2025 Young Democrats of America 
National Convention

2025 Young Democrats of America National Convention

July 16th - 19th - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

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Every two years, the Young Democrats of America (YDA) hosts a convention to bring together hundreds of young democrats for training, strategic planning, networking, and the election of YDA officers for the next biennium. The 2025 National Convention of the Young Democrats of America will take place July 16th through July 19th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel. Tennessee Young Democrats (TNYD) as a State Chartered Unit of YDA, can bring a delegation of 23 members to participate in the National Convention. Three of those delegate slots are reserved for our two National Committee Members and the Statewide President. This means that we have 20 delegates slots to fill. If you are member of TNYD and are current on your dues, you are able to apply to be a delegate to the National Convention. 

 

Description of YDA Elected Positions

Every two years each elected position in YDA is up for re-election. Prior to this year's election, we want to provide an overview of each office and their duties. This is to help set expectations going into the National Convention. 

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• President - The President shall be the principal administrative officer of the Young Democrats of America, preside over meetings of the Executive Committee and National Committee, be responsible for the organization’s fundraising efforts, and except as may otherwise be provided shall appoint all administrative officers, committee officers, and special committees, subject to confirmation by the National Committee at its first meeting subsequent to the appointment.

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• Executive Vice President - The Executive Vice President shall assist the President with their dutes as necessary, act as President in their absence, and be responsible for the organization's operations. Their scope of responsibility shall consist of designing and implementing internal YDA operating procedures, establishing policies that promote a healthy and sustainable organizational culture, standardizing the organization's fundraising practices, outlining tangible goals and responsibilities for administrative officers, and reporting metrics of organizational impact. 

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• Secretary - The Secretary shall take minutes of all meetings of the Executive Committee and National Committee, publish the notes within one week of adjournment of the meeting, maintain a membership list of the National Committee and all other committees, provide the membership list to members upon request, and assist committees with facilitating remote meetings as requested by the committee chair. They shall also be responsible for maintaining non-financial records of the organization, including the minutes of all meetings of the National Committee, the Charter and the Bylaws, the Standing Rules, and the formal reports of Officers, and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Executive Committee and the National Committee. 

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• Treasurer - The Treasurer shall be the financial secretary and ensure compliance with all Federal Election Commission (FEC) requirements, including regular reporting as mandated by law. The Treasurer shall also be responsible for overseeing the receipt and disbursement of all funds of the organization, which shall be administered in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and deposited in a Federally Chartered Banking Institution, and keep a record of receipts and disbursements which shall be audited biannually and upon demand of the National Committee. The Treasurer shall ensure that the organization has general liability insurance and be responsible for maintaining such insurance. The Treasurer shall publish and distribute a Finance Report to the National Committee within 14 days before a meeting of the National Committee. 

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• Southern Regional Vice President - The Southern Regional Vice President shall act as the liaison to the region from which they were elected and engage chartered units within that region. They shall coordinate Days of Action within their region and make regional appointments to committees after consulting with each chartered unit president within the region. The Southern Regional Vice President shall also assist the President as necessary, develop and administer programs both within their region and for the organization, oversee special projects, assist with the organization’s fundraising, and shall appoint all regional appointments in consultation with their region’s chartered unit presidents and the chair of the Diversity and Outreach committee. ​

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• Democratic National Committee Members - The Democratic National Committee members shall lobby and vote on behalf of the organization at every meeting of the Democratic National Committee. They shall coordinate the participation of the organization in the Democratic National Convention and any other conferences or committees of the Democratic National Committee. They shall also provide a written report to the National Committee within 14 days of any meeting of the Democratic National Committee or Democratic National Convention. 

