March Newsletter from Platte County Democrats

In light of continued guidance from the CDC to not hold in-person events for the next 8-10 weeks, and as our first priority is to ensure the safety of all Democrats in Missouri, the Missouri Democratic Party has made several adjustments to our delegate selection process for selecting state and national delegates. The delegate selection process will now be held via electronic and mail in balloting for the selection of state delegates and district-level national delegates.

Those who want to run as a state or national delegate will have until April 30th to file to run as delegate, and Democratic voters will have until May 2nd to request a ballot to vote for state delegates for their county, ward, or township. The state convention which will bring together state delegates is still currently being planned as an in-person event on June 13th at the Columbia Convention Center.

Aspiring delegates may continue filing to run as a state and national delegate by filling out the filing form on our website at www.missouridemocrats.org/2020 until April 30th and voters may request their ballot up until May 2nd. All those who previously filed to run as delegates are still valid, however they may want to submit an updated form if their presidential preference has changed. Questions can be submitted to [email protected] .

Thanks for everything you do!

Stay safe and onward,

- Lauren

A Outline of the Process

1. Persons wishing to be a delegate to the State Convention (and voter for Congressional District National Delegates) or a Delegate to the National Convention from the Congressional District or At-Large must complete a Delegate Form on the MDP website by 5pm on April 30. If you have previously filed a form, you do not need to refile unless information has changed. (You may change a previously filed Presidential Preference.) The form requires indication of a Presidential Preference for election of National Delegates. Platte County is entitled to 21 State Delegates. These will be divided between Biden and Sanders based on the Platte County vote on Mar 10. Unofficially that will be Biden 13, Sanders 8.

2. Any registered voter who participated in the March 10 Presidential Primary may request a ballot to vote for State Delegates starting April 2 and ending 5pm, May 2. The MDP will verify registration and send out the ballot by email (or regular mail if requested). The ballot sent to those registered in Platte County will have the names of all persons who filed the State Delegate form from Platte County. The voting period will be May 9 to May 18 (mail in ballots should be placed in the mail by May 15, to assure timely receipt by the MDP). The MDP will announce results of the State Delegate selection on May 19.

3. Those persons selected as State Delegates will vote for Congressional District Delegates for your selected Presidential Preference to the National Convention by email or mail-in ballot during the period of May 20 to May 30. Based on unofficial results, I believe District 6 will select 3 Delegates for Biden and 2 delegates for Sanders.

4. Persons selected as State Delegates are entitled to attend the State Convention now scheduled for June 13 at the Columbia Convention Center, Columbia, MO, where 15 At-Large Delegates and 6 Alternates will be elected. The Convention will also elect National Committee Members and adopt a State Platform and consider policy resolutions.

5. The Democratic National Convention has been rescheduled to August 17-20 in Milwaukee, WI. National Delegates are required to bear their own expenses. The Missouri delegation has been assigned to a hotel in Chicago near O'Hare.

Anyone who is as nerdy as I am and wants to actually read the revised plan can go to www.missouridemocrats.org/2020 . Questions can be asked at 573-777-1364 or submitted at at [email protected].

Views on Platte County Government by David Park

A POSITIVE RECOMMENDATION FOR PARKS FUNDING

It looks like my perseverance, and your support, will result in a favorable outcome for the sales tax for parks and stormwater control. The Platte County Sales Tax Structure Advisory Committee voted to recommend a parks and stormwater control tax at 1/4 cent and a law enforcement tax at 1/4 cent. This is much better than the 1/8 cent for parks and stormwater control originally planned by the commissioners. The recommended amounts will replace the current 1/2 cent tax for parks and stormwater control so there is no net increase in tax.

For about 2 years, the commissioners have said they were working on a tax restructure. During this time, I advocated for public involvement in the decision-making process to fully consider community needs. Finally, in October 2019, the advisory committee was appointed. The individuals on the committee devoted significant time and energy to this issue and made a recommendation for funding that goes beyond the minimal amount originally suggested by the commissioners.

At the proposed 1/4 cent level, the committee analysis determined there would be about $2.3 million per year available for capital improvements for the park system. I believe that had the commission undertaken a thorough planning process with public input it would have revealed a need for a higher level of funding for new projects, but their original intent had been to provide NO new improvements at all. So, this is still a positive result.

Next, we need to make sure the commissioners adopt the recommendation and that voters give their approval. Stay tuned.

Information From The Missouri Democratic Party

MDP Training and Webinars

As we close out the first quarter of 2020 tomorrow, we're all rapidly adjusting to a new normal we never imagined on January 1st. If you're looking for ways to be an advocate and sharpen your digital skills while we're all stuck inside, check out the list of free trainings and webinars HERE.

#AdoptAvote

Increase voter registration. From Missouri Democratic Party. Info.

Democratic Insider - March 27

From MDP. Click here.

Democratic Insider - April 3

From MDP. Click here.

TO GET CURRENT MDP UPDATES DIRECT TO YOUR MAILBOX - CLICK HERE

Platte County Federated Women's Democratic Club

The Women's Club had the first and what turned out to be the last Democratic meeting of the month of March on March 9th at the Platte County Resource Center. The Central Committee's spring event "Turn Platte County Blue" scheduled for April 4th and need for silent auction items was discussed. The event, along with the Central Committee meeting and April 25th 6th CD FWDC Spring Meeting and the Platte County Mass Meeting that is normally the beginning of the Democratic Party Convention delegate selection process were all cancelled or postponed due to the Coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease it causes. The Northland Democratic Club meeting was called off earlier because it fell on St. Patrick's Day. Missouri's Democratic Primary scheduled for March 10th proceeded on schedule. Former Vice President Joseph Biden won. The 89th Annual Missouri Federation of Women's Democratic Clubs State Convention is still scheduled to be held at the Capitol Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Jefferson City, June 5th to 7th, 2020. The theme is: Democrats "Visions to a Brighter Future" but may also be postponed. Stay tuned for additional information.

Introduced at the meeting was Ramona Farris, Candidate for the 6th Congressional District. Dr. Gena Ross was also expected to attend but was unable to be there because she was ill. Ramona told us that Dr. Ross was ill with the Coronavirus. By the end of March she was hospitalized with the illness. The good news is that as of April 3rd she was released from the hospital and is in self quarantine for 14 days.

The Guest speaker for the meeting was Rita Gulden from the League of Women Voters. She gave a history of the nonpartisan organization which, like the Women's Club has a history that goes back to the passage of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote. The League has long been active in voter registration drives and sponsors candidate forums. The League is proud to be nonpartisan, neither supporting nor opposing candidates or political parties at any level of government, but always working on vital issues of concern to members and the public. Their mission is: Empowering Voters. Defending democracy.