John --



Democracy matters.



Those words shouldn’t be controversial but, unfortunately, for some they are. In the United States, we've seen attempts to undermine democracy by elected leaders, conspiracy theorists, and activists more committed to political parties and personal gain than the survival and success of our country. 



But this email isn’t to scare you. We've defended Democracy, and Democracy has held. That will continue so long as we remain committed to our shared mission and values.



Each year on September 15th, many millions around the world come together to celebrate the freedoms afforded by democracy, and recommit themselves to strengthening it. They call it the International Day of Democracy.  



Country First is proud to join our global community in support of Democracy, and will be a leader in America's celebration! We're launching the International Democracy Day Volunteer Working Group, and invite all interested collaborators to work with us to make our national celebration and day of action come to life.



The working group's first meeting will be held next Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at 8:00pm ET / 7:00pm CT / 6:00pm MT / 5:00pm PT / 4:00pm AKT / 2:00pm HT. 



<[link removed]>RSVP TO GET ZOOM LINK <[link removed]>



Cannot make the meeting? We'll make sure to keep you updated on the next one. In the meantime, we encourage you to join our National Volunteer Slack Community <[link removed]>where you can join the working group's dedicated channel and receive notes from next week's meeting.



We are encouraging each interested member to recruit 2 others to attend Wednesday night's meeting <[link removed]> and introduce them to this opportunity to be part of Country First. Simply forward them this email or the RSVP link and have them sign up to receive the zoom link. (p.s. We recommend sending this to at least 10 folks to ensure 2 attend!)



For any questions, please email [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>.



Look forward to our gathering this Wednesday!



Country First Team



<[link removed]>







See something of interest? All are welcome! Click on the event to register.



Upcoming Events



June 7 at 8pm ET



- International Democracy Day Working Group Launch <[link removed]>







ELECTION REFORM  <[link removed]>



Oregon Capital Chronicle <[link removed]>: Efforts for ranked-choice voting, STAR voting gaining progress in Oregon



Efforts to change Oregon’s voting system are on the move in the state Legislature and among citizen groups trying to write laws at the ballot box. The House last week voted mostly along party lines to approve House Bill 2004, Speaker Dan Rayfield’s proposal to establish ranked-choice voting in statewide elections beginning in 2028. The bill’s prospects in the Senate are unclear as Republicans continue a walkout that prevents the Senate from voting on any bills, but citizen groups have also launched initiative campaigns for voters to make ranked-choice voting, or another form that uses stars to rate candidates, the new standard. 



WDBJ <[link removed]>: Arlington County to use ranked choice voting in June primary



Next month, ranked choice voting will be used for the first time by a Virginia locality. The General Assembly approved the method in 2020 for the election of county supervisors and city council members. Arlington County is the first locality to use it, for a primary June 20. In ranked choice voting, voters don’t just choose their favorite. They can rank all the candidates in a race. If no one receives more than 50% of the vote, the candidate with the lowest number is eliminated, and their votes are redistributed according to the voters’ preferences.



WREX <[link removed]>: Illinois lawmakers weigh using ranked choice voting



A new Illinois bill could be passed that would create a task force to look into the options of a new type of voting called Ranked Choice Voting. Ranked choice voting allows those at the polls to vote for their elected leaders in order from greatest to least. "It will help to prevent voters from 'wasting' their votes on candidates that have already dropped out of the election before election day," State Representative Maurice West said. 



Idaho News <[link removed]>: Ballot Initiative could end Idaho's closed primary elections



A new measure may soon open state primaries and allow ranked-choice voting in the state. Veterans for Political Innovation member, Todd Achilles says the initiative will dissolve a law passed back in 2012 that required Republican voters to affiliate with the party in order to vote for their candidates. Under this initiative, voters would be able to vote regardless of party. <[link removed]>



BI-PARTISAN ACCOUNTABILITY



CBS <[link removed]>: Attorney General Ken Paxton impeached in a bi-partisan vote



According to the Associated Press, Texas’ GOP-led House of Representatives impeached state Attorney General Ken Paxton on Saturday on articles including bribery and abuse of public trust, a sudden, historic rebuke of a fellow Republican who rose to be a star of the conservative legal movement despite years of scandal and alleged crimes.



CNN <[link removed]>: What to know about Ken Paxton, the impeached Texas attorney general



The Texas House’s impeachment of state Attorney General Ken Paxton on Saturday was the latest in a string of legal woes that began shortly after the Republican was first elected in 2014. Paxton is a conservative firebrand who has aligned himself with former President Donald Trump. From his perch as Texas’ top prosecutor, he has led legal battles against former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and more. He challenged the 2020 election’s results in federal court, and in recent months has targeted Texas hospitals for providing transition-related care for transgender minors.



BIPARTISANSHIP WORKS



Phys <[link removed]>: New study quantifies the power of bipartisan coalitions



Political scientists from Northwestern University, University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University have analyzed more than 40 years of congressional data to determine whether effective legislators more frequently adopt a bipartisan or partisan approach to reaching their policy goals. The researchers found that for both members of the House and Senate, legislative effectiveness is heightened when members build bipartisan coalitions around the bills they sponsor. This pattern holds over time and for both majority and minority legislators.



CIVIC ENGAGEMENT



The Dominion Post <[link removed]>: EDITORIAL: Modeling civic engagement for the next generation



You may have seen that in addition to reading and math scores, the Nation's Report Card also noted a decrease in students' history and civics scores. There's certainly an argument for suggesting teaching less history (or less accurate history) directly impacts students' understanding of civics, we would also argue that the absence of civic engagement in students' real lives makes it harder for them to understand what civics looks like in the abstract. For too many people, civics begins and ends at voting (and not enough people do that, either). Or worse—ranting on social media. Not that there's anything wrong with voicing one's frustrations with government—it is a First Amendment protected right, after all—but metaphorically screaming into the void of the internet accomplishes little. And yet this is the example we have set for our young people: We sometimes show up for elections and post our complaints on Facebook or Twitter. 



Inside Philanthropy <[link removed]>: Philanthropy Needs to Rethink Its Approach to Civic Engagement



What is civic engagement? According to a dictionary definition, it means participating in one’s community and connecting with others who share a common interest or space. That is the definition of the term most nonprofits, academics, journalists, scientists and government agencies use. In philanthropic circles, “civic engagement” has become a loaded term, and many foundations consider it “too political.” Much of the philanthropic sector considers activities like volunteering, capacity-building and community engagement to be something different, when they are, in fact, part of a broad spectrum of civic engagement activities.







Actions you can take right now to help make a difference!



WATCH <[link removed]>our newest advertisement, #DefaultDon, calling out Donald Trump on all the ways he’s defaulted in life.



SIGN <[link removed]>the petition pledging your support of the recent removal of Tucker Carlson and reaffirm your commitment to the truth!



SHOP <[link removed]> our merch item of the week, our limited edition #DefaultDon merch!



BRING a friend to one of our events! Your unique recruiter link: [link removed]



Check out our Volunteer Working Groups!



As a grassroots coalition, Country First is dedicated to providing each member with the opportunity to contribute to the success of the movement. National Volunteer Working Groups (NVWG) are separated by interest and are aligned with one of Country First’s key pillars.



- Election Reform <[link removed]>

- Political Research <[link removed]>

- Finding Solutions <[link removed]>

- Communications <[link removed]>

- Mending Divisions <[link removed]>

- Inspiring Speakers Series <[link removed]>

- International Democracy Day <[link removed]>



<[link removed]>Get Involved <[link removed]>



<[link removed]>Support the Mission <[link removed]>



<[link removed]>Wear the Cause <[link removed]>







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