News from the Skagit County Democrats

Skagit County Democrats Action Newsletter for March 4, 2024

DEMOCRATIC EVENTS

1. NEW – Save The Date – Saturday, June 1 will be this year's Gala!

2. The Skagit County Democrats Membership will meet Saturday, Mar 9, 10:00am – 12:00pm, via Zoom OR in-person, C2C Community Center, 224 Stewart Road (turns into Hoag Road east of Riverside Drive), Mount Vernon
This Membership meeting will be a HYBRID meeting. PLEASE NOTE LOCATION OF IN-PERSON VENUE. We must start promptly at 10:00 a.m. If you choose the Zoom alternative, we ask that you log on no later than 9:45 a.m. Click Here for the Zoom link (Meeting ID: 861 7751 1309; Passcode: 604607).

Also, if you intend to join the Zoom meeting, we ask that you ensure your Zoom client is up to date. Click Here for easy-to-follow instructions on how to update the Zoom client.

3. NEW – The Fidalgo Democrats meet Tuesday, Mar 12, 7:00pm, Anacortes Public Library, 1220 10th Street, Anacortes, for a presentation on the updating of the Anacortes Comprehensive Plan
"Cities are required to periodically update their Comprehensive Plans, which set goals and policies for zoning, housing, infrastructure, and environmental protection. Anacortes created its current Comprehensive Plan in 2016 and is required to update it by the end of June 2025. This time around we’ll be required to do new planning for low-income housing and to mitigate and adapt to climate change. John Coleman, The Anacortes Director of Planning, Community, and Economic Development, will provide an overview of the requirements for the update. City Council members Christine Cleland-McGarth and Ryan Walters will talk about their policy objectives. There will be time for questions. Call Barbara Cooper 360-770-3506 for more information."

4. NEW – fREADom Night & FAHRENHEIT 451 – Film & Speakers, Thursday, Mar 14, Doors open at 5:30pm, Program begins at 6:30pm, Film at 8:00pm, Lincoln Theatre, 712 South First Street, Mount Vernon
Sponsored by the 10th Legislative District Democrats and Young Democrats of Skagit County. "The national landscape of public and school libraries is becoming increasingly politically charged, due to challenges to beloved classics and new books by book banning campaigns. In Washington state, librarians, collection managers, and school boards are on the front lines, and innovatively  meeting these challenges. Hear from public libraries’ collections services and local school boards’ perspectives. Be inspired by banned book and poetry readings by a diverse group of youth and performers. The dystopian world evoked by the classic film Fahrenheit 451 will provoke thoughtful reflection. Join us for an informative, fun, and inspiring evening celebrating diversity in thought, speech, and written word." Admission is free and open to all. Donations accepted.

5. NEW – The 39th Legislative District Democrats meets Tuesday, Mar 19, 7:00pm – 8:00pm, via Zoom
Click Here for the Zoom link.

6. NEW – Consider running to be a Delegate to the Washington State Democratic Party Convention, Saturday, Jun 22, Meydenbauer Center, 11100 Northeast 6th Street, Bellevue
Registration is now open to be a delegate to the 2024 Washington State Democrats State Convention! Registration is open until 5:00pm on Sunday, March 31, so please get your registration in soon! Delegates will be elected by members of their Legislative District Democratic Party on April 6, 2024. You can register here and see other candidates running for delegate in our directory page here. If you’re looking for more information please visit our Delegate Information Hub here, or join us for a virtual training on how to run!

This registration is only for people interested in running for state delegate. National Delegate registration will open after April 6th so please be on the lookout for that email if you are interested in running for national delegate. The State Convention will be held on June 22nd at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue Washington. If you have any questions, please reach out to Nathaniel Block at nathaniel.r.block@gmail.com and he will be happy to assist you in your run for delegate!

7. NEW – Legislative Committee Report for March 4, 2024 (NOTE: Legislative session ends for regular session per state constitution, Thursday, March 7)
With the State Legislature in session our Legislative Committee is hard at work going through as many bills as possible to make sure we keep you well informed. We have had a lot of success but the term is not over yet!

The following bills we supported have passed both chambers and are headed to the Governor's desk. Thank you for all your help!

• HB1241 – Addressing election worker harassment
• HB2039 – Modifying the appeals process for environmental and land use matters.
• HB2226 – Concerning collecting data on the H-2A worker program and from certain hand harvesters.
• HB2331 – An act relating to modifying requirements for public school instructional materials and supplemental instructional materials by prohibiting improper exclusions of certain materials, establishing complaint procedures, and promoting culturally and experientially representative materials.
• SB6007 – Concerning employment standards for grocery workers.
• SB6039 – Promoting the development of geothermal energy resources.

The following bills MUST be passed before the end of the session on March 8th. Do not wait – send your emails right now. Please review the following bills and express your support to your elected officials.

