"In the age of Trump, we need to be aware of emotional rhetoric and its power regardless of whether or not it's based in fact."

What You Can Do Now To Protect The 2020 Election

New Hanover Democrats need to take steps right now to avoid a disaster like the Wisconsin primary election. In that primary, an estimated 10,000 votes went uncounted because the Board of Elections was overwhelmed by ballot requests. Even on Election Day many of the requests remained unfilled.

In Wisconsin, the Board of Elections was responding to a fourfold increase in ballot requests. North Carolina Elections Director Karen Brinson Bell predicts that 40% of ballots will be cast by mail in 2020, a tenfold increase.

The State Board of Elections has proposed legislative changes to make Voting by Mail easier, but they will likely be opposed by the Republican majority in the General Assembly.

Obviously our Board of Elections needs to prepare for a different kind of election, and we have encouraged them to do so. To help prevent an election disaster in New Hanover you should apply now for an absentee by mail ballot. Our elections staff is accepting ballot requests now. To request a ballot, fill out the request form here, then print it out and mail it to our county Board of Elections. (You will need Acrobat Reader to fill out the ballot form. If you don't already have it, download Acrobat Reader here for free.) Then tell every Democrat you know to do the same thing. The Board of Elections will begin mailing ballots in September.

An editorial in The Guardian said it: "If any lingering doubts remained, Tuesday should have erased them all. Republicans will weaponize anything – even in-person voting during a deadly pandemic – to maintain power, avoid accountability and bend electoral rules in their favor. Worse, the US Supreme Court will have their back. Make no mistake: the deliberate chaos and unthinkable images from Wisconsin on Tuesday – Americans on line for hours, wearing homemade masks, risking a gruesome respiratory disease to exercise their right to vote – wasn’t just a warning sign for November’s elections. It was Republicans’ dress rehearsal."

North Carolina Democrats Highlight Tillis' Perverse Opposition To Public Health Laws

(From NCDP) The current pandemic is giving new life to Senator Tillis’ wacky ideas about public health laws after a new ad campaign from North Carolina Democrats highlights comments he made in 2015. He said then that restaurant owners shouldn't be required to make their employees wash their hands after going to the restroom. View the ad here.

In addition to the new ad -- already the most watched video on NCDP’s Twitter account -- Democrats also put a spotlight on Tillis’ “record on public health, including a 2017 vote in favor of a bill that would've slashed the Centers for Disease Control's budget by 12 percent.”

Tillis is not just “haunted by” these comments, he’s out of touch with voters, per recent polling: 76% of voters -- including 77% of independents and 66% of Republicans -- said Tillis’ comments give them “very serious” concerns about him.

State Democratic Party Fights Trump's COVID Failures with "Waiting on Washington" Campaign

(From NCDP) NCDP this week launched “Waiting on Washington,” a new initiative to hold the Trump administration and its Republican allies accountable for their failure to prepare for and address the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The initiative will provide updates on the administration’s failure to prepare for a pandemic.

“The incompetence of the Trump administration and Republicans in Washington in responding to this crisis cannot be overlooked,” said NCDP Executive Director Meredith Cuomo. “Voters in North Carolina and across the country deserve to know exactly how Republican leaders failed to respond to this pandemic." Yesterday the New York Times ran a blockbuster story, He Could Have Seen it Coming: Behind Trump's Failure On The Virus which highlights the administration's many missed opportunities and ignored warnings.

EVENTS

NHCDP Virtual Precinct Forum -- April 13

When: Monday, April 13, 7 p.m.

Where: Zoom

This is an invite to our our weekly Virtual Meeting. This week we are going to hold a Precinct Forum via the Zoom online conferencing tool. This meeting is specifically intended for Precinct Officers, members, and people who live in a precinct -- namely, everyone! Susanne Werner will present precinct organization awards, we will introduce Jesse Braughton, the NCDP Regional Organizer for the 7th Congressional District and we will talk about steps you can take right now to help Democrats succeed in 2020.

If you are unfamiliar with Zoom, we recommend that you begin your efforts to sign in at 6:30. Use a laptop with a web cam or an iPad if you have one. If you need help, we have two volunteers who will help you get in: Jim Fleagle at (919) 426-3355 and Stephanie Fetzer at (704) 309-3918. This is how we will be holding meetings going forward, including the County Convention.

To join the Precinct Forum from your laptop or iPad (recommended) click here.

You can also click that link on a Desktop or smartphone if you don't have a laptop or iPad, but the video may not work as well.

To connect by phone (audio only):

One tap mobile

+16465588656,,321373830#

Dial by your location

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)

Meeting ID: 321 373 830

How To Support Democratic Candidates Using Social Media -- April 14

When: Tuesday, April 14, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. (Signups start at 5:45 p.m.)

Where: Zoom

The Leslie Cohen campaign will host an event: Learn How to Help Our Democratic Candidates on Social Media! Organizers will share tips and tricks that can increase our reach and engage more voters using social media. All technical levels welcome. Leslie is a candidate for County Commissioner.

Sign up and immediately receive a link to join the Zoom meeting on Tuesday, April 14. The meeting will open at 5:45 PM and start at 6:00 PM to give everyone time to access the meeting. Sign up here.

7th District Hump Day Virtual Hour with Congressional Candidate Chris Ward -- April 15

When: Wednesday, April 15, 2:00 p.m.

Where: Zoom

The Seventh Congressional District Democratic Party will hold a virtual get-together featuring Chris Ward, who is running for Congress in the 7th District. Seventh District Chair Sonya Bennetone suggests: "Join us in the safety of your home with your favorite drink at your computer or phone." For more information, click here.

Join by Zoom Virtual

Join URL: https://zoom.us/j/386565201

Conference Call

1 301 715 8592 US

Meeting ID: 386 565 201

NHCDP Supreme Court Town Hall -- April 20

When: Monday, April 20th, 7 p.m.

Where: Zoom

All three of the Democrats running for election in 2020 will join us on this call: Chief Justice Cherie Beasley, Justice Mark Davis, and Appeals Court Judge Lucy Inman. The candidates are asking us to submit questions in advance. If you have a question, please click here to send it to us.

New Hanover County Democratic Party Convention -- April 25

When: Saturday, April 25, 3 to 5 pm

Where: Zoom

7th Congressional District Convention -- May 16

When: Saturday, May 16 (tentative)

Where: Online

State Convention -- June 6

When: Saturday June 6

Where: TBD

We need to elect At-Large delegates to the Democratic National Convention at this meeting. For details about becoming a Delegate, click here. We will be in touch about plans for the convention.

Best,

Richard Poole, Chair

News Content by James Cummings

If you have any announcements, comments, questions or concerns regarding this email series, please contact the Editor here.

Paid for by the New Hanover County Democratic Party

Mailing Address:

NHCDP

PO Box 3036

Wilmington, NC 28406

Office Address:

5041 New Centre Drive

Wilmington, NC 28403

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