History of Young Democrats of Massachusetts

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History of Young Democrats of Massachusetts
2010

  • YDM Board passes charter for Worcester Young Democrats

2009

  • MDF changes its name to Young Democrats of Massachusetts
  • Four Young Democrats and one former YDM board member run for the open 3rd Suffolk House seat vacated by former Speaker of the House Sal Dimasi The seat is won by former Young Democrat Aaron Michlewitz
  • YDM Board passes charters for the Greater Boston Young Democrats and the Women’s Caucus
  • Four endorsed Young Democrats in the Pioneer Valley win their seats for local offices

2008

  • Seventeen-year-old Joe Lazzarini, Young Democrats member, runs for a seat on Attleboro City Council
  • Young Democrats nation-wide help elect Barack Obama as the first Black President of the United States, participating in the same percentages as elderly voters
  • YDM member Mark Bracken is appointed YDA Budget Chair

2005

  • Joff Smith becomes the youngest person to run for public office in Worcester, and wins a seat on the Worcester City Council at age 26
  • MDF passes sweeping reforms to the Charter

2004

  • On May 17, same-sex marriages become legal in Massachusetts Young Democrats across the state demonstrate unity with the GLBT community to celebrate this historic victory

    • 2003

    • Clinton Bench is elected to one of YDA's three seats on the Democratic National Committee

    2002

    • MDF forms first regional chapter on the North Shore
    • MDF works with Mass NOW to help defeat the anti-gay Super DOMA initiative
    • MDF helps YD Jamie Eldridge become the first Clean Elections candidate to be elected to the legislature

    2001

    • Former MDF Chairman Clinton Bench is elected YDA Secretary
    • Democratic State Convention gives MDF and the College Democrats of Massachusetts two representatives each on the Democratic State Committee

    2000

    • With a sizable paid campaign staff, MDF is active in the New Hampshire campaign for the Gore/Lieberman ticket as well as various campaigns in Massachusetts
    • Mark Falzone, one of MDF's first committee chairs, becomes the second MDF board member to be elected to the state legislature

    1999

    • After years of effort, MDF finally helps to pass a state student loan tax cut
    • MDF Chairman Evan Rauch is elected YDA treasurer

    1997

    • MDF helps to pass a new state gun control law, one of the toughest in the nation

    1996

    • MDF works to elect Jim McGovern and John Tierney to Congress Their victories over Republican incumbents gave Democrats all twelve Massachusetts seats in Congress

    1995

    • MDF becomes the official Massachusetts affiliate of the Young Democrats of America
    • MDF works successfully at the Democratic State Convention to increase the number of youth seats at future Democratic State Conventions as well as the Democratic State Committee

    1994

    • MDF works for Senator Kennedy and other Democrats Democratic incumbents were largely successful in winning re-election

    1993

    • MDF works on its first special election Hal Lane becomes the first Democrat ever to represent Holden While he is not a Young Democrat, he will be succeeded by an MDF board member, David Bunker
    • MDF provides crucial grassroots support for the state's new motor voter law

    1992

    • First convention writes platform A few weeks later, the first organizational meeting elects the first board and adopts a charter Massachusetts Democratic Future (MDF) is born
    • MDF endorses candidates and works on their campaigns
    • Thirty-year-old Cheryl Jacques defeats Senate Minority Leader David Locke, a crucial part of the five-seat swing in the state senate that shifts most Beacon Hill power away from the Republican governor and to the Democratic legislators, who can now override vetoes in both chambers

    1991

    • A small group of young Democrats, mostly very recent college graduates, begins holding meetings with State Party Chairman Steve Grossman