There have been some complaints on dKos from people having a hard time or bad expeeriences participating in their local Democratic parties. The local Democratic party is the first choice for participating in the political process, but there are others. I'll describe one I've experienced after the jump. It's called DFA or Democracy for America.
Your local Democratic party organization may be a fine place to participate and eager for recruits. It might be, like mine, obseessed with keeping local politicians -- whom I often dislike -- in office. (In Chicago, the election which counts for levels below state-wide, is teh primary. "Fast Eddie" Vrdolyak ran third party for Mayor in 1987, and then as a Republican in 1989; his vote percentage dropped forty points in the two years.)
Also, local Democratic parties have to be careful about "carpetbagging," going out into other districts to help candidates away from their home base. It's likely to be viewed as imperialism.
I joined DFA. Originally, that had been Dean for America. When the doctor lost his bid for the presidential nomination, he shifted his net-connected, enthusiastic, campaign over to one supporting "socially liberal, fiscally conservative, Democratic candidates" at all levels. The national group is now headed by the Doctor's brother, Jim Dean; how long this has been true, I don't know. I joined after Howard Dean was elected chairman of the Democratic National Committee.
The group is locally run. The local groups are called "meet-ups." (I'm endorsing the group, not it's vocabulary.) The national group provides recognition, web-connection, and some resources. They don't provide any orders I've ever heard about. The meetups meet monthly -- I think that this is standard.
The group I belong to is fairly active. We supported five candidates in the primary -- none shoe-ins. Two won, three lost. We're in the process of selecting the candidates whom we will support in the General. (Monthly meetings produce some problems, especially when combined with internal democracy.)
I don't know what the group in your neighborhood does. Local control means that each group is slightly different. But it's worth checking out.
The contact address is Contact DFA They have elaborate software for finding meetups near you. And, if there are none near you, you can probably start your own. I don't know anything about that part of the process.