September 10, 2020
Your Weekly News from the Collin County Democratic Party
2020 Virtual Ann Richards Dinner a Huge Success!
Thank you to all our sponsors, attendees, and the Ann Richards Dinner committee for what was a hugely successful virtual event! We could not have done it without any of you, and we thank you for being a part of this exciting evening and for supporting our Democratic community.

Our speaker line-up was fantastic, and our team worked so hard. Secretary Julián Castro. Congresswomen Eddie Bernice Johnson and Sheila Jackson Lee. Lt. Governors Garlin Gilchrist and Eleni Kounalakis. Entertainers Holland Taylor and Randy Rainbow. We even had a special message from Joe Biden. Those were just a few of the people who inspired you.

We set a goal of raising $20,000 in twenty-four hours, on top of the generous sponsorships and donations we had already raised this year. Those twenty-four hours became one of the largest single days for individual fundraising in CCDP’s history. Small donations surged in, ticket orders soared, and our sponsorships fell into place. Our Silent Auction team thanks all the donors of goods and services and all the bidders who made that event a tremendous success, as well.

From the comfort of your couch, you joined the fight to flip our county and save our country. Even though the 2020 Ann Richards Dinner is now over, the work you have enabled will continue. Fifty-three days from now, we look forward to seeing Democratic success up and down our Collin County ballot because of you.

If you missed the Ann Richards Dinner, you can still be a part of that fight. Right now, you can go to the Ann Richards Challenge page to contribute what you can towards defeating Trump and turning Collin County blue for years to come. We’ll save our county, our state, and our nation by turning them blue on November 3, 2020 and you can help.

WATCH: The 2020 Ann Richards Dinner Program.
Democratic Group to Spend $15 Million to Flip Texas House
Two Collin County Seats Targeted to Be Flipped!

On September 8th, the group Forward Majority announced they will be spending $15 million on Democratic campaigns in targeted state house races across the country, with the largest percentage of those funds being spent on Texas state house races.

Forward Majority plans to spend $6.2 million to flip the Texas House of Representatives to a Democrat majority. The national group joins the Texas Democratic Party’s strategic imperative to flip the Texas House.

Forward Majority’s announcement follows historic fundraising in Texas by the House Democratic Campaign Committee.

In July, the group announced it had managed to raise more than $1.3 million, which far exceeded the amount of money the group raised in 2018 when it helped flip 12 Texas House seats from Republican to Democrat.

Both HD66, currently held by Republican Matt Shaheen, and HD67, currently held by Republican Jeff Leach, are being targeted to flip. Sharon Hirsch, of Plano, is challenging Shaheen after narrowly losing to him in 2018. Newcomer Lorenzo Sanchez is facing Leach, who barely held off Democratic challenger Sarah Depew in 2018.

Read More:
HD-66 Candidate Sharon Hirsch to Phone Bank with Beto!

Join Beto O’Rourke and State Representative candidates Sharon Hirsch HD-66, Jeff Whitfield HD-92, Keke Williams HD-54 and Akilah Bacy HD-138 for a virtual phone bank! We’ll call voters in each targeted Texas House District to ask them to support these great Democrats. Thursday, September 10th at 5:30pm MST/ 6:30pm CDT/ 7:30pm EDT. REGISTER HERE
Join Team Colin
for Virtual Phone Bank

With your help this Sunday, September 13, we will win the fight to keep TX-32 blue! We are hosting two shifts calling folks all across the district, so get ready to call for Colin!

We will start our Zoom meeting at 3 p.m. Sunday, September 13, and get right into phone banking, so make sure you are on time!

RSVP Link
Reach Out to Friends

Stuck at home during the pandemic? One of the best things we can do to help keep TX-32 blue is reach out to the people in our lives and make sure they know what's at stake this election.

Every Sunday at 1 p.m. join us as we reach out to our personal networks and invite them to join Team Colin!"

RSVP Link
Show Your Colors Collin Blue

Proudly show your Democratic support and help us turn Collin County blue. Order your Biden/Harris yard signs at txdp.cc/store
CCDWD Monthly Meeting
Via Zoom Tele/Video Conference

You don't have to live in Collin County or have a disability to participate. Allies and advocates are welcome and much appreciated!
When: Monday,September 21, 5:30 -7:30 p.m.
Where: Zoom.
Contact: disabilitydemocrats@gmail.com or 307-314-ABLE (2253)
All the Information You Need to Vote by Mail
Know Someone Who Would Like to Vote by Mail?
Forward this Email to Them!

If you are a Collin County registered voter, you can vote by mail if:

  • You expect to be absent from the County during both the early voting period and election day;
  • You have a disability;
  • You are 65 years of age or older; or
  • You are confined in jail and not finally convicted of a felony.

Note: Fear of COVID-19 alone does not qualify as a disability under state law. The decision to apply to vote by mail because of a disability or physical condition is your own (subject to a correct understanding of the law) based on your current health conditions and health history.

We strongly recommend that you APPLY NOW if you think you may want to vote by mail this November. Applying now will provide enough time for your application to be processed and for you to receive and return your ballot in time to have it count. Please do not wait to apply! 

