Record Crowd Turns Out For Delaware County Democratic Party's Annual Summer Picnic

Highlighting strong voter engagement and a growing local footprint, the Delaware County Democratic Party hosted a record-breaking crowd at its annual summer picnic in June, drawing over 100 residents, volunteers, and candidates to celebrate and organize ahead of the upcoming election cycle.

Organized by Vice Chair Holly Hanson, the annual tradition brought together longtime party members alongside a significant number of new faces, signaling momentum for local and state races.

Statewide Candidates Take Center Stage

The picnic served as a platform for prominent state leaders, including two statewide candidates: Annette Blackwell, candidate for Ohio Auditor, and Allison Russo, candidate for Ohio Secretary of State.

Blackwell, the current Mayor of Maple Heights, made her first appearance before the Delaware County group, leaving a strong impression on attendees as she detailed her record of fiscal management.

“She turned around a fiscal emergency before, and she is ready to bring that accountability to the State Auditor’s office,” party organizers noted, highlighting how her message of real-world financial turnaround resonated with the crowd.

Representative Russo addressed the crowd regarding the critical role of voter access in Ohio, positioning her candidacy for Secretary of State as a vital defense against recent legislative efforts to restrict voting rights.

Strong Local Representation

In addition to statewide leaders, a full slate of local and congressional candidates took the microphone to connect directly with constituents:

  • Josh Kolasinski – U.S. Congress (District 4)
  • Jerrad Christian – U.S. Congress (District 12)
  • Scott Charland – Ohio Senate (District 19)
  • Vince McGrail – Ohio House (District 61)
  • Ryan Grissinger – Delaware County Commissioner

 

Expanding Political Outreach

The summer picnic is part of a broader, aggressive campaign by the Delaware County Democratic Party to connect local voters with high-profile candidates. To date, the county party has hosted seven of the nine statewide candidates on the ballot, including U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, gubernatorial candidate Dr. Amy Acton, Supreme Court candidates Justice Jennifer Brunner and Judge Marilyn Zayas, and Attorney General candidate John Kulewicz.

Organizers announced plans to host the remaining statewide candidates in the near future, including Seth Walsh (Ohio Treasurer) and David Pepper (Ohio Lieutenant Governor).

A Call to Action for Local Voters

Party leadership closed the event with an urgent call to action, urging community members to convert their enthusiasm into active campaign support through recurring financial contributions, grassroots volunteering, such as door-knocking and phone banking, and digital advocacy.

For more information about upcoming events or candidate platforms, visit the Delaware County Democratic Party’s events page.

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