In California, we have it pretty lucky when it comes to voting.
We can change and update our voter registration online. We can easily apply for (and send in) an absentee ballot roughly a month before and through Election Day. Thanks to laws in California and a handful of other states, you practically have no excuse for not voting.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about our friends, families, and other eligible-to-vote Americans in states like Texas, Wisconsin, and South Carolina — actually, both Carolinas — so add North Carolina as well, among others.
Last Week Tonight host John Oliver takes a comical look — yet, eye-opening — at some of the more Draconian, anti-voting laws throughout the country.
President Obama’s final State of the Union address will be the same night as our meeting on Tuesday, January 12.
The speech begins at 6PM our time, so we will gather at 5:30 to order food, drink and chat, then listen to the speech together. It will likely be done by 7PM, our regular meeting time. Meeting as always is held at Boomerangs Gourmet Burgers (4577 Clairemont Drive, San Diego, CA 92117)
Come early to pay your cash or check dues for 2016 in person, OR mail your check NOW to Clairemont Dem Club, PO Box 178846, San Diego, CA 92117.
Executive Board met in December and decided that the Club endorsement votes should be in regard to races for office that would include the voters of Clairemont. Thus, the following races are those in which we will be voting. As per our by-laws, there will be three possible ways to vote:
We can vote to officially endorse a candidate — that requires 70% threshold,
We can vote not to endorse at all, or
We can vote that all or some of the candidates are “acceptable”
Below is the list of candidates and offices on which we will be considering endorsement:
City Attorney: Gil Cabrera, Rafael Castellanos, Mara Elliott
State Senate: Toni Atkins, Marty Block
U.S. Senate: Kamala Harris, Loretta Sanchez
U.S. President: Hillary Clinton, Martin O’Malley, Bernie Sanders
City Councilman Todd Gloria – Club Endorsed for 78th State Assembly District
As you may recall, our club as already issued early endorsements for Congressman Scott Peters, and Todd Gloria for 78th State Assembly District.
Club Officer Elections
We will also be voting on our Club officers for 2016. We have four elected officers who are running unopposed at this time although nominations from the floor can be made:
President – Jen Campbell, MD
Vice President – Rhoda Quate
Secretary – Kyle Ellis
Treasruer – Linda Carston
Other Members of the Executive Board are appointed and serve as Committee Chairs of Membership, Internet Technology, Hospitality, Political Action, & Photography. Other possible Committees may be formed from time to time as the need arises.
At our Executive Board Meeting in December, the Board noted that changes need to be made to our Club’s By-Laws to reflect changes in County Party By-Laws that were made at the Central Committee meeting in November 2015. Other updates are also needed.
Looking forward to receiving your membership dues in the mail and seeing you at the upcoming meeting.
7 Million Voters. That’s more than the state populations of Washington, Massachusetts, and Arizona (individually, of course).
That is also the estimated number of new registered voters that The California New Motor Voter Act (AB 1461) will create if signed into law.
AB 1461 was introduced today by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and CA Secretary of State Alex Padilla. According to their press release, California ranks 38th out of the 50 U.S. states in terms of voter registration.
The bill is modeled after Oregon’s newly implemented New Motor Voter law that “allows for data already collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles to be provided by the Secretary of State to verify a resident’s eligibility to vote. After determining a resident to be eligible to vote, the Secretary of State then provides the information to county Registrars of Voters who maintain each county’s voter rolls. Those residents who are eligible to vote would be contacted by the Secretary of State with the option of declining registration or adopting a political party affiliation. The bill would continue to protect those covered by existing confidentiality policies, and voters would retain their right to cancel their voter registration at any time.”
For more information about AB 1461, check out Assemblywoman Gonzalez’s website, or contact Evan McLaughlin at (916) 319-2080 or (619) 850-2790.
Clairemont Democratic Club 