In this post: Ossoff’s loss in Georgia and the missing 40,000 voting records, info on Ranked Choice Voting in Santa Fe, which comes to the City Council June 28, and the June 30 unveiling of the Wall of Love.
Another Close Loss in a Strong GOP District: What Folks Are Saying. This NY Times article describes what is wrong with the Democratic Party at the national level: two wings incapable of creating a unifying and inspiring message. The article quotes Democratic members of Congress calling for a shake-up of Party leadership and replacing Pelosi, and others suggesting that a close loss in a deep Red district is clear progress. Click here for the complete article. A Democracy Now! report points to another twist in the story–the loss of registration records of 40,000 voters of color. Click here for that report. When you lose by 10,000 votes and 40,000 voters are kept from voting, most who likely would have voted Democratic, that is a problem. Guess who was behind voter suppression while she was Georgia’s Secretary of State: Congresswoman-elect Handel herself, as explained in this excellent article from The Nation. Click here. Another election stolen.
ACTION: Contact Your City Councilor and the Mayor This Week, and Attend the June 28 City Council Meeting. Ranked Choice Voting promotes fairness, eliminates the split-vote, and fosters more civil elections. In 2008, Ranked Choice Voting was approved by Santa Fe Voters. However, it has not been implemented because adequate voting equipment was not available, UNTIL NOW. We now have a chance to ensure that our next municipal elections are run with Ranked Choice Voting, as per the will of the voters! Click here for more information on what is stalling implementation in Santa Fe and what you can do to advocate for its adoption. The link includes a script and phone numbers for the Mayor and all City Council members. Make your calls today!
ACTION: Kick-Off to Support Chainbreaker’s Equity Summer, June 25, 3pm-5pm, 1420 Cerrillos Rd, Santa Fe. Chainbreaker launches Equity Summer this month, and on June 25, Retake Our Democracy kicks off our effort to support this important campaign. You will learn about Deep Canvassing, an approach to communication that is very effective not just in canvassing but in so many other forms of communication, whether talking with friends or testifying at City Hall. Please come even if you’re not planning to canvass. At the kick-off you will also learn about the Equity Summer campaign and the varied roles you can play:
- canvassing your block and neighborhood;
- hosting a house party with scripts, video, and Powerpoint provided;
- writing a letter to the editor;
- testifying at City Council meetings and Planning Commission Hearings;
- participating in book clubs and study sessions on policy issues;
- conducting research into urban innovation and policies that effectively promote equity;
- attending town halls and panels;
- directly volunteering for one of our community-based partners.
Click “Going” to RSVP by Facebook here. Or email paul@retakeourdemocracy.org. Please RSVP to help us plan. And bring a friend. We hope to organize two-person canvassing teams who first canvass one person’s neighborhood and then swap and canvass the other’s. You can canvass on your own schedule, meet your neighbors, and help organize our community for equity. How fun is that?
Come celebrate the unveiling of the Wall of Love! June 30, 6:15-8pm, Railyard Performance Center, 1611 Paseo de Peralta. Over the last three months, hundreds of people of all ages have joined together to create a piece of the amazing Wall of Love, 50 feet long and 4 feet high. It’s a statement about how compassion and connection can overcome fear and hate. Enjoy music by Robert Marcum, leading a chorus of young singers from Little Earth School, receive kisses (the chocolate kind), tell us what you love, and learn how to bring the Wall of Love to your community.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO INSTALL WALL OF LOVE: June 30, 9am at Railyard Performance Center, 1611 Paseo de Peralta. Help Bobbe Besold, Margaret Lubalin, and a few other volunteers mount the 200+ 12″x12″ hand-painted squares to the permanent framework for the Wall of Love. If you can spare a couple hours Friday morning, these folks have worked very hard to coordinate all the community painting sessions, now they need a few volunteers to put it all together. Contact Margaret mlubalin@gmail.com.
In solidarity,
Roxanne and Paul
Categories: Actions
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