2021 Virtual Convention Guide

How to Access the Convention

The California Democratic Party 2021 Virtual Convention is a work and networking fun-based event! It’s a virtual space with a not so traditional approach to how we put it all together.

  • We understood we needed to accommodate our committees and caucuses as well as our participants
  • We know delegates like to network and engage with each other in one place
  • Participants are provided with one link to enter the virtual event schedule with ease, interact between attendees, and move between meetings of the participants choice

Watch the video above and read the FAQ below to learn more about the CADEM 2021 Virtual Event Platform so you are prepared for how to maneuver through the event!

Can’t find your invite?
Please feel free to contact our Help Desk by clicking the button below.

Go To Helpdesk

You will find the agent contact/schedule information below.

Submit Ticket availability hours: 24 hours
Chat availability hours: 8am – 5pm

Help Desk Hours: 

Deja: 

  • Tuesday 4/27 8 am – 10 am
  • Wednesday 4/28 8 am – 12 pm, 1 pm – 4 pm
  • Thursday 4/29 9 am – 1 pm, 2 pm – 6 pm
  • Friday 4/30 8 am – 12 pm
  • Saturday 5/1 10 am – 2 pm
  • Sunday 5/2 8 am – 11 am

Jim:

  • Wednesday 4/28 11 am – 2 pm pacific
  • Friday 4/30 12 pm – 4 pm, 5 pm – 8 pm pacific
  • Saturday 5/1 8 am – 11 am pacific
  • Sunday 5/2 10 am – 1 pm pacific

Kieu: 

  • Tuesday 4/27 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm
  • Wednesday 4/28 4 pm – 6:30 pm
  • Thursday 4/29 8 am – 12 pm, 1 pm – 5 pm
  • Friday 4/30 8 am – 12 pm, 1 pm – 6 pm
  • Saturday 5/1 8 am – 12 pm, 1 pm – 5 pm
  • Sunday 5/2 8 am – 11 am

Robert: 

  • Tuesday 4/27 10 am – 12 pm
  • Wednesday 4/28 4 pm – 6:30 pm
  • Thursday 4/29 10 am – 2 pm, 3 pm – 7 pm
  • Friday 4/30 12 pm – 2:30 pm, 5 pm – 10 pm
  • Saturday 5/1 12 pm – 4 pm, 5 pm – 9 pm
  • Sunday 5/2 10 am – 1 pm

See you online!

Frequently Asked Questions

Accessing the Virtual Platform

April 21st @ 5:00pm is the deadline to register on CADEM Delegate Portal to pay your 2021 DSCC dues ($60) + 2021 Convention fee ($65) to be fully registered and credentialed as a Delegate or to register as an Observer go to https://cdpconvention.org/register/

All Delegates and Observer attendees will be sent weekly  reminders to register

Once registered, Delegates and Observer attendees will automatically be sent an invitation to join the virtual convention platform after you have registered as a Delegate through your portal or as an Observer through the CADEM Convention website

Each attendee will be sent an invite link to access the program, verify their email address, accept the terms and conditions, set-up their profile, and enter the event.

Programming is available to be viewed or heard through any smart device – both via app or web browser.  

Committee meetings and Sunday’s (Business) General Session will have a dial-in option due to a Zoom tie-in.

From the meeting room in the platform, voting members will be able to click through to a zoom link to access zoom voting features. 

  • Hand raise feature
  • Q&A
  • Dial-in option for those attendees needing dialing into the Zoom meeting

You may access the meetings via the session in our platform via the Standing Committee meetings on the CADEM Standing Committee Pages in the platform – here once they are posted

The CADEM/FRONTRUNNER Productions team staff are working closely with all meeting leads to determine the technology needs for each meeting.

You can view the full agenda of the convention at https://cdpconvention.org/schedule

Please scroll to the top of the page for a video tutorial on accessing the 2021 Virtual Convention Platform as an attendee.

The platform is completely web-based and there is also an app available for smart devices to access the virtual convention.

Setting Up Your Profile

Attendees will receive 3 emails! Save all your virtual platform emails so  you can find them later.

  • First, a welcome / invite email to sign up
  • Second, an email verification with link to add the virtual event to your calendar 
  • Third, a reminder email 24 hours before the event to take you into the 2021 CADEM Convention virtual event platform.

Attendees will be sent an email invitation to an online event. Please review the virtual platform video for more details.

