Jesse Ross
1st Vice Chair
Jesse revitalized youth political engagement in our mountains, reestablishing the Haywood County Young Democrats for the first time since 2010 and working tirelessly to launch or support Young Democrat chapters across Western North Carolina. From Henderson to Madison to Jackson and beyond, Jesse helped grow youth involvement through their role as Western Regional Vice President of the Young Democrats of North Carolina.
When the YDNC Labor Caucus was struggling to survive, Jesse stepped in and rebuilt it from the ground up—growing it from just five members in 2022 to 45 by 2025. Jesse connected young people with labor organizers, elected leaders, and the broader Democratic movement. As a 2024 DNC Delegate, Jesse raised over $5,000 to ensure mountain youth voices were represented on the national stage. For all of these activities and contributions, Jesse was honored as the NC11 2025 Mountain Democrat of The Year.
Jesse leads not just with strategy, but with heart. Jesse consistently check in on fellow county leaders, mentor new organizers, and offers encouragement in both public and quiet ways. Thanks to Jesse's vision and support, new leadership has emerged throughout NC 11, including the launch of Madison County Young Democrats, which is now thriving.
Jesse's leadership strengthens not only the party’s infrastructure — but its future.​​ ​
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