It may be hard to believe but another month has flown past and it’s time for another DWC Breakfast, coming up at 7:30am on March 1 at the Village Deli.
The March 1 DWC Breakfast Meeting will offer an opportunity to hear from all the woman candidates running for the municipal election this year. Voting on endorsements will occur at a special breakfast meeting on March 22, 7:30 at the Village Deli. Those who cannot attend will have the opportunity to vote by email with information and instructions coming out soon.
Our 2019 Municipal Candidates are: Amanda Barge for Mayor, Nicole Bolden for City Clerk, Kate Rosenbarger and Denise Valkyrie for City Council District 1, Dorothy Granger and Sue Sgambelluri for City Council District 2, Miah Michaelson for City Council District 4, Isabel Piedmont-Smith for City Council District 5, and Jean Capler and Susan Sandberg for City Council At-Large.
In reviewing the endorsement policy and practice, the Steering Committee has reviewed the original intend of endorsements. We offer the following statement:
“The DWC is dedicated to increasing the number of qualified women candidates for public office. The DWC membership may choose to offer formal endorsement to a candidate in some races, but may also choose to support multiple qualified candidates…. As a Political Action Committee (DWC PAC), the DWC is organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to promote its mission and to elect candidates. The DWC aims to foster an atmosphere of collegiality and mutual respect among all candidates, to elevate the level of public political discourse, and to promote informed civic engagement and participation among women more generally. Regardless of their ultimate decision at the ballot box, DWC members are encouraged to support all DWC candidates to become the best candidates they can be and running the best campaign possible.”
When the DWC was originally formed, and there was such a dearth of women in office, the steering committee DID ask the question about endorsing if two women would be running for the same office. “We should be so lucky!” was the response. Now we ARE this lucky.
The main change that will be made for this cycle is that membership voting on endorsements will be done by candidate and not individual race. It has been traditionally difficult when there was more than one qualified candidate in a given race for either of them to achieve the necessary 2/3 votes in order to be endorsed. This has limited the DWC’s ability to support all qualified women running for office and it was felt that this change would resolve that conflict. The object is to help women run the best race that they possibly can, and not to select a ‘winner’ for the race at the early stage of the primary process.
The decision as to whether or not a candidate is endorsed by the DWC is made by our membership after candidate vetting and review has taken place. In addition to the recommendations presented to the membership after the work of the Endorsement Committee, we encourage all members to become educated voters and to do their own research on all the candidates by checking out their websites, attending meet-and-greets, candidate forums and reading up on or listening to candidates’ interviews, letters, etc. We will try to provide links to candidate’s websites as well as information on events, interviews, forums, etc. via the MMN. All candidates and supporters of the DWC are encouraged to help us in this endeavor by submitting information at [email protected] for inclusion.
The following calendar is offered for chronology:
March 1, DWC Meeting, Village Deli at 7:30 am
Candidates will introduce themselves and speak briefly about why they are running.
March 2, DWC Resource meeting. Dem HQ, 116 S. Madison
Session for candidates seeking endorsements reviewing the process, interviews, questionnaires, campaign plans, and other materials needed for vetting.
March 3-9 candidate’s submission of materials to the Endorsement Committee (the committee itself will determine actual deadlines, etc.)
March 5-15 (Approximately) Endorsement Committee meets individually with candidates according to their schedules and availability. Endorsement Committee meetings pre and post interview to facilitate the report to the Steering Committee and membership (to include recommendations for endorsement).
March 16th Endorsement Committee Report on Recommendations due to Steering Committee
March 18th Monday Morning News will include Endorsement Committee Report and information on candidates for membership to review.
March 20th or 21st, Email Ballots will be sent to PAID MEMBERS with instructions on how to cast that ballot and the deadline for voting.
March 22, DWC Endorsement Meeting, 7:30 Village Deli
Candidates will address the DWC members.
Members vote on endorsements. (Email voting for those who are not able to attend.)
If you are unsure as to whether or not you are up to date as a member please email us at [email protected] and we will confirm your status for you. You can pay your annual membership dues online using the link at the bottom this newsletter - you can also pay your dues by mail using the membership form on our website.
Some other upcoming DWC Events that should be on your radar:
Look for our annual Karaoke Fundraiser coming up at the end of March or in early April - we hope to have the details for you very soon.
In addition, the DWC will have a display table at the Women’s History Month Lunch on March 20 and we plan to reserve at least one table for members and their friends to sit at at the Lunch…. if you’d like to sit with other DWC members please let us know asap…. see details in the Announcements section.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
Announcements
Events
Action Items
ANNOUNCEMENTS
KARAOKE IS COMING: start exercising your vocal chords and polishing up those songs - the annual DWC Karaoke fundraiser is coming soon at a new location here in Bloomington. We hope to have more details for you in our next MMN….
