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Chair: Ginger Blair
Deputy Chair: Kimberly Valdez
Secretary: Carmen McZeal
Treasurer: Natalie Ward
Sergeant At Arms: Marc Meyer
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Oct 1, 2022 Newsletter
Voter Registration Deadline is
October 11, 2022
Be sure friends and relatives are registered too!
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Click on the Contribute button to help turn Montgomery County Blue!
Please consider becoming a sustaining member at $10 per month (or more!).
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Montgomery County Democratic Headquarters
704 N. Thompson St. #195
Conroe, Texas 77301
936-703-5841
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Montgomery County Democratic Headquarters Hours
Hours of operation: 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Due to the continuing spread of COVID, our policy now is for staff and visitors to comply with social distancing guidelines & masks are optional. The best way to reach someone at the MCDP headquarters is to call or leave a message at 936-703-5841 or send an email to mcdpoffice@gmail.com. For urgent matters, please text 713-256-1420 or email chair@mcdptx.org outside of office hours.
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In this issue:
MCDP Lucky Strikes - Veterans Bowling Group - Join Now!
Pride Festival - Oct. 22, 2022
Sip and Skate for Democracy - October 27, 2022
Debate Watch Party - A Success!
New Voting Machines - What to Expect
Vote by Mail Information
Make Your Voting Plan Now
SUNDAYS - Walk for Beto Campaign in Conroe
Beto Signs - Now only $10
TDP and Beto's Border and Immigration Positions
Become an Election Judge or Clerk - Training Posted
Become a Poll Watcher
Joe and Kamala's Corner
Tweets
De-escalation Training for Election Workers
Texas Democratic Candidates
Blue Store - Get your long-sleeved shirt now!
Upcoming Party & Community Events
Voting Dates and Schedule
This newsletter is published on or about the 1st and the 15th of every month. Email content for consideration to communications@mcdptx.org no later than 3 days before publication.
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ATTENTION BOWLERS
(and those who like to hang out in bowling alleys):
The Veteran’s Outreach group is organizing a bowling team here in Conroe!
If you can pick up a ball and roll it, we need you. You do not have to be a veteran to be on the team.
Email me or come to our organizational meeting Tuesday October 4th at 3:00 at HQ if you’re interested.
Bring a friend!
Mike Midler
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SAVE THE DATE!
Send a message to mcdpoffice@gmail.com to join the LGBTQ+ Outreach Committee today. Jay Stittleburg is the new chair.
Sign up here:
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THE DEBATE WATCH PARTY:
AN EXCELLENT SHOWING, ALL AROUND!
The Debate Watch Party on Friday was well-attended and lots of fun thanks to Margie Kremer's organization and planning skills! The group enjoyed games, food and libations at headquarters and on Zoom.
Thank you, Margie, for your time and efforts in making events like this possible. Kudos to everyone who put the event together and to attendees for supporting us!
Our Zoom connections may not have been perfect, but we had a very good crowd both online and in the house on Friday night for our Final Friday Speakers Series. More than 30 folks signed up thru Mobilize and at least another 30 walked thru the door for some raucous fun that included lobbing rolled up socks at the TV screen to punctuate the group’s disapproval of Greg Abbott.
All local candidates were also invited to speak, and Kristin Johnson, Bob Mabry, Mike Midler, and Michelle Palmer gave brief remarks. Erin Mulholland, our local leader of the Mother’s Against Greg Abbott movement was given a standing ovation.
While the debate outcome seems to have been declared a draw by some media outlets, our group was quite clear that Beto was the debate winner, and that Greg Abbott will continue to erode our human rights if he is re-elected. He is, in addition, clearly the inflation governor as:
📈Property taxes are UP 40% since he took office
📈Electricity bills are UP $45/month thanks to his grid failure
📈Internet costs are UP across rural TX after he vetoed broadband support
📈Phone bills are UP 625% to an “unprecedented” level
Watch this space for information about October’s Final Friday Event and in the meantime, please contribute to all our Get Out the Vote Efforts across the County. This is the most important election of a lifetime!
