Category: Action

What an election! 

At the national level, a wave of political organizing delivered the win we desperately needed – Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in the White House. While down ballot races went other directions, a Biden – Harris win proves that we can do the hard things. 

Two years from now, all of our local elected officials are on the ballot along with our state house representatives and governor. Our work for electing Democrats to those offices starts right now.

Here’s what we need and where you can help:

1) Each of the eight districts in our county will have a designated District Captain. This person lead organizing efforts in the district. From phone calls to postcards and everything in between, our District Captains will make sure they know every Democrat in the district and work to expand our base there.

If you want to be a District Captain, click here to sign up and volunteer.

2) With all of the offices up in 2022, we need to start setting up campaigns now. The biggest lesson learned from our 2020 candidates is that it takes two years to really run an effective campaign. Rural communities are simply to big for shorter time frames.

If you want to run for office, click here to sign up and volunteer.

3) Along with candidates and  district captains, we’re looking for folks that might be interested in managing different parts of local and state campaigns.

If you want to manage a campaign, click here to sign up and volunteer.

All three of these will be core to our organizing and winning in the next election. If you want to make a difference, this is where to start.As we get these candidates and district captains going, new needs will appear. So stay tuned for those as well.

The Biden-Harris campaign proves we can do the hard things. Organizing Lincoln County and Tennessee won’t be easy. We’ll have to fight for every inch of ground that we gain. We’ll have to have the hard conversations to persuade former-Republican voters to come our way. But to do anything less is not an option.

This is more than a moment. It’s the start of a movement. One that we intend to win. 

If you can’t vote on election day, you may qualify to cast your absentee ballot by mail!

Requirements

To vote absentee by mail, a registered voter must fall under one of the following categories:

• The voter will be outside the county of registration during the early voting period and all day on election day;
• The voter or the voter’s spouse is enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited college or university outside the county of registration;
• The voter’s licensed physician has filed a statement with the county election commission stating that, in the physician’s judgment, the voter is medically unable to vote in person. The statement must be filed not less than seven (7) days before the election and signed under the penalty of perjury;
• The voter resides in a licensed facility providing relatively permanent domiciliary care, other than a penal institution, outside the voter’s county of residence;
• The voter will be unable to vote in person due to service as a juror for a federal or state court;
• The voter is sixty (60) years of age or older;
• The voter has a physical disability and an inaccessible polling place;
• The voter is hospitalized, ill, or physically disabled and because of such condition, cannot vote in person;
• The voter is a caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill, or disabled;
• The voter is a candidate for office in the election;
• The voter serves as an election day official or as a member or employee of the election commission;
• The voter’s observance of a religious holiday prevents him or her from voting in person during the early voting period and on election day;
• The voter or the voter’s spouse possesses a valid commercial drivers license (CDL) or the voter possesses a valid Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card and certifies that he or she will be working outside the state or county of registration during the open hours of early voting and Election Day, and has no specific out-of-county or out-of-state address to which mail may be sent or received during such time.
• The voter is a member of the military or is an overseas citizen.

If you qualify, you can apply for a by-mail ballot up to 90 days before the election.

Apply for a By-Mail Ballot

For the August Primary Election, you can send in your request form starting May 8th through July 30th.

To request a by-mail ballot:

1. Print out and complete the Absentee Request Form here.
2. Mail, fax, or email that form to our local election commission. You can find the contact info you’ll need here.
3. Your election commission will process your request and mail you a ballot.
4. Complete your ballot and mail it back to your election commission.

For the August election, to receive a primary ballot request either a Republican or Democratic primary ballot. If no indication, you will receive a general election only ballot.

Make sure to do all of this before July 30th. That’s the request deadline for the August 6th election.

If you need help with any of that, send us a message and we’ll help!

With the ongoing pandemic, campaigns all across Tennessee are shifting focus to digital strategies in place of the usual in-person organizing. To help out, our party has partnered with the Association of State Democratic Committees to launch our 2020 Train the Trainer (T3) Webinar Training Program!

T3 is a free, 100% virtual, six-week, twelve-part webinar course, covering several aspects of grassroots campaigning. This program seeks to expand the skills of progressive activists and volunteers, by ensuring that comprehensive training is free and accessible for Democrats all over the country. Register for T3 today, and help us take our country back in 2020!

