Monthly Meeting Zoom

From the Chair

Hello 23rd LD Democrats,

What an enormous night on Tuesday for the State and Nation!  I was cautiously optimistic we’d see a blue wave, but we got the blue tsunami!  So many groups who walked away from us in ’24 came back to our tent with new energy.  This is not the inevitable result of demographic shifts.  People are struggling and they hoped Trump would deliver for them.  Instead, they got economic pain, domestic terror and international chaos.  Despite the Supreme Court gutting the Voting Rights Act, allowing blatant mid-cycle partisan gerrymandering and permitting unlimited corporate and billionaire spending on our elections, Americans sent a huge message.  The national results include many historic firsts: a Black woman governor (in Georgia), a Native American woman governor (in New Mexico), a Black speaker of the house (from New York), a Native American woman senator (in Minnesota), a Native Alaskan senator (hopefully),  an openly gay male senator (in New Hampshire), and a Muslim senator (in Michigan).

Our state Chair, Shasti Conrad, says “Washington Democrats have achieved a supermajority in the State House of Representatives for the first time since the 1948 election.  Now the hard work truly begins to reign in the cost of living, protect the civil liberties of every Washingtonian, and continue building the best state in the nation.”  She is so right - progressive movements across the nation and world are looking for us to show that good government at all levels can improve the lives of all.  It’s a time for boldness, not incremental improvements.  Let’s not just talk about delivering universal health care, squashing government corruption, supporting working families with decent pay and benefits, housing the unhoused and protecting the planet.  Let’s do it.  If not now, then when?   

As of this writing, the winner of our LD23 State Rep Position 1 race has not been called.  To all our electeds at the LD, County, State and National levels, congratulations!  Our party organization looks forward to your continued success in Port Orchard, Olympia and DC standing up for all the people in our communities.

We will have our November membership meeting on 19 November at the Poulsbo Library and not the fourth Thursday, which is Thanksgiving.  Bring a friend to our meeting! 

Two proposed bylaw changes were introduced to the membership at the October meeting.  They will be formally distributed before the November meeting .  Only PCOs are allowed to vote on the bylaw changes. 

Reorganization meeting planning is proceeding.  It will be in two phases.  The first is planned for Saturday, 12 December from 1-3 at the Sylvan Branch of the Kitsap Library in Bremerton, in person.  While the following may change slightly based on Bylaws revisions being considered at the Reorganization meeting, PCOs will elect the following officers for a two-year term: Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer, Deputy Treasurer, and two State Committee Members.  At Phase 2 in January, the membership will elect the remaining eight members from within the boundaries of the 4 school districts within the 23rd LD.

All current memberships will expire 31 December.  We have opened membership renewal on the website for the period ending December 2027.  Dues remain $30 per individual and $60 per couple.  If you plan to seek an office or executive board seat, please make sure you  have renewed your membership before the election.  Per a Public Disclosure Commission ruling, we may no longer offer joint membership with the Kitsap County Democrats.  We encourage you to join them as well. 

Reorganization is a time for renewal!  The strength and success of our organization depends on the efforts of volunteers who take on either long-range or short-range tasks and deliver.  Please consider running for these positions and reach out to the members of our community you know who are capable and willing to help out.  Our diversity is our strength.  In the coming weeks we’ll provide more details of the Board Member roles and the tasks of Committees. 

Ted Jones, Chair LD 23 Democrats

* We’ll be collecting food (canned) and personal hygiene items at the next meeting.

Events

Are you tired of all the single-use plastic in our lives? Are you concerned about plastic litter and plastic in our bodies?

Come to the inaugural meeting of the Kitsap Pushing Back on Plastic group at the Kingston Village Green Community Center on Wednesday, November 18, 6-7:30pm. We will discuss various actions we can take as a group and individually. We would love to see you in person (email for carpooling opportunities), but there is also a Zoom option.

Refreshments served!

Please email Bob Murphy - plastickitsap@gmail.com - to be added to the notification list for meeting announcements.