Dear NHYD Members,

I hope this finds you well. Per our constitution, I am writing to formally notify you of the special election for NHYD President, due to Lucas Meyer’s recent resignation (letter attached below).

Special Election for NHYD President and June Board meeting:

Date: Thursday, June 18th

Time: 5:30pm-7pm (5:30-6:00 Special Election; 6:00-7:00 Board Meeting)

Location: Zoom access 

RSVP: https://forms.gle/6i2DVNgkNV8CjkBP6 Filling out this form is necessary in order to vote. 

Who can vote: 

Any New Hampshire YD (40 and under) who is registered to vote who has filled out their RSVP form.

Who can run for President: 

Any New Hampshire YD, 40 and under by the end of the assumed term (April 2021) who is registered to vote.

Declaring Candidacy Deadline: 

Fill out the attached form: https://forms.gle/GS9Z4rA3E7yQtWjT6 by 5pm EST on Friday, June 12th, 2020 

If desired, each candidate will be allotted up to 5 minutes to speak on June 18th, 2020 prior to the acceptance and commencement of online ballot submission 

Questions and Role Expectations:

If you have questions about the role of NHYD President and what the job requires in terms of duty and time commitment, you are encouraged to contact Lucas Meyer for more information. If you have questions about the election process please contact Kayla Montgomery.

Sincerely,

Laura O’Neill

NHYD Secretary

Lucas S. Meyer

New Hampshire Young Democrats

105 N State St

Concord NH 03301

To the members of NHYD,

Advocacy and campaign work alike are wonderfully exhausting work. But, what I have always found motivating about it all, is that you never truly know what will make the difference when it is all said and done. That uncertainty has driven me to lead the New Hampshire Young Democrats (NHYD) as an organization that will always grind it out until the last minute. Whether it's fighting back against a voter suppression bill targeted at our student voters for literally years in the legislature and in the courtroom, finding just one more candidate to run in a local special election, or squeezing out one last canvass shift before the polls close - we are always stretching ourselves to the limit to ensure we have done everything we can to continue to build meaningful youth power across the state one day at a time. 

An example of this persistence and dedication - an attitude our organization has tried to instill in all of us - comes from the city elections last fall. My best friend from first grade, Matt Gerding, was running for city council in Somersworth, one of the 35 Young Dem candidates running for city office. Like all candidates, I was incessantly annoying with comments about how many doors he had knocked or dollars he had raised. But, since I have known Matt since we were 8, I was also more blunt with him about the realities of his race as a first time candidate. "You're not knocking enough doors." "Look, it's not my name on the ballot, but you really ought to take another packet, and not a small one." Come Get out the Vote weekend, I was filled with so much pride watching my best friend, like all the other candidates, grinding it out until the last minute to help be the change their communities need. Then, on election night, as results came in and Young Dem candidates were winning across the state, I got word that Matt had won: by one single vote. We would then go to a recount in his race, and we would come out on top: again, by one single vote. 

It meant so much to me that I was able to be part of building an organization that helped my best friend in his first run for office, an organization part of the difference that sealed a 1 vote win margin for him, and an organization that reinforces the attitude that you never know what will make the difference at the end of the day. There is no action too small to pass up on. We all must remain dedicated, motivated, and tenacious if we want to build youth power in this state that can deliver real progressive change. Ever since I became President five years ago, that has been my goal for this organization. 

As I end this chapter as President of the New Hampshire Young Democrats, I am incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished together. We've raised funds at a record breaking pace, fueled by grassroots donations, that have allowed us to work with 175 candidates since 2017 at every level of the ballot; we have established ourselves as a powerhouse for advocacy on the issues impacting our generations every day; most of all, we have empowered young Granite Staters to know that our voices and our issues matter and need to be taken seriously by those in power. We've helped expedite that process by helping elect young people to those positions of power with the largest Young Dems Caucus in the State House in recent history, as well as a record number of Young Democrats elected to city and local office. But, what I am most proud of, is our work to build a community of young people across the state who can rely on one another and create an inclusive, welcoming space for all who want to get involved.

This organization has meant a lot to me over the past five years, and there are too many people to thank. However, I would like to thank the team who helped build this from the ground up: Amelia Keane, who was our first Executive Director and dedicated herself to this organization more than most people know, and was instrumental in building the foundation on which this organization rests on. Our former state organizing director Shaye Weldon, and our current state organizing director Molly Biron, who both have expanded this organization's membership reach and have taught me so much. As well as Laura Bryant, who has stepped up in these trying times to help lead our elections program. Everyone should take the time to thank each of them individually for all their hard work. Without them, NHYD would not be where we are today. I am continuously grateful for all their selfless, tireless, and humble dedication to building up NHYD into something unique and powerful. I would also like to thank the entire Board of Directors, especially the Executive team, for always guiding the organization to remain true to our principles. 

While this is the end of my term as President, I look forward to assuming a new position on the Board where I will continue to assist with this transition, as well as continue to help with fundraising to ensure we have the resources we need to support the record number of candidates running this election cycle. 

This is fundamentally the most important election of our lifetime, and I know all of you are ready to work harder than ever before. 

Thank you and talk soon,

Lucas