{{Short description|Youth wing of U.S. Democratic Party}} {{Use American English|date=May 2024}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}} {{Not to be confused with|Young Democratic Socialists of America}} {{Infobox political youth organization | name = Young Democrats of America | logo = 2023 YDA wordmark.svg | colorcode = {{party color|Democratic Party (United States)}} | president = Fatima Heyward (NJ) | founded = {{start date and age|1932|3|4}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://marincountyyoungdems.wordpress.com/about/young-democrats-of-america/|title=Young Democrats of America – Marin County Young Democrats | work = WordPress|date=16 January 2013|access-date=2016-03-13}}</ref> | headquarters = Washington, D.C. | ideology = Modern liberalism | international = International Federation of Liberal Youth | mother party = Democratic Party | website = {{URL|https://yda.org/}} }}
The '''Young Democrats of America''' ('''YDA''') is the youth wing of the Democratic Party of the United States. YDA operates as a separate organization from the Democratic National Committee; following the passage of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, it became an independent 527 organization.<ref>Connery, Michael. ''Youth to Power: How Today's Young Voters Are Building Tomorrow's Democratic Majority'', ig Publishing, 2008 {{ISBN|978-0-9788431-3-7}}</ref> The group's membership consists of Democrats from ages 14 to 35, and its political activities include an emphasis on increasing the voter turnout of young people.
== Leadership == YDA membership elects seven national officers on a biennial basis at the organization's National Convention in odd-numbered years and two DNC representatives in even-numbered years. These officers maintain the day-to-day management of the organization. Most recently, officers were elected at the 2025 YDA National Convention in Philadelphia.
Between national conventions, the governing body of YDA is the National Committee which is composed of the president and two national committee representatives from each chartered unit, along with the chairs of the twelve constituency caucuses, eight regional directors, eight chairs of select committees, and the nine individually elected officers.
The President, Democratic National Committeeman, and Democratic National Committeewoman are members of the Democratic National Committee, and superdelegates to any Democratic National Convention occurring during their terms.
=== 2025–2027 National Officers === *President: Fatima Heyward of New Jersey<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=19 July 2025 |title=Announcing the Young Democrats of America 2025-2027 Executive Officers |url=https://x.com/youngdems/status/1946709963847397479 |access-date=19 July 2025 |website=X}}</ref> *Executive Vice President: Lezlie Braxton Campbell of Massachusetts<ref name=":0" /> *Eastern Vice President: Isaac Kaufer of Massachusetts<ref name=":0" /> *Southern Vice President: Blake Robinson of Georgia<ref name=":0" /> *Midwest Vice President: James Wells of Indiana<ref name=":0" /> *Western Vice President: Parshan Khosravi of California<ref name=":0" /> *Secretary: Maria Nieto Orta of Nevada<ref name=":0" /> *Treasurer: Sam Jane of Virginia<ref name=":0" />
=== 2025–2027 Democratic National Committee Members === *Democratic National Committee Representative: Steph Campanha Wheaton of New Jersey<ref name=":0" /> *Democratic National Committee Representative: Stephon Moore of Kentucky<ref name=":0" />
=== ''Ex officio'' national officers ===
* Chair of the Association of Chartered Unit Presidents: Allison Wiseman of Kentucky * Chair of the Council of Caucus Chairs: Leslie Templeton of Massachusetts
=== Past leaders === Democratic party leaders and Democratic elected officials who are former YDA national officers include:<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.yda.org/past-officers/|title = YDA past officers (1932-2021)|work = Young Democrats of America|date = 30 June 2018|access-date = July 1, 2020|archive-date = July 1, 2020|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200701191725/https://www.yda.org/past-officers/|url-status = dead}}</ref>
* Steny Hoyer – U.S. representative from Maryland * Warren Magnuson – Former U.S. senator from Washington * Allan Turner Howe – Former U.S. representative from Utah * Mark Stodola – Former Mayor of Little Rock * Chep Morrison – Former Mayor of New Orleans * R. Spencer Oliver – Former Secretary General Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe * Maggie Toulouse Oliver – New Mexico secretary of state * Chris Anderson – Former Chattanooga city councilman and Tennessee Democratic Party State Executive Committee member * Lena Guerrero – Former member of the Texas House of Representatives * Isaac Robinson – Former member of the Michigan House of Representatives * Joe McDermott – King County councilor * Elaine Marshall – North Carolina secretary of state
== National Convention, National Committee, and chartered units == The YDA organization is composed of "chartered units" with one from each U.S. state or territory.<ref name="yda.org">{{Cite web |url=https://www.yda.org/yda_charter_and_bylaws_2016.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2017-06-15 |archive-date=2017-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170201233847/https://www.yda.org/yda_charter_and_bylaws_2016.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> YDA holds a National Convention every two years during the summer of odd-numbered years with complex rules for how many votes each chartered unit may cast. The YDA National Committee meets at least two times per year and consists of the President of each chartered unit, two representatives of differing gender identities from each chartered unit, and a number of other officers and committee and caucus chairs.<ref name="yda.org"/>
=== National Convention locations ===
Past and Future YDA National Conventions were held in the below venues:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.yda.org/about/past-officers/ |title=Past Officers « YDA – Young Democrats of America |website=www.yda.org:80 |access-date=12 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116070344/http://www.yda.org/about/past-officers/ |archive-date=January 16, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> * 2025: Philadelphia, PA * 2023: Las Vegas, NV * 2021: Cincinnati, OH * 2019: Indianapolis, IN * 2017: Dallas, TX * 2015: Los Angeles, CA * 2013: San Antonio, TX * 2011: Louisville, KY * 2009: Chicago, IL * 2007: Dallas, TX * 2005: San Francisco, CA * 2003: Buffalo, NY * 2001: New York City, NY * 1999: Little Rock, AR * 1997: Miami, FL * 1995: New Orleans, LA * 1993: Merrillville, IN * 1991: St Louis, MO * 1989: Columbus, OH * 1987: Phoenix, AZ * 1985: Miami, FL * 1983: Charleston, WV * 1981: Richmond, VA
== See also == * College Democrats of America * High School Democrats of America * Young Republicans
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == *[https://www.yda.org/ Young Democrats of America] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20131105210611/http://www.yda.org/about/past-officers/ Past YDA Officers 1967–2015] {{Democratic National Convention}}{{Authority control}}
* Category:1932 establishments in the United States Category:527 organizations Category:Democratic Party (United States) organizations Category:Factions in the Democratic Party (United States) Category:Political organizations established in 1932 Category:Youth-led organizations Category:Youth wings of liberal parties Category:Youth wings of political parties in the United States