Applying for a mail in ballot is easy using this link: txdem.co/vbmapp 

  • When you submit the application form, you will be given two options:

  1. Have the application mailed to you with a pre-addressed envelope that you then return by mail.            
  2. Download and print the application. Complete it/mail it to: Early Voting Clerk, 2010 Redbud Blvd, Suite 102, McKinney, TX 75069

About the voting by mail process

  • After you have submitted a valid application to vote by mail, you will receive a mail-in ballot in the mail, when they are sent out (e.g. late September for the upcoming election), pursuant to the application unless the Collin Elections Department contacts you directly.
  • When you receive your ballot, follow the instructions. In particular, make sure to sign your application the same way you will later sign your ballot envelope. When you submit your mail-in ballot, the signature on the ballot envelope MUST MATCH the signature on your application if your vote is to count. For example, if you sign John D. Jones on the application and J. D. Jones on the ballot envelope -- they don't match and your ballot may be rejected.
  • You can return your completed mail-in ballot two ways:

  1. Simply mail it back (with postage) to the Collin County Elections Department, 2010 Redbud Blvd, Suite 102, McKinney, TX 75069, or
  2. Drop it off in person at the Collin County Elections office during office hours (8 am - 5 pm, M - F). You have to go inside, sign a form, and show your ID. You can only take your own ballot.

Important:
 
* Only one first-class stamp is required on when mailing in your ballot.

** Only one ballot may be put in an envelope. Example: if you put your ballot and your spouse’s in the same envelope, it is likely that one or both of the ballots will not count.

We strongly recommend you fill out and send in your ballot as soon as you receive it.
   VOTE BY MAIL FAQ

Q. "I voted by mail in the Primary Runoff, will I automatically get a ballot for November?"

A. Yes, you should, but you can verify by calling the Elections Department at 972-547-1900. 

Q. "When are mail ballots being sent to us?"

A. Starting in late September the Elections Department will begin mailing out ballots to those who have registered to vote by mail. 

Q. "I'm confused. I voted by mail in the Primary and assumed I would get my November ballot in the mail, but I received another Vote-By-Mail Application in the mail. Do I need to complete it?  

A. There are several groups, including the Texas Democratic Party, that are sending out vote-by-mail applications to voters. If you have previously applied to vote by mail and are certain you will be getting a mail-in ballot, you can discard this application. If you are not sure, you can follow up with the Elections Department at 972-547-1900.

Q. "How do I know if my vote counts?"
A. Every morning after the previous day of Early Voting, the list of voters is available for anyone to view on the Collin County Elections Website. (It is a large spreadsheet and might take a long time to download. Once you have the list, you can search for your name.).

Q. What if I request a mail in ballot and then decide I want to vote in person?
 
A. You can still vote in-person, but bring your mail-in ballot with you to the polls. You will then turn in your mail-in ballot at the polling center and they will then let you vote in person. If you do not take your mail-in ballot with you, you will be allowed to vote a “provisional ballot,” which will be counted on or after Election Day once the Elections Department confirms you did not also send in your mail-in ballot. 
      
Q. Can I drop off my ballot at a vote center?

A. No. Mail-in ballots cannot be dropped off at the polls. The only place they can be submitted in person is at the Collin County Elections Department office, 2010 Redbud Blvd, Suite 102, McKinney, TX 75069, during business hours.

If you have additional questions, you may contact our Collin County Democratic Party Elections Team at elections@collindemocrats.org or call 972-578-1483.
FAQs about the November General Election
Questions about the upcoming November General Election are coming up frequently.

This article answers many of those questions and provide resources for you.
If you have a question not answered, email: elections@collindemocrats.org
or call the CCDP Office at 972-578-1483

FAQs and useful information can be found on the County Elections Website.

FAQs are also available on the CCDP Website.

The most often asked questions:

Last day to register to vote: Monday, October 5, 2020 (mailed applications must be postmarked by October 5, 2020). Follow links above for more information on registering, changing an address, voting when overseas, etc.

Last day to apply for ballot-by-mail: Friday, October 23, 2020 (received not postmarked).

Complete your ballot as soon as you receive it and mail it immediately OR drop it off at Collin Elections Office at 2010 Redbud Blvd, Suite 102, McKinney.
You must drop off your OWN ballot and be prepared to show ID.

There was some question about the envelope needing two stamps. This is not the case.

However, some have sent both spouses’ ballots in same envelope – these likely cannot be counted. Mail them in separate envelopes or take them to the Elections Office.

Taking them in person to the Elections Office will avoid US Mail delays.
Collin All Democrats Phone Bank
The CCDP Coordinated Campaign hosts the Collin All Democrats virtual phone bank every weekend. Volunteers socialize, play games, win prizes, and make calls to get out the Democratic vote and turn our County Blue. Join the fun online at 2 p.m. every Saturday through November! Sign up here to receive the Zoom link.

Phone banking is easy and fun! We give you a script so that all you have to do is fill in the blanks as you talk to voters. And training is available at each event. See you soon!
Collin / Denton Counties Club Challenge
Virtual Phone Bank Training Session
We are reaching out to the "Likely Dems - need to ID" in the voter database. The voters in this category need to be confirmed as Dem / Rep / Ind / etc. It's a short, easy conversation. We've divided Collin and Denton Counties up into teams based on Texas House Districts and will be competing head to head for the number of calls made.

Virtual Phone Bank Training,
Monday & Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Smiling & Dialing Sessions
Monday & Wednesday from 6 - 8 p.m.

You don't have to attend "Smiling & Dialing" to help out - calls can be made any time from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

For more information, visit our Facebook Group.
Events and Community Outreach Committee
Looking for Volunteers
Events and Community Outreach wants you! Our mission focuses on community ties by:

  • Reinforcing/building relationships with groups in the broader community
  • Being visible/present allies
  • Delivering on the promise of being a "big tent" party

We need your help!

  • Help us identify groups to connect with
  • Help us make the connection
  • Be the connection with other groups

Can you help us out? If so, please email EventsAndOutreach@collindemocrats.org