Mark Owens, who served as Dayton Municipal Clerk of Courts for 30 years, announced Saturday that he won’t be seeking re-election to the party’s chair position. He held the party role for 15 years.
The next chairperson will be elected by the party’s central committee, whose members will be elected by party voters in the May 3 primary election. The local chairperson is responsible for organizing and leading the party — with the primary goal of helping get fellow Democrats elected.
“I hope that we as a party can come together to pick a leader who can continue to build a progressive coalition with labor, our minority community, women and party activists,” Owens said in a statement announcing that he doesn’t plan to run for another term. “I am committed to helping the next party chair in any way I can.”
Former Dayton school board President Mohamed Al-Hamdani and current school board Vice President Jocelyn Rhynard have announced they are running for the chair this summer.
Al-Hamdani, who is also an immigration lawyer, announced his candidacy Monday morning, saying he wants to help build a community his children can grow up in and be proud of.
“We want to make sure we have policies in place as a party and as a community that helps working families and folks get the life they deserve and achieve the American dream that is out of reach for too many people,” he said.
He said if elected, he will listen to the community and party members and enact changes that will help elect more Democrats.
Rhynard said she believes in Democratic values and policies and the power local politics has to positively impact people’s lives. In a letter announcing her run, she said she wants to elect Democrats to seats at the local, state and national levels.
“We want to win more elections, and we want to turn Ohio blue,” she said.
Credit: Knack Video + Photo
Credit: Knack Video + Photo
Rhynard said she is committed to revisiting the party’s constitution to make updates that reflect its new activists and volunteers, holding annual training for Democrats interested in running for office or working on a campaign and holding regular listening tours.
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