With the November elections in the fore, scores of young Democrats from across Los Angeles County and the San Fernando Valley temporarily broke ranks and engaged in some old-fashioned softball brouhaha last Sunday.

While the appearance of the scene was not far removed from your run-of-the-mill afternoon of softball, a thick atmosphere of excitement and optimism permeated through Sherman Oaks Park, as the November election appears heavily stacked in favor of the issues and candidates that resonate with young voters.

Several current and prospective elected officials offered words of encouragement and stressed the importance of reconciliation prior to battling the Republicans come the fall.

Whether in the wake of a hotly contested primary or perhaps more apropos for the day's event, a spirited intramural fought out on the softball diamond, a unified Democratic front will be absolutely critical to win and bring about the change that is desperately needed.

Among the officials present were Assemblymember Mike Feuer, Assemblymember Anthony Portantino, Congressman Brad Sherman, congressional candidate Russ Brown and CD5 Councilmember candidate Paul Koretz.

Living up to the Young Democrat spirit of political activism, the softball event also provided the opportunity to raise awareness and funding for the "Equality for All" campaign, which seeks to fight the constitutional amendment that intends to reverse the recent landmark California Supreme Court decision sanctioning same-sex marriage.

The outcome of the game was almost entirely irrelevant (especially if you were on the losing end of the 12-3 shelling), as the purpose of the event was to foment good relations between Democratic circles, exchange ideas on how to engage and mobilize fellow young voters and discuss ways the youth vote can assert itself as the deciding factor in an election of historic proportions.