By Caleigh Bartash and Joel Lev-Tov 

Following a mangled election, the College Democrats of Maryland are planning to reinvigorate a chapter seen by some as “historically useless.”

Four students from the University of Maryland secured executive board positions on Nov. 14 in the second election held by the Maryland federation. UMD students Julian Perez-Garcia, Claire Iannini, Emma Campbell and Haley Saunders were elected to the same roles they had won weeks prior in an initial tally that was deemed invalid.

Saunders, the new communications director, said on Nov. 2 in the UMD Democrats GroupMe that the College Democrats of America decided not to recognize the first election because the previous Maryland board did not pass an amendment allowing online voting and the election garnered more votes than registrants. 

Despite the voting mishap, new CDMD President Olivier Ambush is staying focused on his goal of making marginalized voices heard. Ambush, the federation’s first ever Black and gay president, said he hopes to make the organization more diverse. Part of his plan involves establishing chapters at historically Black colleges and universities and community colleges, which have been previously overlooked.

“I hope my identity will inspire others to join College Democrats and see that the Democratic Party is a home for all people, of all ages, of all races, of all sexualities,” said Ambush, a junior political science and geography double major at Towson University.

Ambush is not the only rookie executive board member. Campbell, a sophomore public policy and government and politics double major, joined UMD College Democrats this year and said she ran to help revitalize the chapter and bring new ideas. 

Campbell and her fellow Terps were all able to join after the previous board repealed an amendment that limited each college to two representatives.

As political director, Campbell said she hopes to use her organizing experience with the Maryland federation. She worked for Rep. Joe Kennedy’s campaign during his 2020 Senate run as well as the race to bring ranked-choice voting to Massachusetts. Campbell also plans to uplift student voices.

“I think our role is to take the energy and the issues that are important to students and be able to convey them to the state party, and to really broadcast them because it’s really important for students to have a voice in the process,” Campbell said.

As Ambush and Campbell strive to make different voices heard in Maryland, they may face a toxic culture within the national organization. 

Earlier this year, former CDA president Mikaela Guido and her entire executive board were forced to step down after allegations of a deep-seated culture of racism. UMD College Democrats President Bryce Kowalczyk called CDA a “cesspool of infighting.” 

CDMD’s outgoing president and newly elected treasurer, Christopher Madden, said the board is in for a challenge given the Democrats’ increasing factionalism – something he said rival College Republicans don’t seem to suffer from.

“We’re throwing with pebbles while they’re coming with canons,” said Madden, a senior at Salisbury University. 

Ambush said that diversity is a sign of a healthy party. He said he knows he might face challenges but he is ready to move forward as CDMD president, starting with his goal of representation.

“It might be an uphill battle, but that’s one thing I love. I love uphill battles. I believe the strength of the current executive board we have will be enough to get over those hills,” Ambush said. “Being Black and being gay has been a bunch of going over different mountains. And so I’m not afraid of going over a mountain. And I don’t think anyone else should be too.”

Featured image: Members of the 2019-2020 CDMD executive board stand in front of the U.S. Congress on their lobby day in March. 

Photo courtesy of Haley Saunders.