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It was standing room only for the Beto/Abbott Debate Party
at Headquarters on Friday Night!
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New Voting Machines in
Montgomery County
This November the polls will look a little different. The days of the Hart e-Slate are over. The County has purchased new voting machines and will be using them for the first time this November.
Here is what you need to know when you go to the polls and use the new Hart Intercivic Verity Hybrid Voting system:
- Upon arriving to vote, you will still be asked to present a photo ID and your registration status will be reviewed. Once that is verified, you will be given a voter ID number and paper ballot that looks just like a blank sheet of printer paper with a black arrow on it.
- You will take this paper to an open voting machine, the Verity Duo. The new voting machines are touch screens, so you will tap the screen to enter your voter ID number to get started.
- Once you have selected your preferred language and entered your voter ID number, the machine will prompt you to insert your paper ballot, arrow first, into the printer slot.
- When you have done this, you will be able to make your ballot selections. After you have made your choices, the machine will ask you to review your selections then confirm that it is accurate.
- Finally, the voting machine will print your votes onto your paper ballot.
- From there you will take your paper ballot over to the Vertiy Scan machine that is on the ballot box and slide the paper ballot into the scanner slot. The scanner is capable of scanning paper ballots whether they are inserted print side up or down.
- Once it is scanned, the ballot drops into the secure ballot box and the screen on the scanner will show that your vote has been cast.
- As always, don’t forget to proudly wear your “I voted” sticker once you are finished!
Here is some general information about the Hart company and our new voting system:
Hart is not a new company; it has been involved in voting processes, technologies, and election security for over 100 years. Hart is a privately held company headquartered in Austin, TX. All Hart products are assembled exclusively by U.S. based contract manufacturers. Their primary manufacturer is also located in Austin. The Hart Intercivic Verity Hybrid Voting System uses a closed local network comprised of only the voting system machines so it has no available access to or from the internet or any other local networks. Other security features of the system are non-standard ports and cables, two factor authentication requirements, and keyed locks just to name a few. Overall the new system should be easier for voters to use and it provides greater security and accuracy for the voting process.
Submitted by Susan Shofkom
Precinct Chair #29
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Vote by Mail Applications must be received by 10/28/2022 for the
November 8, 2022 General Election
(Mail in by 10/14/22 is suggested)
Be sure to carefully follow all instructions
Or contact Montgomery County Elections
at (936) 539-7843
Complete the form and submit it to the following address:
Mailing Address:
Elections Administrator
P.O. Box 2646
Conroe, Texas 77305-2646
Physical Address for Carrier or In-Person Delivery
Elections Administrator
9159 Airport Road
Conroe, TX 77303
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MAKE YOUR VOTING PLAN NOW
As many of you may know, there were a lot of issues in the March primary election with people going to the wrong voting precinct on election day. With all the redistricting, it’s important to verify that you know where to vote for this election. Here is some information that might be helpful.
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Go to the Montgomery County Election website to make sure you know where to vote and to see a sample ballot. (As of this date the early voting location info. is not available.)
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To view your specific ballot and poll location for the November 8 General Election, enter your identification information at Montgomery Votes Registration Lookup.
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A great resource for unbiased information about what is on your ballot, go to The League of Women Voters Voting Guide at Vote411.org.
Remember that you may vote EARLY (October 24 – Nov 4) at any voting location in Montgomery County, but on election day you must vote in your precinct. Don't forget to bring your photo ID to check in.
Many precincts have changed due to redistricting. The Texas Secretary of State is busy “updating” the voter rolls. Your registration may have been suspended. If so, contact the Montgomery County Elections Office at (936) 539-7843 immediately to resolve the issue.
Please don’t hesitate to call us at Headquarters (936) 703-5841 if you need assistance in getting to the polls, answering questions, or to notify us of any difficulties you are experiencing.
