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What Makes Up the Democratic Party?
 
There are three main organizations that combined together make up the Democratic Party.  For Ohio the structure is:

1. Democratic National Committee 
2. Ohio Democratic Party
3. A Democratic Party for each County

Each organization has its own set of by-laws based on by-laws set by the Democratic National Party.  So each state and each county in Ohio may be a little different in how they operate.

In Ohio, every four years during the Presidential Primary Election, people are voted to fill a precinct position for the Party.  Collectively these people are the County Central Committee.  Sometimes they are referred to as Precinct Captains.  They are the grassroots leadership of the Party, In Medina County they elect the Officers (Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary & Treasurer) for the Central Committee, and  they also elect the Executive Committee. They appoint Democrats in the case of vacancies in some public offices [such as county office].  Ideally each Central Committee person gets to know the democrats in their precinct to keep them informed of what is going on with the party, such as our candidates, events, and issues.  

The County Executive Committee is a subgroup of the Central Committee.  The Medina Executive Committee members are elected by the Central Committee members during an organizational meeting held after the Presidential Primary.  Once formed, they elect the Officers (Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary & Treasurer) who may or may not be the same as the Central Committee.  The Executive Committee runs the day-to-day operations of the Party for the County.  They can appoint four more members to the Executive Committee, make endorsements in local races, and appoint individuals to open Precinct positions.

Every four years during the Governor's Primary, people are voted to fill a State Central Committee position for each Senate District in Ohio.  Collectively, these people are the State Central Committee.  They vote for their Officers, and elect the members of the State Executive Committee, who elect members to the Democratic National Committee.  Members serve a four-year term, commencing on the day the Democratic National Convention adjourns.

Every four years, before the Presidential Primary, a caucus is held in each Congressional District to elect delegates to the Democratic National Convention, where the Presidential Candidate is elected.