PM Weekly Memo for Monday September 26, 2022: Six Weeks Until the General Election!
[Pre-header]: Our weekly newsletter covering the 2022 election and news you can use! Progressive Maryland is gearing up for the election. More on the 2022 election and news you can use in this week's memo.

Dear Friend,

Shana Tova to all who celebrate! Autumn has arrived, too, and with it an opportunity to talk to voters throughout the state about the general election. We did that on Saturday, concentrating our outreach in neighborhoods in Prince George’s County. Thanks to all who joined us, including our Task Force and Chapter leaders, our affiliated community and labor organizations as well as our grassroots volunteers. On Saturday we did a combined 64 phone bank and door knocking shifts, and made attempts to reach more than 7,000 voters. We got a good response from the people we reached (and recruited some new volunteers!) and if folks weren’t home we were able to leave our new election lit at their doors: check it out

We know there’s an enormous contrast between the agenda that the Republicans are pushing (restricting our healthcare, school budgets, and environmental protections) and what the Democrats are campaigning for (expanding healthcare, the pool of public school teachers and staff, and action on climate) but many voters, busy with their daily lives, may not. We have to be prepared that voters could get confused by the lies coming from the GOP candidate for governor, Dan Cox, and his campaign. It was reported last week that Cox plans to visit Mar-a-Lago soon to collect big checks from rich Trump donors (probably to pay for misleading ads).

We can’t leave anything to chance: doing one to one outreach, sharing a vision with folks, having a real conversation is still the best way to connect with potential voters and engage them in the democratic process.

So please join us! This Thursday, Sept. 29th, we’ll be making calls. Sign up here: [link removed]
You can also kick off the month of October this Saturday by knocking on doors at our Day o: [link removed]

Ballots will be going out soon to those voters who request them so voting is already getting underway. We’re excited to turn out the vote to elect Wes Moore Governor, pass Question 4 to legalize marijuana, and turn swing districts and counties blue this year.

Can’t make it to a voter event this week? Please take a minute now and fill out this form to get involved with the PM election team.
We provide training and support to all of our volunteers, no matter your experience level. We hope to see you soon!

Many Thanks,
The Progressive Maryland Team


Quick Actions:

Join our Throwdown Thursday voter outreach from 6-8pm.

Sign up for our National Day of Action on Rx Prices on October 6, both online and in-person

Sign this petition to tell the Prince George’s Council: No on CB 92!

📝 Election Corner
Important Election Dates and Deadlines: Be sure you’re registered, Be sure to make your plan to vote
.
Click here for answers to your questions about voting.

General Election Dates and Deadlines:
Voter Registration can take place:
In person during early voting : Oct 27 - Nov 3
In-person at voting location on Election Day : Nov 8
Online : Oct 18
By mail (postmarked by) : Oct 18
Mail In Ballot Requests and Return Dates Ballot deadlines
Request ballot (received by) : Nov 1
Return ballot by mail (postmarked by) : Nov 8
Return ballot in person : Nov 8
Vote In Person Dates
Early voting : Oct 27 - Nov 3
In-person : Nov 8


Task Forces and Issue Campaigns Updates:

Health Care For All:
Join us for a National Day of Action to Bring Down Rx Prices at noon on October 6th. Sign up here: pgmd.us/MMAOct6DOA. We’ll be calling OUT House and Senate Republicans who constantly side with greedy drug companies against patients who need life sustaining medication. We’ll be calling ON HHS Secretary Becerra to use Executive Action to lower the cost of medicines. Come to D.C. on October 6th or join us online with folks from across the country. If you haven’t already, take a minute to sign this petition asking Sec. Becerra to meet with us. If you have questions, have an Rx story, or want to help, please contact Patty.

Progressive Maryland's Justice Task Force, Returning Citizens Task Force and Drug Task Force:
We’re teaming up for a Special Virtual Event Thursday, October 13! Join us to learn about the issues we’re organizing on and find out ways to get directly involved. We’ll also hear from some special guests! You must register for this event to get the Zoom link. Questions? Please contact Kurt or Dev.

Returning Citizens Task Force:
Our Task Force meeting is tomorrow, Tuesday, September 27, 6-7 pm on zoom. We’ll hear a presentation about Progressive Maryland’s new co-governing project, created to help us advance our issues in Annapolis. If you’d like to attend, contact Kurt

Voter registration/expungement clinic Saturday, October 22, in conjunction with other Get Out the Vote activities this Fall. The clinic will be held at a local church, on Saturday October 22 and will be focused on letting returning citizens know their voting rights. Stay tuned for details or contact Kurt about this event .
We appreciate the growing interest in our RCTF and the work of our grantees! Here’s an article about a recent gathering that Progressive Maryland convened to discuss trauma informed care for formerly incarcerated residents. (reposted in Metro News) [link removed]



Local Chapter Updates:
Progressive Prince George’s
Zoning Campaign: We won! Our organizing and partnership with PG Changemakers helped spark a huge public outcry forcing Councilmembers Hawkins and Franklin to withdraw their anti-democratic zoning bill (Council Bill 91) a bill that would have changed the rules to require a Supermajority (8 Council votes) to pass community-centered zoning legislation. But more organizing needs to be done to defeat CB 92 which could be voted on in October. This measure will strip away opportunities for the community to weigh in on a development project that’s unwanted, a process that’s been in place for years.
Help us keep the momentum going:
Add your voice by signing this petition
Send a pre-filled email (or write one of your own!)
Get involved with Progressive Prince George’s: fill out this form
Progressive Harford County
Our next meeting is Monday, October 17, at 7:00 on zoom. Contact Zack to get involved with our Chapter.


State and National News:
State and local elections officials will be able to start counting the (expected deluge of) mail-in ballots as they come in, rather than waiting till after the polls close and slowing the count by days or weeks, a judge has ruled. And caregiving, mental health (especially of students) and the infrastructure to boost COVID recovery (including broadband access) are already on the minds of Assembly leaders. Get that news and more in this week’s Progressive News You Can Use blog.


Progressive Maryland BlogSpace:
We value creating space for our members to express their thoughts on any issues related to our campaigns. Have an idea for a blog post? You can submit writing, film, graphic design, etc. to be published on our website to the blog moderator Woody.
New Today – Mail ballots will be counted on time; caregiving, education recovery and mental health on Assembly agenda
Keeping the US government open; getting our election results without (double over) time for lies
Elected playas in the market? A season of Dem unity post-Hogan?
Improving Maryland’s vote counting; Senate back in D.C. with Sept. 30 due bills
Biden brings new word to Maryland; state's health picture somewhat brighter
>>Read more on the homepage of progressivemaryland.org

Click here to view this memo in your web browser


Progressive Maryland
P.O. Box 6988
Largo, MD 20792
United States
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