Submitted by Carol Ortiz
Precinct Chair #86
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SUNDAYS - Walk for Beto Campaign in Conroe
Meet up with other volunteers and go door-to-door to talk to Texans about Beto and about the upcoming election! All you have to do to prepare for the event is download our block walking app, MiniVAN, to your smartphone, make sure your phone is fully charged, and wear comfortable clothes and shoes.
This event is for both experienced and new block walkers! Even if you’ve never knocked on doors before, we will make sure that you have all the resources and training you need to have a great first-time experience canvassing.
Sundays through Oct. 23, 2022
9:30am to 12:30pm
Booker T. Washington Park
813 S. Washington, Conroe 77301
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BETO SIGNS
SUGGESTED DONATION IS NOW $10 EACH!!
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We are counting down to November 8th and things are heating up!
If you don't yet have your Beto sign out, please consider getting yours now.
Yard signs work and it seems theft of Beto signs is down this election season.
to get signs for yourself and your neighbors.
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Texas Democratic Party and Beto's Border and Immigration Positions
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As our gubernatorial nominee Beto O'Rourke has said -- there absolutely are really big problems at the border, and they have been allowed to develop under the last seven years of Greg Abbott's leadership.
Here are the solutions that we propose:
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Let's have a Texas-based guest worker program. You want to come here to work? We want there to be a legal, safe, orderly path for you to do so.
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Same thing if you want to be able to legally join your family or claim asylum. Let's work together -- in Austin and in Washington -- to revise our state and federal laws so that they reflect our values.
Let’s do that – let’s create these safe and legal avenues for all these folks – and then we can focus on those who want to do us harm.
- Those who would want to traffic fentanyl.
- Those who want to traffic human beings.
That's how you make our border communities safer.
That's how you make sure that we're living up to our values as a state of immigrants and asylum seekers.
They are the people – along with all of us already here – who make us great and by their very presence, make us stronger and more successful. And yes, also safer.
The last time we rewrote the immigration laws of this country, Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States of America.
We know that folks are coming here to work. They're coming here to join their family. They're coming here to seek asylum – because to return to their countries of origin would mean certain death for them or their kids.
Texas is a border state, full of immigrants, and that is what has made us so successful and strong and – yes – safe.
So what if we led the way in ensuring that if you want to come to this country you have to follow our laws – and meanwhile, we as Texas led the way in rewriting our laws so they reflect our values, our interests, and our needs.
There should be a safe, legal, orderly path for those who want to come to this country to do better for themselves and do better for all of us by their very presence.
- It is far too complicated to sponsor an immigrant to come and work a job in Texas that no one born in Texas will take.
- The wait time, if you live in Mexico and want to join a family member in the U.S, is 20 years if you want to do it “the right way” and “get in the back of the line.”
- The adjudication for an asylum claim is six years. For six years, you might be living in a refugee camp in squalor, in Ciudad Juarez, with your child, hoping that nothing will happen to them.
- What if in all those instances, we address them with solutions? Like a Texas-based guest worker program lifting the visa cap so you're not waiting 20 years in line – and instead of waiting six years for an asylum-seeker to get an answer, how about six weeks?
- And if the answer is yes, then welcome to America.
- And if you do not pass the bar for entry, then you've got to return back to your country of origin.
From the Texas Democratic Party
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JUDGE AND CLERK TRAINING
SIGN UP NOW
Judge and Clerk mandatory in-person training is our focus now. The classes are open and listed at montgomeryvotes.org . In addition we encourage all clerks to go to Judge training, which is more informative, especially for our first time workers.
For those of you that are working as Alternate Judges, once you have communicated with your Republican Presiding Judge, please find out how many Democratic Clerks you can bring, if any. This is due to the fact that some Alternate Judges are unable to bring anyone other than themselves. If you would, please communicate this information to me so that I can keep a record of it.
It's full steam ahead as time passes very fast. We are looking forth to a victorious win across the board. Thanks to everyone for working and remaining dedicated to seeing that our democracy flourishes.
