Democratic Party Meeting

Our Mission

The Clermont County Democratic Party strives to elect Democratic Candidates and promote Democratic issues that reflect our commitment to social and economic justice, environmental stewardship, and effective government. By raising awareness of our party and its core beliefs through meetings, forums, trainings, social events, and community service, we will strengthen our community and create a more balance electorate.

Our Leadership

As mandated by state law, the Executive Committee is the voting body of the Clermont County Democratic Party. Executive members are voted upon by recently-elected precinct captains of each jurisdiction, every two years, in even number primaries.

JurisdictionNameEmail Addresses
Executive ChairRay Lembkerlembke@gmail.com
Vice ChairElaine Barnett
Central Committee ChairPatty Lawrence
TreasurerChris Barnett
SecretaryKatherine Lent
Central Com. SecretaryAmanda Fox
Batavia TownshipJudith Miller
Franklin TownshipTonia Blackburn
Goshen Township

Jackson Township

Open

Ben Brady

Loveland CityJennifer Ginder
Miami TownshipWilliam Mason
Milford City TownshipMegan Davisson
Monroe Township

Ohio Township

Alice Rolfes

Open

Pierce TownshipGregg Conrad
Stonelick TownshipKatherine Lent
Tate TownshipLeann Helton
Union TownshipChad Quick
Washington TownshipJeff Richards
Wayne TownshipJan Schoellman
Williamsburg TownshipOpen
CCYD RepresentativeEthan Johnson
West Cler. Dems. Rep.Elaine Barnett
Quin-T Democrat Club Rep.Cheryl Richards
Goshen Democrats Rep.Alice Bailey
Democracy in ActionPatty Lawrence

Central Committee

The Clermont County Democratic Party’s Central Committee is made up of precinct captains who are either elected by Democratic voters in their precinct or appointed by the Executive Committee. Precinct Captains are the first line of contact for Democratic voters in the county. You can find your precinct captain by locating your precinct below. If your precinct does not currently have a captain or a precinct nearby, you can sign up here to find out more information about becoming a precinct captain.

ChairPatty Lawrence
Vice-ChairTracy Joe Duckworth/Ben Indino
SecretaryAmanda Fox
PrecinctPrecinct Captain
Batavia Township AJudy Miller
Batavia Township CTimothy Young
Batavia Township EGail Kiely
Batavia Township HLinda S. Connell
Batavia Township IJulie Tolliver
Batavia Township JSteven Neff
Batavia Township KJackie Lau
Batavia Township LTimothy Hisnay
Batavia Township MRichard Perry
Batavia Township OJennifer Pinnick
Bethel Village BLeann Helton
Franklin Township ATonia Blackburn
Franklin Township BJustin Phillips
Goshen Township BAlice Bailey
Goshen Township DOPEN
Goshen Township KKarla Barton
Goshen Township LJessie King
Goshen Township MOPEN
Goshen Township NLiz Jones
Jackson Township ABen Brady
Loveland City BJennifer Ginder
Miami Township APatricia Lawrence
Miami Township FJara Bonner
Miami Township F1FAmanda Fox
Miami Township G1GPatricia Colapletro
Miami Township H1HChristopher Barnett
Miami Township IElizabeth Owens-Thomas
Miami Township K1KKatie Vockell
Miami Township LPamela Sisney
Miami Township LILAmy Scholl
Miami Township MBenjamin Indino
Miami Township M1MLinda Callahan
Miami Township N1NAlan Darnowsky
Miami Township P1PHeidi Sommer Simones
Miami Township QChris Moyer
Mimi Township Q1QMaria Scott
Miami Township SGale Snoddy
Miami Township TShannon Sparks
Miami Township UWilliam Mason
Milford City AGregory Foote
Milford City BMark Sund
Milford City GJamie Hopkins
Milford City HMegan Davisson
Monroe Township CMicheall Reed
Monroe Township EAlice Rolfes
New Richmon Village AJohn Wolliver
New Richmond Village BOPEN
Ohio Township AGenny Davidson
Pierce Township BRay Lembke
Pierce Township CGregg Conrad
Pierce Township ERon Warner
Pierce Township KHeather Horine
Pierce Township OJames D. Eugair
Stonelick Township BKatherine Lent
Stonelick Township DMarian Koester
Stonelick Township EJim Bellman
Tate Bethel Village AAmy Planck
Tate Bethel Village BLeann Helton
Tate Township DAcacia Ubile
Tate Township FCliff Johnson
Tate Township HWilliam Skvarla
Union Township ADavid F Utterback
Union Township BAndrew Reed
Union Township B1BChristine Minano
Union Township C1CJoann M Meyer
Union Township DChad Quick
Union Township D1DOPEN
Union Township EOPEN
Union Township F1FTeresa Conway
Union Township HLinda Bourquin
Union Township IDiane Raming
Union Township JElizabeth Brumbacker
Union Township KBarbara Fillion
Union Township LMichelle DeTemple
Union Township P1PMolly Goldberg
Union Township REthan Johnson
Union Township UKaren Cahall
Union Township XChristine Cornelius
Union Township ZTracy Jo Duckworth
Washington Township BJeff Richards
Washington Township ExJeff Richards
Wayne Township BJan Schoellman
Wayne Township CJoe Mastromauro
Williamsburg Township AOPEN
Williamsburg Village CHeather Golightly Conrad

