that they would be reviewed “in accordance with the standard practices described in the bylaws.”
The party’s compliance review commission, made up of six members who were appointed during former Chairman John Burton’s tenure, will review the evidence and take oral or written testimony before issuing a ruling in mid- to late June.
The state party chair race was the most heated and contentious. Longtime party leader Eric Bauman entered the race with advantages, but Ellis made the contest competitive.
In the election, held this month at the state party convention in Sacramento, Bauman beat Ellis by just over 60 votes.
But amid allegations levied by her supporters of ballot-box stuffing and ripped-up ballots, she refused to concede the race. Her campaign has been reviewing individual ballots for a week.
Bauman did not immediately respond to requests for comment.