News from the Skagit County Democrats

Skagit County Democrats Action Newsletter for October 17, 2022

DEMOCRATIC EVENTS

1. NEW – Prescription Glasses Missing From the Gala
"A pair of rose colored prescription glasses were accidentally picked up from the Gala registration table on Saturday, Oct 8. If you find that you have them, please call Skagit County Democrats at 360-336-1555. Thank you."

2. NEW – SAVE THE DATE! – Election Night Party, Tuesday, Nov 8
Further specifics will be forthcoming.

3. NEW – Election Observers Needed
It is that time again. We are now scheduling our people to act as Election Observers. The counting begins on Tuesday, October 25th. Can you sign up for a shift or two? It is important that we have full coverage for this count. (Editor's Note: especially given that we know the election-denying GOP will be out in force.) We will be permitted two observers for each shift. More information on that will follow. If you are interested, please contact Office Manager Angela Napoliello-Ivory, anapolielloivory@gmail.com.

4. NEW – Letters to the editor
We need your help protecting our democracy. Please support our fantastic candidates and write a letter to the editor in support of one of them today! Keep it positive, nothing negative about their opponent or it will not be published. (Skagit Valley Herald has a 200-word limit on political endorsements.) Click Here for the list of our endorsed candidates.

• Skagit Valley Herald Guidelines: https://www.goskagit.com/site/letters-guidelines.html
• Skagit Valley Herald Submission link: https://www.goskagit.com/site/forms/online_services/letter/

5. UPDATED – Campaign Activities and Issues
Click Here for the list of the candidates endorsed by the Skagit County Democrats.

• Jessica Wadhams, candidate for 39th Legislative District Representative
  The campaign is hosting multiple door knocking and other events. Click Here for a listing of upcoming events.
  
• Sandy Perkins, Skagit County Auditor
  "Dear Friends and Fellow Democrats, I'm Sandy Perkins and I'm running for re-election as your Skagit County Auditor. The position of Auditor is a vital one in preserving our democracy and ensuring our free and fair elections. I am being currently challenged by a Republican opponent and as we all have heard, certain fringe Republicans are trying to take over this office and at the very least, alter our voter lists.
  As I strive every day to do my very best as your County Auditor, I find that there is little time left for fundraising and doorbelling. Winning this re-election is critical to us all, so I respectfully ask for your help. If you are able, would you please help with my re-election campaign? If you would like to make a donation, please visit my website at www.sandyperkins.com (credit card donations), or please mail a check to The Committee to Re-elect Sandy Perkins – 1004 Commercial Ave. #1101, Anacortes, WA 98221. Please include your contact information and your current occupation. If you are able to help with doorbelling, please contact Lynn Campbell at the Skagit County Democrats 360-336-1555. Thank you very much for your help and especially for your vote! "
  
• Germaine Kornegay for Public Utility District
  "Hey Democratic friends! This is the Germaine for PUD campaign asking you to please help. I could use some help with donations and volunteering. It's a nonpartisan race but clearly it has become partisan despite all of my efforts. So we're calling out to you now for sign locations, donations, and volunteering. Every donation of $100 will help us reach over 400 voters! Reach out on the website – http://www.germaineforpud.com/."

6. Candidate signs
We have campaign signs to distribute at our Headquarters, 2021 East College Way, Mount Vernon; hours – 12:00pm – 4:00pm, Monday – Thursday. Let's cover/plaster/saturate the County with Democrat campaign signs! Currently available:

• Clyde Shavers
• Dave Paul
• Sandy Perkins
• Rick Larsen
• Germaine Kornegay
• Debra Lekanoff

(We are out of Patty Murray signs.)

7. NEW – More on misinformation from the GOP
We continue to get reports of groups spreading election misinformation locally. Some of the things we are being told include:

• A group of 'concerned citizens' are going door to door to verify information after the 2020 election.
• They are alleging that 1600 Skagit County residents' voter information had "discrepancies" which may have compromised the 2020 election.
• They said residents are being asked to not mail ballots or vote early but, instead, bring ballots to polling locations on Election Day, November 8th, so that ballot information can be verified. (Editor's Note: Since Washington State has gone to mail-in ballots, the only "polling location" in our County is the Skagit County Auditor's Office. Needless to say, this is a bogus suggestion.)
• Or they are telling people to hold their ballots until election day and use the drop boxes that day. That would flood the drop-boxes on election day and certainly clog the ballot processing.
• They are leaving "partisan leaning" literature. "One of the pieces listed Republican individuals running for office in WA along with the Skagit County Republican headquarters address and phone number. The other was a list of legislation Patty Murray approved that, supposedly, is/was 'constitutionally illegal' and it showed her Congressional Scorecard (3)."
• We are also being told of instances where Democratic signs are being taken and sometimes replaced with Republican signs.

On a related note, when canvassing by phone or door-to-door, please advise citizens to either use ballot drop-boxes or mail their ballots IN ADVANCE OF OCTOBER 31! The reason for this is our mail is not post-marked locally but is transported to Seattle and post-marked there before further processing. If mailed, the ballot must be postmarked by Election Day.

8. 2022 Election Information (from the Skagit County Auditor's website)

Click Here for the Registration page. People may check their Washington State Voter Registration status on the Washington Secretary of State website Voter Portal (Click Here). After voting, they may also use this same portal to track their ballot.

