Here Are a Few Things We Can Do Each Day to Stay Productive Now
By Annisa Karim
Collier County Democratic Party Chair
Hello Democrats!
This is a difficult time for us all. As we face this pandemic together, we see more than ever the need to make data-driven decisions based on information from our public health officials.
Yet, Gov. Ron DeSantis just muzzled medical examiners from releasing coronavirus death data. This greatly reduces transparency. Information is power and this unprecedented move shows us exactly where he wants the power to be.
It’s for that reason that we need to work harder to elect Democrats who will fight for the people. Nikki Fried is doing a fantastic job as are our Democrats in the State House and State Senate but our numbers make it hard to effect real change. Our focus is on the Presidency, and while we unify behind Joe Biden, we must continue to pay attention to candidates running at all levels.
We have two great candidates for Congressional District 19 who officially qualified for their race. Congratulations to Cindy Banyai and David Holden. In the coming weeks, we will host a candidate forum between these two candidates.
I understand that for many people, it’s difficult to focus right now. I suggest setting aside 45 minutes to 1.5 hours every day to help the Democratic Party continue to fight for everyone in our community. Here’s a to-do list that’s easy to accomplish….just do a couple of things every day.
1. Make sure you are registered to Vote-by-Mail. It’s the simplest way to protect our democracy, especially when we don’t know what voting in-person will look like in August and November. (CollierVotes.com)
2. Fill out the Census on-line. When we have accurate counts of our population, we’re able to secure more funding for services our community needs. (
https://2020census.gov/en.html
)
3. Call fellow Democrats in Collier County to make sure they are doing well and encourage them to sign up to Vote by Mail. You can make 15 calls a day! See article below with details from Adam Molny.
4. Start making calls to non-Democrats to speak to them about the importance of supporting Democrats in the upcoming elections. Here's how:
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For those of you that have a passion for education, your talents are needed right now. The Collier County Democratic Party is pleased to share information about tutoring with the Dr. Arthur Boyer Foundation, a nonprofit community based organization.
This is an especially difficult time for parents whose first language is not English. For them, helping their kids with the obstacles of online education is extremely challenging.
The Dr. Arthur Boyer Foundation needs volunteers to help those kids with their academic journey. To learn more, call
239-330-0802
.
Mark Your Calendar
Finally, mark your calendars for our next GoTo Meeting on-line Trivia event on May 19. We’ll send out the registration link soon.
Let’s keep moving
#ForwardTogethe
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Volunteers Step Up for
Critical Phone Bank Effort
From Adam Molny
Data Captain, Collier County DEC
Getting voters to sign up for Vote by Mail (VBM) has always been a key pillar of our Get Out the Vote (GOTV) effort. In today’s world it is more important than ever that citizens are able vote from the safety of their homes.
With that in mind the DEC initiated a Vote By Mail phone bank to call every Democrat in Collier County who isn’t already signed up for VBM. The call for volunteers went out on April 14. A total of four training classes have been held to familiarize volunteers with the Open Virtual Phone Bank tool and the specifics of our VBM script. We also covered some of the ins and outs of VBM here in Collier County.
The phone bank was announced on a Tuesday, and even before any training classes were held our bold volunteers made over 300 calls! Within a week we had made well over 1,000 calls, and as of Tuesday, April 28 our dedicated volunteers have reached out to 3,441 voters!!!
As we collect survey responses and email addresses I am sending the voters instructions on how to sign up for VBM. Voters may also ask to be on our newsletter mailing list. Any voter engagement is good. It reminds our fellow Democrats in Collier County that they are not alone, and hopefully increases their involvement in politics.
It is quite amazing to see the technical aspects of this effort fall into place. Our volunteers have adapted quickly to the work-from-home paradigm. With minimal training they have mastered both virtual phone banking and our remote meeting tool of choice, GoToMeeting. A key benefit of our connected world is that some of our snowbird volunteers are making calls from their summer homes up north. I am even fielding questions from Massachusetts residents who have heard about our effort and want to help out. They have no connection to Florida but want to make an impact on our vital swing state.
I would like to personally thank each of you who is a part of this ongoing effort. Keep up the good work! For those of you who would like to join the effort, here is the link to the phone bank:
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Voting in 2020 has a New Set of Challenges;
Our Voter Protection Team is Getting Ready
From Anne Daley and Marvin Diamond
Collier County Democrats Voter Protection Team
Protecting the vote has become an even bigger challenge in the current environment. COVID–19 may put in-person voting at risk and Trump’s threats about the Post Office could put Vote by Mail in jeopardy.
