A letter of important updates from Mary-Sherman
Please click the following link to view the letter: https://www.rappdems.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/RCDC-2020-May-Letter-to-the-RCDC.pdf
The Senate Race
Let’s not forget that Senator Mark Warner is up for re-lection! Keep in touch with his campaign HERE. Get on his mailing list and check him out on Facebook, where he holds regular virtual town halls. And of course, donate what you can.
As the weeks progress, we’ll get a clearer idea of what each of us Democrats can do to win in November and restore sanity and justice to our government. We don’t have to tell you that these are hard times. Americans are suffering. Our focus now should be on supporting our candidates and ensuring a fair vote. We’ll let you know how!
The Congressional Race
We have four terrific candidates to run against Republican Denver Riggleman (or Bob Goode) in the 5th District in November. Due to the coronavirus, the CD5 Congressional Primary has been moved to June 23.
Apply for your absentee mail-in ballots now! Happily, you no longer have to have a witness sign your ballot in Virginia. Click HERE for your application form.
Our four primary candidates—RD Huffstetler, John Lesinski, Claire Russo and Cameron Webb—are adjusting their campaigns to reach out to voters online. Look for them on Facebook for events announcements.
And mark your calendars for a series of live streamed virtual forums through May and June until the June 23 primary. View them from the comfort of home.
Please, send me your questions for the candidates! What do you want to know about their positions on voting rights, jobs, the COVID19 crisis, the economy, healthcare, criminal justice…This is the chance to hear their answers.
- Saturday, May 9, 1:30PM, moderated by Delegate Elizabeth Guzman, 31st District. Sponsored by the Fauquier Democrats and Fauquier Indivisible. See www.FauquierDemocrats.org.
- Tuesday, May 12, 6PM, moderated by Leslie Cockburn, former CD5 candidate. Sponsored by the Rappahannock County Democratic Committee.
- Thursday, May 14, 6:30PM, sponsored by Charlottesville Democratic Committees. Please email for the Zoom link: charlottesvillenow@gmail.com
The Presidential Race
Even though Joe Biden appears to be the presumptive Democratic Nominee, we have a long road ahead before it’s certain. After our Super Tuesday Primary, delegates go to the 5th District convention on May 9, and the State Conventions on June 20 to pick the delegates Virginia will send to the National Convention in Milwaukee on August 13.
This year both Virginia conventions will be held virtually.
The CD5 Convention on May 9 starts at 9AM. At 1PM, delegates will vote for 6 delegates to be National Delegates from Virginia.
To participate, register here:
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4953873135220740365
At the State Convention on June 20, delegates will pick 21 at-large National Delegates to go to the National Convention.
RCDC Gets Out the Vote!
ABSENTEE VOTING IN 2020
Due to the COVID19 outbreak in the country, it’s imperative that we protect every Democrat’s right to vote in the June 9 Congressional Primary and the November 3 Election.
Kim McKiernan, Rappahannock County Registrar, says: In an effort to protect our voters, our election officials, and our staff, we are encouraging voters to submit an application to vote absentee by mail (your ballot is mailed to you) and to conduct all other business with the voter registration office via telephone 540-675-5380 or email vote@rappahannockcountyva.gov
NOTE: There are absentee ballot application forms and voter registration forms hanging on the Registrar of Voters’ office door along with in-depth instructions.
Please proceed to: https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation
- Complete the information for ‘registered voter’. (Note: if you are registering to vote, simply select ‘apply to register to vote’ on the left and follow those prompts. You are not required to re-register if you are already registered.)
- On the next screen, select “I want to apply for absentee voting.” Answer the questions on the next two screens.
- The screen following those two provides instructions for you to vote absentee due to social distancing. Select “I have a reason or condition that prevents me from going to the polls on Election Day”.
- Proceed to the next screen. Select the election for which you would like a ballot. (Note: We do not know yet whether the June Primary will be in-person or if it will be conducted virtually.) If you have no desire to vote in a June Primary, simply select November 2020. Then, as the instructions state, select ‘my disability or illness.’
a. BE SURE to provide your MAILING ADDRESS if it is different than your physical address!
b. If you want your ballot mailed to a different address, select “I would like my ballot delivered to a different address than my residence.” This includes post office boxes. If you do not provide a valid mailing address, your ballot will be returned to our office and you may miss the deadline to vote your ballot and return it to us.
