Our History

 

AADC History
by Jack Sanchez

In 2004, I helped to start The Auburn Area Democratic Club with my son, Jeff Sanchez. I was the third President of AADC.  This was the start of AADC. Our group of official AADC founders also included Lindsay Rand, Hillary Grenier, and Trish Grenfell. In April, 2004, this group created a constitution for AADC and also wrote bylaws, actually founding today’s club. The Auburn Area Democratic Club was officially chartered by the Placer County Central Committee on June 10, 2004. The most recent version of our Bylaws was approved at the monthly members meeting on April 6, 2023.

We were the first legitimate Democratic Party Club in Placer County, which at that time was a very red county. In the 2023 General Election, Auburn voted blue for the first time. Today, there are many more Democratic Party Clubs in Placer County.  Here are some of the other Placer County Democratic Party Clubs:

Active Clubs

Auburn Area Democratic Club (Greater Auburn area)

Democrats of Sun City Roseville (must be Sun City Roseville resident)

Lincoln Democratic Club (Lincoln area)

Roseville Area Democratic Club (Roseville, Rocklin, Granite Bay, +)

Placer Action Network (Roseville and all of Placer County)

Placer Women Democrats (all of Placer County)

Tahoe Truckee Democrats (affiliated with the Nevada County Democratic Party)

 

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Earlier History of Democrats in Auburn
by Joyce Beland

In 1960, the Auburn Democrats opened an office in Old Town Auburn. (Note from Editor: This group planted the original roots of what would eventually become AADC. Their organization was not named “The Auburn Area Democratic Club.” It was a dedicated group of Democrats from Auburn working together for the candidates at the time. See last paragraph below, and article by Jack Sanchez above, for information on the actual 2004 formation of the Auburn Area Democratic Club.) Support for the Kennedy/Johnson ticket was increasing, and the office was busy during the campaign. On election day, November 1, 1960, the Democratic office experienced a strange phenomenon—its phones were mysteriously disconnected.  When members arrived at the office, they discovered no working phones. Club leaders immediately contacted Pacific Bell and informed them of the incident and requested service be restored. The phone company stated service could not be restored that day. Sadly, no phone calls were placed from the office that day. Was this the beginning of the “dirty tricks” made famous by Richard Nixon a few years later? Or was it just a mistake by PacBell?

During the Civil Rights Movement a group of local citizens went to then Sheriff Will Scott and volunteered to be vigilantes at the Newcastle Tunnel so that “the ‘n __ s’ won’t blow up the tunnel.” At that time the Southern Pacific Railroad was a major company in the area and employed significant numbers of African Americans. George Beland and Hal Rubin went to the Sheriff and suggested that he not approve the request of the local “vigilantes.” The Sheriff agreed and stated, “I am in close capitulation with ‘negroes’.”

In 1964 the Democratic Headquarters was located in an office on the ground floor of the State Theater Building (where KAHI is now). Republican Headquarters was located on Lincoln Way, next to what was then Foothill Furniture and is now The General Gomez Arts and Events Center.  Lyndon B. Johnson and Hubert Humphrey won in a landslide victory against Arizona Senator Barry Goldwater. Earlier that year President Johnson had signed Civil Rights legislation in a highly partisan and heated environment. Subsequent to that landmark bill. many Southern Democrats switched allegiance and joined the Republican Party. Placer County, once a stronghold of the Democrats, became Republican territory.

During the War in Vietnam, and in response to the Nixon Administration’s bombing of Cambodia and continued troop increases in Vietnam, Auburn Democrats led ongoing anti-war marches. During some of the marches, groups of citizens in vehicles at the side of the road, brandished their weapons. The marches continued in spite of the intimidation tactics.

The first formation of a Democratic Club in Auburn occurred on September 30, 1976, when the members adopted a set of bylaws. The small but dedicated group of some thirty people met monthly through the early nineties. The group’s main source of income was a highly successful annual Oktoberfest held at the Gold Country Fairgrounds, with the proceeds going to local Democratic candidates.

Interest waned until a revival in 2004, spurred by a desire for a Democratic presence in the Auburn area. This second incarnation was achieved by new members, spearheaded by Lindsay Rand, Hillary Grenier, Jeff Sanchez, and Trish Grenfell, who drew up a new constitution and bylaws in April, 2004. The Auburn Area Democratic Club was officially chartered by the Placer County Central Committee on June 10, 2004. The Bylaws were subsequently revised, updated and adopted on May 7, 2009.

The late Joyce Beland and her husband George Beland were life-long members of the Auburn Area Democratic Club. Their contributions to the club were of great value.