The Wisconsin Primary was a very real example of the threat to our most important right; the right to choose our leaders and have a voice in legislation. A record number of voters, approaching 80 percent, opted to Vote by Mail putting a strain on the Post Office. Many ballots were postmarked before the election but were not returned on time. Voters opting to vote in person were forced to stand in line for hours, risking their health, after a shortage of poll workers forced the state to consolidate 180 polling places into five.
As of April 28, 40 people who voted or worked in the polls have tested positive for Coronavirus.
So, what is the Collier Democratic Party doing? Here's what:
Encouraging Vote by Mail Early
Please read the article (above in this newsletter) by Adam Molny entitled “Volunteers Step Up for Critical Phone Bank Effort."
We are encouraging ALL registered Democrats that are not signed up for Vote by Mail to do so and to submit their ballots early. This initiative began on April 14 and will continue until we reach out to all Democratic voters. Please join this initiative and help us get those calls made!
Building our plans to Support Voters at the Polls
The Voter Protection Team is building a strategy to cover all options and scenarios. We hope to recruit over 100 Poll Watchers and Greeters to be at the polls to guard against suppression and intimidation in the event the Coronavirus threat is reduced. We are also recruiting Spanish and Haitian Creole speakers to Poll Greet and provide voter assistance at our most vulnerable polling places.
Observing and Participating in Canvassing Boards and Recounts
A Canvassing Board, consisting of a Judge, a County Commissioner and the Supervisor of Elections, meets during and after an election to review Vote by Mail and Provisional Ballots. We will attend these meetings and follow up with voters to cure issues in the 48 hours following the election. In the event of a recount, we will be ready to participate.
To be successful, we need your help
There will be a Primary Election for non-Presidential races on August 18, and the General Election on November 3. During the month of May, we will be recruiting for the Poll Watching and Poll Greeting team, including Spanish and Haitian Creole speakers. Virtual training classes will begin in mid-June.
Stay tuned for further news and announcements and feel free to contact your Voter Protection Team now with questions and suggestions!
Anne Daley Marvin Diamond
Phone: 516-455-2782 Phone: 239-331-1470
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Your Opinion Matters
Check out the latest feature on our website,
www.CollierDems.org
-- our new COMMENTARY section, a page for opinions where you can share your own feedback on the issues.
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Democratic Women's Clubs of Collier and Marco to Host Joint Virtual Meeting
Tuesday, May 5 at 7 p.m.
ZOOM Virtual Meeting
How to Increase DWC membership
VBM (Vote By Mail) Signups to increase voter turnout
For more information:
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Let's Help Sara McFadden Get on the Ballot; She only Needs a Few More Petitions
To qualify to be on the November ballot, Sara McFadden needs signatures from 1 percent of the district's voters, but only registered Collier County voters who live in State House District 106 can sign. Would you be willing to help - and also ask a friend? The deadline is coming up! Please ask yourselves, do you live ...
- north of Davis Blvd, on the Gulf side of Livingston Road
- south of Davis Blvd, on the Gulf side of Collier Blvd
- south of Tamiami Trail where it swings toward Miami - includes Marco Island and east to Goodland, Everglades City and Chokoloskee
If you are in the district, and haven’t signed a petition before, please
There’s been a recent change in the law: Completed ballot petitions can now be emailed back to Sara by scan OR cell phone photo:
Please let Sara know of any questions - full instructions can be found on her website:
saramcfadden.com
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Are You Registered to Vote?
State law requires local supervisors of elections to occasionally purge their voter rolls of inactive voters and Collier County has been very aggressive about this.
Are you still registered?
Need more information on how to find out or how to register to vote in Collier County?
The Collier County Democratic Party is here to help. Visit our web page here:
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Collier County Democratic Club to Host Virtual Meeting in May with Sandy Parker as Speaker
From Jennifer Boddicker
CCDC President
The Collier County Democratic Club will use virtual conferencing to host government expert Sandy Parker of Sparker's Soapbox at the club's next meeting, May 18.
Her presentation is
Understanding Florida Government: What Collier Voters Should Know.
Club members should check your email the week before for your invite and instructions for how to attend.
Join us in May for a fun and informative evening!
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How to Vote For Florida Delegates to the Democratic National Convention
The 2020 Democratic National Convention will be held the week of August 17, 2020. During this convention, we will nominate and confirm a candidate for president and vice president and adopt a comprehensive party platform.
Two presidential candidates, Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders, earned over 15 percent of the vote during the March 17 Presidential Preference Primary in Florida. By surpassing this 15 percent threshold, they qualified to receive delegates from Florida. The percentage of votes they received determined the number of delegates they are eligible for.
