Amy Young - Why I Am Running for Republican Central Committee

It’s election season and ballots have already gone out for the March 5th Primary. If you are in Supervisorial District 4 (Penn Valley, McCourtney, and North San Juan areas) you may have noticed a contest at the end of your ballot that you aren’t familiar with: Republican County Central Committee. As I am a candidate for that contest, I’d like to tell you a little about myself and also about what the Nevada County Republican Central Committee is all about.

Many people don’t realize that a County Republican Central Committee represents the Republicans in that county, and that these members are elected by the Republicans who reside in that county. The reason this contest rarely goes to the ballot is that most of the time, there are fewer candidates in a district than there are openings. In this case, there were six candidates for the five open seats, so the contest goes to the ballot for the voters to decide. I am proud to run alongside Carolyn Bronson, Jim Driver, and Fran Freedle and recommend with confidence that you vote for all four of us on the ballot.

An Everyday Mom

My primary job is raising and protecting my twin boys. I have been homeschooling them since 2020 when I pulled them out of their prior school due to mask mandates. We participate in a local homeschooling ministry, Plumbline Learning, where I also teach French and chemistry. I am passionate about teaching both of these subjects and have helped many students succeed in their chemistry class over the years. So, what you need to know about me is that I am dedicated to my kids and want to see them thrive in a country where their God-given rights are upheld.

Why I’m Involved

That is why I participate in the Nevada County Republican Central Committee. The Republican party should be fighting for our God-given, constitutionally enshrined rights, and I want to be part of making that happen. Your County Republican Central Committee is the local, grassroots component of the Republican party. We recruit and support candidates for local offices, endorse candidates, and advise on local ballot measures and statewide propositions. You also may have received our election mailer – this is the result of our extensive research and internal discussion and voting. Our funds come from grassroots donors like you and our local fundraising efforts.

I joined the Central Committee in the summer of 2022 as an alternate member and was later appointed as a regular (voting) member. Initially I came onboard to help with the party’s election integrity efforts, but my role quickly expanded to serving as Secretary since January of 2023. Last July, I led the effort to hold our first “Family Fun Day” at Western Gateway Park, where we offered a free event for families to get together, share ideas, and bring the kiddos to play on a bouncy obstacle course and have pizza. From many hours spent at the fair booth to our Fall fundraiser dinner in October as part of the planning committee - if there’s an effort, I lend a hand.

Last year was a busy time for me. I made headlines for a favorable ruling from the Nevada County Superior Court where I was granted access to public election records. What did not make headlines was my extensive efforts to fight AB 969 in Sacramento – the bill that essentially banned hand counting of ballots. Together with members of both the Nevada and Placer County Republican Central Committees, as well as from the local Tea Party, we lobbied 30 Senators’ offices in opposition to this bill. I also spoke against overly burdensome regulations on hand counting at a July 3 hearing at the Secretary of State’s office. 

Passionate About Elections

As we are in election season (which I would like to see restored to election day) I also serve as the Election Integrity Officer for the Nevada County Republican Party. I am currently training and scheduling election observers and would love to have you join this effort. Ballots are already rolling into the county Elections office, and we will be observing all aspects of this election, all the way through certification in mid-March. I hope you will drop by our Headquarters to learn more.

Don’t Get Discouraged

I often tell people that the farther you get from home, the harder it becomes to petition your representatives and affect real change. But right here, at the county level, it is much easier. If everyone – nationwide - focused on their county today, tomorrow we’d have a different country. 

Due to lower voter participation, your vote is much more impactful in a Primary election than in a General one. Please vote by March 5th! And stop by the Nevada County Republican Party Headquarters (next to B&C Hardware) to learn more about what we do and ways you can get involved at the local level.