Within the invite attendees will find a link to click and create their account on the virtual platform.

Every attendee will be directed to create their own profile, be sure to add your picture and your name when setting up your profile.

You will receive a verification email to ensure only the person with access to the email address can access the virtual platform.

You will click the link in the verification email and it will launch the virtual platform.    

If it is the first time entering the event, you will be asked to agree to the Terms and Conditions.

That’s it, you’re IN!  Please be sure to set up your Profile.

Reception Area

The “reception” is a snapshot of everything that is happening or will be happening during the virtual convention event.

The reception area will include a description of tips to make the best out of the event.

Within the Reception of the virtual event you will be able to view and click through the schedule as well as the virtual events that are happening in real time. 

You can also add the virtual events to your personal calendar.

Accessing Main Stage

Stages are large sessions for a large audience. 

For this virtual event this is where you would go to access General Session 1 & 2 on Saturday and to view General 3 on Sunday. 

Voting Delegates will be sent a separate Zoom webinar link to participate and vote in General Session 3 on Sunday.

Simply click on “Stage”on the left hand side of the virtual platform to enter the main General Session stage of the virtual Convention.

Accessing Sessions

Go on the left hand side of the virtual Convention platform and click on “Sessions”.

Once you have clicked on ”Sessions” you will be able to see which sessions of the event are currently available.

You have the ability to click the different windows within the session to make them different sizes.

It’s as easy as going back to the left hand side of the virtual platform, simply clicking “Session” again and choosing a different session.

We are working with each meeting lead in order to determine the needs for their meeting. All meetings will be available to view on Hopin that chose to participate in the CADEM 2021 Virtual Convention Platform.

If a Caucus Chair decides not to be part of the virtual convention platform and would prefer to hold the caucus meeting outside for the 2021 CADEM Virtual Convention, attendees will go here to contact the Caucus Chair or go to the Caucuses website to access the caucus meeting instead.

There will be clearly laid out options for delegates to vote in the General Session Main stage utilizing Zoom webinar.

If delegates are calling in, they can vote by pressing *9 which is the the hand raise feature with in the Zoom webinar.

Only delegates will have access to the Sunday General Session voting process and will be sent a separate link to join Sundays session, which can also be viewed within the virtual platform.

Expo Booths

Go to the left hand side of the virtual platform and click “Exhibitors”.

You will enter into the virtual expo hall. Click on the virtual “booth” you would like to check out!

There will be the ability to engage with the exhibitor or the ability to watch the videos about the exhibit.

You will scroll below the video in the booth and the exhibitors will place rich context and detailed description and links out to their own organizations website or social media handle.

On the right hand side within the virtual booth, the exhibitor will post offers about how to stay in touch with the organization and other offers all by the booth organizer within each virtual  booth.

Chat / Engagement

Each attendee is able to click on the left hand side to get ready to participate in the “Networking” section of the virtual platform. 

What is so cool about this section is that you will click the “Ready” button to be placed in the queue that will connect you with attendees throughout the event to have a 1 to 3 minute, to set-up one on one conversations with your friends! It’s also a great way to meet new people!

Attendees can also look to the right hand side of the virtual platform to the engagement tools to interact and use the chat features throughout the platform. Networking features allow as much or as little interaction as desired.

If you look to the right hand side of the virtual platform you will notice the engagement panel which has several tools that allow you to interact with other attendees.

You will find event wide engagement tools as well as the session and stage specific engagement tools.

Look to the right hand side of the panel where you can “chat” with other people, “polls” where you can participate in event wide polls, “people” allows you to see other attendees at the event and interact with them, by sending them a message for inviting them to a meeting! The Q&A section allows you to ask event wide questions.

You will be able to see the speakers and any presentations as they are highlights in the programming but will not see everyone’s faces who are observing the meeting.

Each meeting will have a Moderator that will be able to enable people who wish to speak; however individual participants will not be able to unmute other participants.

Participants who wish to speak must first click the “Share Audio and Video” button to get added to the Moderator queue and be available to go on screen.

The Party works hard to make the convention as accessible as possible. ASL and Closed Captioning will be provided in The General Sessions, Salons, and Training

Closed Captioning will be provided in ALL meetings

Disabilities Caucus and other Caucuses that specifically request ASL will be accommodated upon request of the meeting lead.

We are working with each meeting lead in order to determine the needs for their meeting. All meetings will be available to view through the convention platform.