Dear Friends,
Thank you to the nearly 50 NCW Democrats who turned out for the ice cream social yesterday! It was a pretty low-key and relaxed event, with time to visit and refocus our energies a bit. We needed that! We thanked and congratulated candidates and talked about the work ahead. Speaking of which:
Focus on the goal
Great news, the turnout in Chelan (44.98 %*) and Douglas (34.5 %*) Counties has marked a new phase in our Democratic footprint. In Chelan we had the highest Democratic turnout for a primary election this century and this is from a non-presidential election year, WOW! Thanks for all the hard work, especially for the Douglas volunteers who work Chelan precincts! *With still more ballots.
The final certifications of ballots is still weeks away but here are links to the count from 4pm August 10th posting, which includes nearly 98+% of all ballots cast. (Ballots that were postmarked by 8pm Tuesday still may be coming in.) http://www.co.chelan.wa.us/elections/pages/current-election-results http://www.douglascountywa.net/elected-offices/auditor/elections/current-election/election-results
The energy around the state with our GOTV calling for Democratic candidates certainly helped us rally our supporters in the last two weeks and it shows with this big turnout. This has been accomplished in cooperation with the Coordinated Campaign of the State and National Democrats and the many progressive organizations in our area. In the 5th CD, where they had a single high profile Democratic candidate, Lisa Brown, the results were astonishing. She is neck-n-neck with CMR! At this point Dr. Kim Schrier is leading Jason Rittereiser by 1,100 votes, with thousands of votes yet to be counted, so the 8th CD race is still too close to call. But our challenge will remain the same: find more like-minded voters who will commit to push us over the finish line in November.
Our goal now is to elect Democrats. The general election is breathing down our necks. We have thousands of supporters that we still need to identify through our VoteBuilder database. There, they are classified as No Data voters because we don’t know where they stand, politically. Past election results show us that a great portion of those voters have supported our high profile candidates in the past – Senators Murray and Cantwell, President Obama and Hillary Clinton. Now our task is to identify and connect with those voters (and others), update the VoteBuilder database, then FLIP the 8th CD and 4th CD, and support other progressive candidates.
Our timeline starts now and won’t end until Election Day in November. However, we need to do the bulk of our work before mid-October so that the data inVoteBuilder is updated with accurate contact information – phone #s and email addresses. Each of us will be needed to achieve that goal. For those in large precincts, it means creating a team of volunteers to share the task of ‘working’ your precinct. We suggest one additional team member for every 200 to 350 voters. Look for individuals willing to canvass, others to make phone calls, and others willing to partner up in a precinct and do drive-arounds in remote area at different times of the day or week to contact the maximum number of voters. Most precincts should have a friend sharing the work load regardless of size.And we will need volunteers to upload the new data in the office.
In Chelan County we have more than 18k voters classified as No Data and another 3K classified as Independent or Unknown. The election returnsfor Senator Murray from the 2016 election can be our guide to setting this year’s goals. If we use 45% as our target (Senator Murray received 46% in the recent 2016 election // some precincts more and some less.) we should be able to reclassify 9,450 voters. That is a huge task but if accomplished it could make the difference this fall. We don’t have an average size precinct. http://results.vote.wa.gov/results/20161108/chelan/Precincts-3.html click on this link and find your precinct. That will tell you how many voters in your precinct voted for Senator Murray. It is a larger number than we have classified as Democrats. Our goal is to match that number with those we can classify as Democrats. This next week we will be sending out precinct lists (to precinct volunteers) that contains the identified Democrats and the voters for whom we have No Data. Use this link to access the Senate race in Douglas County http://www.douglascountywa.net/elected-offices/auditor/elections/archived-elections/results?ed=201611 There are over 11K No Data voters in Douglas County and Senator Murray received over 40% of the vote. Our goal in Douglas is to seek out the 4,400 voters who have voted for progressives in past elections and who will commit to doing it again! (Alma set a goal to talk with one "NoData" voter in her precinct each day! Can you match that?)
When each of our precinct teams has reached out to an average of 40—45% of the voters in your precinct and we have identified those who are Democrats or like-minded voters, and then updated that data into VoteBuilder, we will be able to make a difference. This is how the upset victories have been accomplished across the nation – not by talking about it, but by doing the ground work – person to person contact, then update the VoteBuilder data file, and then follow-up with those voters in time to get those ballots turned in. That’s called GOTV!
Will we complete every precinct in NCW before November? No, but each of us can make an effort, set some realistic goals, make a difference! We’ll build a team, learn some new skills, meet new Democrats, create a stronger framework to WIN and GOTV as great candidates continue to emerge and run. There is something that each of us can do to take our country back.
Our NCWDem HQ Office, 768 S Mission St, Wenatchee, is now OPEN FOR BUSINESS, Moday – Friday, 10a—2p (often longer). SignUp HERE or stop by to volunteer. Soon, we’ll have lots of campaign signs and swag for you. Contributions you make between now and the November election will all go toward expenses of maintaining the office and holding other joint activities. Contribute by cash or check at our office, OR Chelan County Democratic ActBlue:https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/chelandems1718 OR to Douglas Co Democrats by mailing a check to 630 Valley Mall Pkwy #175, E Wenatchee. so far, we have received contributions = to 60% of our monthly budget!
“Do you hear the people sing?
If you want to help in your precinct with this work, please volunteer. (Bold note above is meant for those who are PCOs, aPCOs, partners and newly ID’d volunteers who want to help in their precinct or in a neighboring precinct.)
Bill, Karen, & Dan
Please mark your calendar for these important dates, too:
· August 21 (Tues) Dem “Coffee Break” 10a-noon, NCWDem HQ Office · August 22-26 (Wed—Sun), NCW District Fair, Waterville; volunteers needed for Democratic Booth; SignUp HERE. · August 30 (Thurs) Dem “Taste O’ Politics” Suspended until after General Election · Sept 4 (Tues) Dem “Coffee Break” 10a-noon, NCWDem HQ Office · Sept 5 (Wed) NCWDem General Mtg 6:30/Social, 7/meeting, NCWDem HQ Office · Sept 5-9 (Wed—Sun), Chelan County Fair, Cashmere; volunteers needed for Democratic Booth; SignUp HERE. · Sept 22 (Sat), Annual Chelan-Douglas Democratic Dinner: Pls mark your calendar and watch for details, dinner at the Wenatchee Convention Center—don’t miss this event! · Sept 28-30 (Fri—Sun), Nason Creek Rest Area fundraiser; cookies and volunteers needed! SignUp HERE. · Oct 1-31 October GOTV maximum push · Oct 2 (Tues) Dem “Coffee Break” 10a-noon, NCWDem HQ Office · Oct 3 (Wed) NCWDem General Mtg, 6:30/Social, 7/meeting, NCWDem HQ Office · TBD Debate watch parties · November 6 (Tues), GENERAL ELECTION and election night watch party, location tbd · December Winter In-Gathering, date/location tbd
Review and SignUp for ALL local Dem volunteer opportunities using this link and watch for emails about upcoming training for PCOs and other grassroots organizers!
We look forward to seeing and working with you really soon.
Karen Keleman, Chair, Douglas County Democrats, 509-630-3055 Bill Miller, Chair, Democrats of Chelan County, 425-444-9598 Dan Maher, Chair, 12th LD Democrats, 509-433-7336 |
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