Orange County DSA

Endorsement Process

OC DSA members prepare to canvass for DSA Lt. Gov candidate Oliver Ma.

Just as DSA is the largest socialist organization in the United States, Orange County DSA (OC DSA) is the largest socialist organization in Orange County! Our endorsements are special as they commit our chapter’s members, time and resources to supporting our endorsed candidates. Our chapter’s endorsement is also the first step to gain the endorsement of the DSA National Electoral Commission. We endorse to win, so our democratic vetting process is designed to be transparent, build buy in from OC DSA members, and to ensure that candidates are both prepared to run and aligned with DSA’s mission to fight for working people, immigrants, union members, tenants, and more. This guide outlines how to apply for OC DSA’s endorsement in the 2026 General Election. Applications for this cycle close on August 1st 2026.

Tips for candidates

The Electoral Politics Committee (EPC) will only recommend the endorsement of candidates that align with DSA’s values.

Endorsed candidates should at minimum:

  • Commit to not taking donations from Corporate PACs.
  • Commit to not taking donations from AIPAC or similar pro-Israel or pro-war groups, and will not take part in pro-Israel trips.
  • Commit to not taking money from landlord lobbies, fossil fuel industry, defense industry, and similarly destructive causes.
  • Commit to ongoing co-governance and collaboration with OC DSA, including participation in Socialists-in-Office program upon election.
  • Have a demonstrable strategy and coalition for winning their election.

Endorsement Process

As adopted by OC DSA EPC June 8, 2026.

  1. Documents: By the relevant election cycle’s endorsement deadline (which will be noticed on the OC DSA website along with this process) the candidate must supply the OC DSA EPC with the following endorsement documents:
    • Proof of active DSA membership [here]
    • Completed OC DSA Endorsement Questionnaire [email [email protected] for most recent revision]
    • Completed OC DSA Endorsement Petition containing the names, signatures, and associated DSA membership emails of 2% of OC DSA Members in Good Standing (MiGS) (at time of submission, rounded up) who commit to participating in campaign volunteer actions for the candidate should the applicant receive a chapter endorsement. [live numbers] [template form]
      • The candidate may not use any agendized or announcement time in any OC DSA general body, committee, or working group meeting to solicit signatures.
    • The name of an active OC DSA member who will serve as the Endorsement Liaison between the candidate and DSA during the endorsement process. From this point, the candidate shall not attend EPC meetings unless invited by either of the EPC co-chairs.
  2. Interview: After the submission and verification of the required above documentation to the EPC (via [email protected]), the EPC will schedule an endorsement interview to discuss the questionnaire responses with the candidate and produce an endorsement vote recommendation for the chapter.
  3. Forum: Following the completion of the endorsement interview, regardless of the committee’s recommendation, the EPC will schedule an endorsement forum.
    • The forum will be open to all OC DSA MiGS and noticed to them at least (7) days in advance. This notice will include the completed Endorsement Questionnaire.
    • The endorsement forum will consist of
      • candidate presentation(s); 
      • question-and-answer section with membership; 
      • without the candidate(s) present, the presentation of EPC recommendation(s);
      • and, without the candidate(s) present, discussion of the candidate(s)’ responses.
    • The forum may take place at an OC DSA General Meeting or as a standalone event.
    • Endorsement forums may be held with one or more than one candidate(s).
      • In the event that there are multiple candidates running for the same office the EPC will endeavor to schedule their forums on the same date, timelines reasonably allowing.
  4. Vote: Within 24 hours of the completion of the candidate forum, the EPC will electronically hold an endorsement vote to decide whether to endorse the candidate.
    • The endorsement vote will be open to all OC DSA MiGS who have been MiGS for thirty (30) days prior to the vote opening.
    • The candidate questionnaire, EPC recommendation, and endorsement forum notes will be made available and noticed to all MiGS at the same time as the endorsement vote opens.
    • The vote will be open for a minimum of four (4) days.
    • The vote will be decided by a simple majority of votes cast.
      • If there are multiple candidates running for the same office, the votes for each candidate will be held separately. For any candidate to be viable, they must attain a simple majority. Of the candidates which attain a simple majority, the highest vote getter will win the election.
  5. Results: Following the completion of the endorsement vote, EPC will notify the chapter of the results.
    • If the threshold is reached for endorsement the EPC will form a campaign subcommittee for each endorsee and the EPC co-chairs will appoint to it a campaign subcommittee chair for each subcommittee. Together, the subcommittee and chair will serve as the liaison between the OC DSA and the candidate’s campaign, and will be responsible for organizing chapter membership in support of the candidate.
    • If the threshold is not reached for endorsement, the candidate will be ineligible for OC DSA’s endorsement in the office for which they applied in that campaign cycle.
  6. Failure to file: If any endorsee fails to meet the filing deadline for the race in which they are endorsed and will not appear on the ballot, their endorsement is considered forfeit and voided.

For questions, please contact the OC DSA EPC: [email protected]