Democratic Clubs

There are a number of ways to get involved with the Democratic Party in Clermont County. The easiest way is to join one of our many clubs! Follow them on Facebook for information about meetings and how to join.

Clermont County Young Democrats (Facebook)
Meeting Dates: 
TBD
Meeting Location: Location varies – check for Facebook Event!
Annual Dues: $25
About: The Clermont County Young Democrats is a newly formed social, action, and informative club of progressive-minded individuals in Clermont County, founded in February 2017.  We gather monthly at general meetings to discuss local issues, volunteer in our community and socialize with our peers.

Goshen/Northern Dems (Facebook)
Meeting Dates: TBD
Meeting Location: A Music Cafe, Goshen (directions)
Annual Dues: $10
About: A Democratic Club for progressive individuals in the northern part of Clermont County.

Democracy In Action (Facebook)
Meeting Dates: Third Wednesday of the month. Friends gather at 6:30 and the meeting begins at 7:00.
Meeting Location: Loveland Historical Society. 201 Riverside Ave, Loveland, OH 45140.
About: The Loveland Action’s Team’s goals including building the Democratic community and elect Democratic candidates. We generally have a speaker and action items.
Website: www.democracyinactionohio.com

Quin-T Democrat Club (Facebook)
Meeting Dates: 
First Thursday of every month at 7:30 pm
Meeting Location: Green Kayak, New Richmond (directions)
Annual Dues: $1.00
About: Established in the late ’60s, the Quin-T Democrat Club is the oldest currently operating Democrat club in Clermont County. Quin-T is a grass-roots organization with the objective of supporting Democratic candidates, increasing political activism and raising awareness of democratic values and policies in Southwest Ohio. Please come join us at our monthly meetings.
Website: https://quintdems.org/

West Clermont Democrats (Facebook)
Meeting Dates: 
Second Monday of each month at 7:00 pm
Meeting Location: Currently Zoom
Annual Dues: $25
About: The West Clermont Democrat Club is a chartered group dedicated to discussing, organizing, and mobilizing around social and public policy issues of concern to people and communities in Union Township, Miami Township and the City of Milford. We value and encourage debate and discussion, sometimes pointed, from all political viewpoints. We believe in the power of collective action to effect positive change within our geographic area.

Annual Dues: $25
About:

Get Involved

Click here for more information on how to get involved with the Clermont County Democratic Party.

