DPOC Backs Michele Martinez for First District Supervisor

Michele-Martinez2010

The Democratic Party of Orange County (DPOC) voted overwhelmingly to endorse Santa Ana City Councilmember Michele Martinez’s campaign for Orange County Supervisor at Monday night’s general membership meeting.

Following the vote, DPOC Chairman Henry Vandermeir released the following statement:

“Democrats can count on Michele Martinez to fight for the values and priorities of our party. As a local City Councilwoman and regional leader, she has proven herself to be a responsive and effective advocate for the issues that matter most to Orange County families. Michele represents the best hope that our party has had in a number of years to win a seat on the Board of Supervisors, and we encourage all Democrats to vote for her. We plan to make this campaign one of our highest priorities as we head toward the Primary Election.”

The DPOC is the official organization for Democrats in America’s sixth-largest county. Among their roles is to recruit, endorse, and support candidates for local office.

The 1st District is the most Democratic Supervisorial District in Orange County. As of December, Democratic voters outnumbered Republicans by a margin of nearly 13%. President Barack Obama and Senator Dianne Feinstein each won the seat by over 20% during the last Presidential Election Cycle. Approximately 44% of the district’s registered voters reside within the City of Santa Ana.

Upon her election in 2006, Michele Martinez became one of the youngest City Councilmembers in Santa Ana’s history. She was subsequently re-elected in 2010 and 2014. On the Council, Michele has been a strong advocate for maintaining fast emergency response times, promoting economic development, and expanding programs that keep kids safe. She chairs the Council’s Finance, Economic Development & Technology Committee, and represents the city on the Metropolitan Water District Board, the Orange County Council of Governments (OCCOG), and the Waste Management Commission.

Michele currently serves as President of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), which works to facilitate full Latino participation in the American political process.  She also serves as Vice President for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the nation’s largest metropolitan planning organization.

Michele holds a B.A in Criminal Justice from California State University Fullerton, and she is a product of Santa Ana High School and Santa Ana College.