Do inner-party elections really matter? A look at central committees in Ohio

Every spring during primary season, most attention goes to recognizable races like Governor, Congress, the Statehouse. Campaign ads fill the airwaves, mailers stack up in the mail and it’s easy to feel these are the only offices up for election.

If you’ve ever worked your way to the bottom of a primary ballot, you’ve probably seen something less familiar: candidates for state and county central committees.

It’s not surprising many voters skip those races. In most cases the names are unknown and the roles are misunderstood. These quiet contests can have more influence than they appear though.

Central committees are the inner workings of political parties. They don’t pass laws or sign legislation, but they help decide who gets the opportunity to do those things. These party members play a role in choosing party leadership, endorsing candidates, organizing campaigns and shaping the message voters hear during election season. In some cases, they even fill vacancies when an elected official leaves office early.

This column first published by the Dayton Daily News. Click here to read the rest of it.