Bringing transparency, accountability, and your voice to the DNC.
A record of Democratic leadership and public service
- Member, Democratic National Committee
- Vice Chair, DNC Western States Regional Caucus
- Member, DNC Credentials Committee
- Member, DNC Transition Advisory Committee (2017)
- Member, California Democratic Party Executive Board
- Delegate, Democratic State Central Committee
- Member, Los Angeles County Democratic Party Central Committee
- Chair, DNC Youth Council (2018-2022)
- Democrat of the Year, Los Angeles County Democratic Party (AD50, 2014)
- Man of the Year, California Young Democrats (2017)
- RFK Inspiration Award, San Fernando Valley Young Democrats (2019)
- Three-time Democratic Club Member of the Year
- In his first act as a DNC Member, Michael contacted the CDP and requested that his email address be added to the DNC Members' page on the CDP website – something that had never been done before – and encouraged the rest of California's DNC delegation to join him in this practice of transparency and accessibility
- An official national campaign whip for Keith Ellison for DNC Chair, Michael traveled the country on his own dime to talk to DNC Members about supporting Ellison for Chair
- Served as an official floor whip for Keith Ellison for Chair
- Livestreamed on the DNC floor while awaiting the results of the DNC Chair's election
- Appointed by Chair Tom Perez to the DNC's Transition Advisory Committee; Michael was the only Californian and one of four Young Democrats on the committee
- A month after Donald Trump's inauguration, Michael authored a resolution for the California Democratic Party calling for Trump's impeachment; California became the first State Party in the nation to call for Trump's impeachment
- Twice voted to ban corporate donations to the DNC
- Was possibly the only DNC Member to apologize for an unfair 2016 presidential primary process
- Appointed by Chair Tom Perez to the DNC Credentials Committee, the only California DNC Member who voted for Keith Ellison to receive a committee appointment
- Publicly criticized Chair Tom Perez for endorsing in the New York Governor's race
- Was the second DNC Member in the nation to call for superdelegate reform by barring superdelegates from voting on the first ballot at the National Convention
- One of the national leaders who convinced Chair Tom Perez to support barring superdelegates from voting on the first ballot
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Co-authored a California Democratic Party resolution, along with activists from the CDP Progressive Caucus, to call upon our DNC delegation to support superdelegate reform; successfully advocated for this resolution before the full CDP Executive Board
- Helped lead national organizing effort in overwhelmingly successful effort to pass superdelegate reform
- Unanimously elected as DNC Youth Council Chair, one of a minority of DNC Council/Caucus chairs who did not vote for Tom Perez for Chair
- Hosted a free “Coffee with a DNC Member” at the July 2018 CDP Executive Board meeting to enable CDP activists to ask questions about the DNC
- One of several DNC Members who organized in favor of a presidential primary debate dedicated to climate
- Spoke out on the floor of the DNC in favor of a climate debate, and called for a DNC that is top-down instead of bottom-up
- To ensure transparency, immediately uploaded pictures to social media of every written vote he's taken at the DNC
- Released voter rolls detailing how every DNC Member voted on every written ballot, including DNC Chair and other officer positions, superdelegate reform, and a climate change debate
Historic successful campaigns for the Democratic National Committee
- In June 2016, Michael Kapp was elected by the California Democratic Party Executive Board to the Democratic National Committee. He was re-elected in March 2020.
- During his 2016 campaign, Michael visited 29 counties in eight months.
- In 2016, with 223 votes out of 293 cast, Michael earned the third-highest vote total among all 51 candidates in the state. At 30 years old, Michael was the youngest-ever person elected as California DNC member.
- Michael is the first California DNC member to complete an entire four-year term as a Young Democrat.
- In 2020, with 225 votes out of 328 cast, Michael was the third-highest male-identified candidate. At 34 years old, Michael was the first person to be re-elected to the DNC as a Young Democrat.