Claretna Vaxter
Election Coordinator MCDP
281-239-1800
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Zoom in or Come to Montgomery County Democratic Headquarters to Learn about Becoming a Poll Watcher
Montgomery County and Montgomery County Democratic Party Officials are expecting there to be a record-breaking number of poll watchers at the General Election this November. Poll Watchers can be appointed by Candidates, Political Parties, and Political Committees in favor or opposition to ballot proposals.
And while the individual Poll Watcher must “swear (or affirm) that I will not disrupt the voting process or harass voters in the discharge of my duties.”, the Texas Democratic Party has taken the position that it behooves all the interested parties to appoint Poll Watchers to each voting location to protect the interests of all voters.
To that end, we are actively recruiting poll watchers and have set an initial training date for Wednesday, October 19th, at 6:30 p.m. at Montgomery County Democratic Headquarters, 704 N. Thompson St., Ste, 195, Conroe, TX 77301.
Attend by Zoom:
Meeting ID 868 8104 0108
Passcode 490638
When: Oct 19, 2022 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Register in advance for this meeting:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Or Sign up here:
Please call 936-703-5841 or email mcdpoffice@gmail.com if you are interested. This is an important function, especially in this election cycle.
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JOE and KAMALA'S CORNER !
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Tweets !!
Candidates Are Tweeting
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De-escalation Training for Election Workers
Democratic election workers are encouraged to join Fair Fight and the Texas Democratic Party for a de-escalation training. We know that folks with all kinds of personalities and agendas come through your polling place, and we want you to feel prepared to handle any situation that arises.
This training will focus on how to handle difficult people, alleviate stressful situations, and ensure your polling place keeps running smoothly.
Sign up for one of the two virtual sessions:
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TEXAS DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES RUNNING IN NOVEMBER
(including links to their websites)
Please become familiar with all of our candidates - up and down the ballot. They are all working hard for your vote but many have limited resources.
Learn what each stands for and consider donating to individual candidates as well as MCDPTX.
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TX Court of Appeals District 9 Place 2 - Bob Mabry
Montgomery County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 - April Prim
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As more of our neighbors show their Democratic Party allegiance, consider joining the crowd by becoming more visible as you are out and about.
Order a new shirt now - there's a long sleeved option!
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Event Calendar - For more details, click on the image and follow link to the MCDPTX.org website; click on the date to view event.
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NOVEMBER 8, 2022 GENERAL ELECTION DAY TUES 7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Early Voting:
October 24 - 28 Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
October 29 Saturday 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
October 30 Sunday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
October 31 – November 4 Monday – Friday 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
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Other Groups & Community Events: |
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IMMIGRATION CLINIC REOPENS - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! - Lorena Perez McGill |
Can you help?
- Legal consultation
- Set up, clean up, organize
- Speaker
Third Thursdays
5:00 to 9:00pm
24803 Oakhurst Dr. 77386
Questions and Information:
contact Lorena Perez McGill at
email or 202-294-4473.
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Events to be announced
11133 Interstate 45 S · Conroe, TX
How to find us Look for the loud and proud Democrats!!
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MONDAY, OCT 4 - WOODLANDS TOWNSHIP BOARD/ HISTORY, IMPORTANCE, ELECTION, 7:00pm, Zoom
- THURSDAY, OCT 13 - LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS MEETING, 7:00pm, 2101 Lake Robbins Dr. 77380
- SATURDAY, OCT 15 - CANDIDATES’ MOCO BLOCK WALK BLITZ!
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SATURDAY, OCT 22 - WOODLANDS PRIDE FESTIVAL, 11:00am - 5:00pm, 2099 Lake Robbins Dr. 77380
- MONDAY, OCT 24 - EARLY VOTING BEGINS - ENDS FRIDAY, NOV 4
- TUESDAY, NOV 8, - ELECTION DAY - 7am - 7pm
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Paid for by the Montgomery County Texas Democratic Party, www.mcdptx.org. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. |
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