FOR DISTRICT LEADER
Primary Election:
June 4, 2024
What are district leaders?
District leaders are the base of the party power structure in New Jersey and are the only party leaders directly elected by voters.In addition to driving Get Out The Vote efforts in their districts each election, DLs have two other important, but little known, functions:1) to elect the party’s Executive Committee2) the ability to amend the bylaws of the party's county committee.District leaders in other counties have used these powers to change how the county committee makes endorsements, instituting a convention where district leaders cast secret ballots free of pressure to "play ball."
Who is Jessica?
Jessica James, mother to Baxter and Pearce, and a Maplewood resident since 2017, has spent her career furthering social justice and progressive organizations.Currently fundraising for Common Defense, the country's only movement of progressive veterans, and Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate Action, Jessica began her career with Obama for America in 2008 and has since worked for dozens of causes and mobilized millions of dollars to build a more just, equitable and enlightened society.A certified mindfulness-based meditation teacher, Jessica has been the President of SOMA Action since 2022, during which time the organization has seen significant member growth and impact, playing a central role in the state-wide effort to abolish the unconstitutional county line.
Why is she running?
Realizing that during her seven years living in Maplewood, never knowing she had a district leader, Jessica is seeking to change that.She's running on a platform of educating her neighbors about the role and potential of the Democratic Committee, inspiring them to get more involved on the hyper local level, while making activism fun and joyful.While it's true that district leaders possess little power individually, collectively they have the potential to institute important county-level changes.South Orange/Maplewood has 66 of approximately 1000 Essex County District Leaders. Making change will take time, but where SOMA leads, we make space for others to follow.
Where is my district?
Jessica is running in Maplewood District 8. Find your district with this map:
How can I get involved?
Jessica is running as part of a slate with the Fair Ballot Democrats, a new political movement within South Orange and Maplewood working to bring greater accountability and transparency to electoral politics in Essex County.The 2024 Senate Primary has shone a spotlight on how New Jersey’s undemocratic election processes have allowed corruption, nepotism, and machine politics to thrive, while suppressing the will of the electorate.As longtime political activists, FBD is committed to building a Democratic Party that is open, accountable, and responsive to the needs of all Essex County residents.For this reason, Jessica is one of many running for seats on South Orange and Maplewood's two County Committees. These positions are known as District Leaders.
