Polk County Democratic Party Weekly Digest: October 9th - October 15th, 2023
Track the Biden Administration's campaign promises
All Vote By Mail requests expired after the 2022 General Election! Click here to request a VBM Ballot now.
***The last day to request a Vote By Mail ballot to use in the 2023 municipal elections (Auburndale, Fort Meade, Lakeland and Winter Haven) is Thursday, October 26th, 2023.***
Please check your registration as another 100k voters were purged from the Vote By Mail list!!!
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CAST A BALLOT AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!!
Municipal elections are just around the corner in Auburndale, Fort Meade, Lakeland and Winter Haven. Who will be on the ballot? (Remember, these are non-partisan races, but we are including party affiliation for transparency). Social media/campaign links are included that are available. A few candidates have created campaign sites now that were not available last week. The DEC will be texting voters to remind them to vote in the municipal elections and to also sign up for Vote by Mail ballots. If you would like to help with texting campaigns, please let Barbara Harris (vicechair1@polkdemocrats.net) or Kathy Sites (secpolkdec@gmail.com) know as soon as possible.
YOUR VOTE CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE! KNOW WHO IS SERVING YOUR COMMUNITY!
AUBURNDALE
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LAKELAND
NW B:
Bill Read (R) incumbent, no opposition (automatically re-elected)
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LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS HOSTING FILM SCREENING IN LAKELAND
To RSVP to the screening, click here: https://secure.everyaction.com/BTZwrxDPn0OUPVet6A_Cug2
To donate to Floridians Protecting Freedom only, click HERE
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CALLING ALL SUPPORTERS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24th, 2023, 5PM- POLK COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
Parenting with Pride, the newest arm of Equality Florida has sent the following message out via Mobilize to encourage attendance at school board meetings:
The politicians in Tallahassee have made laws and policies that make our schools a battle ground for their march towards power. However, our local school boards do still have some agency and have some significant voices that can speak up for our communities.
We have to GO TO OUR LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS!
As millions of students return to school this year, it is URGENT that we mobilize to every school board meeting to hold our district accountable and ensure they know our communities deserve to be seen and supported by our public schools. Together, we can fight back against the harms happening in our schools.
In the midst of these attacks from Tallahassee, it is still the duty of our local school districts to strive for safe, inclusive and supportive schools for all students. That is why we are calling on communities across Florida to demand that our local school boards protect every student and respect every family.
To sign up through Mobilize for the Polk County School Board Meeting on Tuesday, October 24th please click HERE
To join the efforts of Parenting with Pride and support their work through Equality Florida, please click HERE
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2023 Poll Workers Needed
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OUT AND ABOUT IN POLK COUNTY
ARE YOU READY TO DANCE FOR DEMOCRACY!?!?!?!?!
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ELECTIONS ARE HAPPENING EVERYWHERE IN POLK COUNTY- ARE YOU TIRED OF BEING REPRESENTED BY NAZI SUPPORTERS AND READY TO RUN?
To see who has filed to run in local/municipal races, click this link to be taken to the Polk County Supervision of Elections candidate page. This list is updated regularly.
To see who has filed to run in state elections, click this link to be taken to the Florida Division of Elections candidate page. This list is also updated regularly.
If you are interested in running for office and need more information please reach out to the DEC with any questions/requests. We must contest every seat to enact the positive change we desperately need in Polk County and beyond!
The next Campaign and Candidate Recruitment Committee Meeting is Wednesday, October 11th at 3
pm. Please let John Hill know if you would like to attend at vicechair2@polkdemocrats.net
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Late Sunday/early Monday, California Governor Gavin Newsom named Laphonza Butler to serve the remainder of the late Senator Diane Feinstein's term. The newly appointed Senator Butler fulfills Governor Newsom's pledge to appoint a black woman to the seat in the interim. Senator Butler was the president of EMILY's List until her appointment and was previously head of the SEIU Labor Union in California. She becomes the second black female to represent California in the Senate after current Vice President Kamala Harris. Senator Butler is the first openly black lesbian to serve in the Senate. She has to decide by December 8th if she will run next year for a full term. If she chooses to do so, she will be the 4th declared Democrat running, joining current U.S. Representatives Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff.