HB2114 – Limiting rent increases and other fees for tenants passed the House on a party-line vote of 54 to 43. This bill improves housing stability for tenants.
People across Washington are struggling to pay rent. Hardworking people who work in grocery stores and hospitals are being forced to move farther and farther away from their jobs because they cannot pay rent. Evictions and homelessness are on the rise. Households of color disproportionately bear the impact of rent increases. Family members are forced to move far away from each other to afford rent. For some seniors on fixed incomes, rent increases can make it impossible to stay in their homes.

Email your Senator to support HB2114
Recommended Text:
Please support HB2114 and help keep rental fees and rent in check. Some people have experienced drastic rent increases in recent years that have devastated them financially and hurt their chances of upward mobility. It is time to provide housing stability for tenants.

SB5241 – Concerning material changes to the operations and governance structure of participants in the health care market. “Preventing Religious Infringement on Fundamental Health Care and Life Decisions”
The merging of hospital and other medical programs whereby institutional religious affiliation can prevent women’s reproductive care as well as gender affirming care and end of life care. It is imperative that SB 5241 be passed to protect the rights of women, our LGBTQ+ community and aged and ill persons. Republicans have proposed multiple amendments in an attempt to stall this legislation that was passed in the Senate and has moved to the House Floor for a vote before the end of this legislative session.

Email your house members to support HB5241
Recommended Text:
Reproductive health care, gender affirming health care and end of life decisions must not be hindered due to religious affiliation that emerges as a result of the merging of medical programs and institutions. Please support passage of SB 5241.

HB2023 – Would improve meaningful access to election language assistance.
Representative Clyde Shavers, from the 10th LD, has made good on his word by drafting HB2023 which has passed the House. Still, now we need for it to be presented in the Senate by contacting Senator Javier Valdez at: https://senatedemocrats.wa.gov/valdez/ and Senator Sam Hunt (28th LD) at: https://senatedemocrats.wa.gov/hunt/.

Please email your support for this bill. HB2023 reduces the percentage of non-English speaking voters required for our voting material to be in other languages from 5% to 2.5%. In Skagit County, members of our Diversity Committee, and other Latinos showed up to testify on the importance of this bill. Our County Commissioners received a one-year grant from a community agency called Northsound ACH after which Skagit County is committed to continue to fund this. However, it has stalled after it passed the House and we need all of you to ask these Senators to ensure it gets to the floor for a vote. There has been significant support for this on both sides of the aisle for this vote. Please spread the word because as we see it, to allow it to stall is a form of voter suppression! We cannot allow this to continue to sit in the Elections Committee for one week. This is unacceptable. Please write to these two Senators as soon as possible!

Also Email your senator to support HB2023
Recommended Text:
HB2023 reduces the percentage of non-English speaking voters required for our voting material to be in other languages from 5% to 2.5%. Not passing this bill will continue to suppress voters and prevent them from having meaningful access to elections material. Please pass HB2023 before it is too late. This bill passed the House 84 to 13, it is not exactly controversial.

8. UPDATED – Washington State's Presidential Primary – BALLOTS ARE DUE NEXT TUESDAY!
The following is quoted from Shoreline Area News of February 16 (emphasis added by the Editor):
"Voters' pamphlets for the Washington Presidential Primary are arriving in mailboxes around the state. Ballots will be mailed out by February 23, 2024 and should be delivered by February 26. The election deadline is March 12 – all ballots must be received by that date.

The purpose of the primary is for the two political parties – Republicans and Democrats – to pick their candidates. For that reason, voters must declare their party status in order to have their vote counted. For this election only, you will need to check a political party declaration box and sign and date the declaration [on the envelope used to return the ballot]. Then your vote must be for a candidate in that party.

Because of the lead time needed to print and pamphlets and ballots, our information is already out of date. On the Democrat side, Marianne Williamson dropped out at the beginning of February. A candidate named Dean Phillips is still in the race, along with President Biden. On the Republican side, Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis, and Vivek Ramaswamy have dropped out, leaving Nikki Haley and Donald J. Trump.

The voters' pamphlet is online at the Secretary of State's website."

Click Here for information about registering to vote.

Click Here for a Sample Ballot.