Timeline:

• October 19 – Domestic ballots mailed
• October 31 – Deadline to register or update existing registration online and by mail
• November 8 – Deadline for in-person registration and voter updates – Closes 8:00 PM
• November 8 – Special Election – Closes 8:00 PM

Ballot Drop Box Locations:
Click Here for a map of locations

• Anacortes
  • Anacortes Public Library (behind library near drive-up book-drop), 1220 10th Street
  • Skyline Beach Club – 6041 Sands Way
• Bow Edison
  • Fire District 5 Fire Station, 14304 West Bow Hill Rd
• Burlington
  • Burlington Parks and Recreation Building (north side of Fairhaven Ave parking lot), 900 East Fairhaven Street
• Conway
  • Conway Fire Department, 21020 Greenfield Street
• Concrete
  • Skagit Upriver Services, 45770 Main Street
• La Conner
  • La Conner Library, 614 East Morris Street
• ?Mount Vernon?
  • Mount Vernon Police Department, 1805 Continental Place
  • Skagit County Auditor's Office [Courthouse] (in U-shaped parking lot accessed from 3rd St. near Kincaid)?, 700 South 2nd Street, Room 201
• Sauk-Suiattle
  • Last Chance Casino, 6020 Mountain Goat Way, Darrington
• Sedro-Woolley
  • Sedro-Woolley Post Office (in alley between Eastern Ave and Metcalf), 111 Woodworth Street
• Swinomish
  • Social Services Building, 17337 Reservation Road

9. NEW – Fidalgo Democrats have posted the recording of their most recent presentation on "Medicare at Risk", Tuesday Oct 11
Click Here for the recording. Click Here for a supporting document with additional links and information.

10. HUGE Thank You to all who stepped up to write postcards for the Get Out the Vote Campaign!
"Thanks to you, the number to be written dropped from over 1,700 to under 600. If you would like to help us with the final surge to finish, please contact Sheila at 360-899-4220 or sjmulli62@gmail.com. You will be provided with what you need and we will stamp the finished cards. Pickup and drop off are at the Skagit Democrat office in Mount Vernon and at a location in Anacortes. Deadline for return is 10/18."
 
11. Facemasks are now OPTIONAL at Skagit County Democrats Headquarters

12. Skagit Democrats Instagram
The On-Line Media Posting (OMP) has been working on our Instagram page. Check it out at: https://www.instagram.com/skagitcountydemocrats/.

13. NEW – Links of the Week
The Links of the Week provide in-depth pieces and resources the Editor has found to be relevant, insightful, and thorough on important issues of the day.

• Which Indigenous lands are you on? This map will show you
• India-Pakistan Ties Are Warming—but Don't Get Excited Just Yet
• How Our Brains Make Memories
• Politicians are playing politics with refugees, but these workers are exactly what the US economy needs
• It’s impossible to trust polls — or ignore them. Here’s how to stay sane
• Why Outlawing Ghost Guns Didn’t Stop America’s Largest Maker of Ghost Gun Parts

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COMMUNITY EVENTS

1. October Presentation – "Towards the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons", Vienna, Non-Proliferation Treaty and Beyond, Tuesday, Oct 18, 7:00pm via Zoom
"Joanne Dufour from the “Olympia Coalition Against Nuclear Weapons” had the opportunity to participate in the Tenth Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) at the UN in New York this August. She will share her experience with us and update information on the NPT as well as the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Join us! A Zoom link will be posted on our website and emailed before the presentation – www.nomorebombs.org."

2. NEW – Free "Tip-Offs to Rip-Offs" Event for Skagit County Area Consumers, Wednesday, Oct 19, 10:00am – 11:30am, on-line
Click Here to register. " . . . The free online event will be held from 10:00am – 11:30am on Wednesday, October 19. Participants will hear about the latest scams targeting Washington residents, including a journey inside an actual fraudulent boiler room to show step by step how scammers manipulate our emotions and steal our money. You’ll hear from Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson on how to protect yourself and your community."

3. COVID-19 Information
Click Here for the most current report and resources.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Anacortes Sunday Demonstrations
Democrats are again demonstrating in Anacortes each Sunday, 12:00pm – 1:00pm at the corner of 12th Street and Commercial Avenue. "We carry signs for Dem candidates, get out and vote signs, women's right-to-chose in healthcare and so on and so on. We need more people to show up."

2. Coffee & Cards, Wednesdays, 10:00am – 11:00am, Skagit County Democrats Headquarters, 2021 East College Way, Suite 104, Mount Vernon
Coffee and Cards meets on Wednesdays from 10-11 am. This is the group that was previously led by Carol Sullivan and is now lead quite capably by Judy Farrar. The group is a way for us to express ourselves about issues of importance to us all.  

We will write messages of encouragement and support to people who are making positive contributions as well as messages of concern and opposition to people who are negatively impacting our world. This includes legislators on the local, state, and federal level as well as CEOs of corporations and other people having a significant impact in our world. We will share ideas for people to write to and issues to address.  

Postcards and stamps will be provided, but we ask that people bring money to cover the cost of the postcard stamps which are currently $.44. Coffee will be provided or bring your own. As Carol always reminded us, “We are stronger together.” Our office is located at 2021 East College Way, Suite 104, Mount Vernon, 360-336-1555."

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