NPR: Butler pick draws praise, mounting speculation over 2024 plans
MSNBC: Laphonza Butler is a Rorschach test for Democrats
REPUGNANT NAZI DISPLAYS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA
Following disgusting, racist, Nazi acts in Orlando and surrounding areas (Nazis paraded through parts of Orlando), we Floridians are still waiting on Governor DeSantis to denounce the actions and Nazis. As we enter a 6th week, he has still FAILED to do so. |
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VOTER REGISTRATION TRAINING EVERY MONTH!
Sign up to learn how we’re providing registration information now, what the new rules are, and best practices for finding our target voters. Held via Zoom each month on the 3rd Wednesday at 1 PM.
Sign up on Mobilize: https://www.mobilize.us/polkcountydec/event/452722/
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BALLOT 2024
Help us get these amendments onto the Ballot this year. Distribute them amongst your friends, family and communities. Knowledge is POWER!
PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS FOR THE NOVEMBER 2024 BALLOT
Amendment to Limit Government Interference with Abortion
Text: No law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider. This amendment does not change the Legislature’s constitutional authority to require notification to a parent or guardian before a minor has an abortion.
Sponsor:
Floridians Protecting Freedom, Inc.
Post Office Box 4068
Sarasota, FL 34230
(305) 647-2666
Petition available at: https://floridiansprotectingfreedom.com/
Right to Clean and Healthy Waters Amendment
Text: This amendment creates a fundamental right to clean and healthy waters. The amendment may be used to sue State executive agencies for harm or threatened harm to Florida’s waters, which include aquatic ecosystems. This amendment defines terms, identifies affected constitutional provisions in Article IV governing the executive branch, provides for civil action enforcement, allows attorney’s and expert witness fees to prevailing plaintiffs, and provides equitable remedies including restoration of waters.
Sponsor:
Florida Right To CleanWater
13300 South Cleveland Avenue
Suite 56
Fort Myers, FL 33907
(239) 898-2044
Petition: Available at:
FloridaRighttoCleanWater.org
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The Polk County Democrats next monthly general meeting is October 9th, 2023
Club, Caucus and Committee Meetings
October 9th- October 15th, 2023
DEC General Meeting
Monday, October 9th, 6:30pm
Zoom
DEC Office Committee Meeting
Tuesday, October 10th, 1pm
Zoom
Lake Wales Democratic Club
Tuesday, October 10th, 6:00pm
Wales Pointe Restaurant
207 East Park Avenue
Guest Speaker: Lori Edwards, Polk County Supervisor of Elections
DEC Campaign and Candidate Recruitment Committee
Wednesday, October 11th, 3pm
Zoom
Solivita Democratic Club
Wednesday, October 11th, 6:30pm
Guest Speaker: Rep. Darren Soto (D-9)
Polk County Democratic Senior Caucus
Wednesday, October 11th, 7pm
Guest Speaker: Sheila Belt, President, Greater Winter Haven Democratic Club
DEC Masquerade Ball Committee
Thursday, October 12th, 5pm
Zoom
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Civic Activities around the Area
October 9th- October 15th, 2023
Hillcrest Heights Town Commission Meeting
Monday, October 9th, 7pm
Lake Alfred City Commission Meeting
Monday, October 9th, 7pm
Winter Haven City Commission Meeting
Monday, October 9th, 6pm
Dundee Town Commission Meeting
Tuesday, October 10th, 6:30pm
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Democratic Party of Polk County, Club & Caucus Links
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If you would like to know more about a caucus or club which does not have a hyperlink, please email PolkCountyDemocrats@gmail.com
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Paid Political Advertisement for the Democratic Party of Polk County
6039 Cypress Gardens, PMB 328, Winter Haven, FL 33884
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