Our History

The earliest record of the existence of the Clermont County Democratic Party dates back to 1824 when Andrew Jackson (D) won the popular vote in Clermont County and the nation, but the US House of Representatives voted to install John Quincy Adams (R) as President since Jackson did not have a majority in the Electoral College.   In a re-match four years later in 1928, Andrew Jackson won the election for President over President Adams, and won handily in Clermont County.   Interestingly enough, even though Ulysses S. Grant (R) was born and raised in Clermont County, and did win the Presidential Election in 1868 and 1872, he did not carry Clermont County.  Grant was soundly defeated in the County by democratic challenger Horatio Seymour in 1868 and  the Liberal Republican Horace Greeley in 1872.  Grant, the 18th President, was the youngest person elected President up until that time, at the age of 46.

Clermont County was the home of the 43rd Governor of Ohio, John M. Pattison (D), who served from January 8, 1906 until his death on June 18, 1906 at age 59, which was the shortest term for anyone holding this office.   He had also served in the US House of Representatives and the Ohio House and Senate.

Attorney, Hugh L Nichols (D) from New Richmond and Batavia served as the 32nd Lt. Governor of Ohio from 1911 to 1913 when he was appointed as the first Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court by then Governor James M. Cox (D).  Unfortunately, Nichols did not win election to the position in 1920.

From the early 1800’s through the 1960’s Clermont County was known in the political arena as  a bastion of Democrats.   The Democratic Party started losing County Offices to the Republicans in the 1970’s starting with the Sheriff, Clerk of Courts and the Auditor’s Offices.    It was in 1984 that the Democratic Party lost every County Office, with the exception of the Probate and Juvenile Court Judge position held by Judge Lawrence W. Carlier, who was unopposed in that race and held the position until 1990.  No Democrat has held a County or District Office in the County since 1990.  Many attribute this phenomenon to the fact of the increase cost of housing in Hamilton County and the influx of a conservative element from Hamilton County mushrooming over into Milford, Miami and Union Townships, coupled with the development in the County with the Eastgate Mall and surrounding area of Union Township, the largest Ford Plant in the world built in Batavia, and the extension of State Route 32.  The major development of Clermont County (Eastgate Mall, Ford Plant, Clermont Mercy Hospital, Clermont UC College) took place during the Administration of Republican Governor, James A. Rhodes.

The Clermont County Democratic Party has maintained a headquarters on Main Street in Batavia since the 1970’s.  It has continued to field qualified candidates even though Clermont County has seen the Republicans winning all county offices year after year since 1984.  The Clermont County Democratic Party does take pride in the fact that we have seen the election of President William Clinton (1992) Barack Obama (2008), and Joe Biden (2020) as well as Sherrod Brown who has served as Ohio Secretary of State, a US Congressman and presently serves as one of our US Senators.

Party Chairmen:

Raymond W. Lembke – 2015 to Present (Pierce Township)
David A. Lane – 2004 – 2015 – (Miami Township)
Priscilla O’Donnell – 1998 – 2004  (Batavia Township)
Garry Adams – (Batavia Township)
Jerry Wiesenhahn – (Union Township)
James A. Burger –  (Williamsburg Township)
Edward B. Osborne – 1972 to 1982 – (Goshen Township)
 
Notable Elected Officials From Clermont County

John M. Pattison – 43rd Governor of Ohio – Shortest Term for any person elected to this office.
Term: January 8, 1906 – June 18, 1906 (date of death) – Milford, Ohio.
Defeated incumbent Governor Myron Herrick (R).Hugh L. Nichols – 1st Ohio Supreme Court Justice – Appointed by Gov. James Cox (1913 – 1920)
(Not Elected) – Batavia, Ohio

Last Democratic Officials Elected in Clermont County
Lawrence Carlier – Former State Representative and also Probate & Juvenile Court Judge.  (In 1984, he was the last Democrat elected to county office  He ran unopposed and served until 1990.)
Robert A. Jones – Former County Prosecutor
Ralph Houser – Former County Commissioner;
Timothy S Hogan – Former County Commissioner
Jerry Wiesenhahn – Former County Commissioner
Jerry Carlier – Former County Commissioner
Ike Shebesta – Former County Recorder
Albert E “Bud” Hines – Former County Treasurer
*Priscilla O’Donnell – Former County Court Judge
*W. Kenneth Zuk – Former Judge in both the Clermont County Common Pleas Court and the Municipal Court system.

*Denotes still living