–>> Click Here to Register

T3 trainings are held every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET, from April 7, through May 14. The deadline to register is Sunday, April 5 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Participants must complete all twelve sessions in order to receive certification. All training sessions will include a skills test to track retention and participation. Trainings will be recorded and made available following each session via a weekly wrap-up email, delivered on Fridays.

Click Here to submit your registration for the 2020 T3 Training Program! Registration will close at 11:59 p.m. ET, on Sunday, April 5.

We’ll see you on the campaign trail!

Usually at this point in an election year, our volunteers are out knocking doors, meeting new people, and helping candidates campaign. This year, we’re all adjusting to working from home and developing new plans for the campaign work needed to win this fall.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve gotten lots of emails and voicemails from people in our community asking how they can help during this new normal. We’ve put together this action guide so that you can make a difference in this election and continue to defend our democracy right from your home.

Check-In

Take some time to check in our your friends, family , neighbors, and co-workers. This could be with a phone call, an email, a Facebook message – even a letter. Find out how they’re doing during this time and if they need help with anything.

Complete the Census

The 2020 Census is happening right now. You can complete it online here. After you complete your census form, share that link with everyone you know so that everyone in our community is counted.

Register New Voters

Make a list of everyone you know and start working through it to find out if each person is registered to vote. If they’re not, help them register at GoVoteTN.com. It’s a quick and easy process. Registering new voters is one of the single most effective things any of us can do.

Expand Your Skills

The National Democratic Training Committee offers fantastic resources and training for local party volunteers. Now’s a great time to hone your skills as grassroots campaigning.

Donate to a Campaign

Find a few local and state candidates that you support and chip in money their way. It’s challenging to fundraise right now so every dollar you can donate goes a long ways.

Write Letters to the Editor

Do you think our local leaders are doing a good job? Think our state leaders could be doing better? Write a letter to the editor and share how you see things.

Share Resources and Information Online

Misinformation abounds in times of crisis, especially on Facebook and other social media apps. Use your platform to speak the truth and help others that follow you find good information. Keep in mind that positive and civil posts find more traction within the community. You can also share links to the websites and Facebook pages of candidates that you support.

Be Helpful

Above all – focus on being helpful in the coming months. As Democrats, we believe that communities work best when we work together for everyone. That’s how we’ll get through this virus pandemic – together.

Our state representatives are back in Nashville today for the 2020 legislative session. They’ll introduce a variety of bills, debate new ideas, and ultimately send new laws to Governor Lee for approval.

We encourage you to contact our state representatives throughout the year but it’s especially important while they’re in session. The policies debated now will affect communities throughout Tennessee in the coming years. With votes happening every week for the next few months, it’s a prime time to make sure our representatives are speaking for us.

Here’s a list of our representatives for Lincoln County and how you can contact them:

Senator Shane Reeves

• Phone: 615-741-1066
• Email: sen.shane.reeves@capitol.tn.gov

Representative Rick Tillis 

• Phone: 615-741-4170
• Email: rep.rick.tillis@capitol.tn.gov

Representative Pat Marsh

• Phone: 615-741-6824
• Email: rep.pat.marsh@capitol.tn.gov

A few key things to remember with all of these contact methods:

• Be polite and direct. This isn’t a time to wander around the point. Their time is valuable just like your time is.
• Be prepared. Do your homework and know what you’re talking about. Have the issue outlined along with various ideas for solutions.
• Don’t go it alone. Talk with friends, family, and others in the community about the issue you’re trying to raise. Have them contact public officials with you.
• Social media is easy to miss and/or ignore. Focus your efforts on calling or emailing rather than Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Keep this contact info close at hand. Try to call or email each at least once a week. It’s the best way to make your voice heard by our state representatives!

Do you have a few free minutes today? Send a comment opposing block grants for TennCare.

Tennessee is the first state to ask the federal government to convert its current Medicaid program (called TennCare) into a block grant. You can read more about the proposal here.

The block grant is a political gimmick, not a serious answer to Tennesseans’ real health concerns. Our urgent healthcare needs deserve serious attention and real action from political leaders. The block grant will only worsen these crises by encouraging the state to take TennCare funds out of the health care system

The federal comment period on this proposal is open from November 27, 2019 through December 27, 2019.

–​>> Click here to leave a comment.

Comments are the best way to stop this harmful policy. It’s quick and easy to share your own experience with TennCare and how a block grant would drastically hurt the program.

If you can take a few minutes to submit a comment there, it’ll make a world of difference!