The presidential campaigns have provided the final lists of candidates eligible to be elected to District-Level Delegate positions and the list is now online.
Voting will open Thursday, May 14, 2020 at 2:00 PM EDT and close on Saturday, May 16, 2020 at 2:00 PM EDT.
Voters who have requested an electronic ballot by May 13 will receive an email when voting opens. The email will contain a link and unique code to access their online ballot. This unique code ensures each person only casts one vote, and that each vote is cast in the proper Congressional district. Each code will expire after use or on Saturday, May 16, 2020 at 2 p.m. EDT with no exceptions.
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TUNE IN
Videos Curated by Ruth Kuttler
Webmaster
Check out the latest videos from trusted news sources on our website,
www.CollierDems.org
. Click the button below to go to our
GALLERY
page and look for the videos from MSNBC, CBS, CNN, and other news services.
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True Coronavirus Death Totals in Florida Hidden by State Government
Florida Medical Examiners were release pandemic fatality data, then Gov. Ron DeSantis's administration made them stop. "The public has a right to know the truth," Terrie Rizzo, chair of the Florida Democratic Party, said.
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DeSantis Travels to Visit Trump and Returns Empty Handed But Eager to Re-Open the State
As Florida’s hospitals run low on testing supplies, Governor DeSantis failed to ask Trump why he isn’t doing more to help states acquire these critical supplies.
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Vote-By-Mail Requests Soaring
The number of Collier County voters requesting mail-in ballots has topped 25,000, according to the Supervisor of Elections office. In these precarious times, it is the best way to vote.
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Biden: Trump is Worst Leader in a Crisis
Donald Trump is unqualified to handle the challenge of the coronavirus pandemic, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said.
Thousands Denied Unemployment Benefits
More than 200,000 people were denied unemployment benefits because they were deemed ineligible. Here's what to do about that.
DeSantis Knew Unemployment System Was Broken
State auditors warned Gov. Ron DeSantis last year that Florida’s unemployment website was suffering major problems, including glitches, error messages and other problems that thousands of Floridians are now experiencing.
Obama Tried to Prepare for Pandemic; GOP said 'no'
Barack Obama
’s efforts to replenish America’s stockpile of protective equipment for healthcare workers were repeatedly blocked by Republican lawmakers, an investigation has found.
Francis Rooney AWOL for Crucial Virus Votes
Southwest Florida's representative in Congress has now missed four critical votes during the pandemic.
Looking for Scapegoats, Trump Blames WHO
On April 14, the Trump administration announced that it would cut funding to the World Health Organization (WHO). This is a horrible move: The WHO coordinates initiatives to improve the health of communities around the world.
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Trump Votes By Mail; Why Can't Everyone?
Amy Klobuchar: If voting through the mail is good enough for Donald Trump it should be good enough for everyone despite his jawboning to the contrary.
Oink! Oink! Pork in the Bailout for Trump, Kushner
Trump and his son-in-law could reap a pandemic windfall in the $2.2 trillion federal relief package.
THE STRANGE FILES: Call For Help Didn't Add Up
We're all stressed during lockdown. Here's a story with a happy ending.
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Help Us Win In 2020
With Your $20.20 Donation
The Florida Democratic Party has announced that it is expanding its staff with the goal of having the largest state election organization in the country.
Here in Collier County, we expect to be more busy than ever before in 2020. Which is why we are blessed to have a party headquarters from which we can direct our efforts to turn Florida blue.
With the challenges we face because of the pandemic, this is more important now than ever as we prepare to relaunch our activities.
We need your help to sustain this--literally to keep the lights on and to help Democrats win. We are all volunteers, but there is overhead--printing, stamps, phones, rent, etc.
A sustaining donation of $20.20 a month will make a world of difference. Won't you help?
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Hey, Democrats,
Let’s Get Social
-- Sometime Soon!
T
he Social Committee of the Collier County Democratic Club organizes monthly breakfasts and cocktail hours where like-minded people can gather, eat, drink, and be merry. We're socially distancing right now, of course, but if you would like to participate when we are able to gather together again, please contact Dawn Rubin to get your name added to the mailing list at
CCDC.Socials@gmail.com
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Like this Newsletter?
Then tell your friends about it. They can subscribe by navigating to the Collier County Democratic Party website --
www.CollierDems.org
-- and click on the
NEWSLETTER
button in the menu.
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All Collier County Democratic Party clubs, caucuses, and candidates are invited to submit items for publication consideration in this newsletter, which is distributed monthly. Other groups whose goals and activities mirror the values and objectives of the Democratic Party are also invited to submit items for consideration.
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