2020 National Convention
As Chair of the DNC Youth Council, Michael organized and ran two virtual meetings of the Council during the 2020 Democratic National Convention. As a result of him opening the first meeting by inviting participants to "rise or kneel, if you are able, per your preference" to show solidarity with Black Lives Matter and end racial injustice while also recognizing disAbility, Michael was attacked online by conservatives, on Fox News by Tucker Carlson, and was even featured in a Donald Trump campaign ad. Michael used their hate to raise money for Colin Kaepernick's Foundation, and a liberal reporter highlighted Michael's support for Black Lives Matter.
The first meeting of the DNC Youth Council at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, aired virtually and anchored in Milwaukee, WI, was held on August 17, 2020. Watch it here.
In order of appearance, speakers and panels include: DNC Youth Council Chair Michael Kapp; Congresswoman Deb Haaland; Kids from Wisconsin; Black Leaders in Government Panel (DNC Midwestern States Caucus Chair Ron Harris, Rep. London Lamar, Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, Reggie Love); Chloe Grace Moretz; Congressman Ted Lieu; Stacey Abrams; Young Americans for Biden (Hannah Bristol and Lubna Sebastian); Climate Change Panel (CA DNC Member RL Miller, Ashley Nicole McCray, Hieu Le, Kaylah Brathwaite); MN Attorney General Keith Ellison; and Ashley and Finnegan Biden.
The second meeting of the DNC Youth Council was held on August 18, 2020. Watch it here.
In order of appearance, speakers and panels include: DNC Youth Council Chair Michael Kapp; Micasslyn Crawford; Young Democrats of America President Joshua Harris-Till; DACA and the Future of Immigration Panel (DNC Youth Council Staffer Kevin Lima, Assemblywoman Wendy Carrillo, AZ DNC Member Ellie Perez, Jessica Itzayana Vazquez Mesta); Senator Bernie Sanders; Melissa Byrne; Andrew Yang; Congressman Beto O'Rourke (ret.); DNC/DNCC Secretary Jason Rae; Democratic Party Pipeline (DNC Youth Council Vice Chair Kat Hoang, YDA President Joshua Harris-Till, Interim CDA President Matthew Nowling, HSDA Chair Charlotte Kerpen); and Mayor Pete Buttigieg.
Winning Democratic experience throughout California
- Statewide campaign experience in the Bay Area, Central Valley, and Southern California
- Advisor, consultant, and volunteer for dozens of successful statewide, Congressional, state legislative, and local races
- Worked for Bay Area elected officials Assemblymember Nancy Skinner and Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey
- Spent much of his adult life living and working in the Central Valley and Bay Area
Fighting for our progressive values
Michael Kapp is the youngest-ever person elected to the DNC from California. A graduate of UC Berkeley, University of Chicago, and the UC Davis School of Law, Michael has fought from within and from outside our Party for our Democratic values, including fighting against climate change and economic inequality, and promoting criminal justice reform, LGBTQ+ equality, Medicare for All, consumer protection, and voter registration and protection.
In 2016, Michael Kapp ran for the DNC because the future of our planet was at stake. According to polls, despite the large stakes, the Democratic Party did not engage a whole generation of voters: addressing un- and under-employment, eliminating college tuition and student loan debt, and building affordable housing and modern transportation systems. These values are progressive Democratic values. In 2020, Michael ran for re-election to continue to fight for these values.
Michael brings the voice of a younger generation to the national political conversation, building bridges between grassroots activists and the national Democratic Party. The Democratic National Committee needs to do more to build relationships with State Parties and local Democrats -- especially Young and College Democrats -- to bring new voices to our Democratic Party. Michael has a long record of mentoring and training the next generation of progressive activists so we can reach more voters and elect strong Democrats who will fight for our values. Support Michael Kapp and his campaign to support our grassroots!
What is the Democratic National Committee?
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is responsible for governing the Democratic Party, organizing the presidential primary and National Convention, and promoting the Party Platform. There are only 20 elected DNC members from California.
Who votes for California's DNC Members?
The Executive Board of the California Democratic Party consists of 370 Democratic Party leaders from around the state.