On this Giving Tuesday, there’s several great organizations that you can donate your money or time to. Here’s just a few that would love your help:

Clothe Our Kids

Our mission is to work directly through local schools and DCS as a resource to provide needy and at-risk children with coats, clothing and shoes.

Find their website here.

Re: The Regenerative School

Catalyzing transformative learning to build a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world.

Find their website here.

Junior’s House Inc.

Junior’s House Inc. is a nonprofit organization that provides free services and advocacy to victims of child abuse and neglect in the 17th Judicial Area.

Find their website here.

The Humane Society of Lincoln County

The mission is to operate the Animal Shelter with thoughtful compassion, promote lifetime placement for unwanted and abandoned pets, help to reduce the overpopulation of cats and dogs, educate the local community on responsible pet ownership, seek justice for animal cruelty offenders and promote the proper care and humane treatment of all animals.

Find their website here.

FLC Arts Center

The Mission of the Fayetteville-Lincoln County Arts Center is to enhance the quality of life in the Fayetteville-Lincoln County community through the presentation, education, and promotion of all art disciplines including visual, conceptual, and performing arts.

Find their website here.

Relay For Life of Lincoln County

We save lives and create more birthdays by helping you stay well, helping you get well, finding cures, & by fighting back.

Find their website here.

Hands of Mercy Outreach Center

Hands of Mercy is a food bank that also shares the good news of Jesus Christ. We help those in need in Lincoln County by meeting the tangible need, whether it is with clothing, food or utility bill assistance.

Find their website here.

REACH of Lincoln County

We’re all about empowering individuals with exceptional abilities to achieve hope, acceptance, belonging and a better understanding while we REACH for the future.

Find their website here.

Lincoln Health System Foundation

The Foundation contributes to the ongoing success of Lincoln Health System and its facilities by supporting capital improvement projects, equipment, and programs benefiting patients and their families.

Find their website here.

Know of a local nonprofit that should be on the list? Drop us a message here!

Give to Make a Difference

These are just a few of the many great nonprofits here in our community that will benefit from your donations. If you have a dollar, give a dollar. If you have time to volunteer, give your time. 

Take a moment to think about the issues where you want to make a difference and donate your time and experience to organizations that support them. Our community will be better in any way that you can offer support.

2020 is going to be a tough but winnable year of elections. That means we need to all be in the boat and rowing in the same direction. To help us do that, we’ve got The LC Dems Playbook. It holds all of the research we’ve done through door knocks, phone calls, community surveys, and data analysis.

Here’s the quick summary of it:

• Democrats can win locally and be competitive at the state level.
• We have a non-voting county that can be registered and turned out to vote.
• Our strategy focuses on expanding the electorate and delivering a clear, values-based message to all voters.

That message is simple – Home Matters. We want our families to be happy, healthy, safe, and nearby. Our progressive ideas and approaches can make everyone in our community happier, healthier, safer, and more
likely to stay here rather than move away.

In the next few weeks, we’ll start putting together the teams to cover canvassing, phone banking, postcard writing, and community event planning. So watch out for more on how join one of those teams.

And for now, make sure to get your copy of The LC Dems Playbook for 2020. Use the form below to request your copy!

[contact-form-7 id=”3416″ title=”Playbook Request”]

It’s National Run for Office Day! One of our favorite holidays every year.

If you want to make a change here in our community, one of the best ways is to run for office. We’ll help you every step of the way. From training to campaigning, we’ve got you covered.

You don’t need the “perfect” resume, the “right” background, or anything other than a passion to see our community change for the better. If you’re looking at this page, it’s people exactly like you who need to sit on the county commission, the city board of aldermen, the school boards and the state General Assembly.

If you’re interested in running, let us know below. Or if you know a friend, a neighbor, or family member that should run for office, send this email over to them!

2020 is right around the corner and we’ve got some great opportunities to build a better community for all of us here. We want to make sure that every conservative candidate has an awesome progressive challenger going into the 2020 elections.

Let’s get to running!

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We’re all set to have a booth at this year’s Host of Christmas Past! We’ll have a photobooth setup where people can take fun Christmas photos with family and friends. We’ll also have free stickers and our voter registration forms out. 

Host will be Saturday November 9th. Here’s slots that we have open:

• 7am to 10am
• 10am to 1pm

If you can work any of those times, sign up using the form below. Thanks! 

[contact-form-7 id=”2901″ title=”Event Signup”]