Waldo County Dems gathered for a busy July meeting to hear from Taylor Grant, President of the Maine Young Democrats, elect several members to County and State Party positions, and discuss upcoming events and activities.
WCDC Chair Paige Zeigler kicked off the meeting encouraging members to stay active and involved, even in the face of discouraging events. He noted that the election season has already started and we must be ready to support our candidates against an onslaught of Republican funding pouring into the state.
Vice Chair Valerie Tate reminded members that a video and presentation slides from our June forum, “Fair Taxes, Fair Shot Forum” with Maine Center for Economic Policy speaker Garrett Martin, are available on our website (here). Also, Maine Dems run trainings for local candidates and those interested in supporting candidates. Valerie noted that Paige spoke at the large No Kings Rally in Rockland and WCDC member Ashley Vissers is engaging with us in a conversation how to reach younger voters including through social media.
Engagement Committee Chair Cheryl Cassidy brought some important upcoming dates to our attention:
- Thursday July 17 5:00pm – Good trouble Lives On Rally for voters’ rights on the anniversary of the passing of Representative John Lewis at Post Office Square in Belfast.
- July 28 5:00-9:30pm – WCDC Pie Sale at the Belfast Street Fair where we will also register voters and sign up new volunteers, led by Chair Mary Eads and Sarah Hardy. Please look for the email WCDC sent out recently about volunteer/ pie needs.
- August 17 12:00-3:00pm – Volunteer Appreciation Picnic, a potluck picnic at the Mermaid Plaza in Searsport.
- September 20 (Saturday) WCDC table at the Common Ground Country Fair, where we’ll need volunteers for 2-hour shifts starting at 9:00am, going throughout the day.
Campaign Committee Chair Karen Rhyne let us know about resources the committee is developing for candidates and work with MDP to provide local candidates with resources and training.
Rep. Jan Dodge (Belfast, Belmont and Northport) reminded us of the slim majority we hold in the state Legislature and reported on a variety of bills. Check https://legislature.maine.gov/ for more info.
Our featured speaker was Taylor Grant, President of the Maine Young Democrats, an affiliate of Young Democrats of America. She noted that young people face barriers to political participation, including a lack of time available after meeting their work and personal obligations. She also offered the views of many young people that it is hard to belong to an organization that some feel has helped lead us to the mess we are in. Many young people feel there are too many obstacles to participating or don’t know how to get involved. She offered several suggested actions county committees and others can take to engage young people and engaged in a lively Q&A session. She also mentioned the YDA’s upcoming national meeting in Philadelphia. Maine Young Dems are fundraising to help those who want to attend, who must otherwise pay their own way and WCDC voted to donate $1000 to support their efforts. If you want to get involved or provide additional support, visit their website or sign up for their monthly newsletter.
Valerie noted that WCDC is planning a December 14 proposed forum with young Dem speakers, “What are young Dems saying?”
WCDC elected a new Secretary, Lynda Monro of Belfast; Betty Johnson of Lincolnville to the MDP Credentials Committee; and 3 representatives to the MDP Platform Committee, Sue Conard (Northport), Scott Cuddy (Winterport), and Caleb Elwell (Belfast). Thank you to everyone serving in these important roles!
As the meeting wrapped up, Sue Conard offered a shout-out to Indivisible Waldo County (IWC) for tirelessly organizing both individual and group actions. She encouraged members to visit the IWC Facebook page, sign up for its mailing list at indivisiblewaldocountyme@gmail.com, and visit the national Indivisible website, where you’ll find info about specific actions and can sign up to participate in the upcoming One Million Rising Training.