When first elected in 2012 Chairman Jeremy Zellner became one of the youngest leaders of a major political organization in New York State. As chair of the Erie County Democratic Committee he leads upstate’s largest Democratic committee.
A party volunteer in 2003, Jeremy rose to Staff Aide, then ECDC Executive Director, and was elected Chairman in 2012. Along the way he combined a fierce work ethic with innovative management ideas, implementing new voter outreach strategies to propel the Democratic Party to victory by utilizing the internet and social media in innovative ways while returning it to its progressive roots as a voice for those who have none.
Jeremy is a graduate of Buffalo State College, where he majored in Political Science and received the 2005 David Bullough Memorial Award for Most Outstanding Political Science Student. He developed his theories on the role of political parties in public policy as an undergraduate and first applied his ideas as a staff member on an Erie County Executive campaign in 2003.
The experience taught him how to use new technology approaches to meet the challenges of the 16-hour-day, weekend-long working environment that defines all modern campaigning.
Chairman Zellner also held an important policy post with the Erie County Legislature, where he served 2 years as Chief of Staff to the Democratic Majority. In 2016, he served on the Hillary for America National Finance Committee. In addition he served as a Statewide At-Large Delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
As Democratic Chair, Jeremy concentrates much of his efforts building the Party and assisting candidates in a broad range of campaign activities. Firm in his conviction that principle must drive politics, he has set a high standard for ethics and integrity for party staff, employees, and volunteers.
Through his relationships with public officials and activists throughout New York State and across the Nation, Jeremy has established an effective fundraising structure that has raised nearly $4 million for the Erie County Democratic Party. He invested some of these funds into the creation of one of the most advanced digital printing and direct mail systems ever used to support local candidates.
The result has been a growing, unified, inclusive party and electoral successes that include reelecting County Executive Mark Poloncarz to a historic fourth term, maintaining a Democratic majority in the Erie County Legislature, clean sweeps in state legislature races, and victories in towns and villages where Democrats once struggled to compete.
Jeremy is also proud to represent Erie County Democrats as their commissioner at the Board of Elections. A member of the legislative committee of the New York State Election Commissioners Association, Jeremy strongly supports recent election law reforms and is committed to successfully implementing those changes to ensure open, fair local elections.
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