c. BE SURE TO PROVIDE A PHONE NUMBER OR EMAIL ADDRESS in the ‘contact’ screen in the event we need to clarify anything about your application. - At the Electronic Signature page, please (if you have a Virginia Driver’s License) provide the information requested, because that is how your application is signed electronically. If your application is not signed, we cannot process it.
a. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A VIRGINIA DRIVER’S LICENSE: Please print this form (you only need to submit page number 3). Write ‘2A’ in the required reason code area.
b. Be sure to sign your form and provide the mailing address.
c. Select the 5th Congressional District Congressional Primary on June 9 or select the November General on November 3, 2020.
d. Provide contact information.
e. You can mail, scan and email, or fax your completed form to us at:
P.O. Box 236, Washington, VA 22740
Fax: 540-675-5381
IMPORTANT DEADLINES
Monday, May 18Deadline to register to vote in the Congressional Primary.
Tuesday, June 2Deadline to request an absentee ballot to be mailed to you by 5 pm
Tuesday June 95TH DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARY
Tuesday October 13Deadline to register to vote in the November General Election.
Tuesday October 27Deadline to request an absentee ballot to be mailed to you by 5pm.
NOTE: in the 2020 General Election, you don’t have to give a reason to vote absentee.
Tuesday November 3GENERAL ELECTION
A LETTER TO THE RCDC MEMBERSHIP
April 8, 2020
Dear Rappahannock Democrats,
We missed seeing you at our last monthly get together, cancelled for COVID19. Unfortunately, we will miss you again. Our scheduled general meeting for April 11 is also cancelled to keep everyone distanced and safe, following Governor Ralph Northam’s recommendations. They came not a moment too soon. Sadly, our county reported its first confirmed case this week.
Distanced as we are, we have been busy and want to keep you informed of events in the coming months.
- County delegates to the district, state, and national Democratic conventions have until April 9 at 5 pm to send in their pre-filing forms to the DPVA (Democratic Party of Virginia).
Based on your votes on Super Tuesday, the county was allotted two delegates for Joe Biden and one for Bernie Sanders. Even though Bernie has dropped out of the race, his delegates will go to the conventions!
- To be a delegate to the 5th District Convention on May 9 and State Convention on Jun 20, click HERE for the form.
- To go on to the National Convention in August 17-20 in Milwaukee, click HERE to apply.
NOTE: Compared to other counties in the CD5, Rappahannock has had a great turnout of delegate applications! The DPVA has been accepting them all, for both candidates, to cover the shortfall in other counties.
NOTE: Because of the pandemic, the Party will decide, from moment to moment, whether to hold in-person or virtual conventions. The 5th District Convention will be held virtually. (Those details to come.)
- To find out more about delegate selection and duties, click HERE.
- The 5th District Congressional
Primary is scheduled for June 9. We are urging you to vote
absentee by mail. It’s easy and complies with our distancing practices.
- I’ve attached Registrar Kim McKiernan’s instructions and the deadlines to apply for and send in absentee ballots for the June Congressional Primary and November General elections.
NOTE: Mail-in voting is going to be crucial this year for getting out the vote! We’re planning phone banks, texts blasts, and socially distanced postcard parties to get the word out, and to help voters get their ballots in. We’ll need your help.
NOTE: We have four terrific candidates to run against Denver Riggleman in November: RD Huffstetler, John Lesinski, Claire Russo, and Cameron Webb. Instead of live forums to let voters meet the candidates, we’re coordinating with other 5th District committees to hold virtual forums in our localities. Ours is tentatively scheduled for May 12 at 6 pm, to be moderated by former candidate Leslie Cockburn. (Details to come.)
- RCDC fundraising has become one of the casualties of COVID19. Our April 4 Blue State Blue Grass Brunch and auction were cancelled. The Yard Sale in August may be too. While our expenses will go down, our income will too. As the season progresses, we’ll need to buy yard and highway signs, and campaign ads. We appreciate any donations you’re able to make along the way.
We want to thank everyone for your work and support, for stepping up even as our world is upended by this invisible threat wreaking such havoc to ourselves and our democracy. Thanks in particular to Ron Goodman, Tommy Bruce, Larry Wohlers, and Rachel Taylor for representing us as delegates to the State Convention (and beyond!).
Please send your questions and comments at maryswillis@me.com. We want to hear from you! Keep up with our news at www.RappDems.org and on our Facebook page.
Stay safe, stay engaged, and let us bring the light of Democratic competence and compassion into this dark time.
Mary-Sherman Willis
RCDC, Chair