Click Here for Presidential Primary Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

Ballot Drop-Box Locations
Boxes open for each election will be listed on the information wrap in your ballot packet. All locations that will be open for an election are open 20 days before Election Day and remain open 24 hours a day until 8:00PM Election Night. 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 Road
• 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 South
• Hamilton
  • Fire District 8/Punkin Center Station, 34041 State Route 20
• 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
• Sauk-Suiattle
  • Last Chance Casino and Bingo, 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

Below is a timeline of activities for the March 12, Presidential Primary Election

• March 4 – Deadline to register or update existing registration online and by mail
• March 12 – Deadline for in-person registration and voter updates – Closes 8:00 PM
• March 12 – Special Election – Closes 8:00 PM           
• March 19 – Canvassing Board Meeting, Initial Review – 1:30 PM
• March 22 – Special Election Certification – 1:30 PM

9. Election Observers Needed for Presidential Primary
Election observers will be needed in March, as presidential primary ballots are opened and processed. Shifts are just 1 ½ hours each. Please see the link to the SignUp Genius form below and find a shift that works for you. Simply click on “Sign Up" then scroll to the bottom of the page to click on Save and Continue. You should receive a confirmation email immediately after you complete the form. We will send you observer guidelines in advance of your shift. We really appreciate those who help observe the process and we believe the election staff appreciates you as well. Click Here to access the SignUp Genius form. Click Here to view a copy of the 2024 Observer Guidelines from the Skagit County Auditor's Office.

10. 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.

• GOP Hatched a Secret Assault on the Voting Rights Act in Washington State
• The truth about illegal immigration and crime
• The Black-History Books Teachers Hope Won’t Be Banned
• Poland, in Remarks That Will Be Remembered for Years, Corrects the Record on Russia
• Examining the Black experience in Anacortes

---

COMMUNITY EVENTS

1. NEW – March is Women's History Month
Here are some resources for this event.

• Skagit Women's Alliance and Network (SWAN) (Website)
• Skagit Women's Alliance and Network (SWAN) (Facebook)
• Women's History Month
• National Women's History Museum
• National Women's History Alliance
• Wikipedia – Women's History Month
• Women’s History Month 2024 – History.com

2. NEW – Modern Day Slavery in the Fields?, Saturday, Mar 9, 1:00pm – 3:00pm, Location available upon registration
What is the h2a/Guestworker Program? A Community Forum co-hosted by Indivisible Skagit and Community to Community. "Presentations by local farm worker leaders. Learn how this federal program impacts Washington State's agricultural labor force and its presence in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. If you truly want local food grown with fair and just wages and working conditions this is an important forum for you to attend, there will be lots of time for questions. Presentation at 1:00. Join us at Noon for a delicious lunch of handmade tamales and side dishes." Sign up using Mobilize here: https://mobilize.us/s/Wiuc9R.

3. NEW – Skagit Habitat for Humanity's Unmasking Affordable Housing – Raise the Roof Gala and Benefit, Saturday, Mar 9, Doors open at 5:00pm for social hour and Gala starts at 6:00pm, Swinomish Casino and Lodge, 12885 Casino Drive, Anacortes
Click Here for ticket information. "Join us . . . for a fun evening of served dinner, drinks, silent and live auctions, dessert dash, and raffle prizes all in one Venetian – styled evening. We encourage guests to dress to theme and wear your best mask!"

4. NEW – Ramadan begins sundown on Sunday, Mar 10, and ends at sundown on Tuesday, Apr 9

5. NEW – Daylight Saving Time
Daylight Saving Time begins 2:00am, Sunday, Mar 10. We lose an hour. Turn your clocks ahead one hour before going to bed Saturday night.

6. NEW – Diaper Drive for United Way of Skagit County and the Diaper Bank of Skagit County – Support your local Chamber of Commerce by dropping off items until Friday, Mar 29
There is a challenge between the Mount Vernon, Burlington, and Sedro-Woolley Chambers of Commerce. Items needed include: Diapers (Unopened packages, opened packages, loose diapers), Wipes (Unopened packages), Baby Formula (Unopened packages), Adult Incontinence products (Unopened packages, opened packages, loose diapers).

7. The La Conner Daffodil Festival runs through the month of March
The Daffodil Pet Parade & Fashion Show is scheduled for Saturday, Mar 9, 11:00am – 12:00pm. The parade route will start at the La Conner Marina and move down 1st Street. Click Here for more information.

8. Gary Kanter and Greg Deer will be hosting a live audience recording session on Monday, Mar 4, 1:00pm, at the Tim Noah Thumbnail Theater, 1211 4th Street (Corner of 4th Street & Avenue D), Snohomish
Gary is a long-term Democrat and Labor Activist who has performed at several local progressive functions over the years. Click Here for more information.
 

---

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Coffee & Cards, Wednesdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm, Skagit County Democrats Headquarters, 2021 East College Way, Suite 104, Mount Vernon
Coffee and Cards meets on Wednesdays from 10:00am – 12:00pm. This is the group that was previously led by Carol Sullivan and is now led quite capably by Judy Farrar and Judith Chilcote. 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 $.51. 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."

2. Anacortes Sunday Demonstrations
Progressive folks regularly demonstrate each Sunday, 12:00pm – 1:00pm at the corner of 12th Street and Commercial Avenue in Anacortes. While this is not an official Skagit County Democrats activity, turnout is encouraged.
 

---