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Convention Committees

The business of the National Convention shall be delegated to Convention Committees on Credentials, Rules, and Platform. Each Convention Committee shall be composed of one delegate or alternate from each chartered unit. Each Convention Committee shall have a Chair, Vice Chair, and Secretary appointed by the President. The Call to Convention may provide for additional committees whose duties are not already delegated to these committees:

• Credentials. The Credentials Committee shall certify the credentials of each unit’s delegation, review all applications for unit charters and caucuses, and consider nominations for honorary membership.

• Rules. The Rules Committee shall recommend permanent rules to govern the conduct of the National Convention in accordance with the Charter, and may review and recommend proposed amendments to the governing documents. 

• Platform. The Platform Committee shall review and recommend to the National Convention a biennial platform, and shall review and recommend all other submitted nonbinding resolutions.

 

Only one delegate shall be designated to have a vote on these committees and any other committees or caucuses as defined by the Call of the Convention. TNYD's delegate chair shall select in consultation from the delegation those members who will be designated those committees or caucuses. Delegates maybe asked to serve in a long term role depending on their interest in continuing to serve after the convention has ended.

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Convention Costs

In order to keep costs reasonable for our delegates, TNYD is fundraising to cover the costs of attendees registration fees, hotel accommodations, Tennessee State delegation dinner, and delegation group tickets to the National Constitution Center. TNYD will also set aside monies in the event a delegate has a hardship, and needs additional assistance in needing their costs covered. This will be done on a case by case basis. TNYD has set a goal of $30,000 needed in order to cover these costs. Delegates will be responsible for paying for their transportation, food, and souvenir costs. TNYD provided hotel rooms will have two delegates per room of the same gender, except if the delegates are either married or in a relationship with one another.

 

Please note that if you plan on bringing your significant other and they are not a delegate, they will need to pay for their own registration fees to attend as a non-delegate and cover their portion of the hotel costs. If a delegate chooses to pay for their own hotel room, that delegate will need to let the delegate chair know as soon as possible. Delegates are responsible for all hotel incidental fees, a delegate incurs a incidental fee in a TNYD provided room, that delegate shall reimburse TNYD the cost of the incidental fee. ​

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​Code of Conduct

All delegates are expected to adhere to TNYD's and YDA's Code of Conduct at all times. Failure to adhere to our code of conduct could result in disciplinary action or removal from the delegation as defined in the standing rules of the National Convention. 

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Delegation Members under 21

Delegation Members who are under the age of 21, may participate in any YDA sanctioned event and events put on by our state delegation. Delegates under 21 will be prohibited from consuming alcohol at all official events, and at non-official events as well. The consumption of alcohol by those under the age of 21 is not only illegal, but is also a violation of ours and YDA's code of conduct and the standing rules of the National Convention.

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Delegation members under the age of 18 are required fill out a participant waiver. Any delegate under 18 years of age shall be accompanied by either their parent/guardian or another adult that has been granted legal permission by the parent/guardian to be responsible for the person during the convention. 

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Travel to and from Convention

Delegates may choose multiple forms of travel to get to and from the convention. If delegates want to make a road trip out of their journey, the convention hotel can be accessed via I-676 in downtown Philadelphia.

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For those who want to fly, you may fly into the Philadelphia International Airport. Please note to check with your individual airline to see if they have a non-stop flight from your airport to Philadelphia International Airport. There is SEPTA service from the terminals to the Suburban station downtown. The hotel is only a few blocks away from the station. Please note, that if you are traveling by air, you may encounter delays. Please work with your airline to help mitigate any delays in service. Also, make sure that your Photo ID is Real ID compliant as enforcement of Real ID began on May 7. To check if you have a Real ID compliant ID, click here.

 

Amtrak service to Philadelphia is available for those who wants to take advantage of passenger rail.

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Additional Information​

Our delegation will meet each morning of Convention for breakfast, and to game out who will go where. We will have a delegation meeting a few weeks prior to the convention for each delegate to virtually meet one another. Our delegation is not beholden to a slate, so each delegate may vote for whomever they choose. Additionally, we will have individuals running who will be meeting with our delegation in the lead up to the convention.