DWC at the Women’s History Month Lunch:
The annual Women’s History Month Lunch is coming on Wednesday, March 20 (see below) and the DWC will once again have a reserved table at the lunch. Reserved table seating allows you to sit with friends and to be closer to the speaker and other goings on… the cost is $34.50 per person. If you would like to sit with other DWC members at the lunch, or if you would like to donate a seat at the DWC table for a student, please email us at [email protected] asap so that we can determine how many tables to reserve.
Note: seating would be on a first come, first served, basis: we would need 8 guaranteed seats to add a table so we might not be able to accommodate everyone who asks….
Talking Politics on Big Talk with Michael Glab: Big Mike is interviewing selected candidates for Bloomington city council on Big Talk which airs Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 6:00pm on WFHB Community Radio, 91.3fm. He interviewed Kate Rosenbarger on Feb. 21 and Miah Michaelson is next up this Thursday, Feb. 28. All segments are archived after they’ve aired on the WFHB website.
Review the 2019 Primary Ballot at Election Central, 401 W. 7th St., Bloomington
February 27, 2019, will be a day to come to Election Central and see the new ballot for the Primary Election. This is open to the public and it is highly encouraged for ALL candidates running for an office to review their name on the ballot. Any misspellings or other errors can easily be corrected at this point so it is HIGHLY important to check the ballot out.
The Indiana Democratic Party Municipal Monday Webinar Series:
To view recordings of the webinars go to: https://www.indems.org/webinar-trainings-recordings/
How to File For Office - Matthew Kochevar, Democratic Legal Counsel for the IN Election Division
Campaign Finance - Anna Foster, Compliance Director for the IN Democratic Party
Social Media 101 - Trina Thomas, Digital Communications Specialist for the IN Democratic Party
Pre-Filing Questions / Campaign Goals - Katie Doyle, Municipal Caucus Director for the IN Democratic Party
Creating A Field Plan - Adi Ben-Yehoshua, Data Director for the IN Democratic Party
Fundraising 101 - Katie Doyle, Municipal Caucus Director for the IN Democratic Party
Information for Candidates on CATS Forums & "Candidates on Demand" Program
Michael White GM of CATS reports that he will have his crew at as many forums as possible during the primary season. However, he reports that the CATS Candidates on Demand program which tapes and airs candidates' statements will only happen during the run up to the General Election due to time and staffing issues.
Info on the Redistricting Standards Bill from the League of Women Voters
SB 105 ('Redistricting standards') had a third reading in the Senate last Thursday. The vote was: passed, 26 to 23. It moves to the House, where there will be attempts to add amendments about who will draw district lines. Write or call your legislators and ask them to support redistricting reform!
EVENTS:
Tuesday, February 26, 2019, 5:00 to 6:30pm
Hate Crime and Reproductive Health/Abortion in the 2019 Indiana Legislature
IU Maurer Law School Moot Court Room, 211 S. Indiana Ave., Bloomington
Indiana is one of only 5 states without a Hate Crime Law—and recent actions of the Indiana Senate stripping the bill again threaten passage. The Indiana legislature also is considering onerous new abortion restrictions that are unconstitutional under Roe v. Wade (in particular, HB1211) but that would allow the newly constituted Supreme Court to consider overruling constitutional protections.
Panelists include Indiana State Rep. Matt Pierce, Indiana State Sen. Mark Stoops, Bloomington City Council Member Jim Sims, Bloomington Police Chief Mike Diekhoff, Transgender Business Owner (Bikesmiths) Jeanne Smith, Dr. Robert Wrenn, IU Student Ricky Tellez, and IU Professors Jeannine Bell, Dawn Johnsen & Shruti Rana.
Sponsors include IU Maurer Law School organizations: American Constitution Society, Latinx Law Student Association, Black Law Students Association, Feminist Law Forum, If/When/How; Monroe County Black Democratic Caucus; Monroe County NOW; Planned Parenthood Advocates of Indiana and Kentucky; Indivisible Bloomington & Ninth District Indiana.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019, 7:00 - 8:00pm
Mayoral Meet The Candidates
Hodge Hall Room 1055, IU Bloomington, northeast corner of Tenth Street and Fee Lane
Hosted by IU Habitat For Humanity
From 7-8pm John Hamilton & Amanda Barge will be speaking, you will have the opportunity to meet the candidates and learn about their views on housing in Monroe County! Refreshments provided.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019, 9:00am to 3:00pm
Primary Ballot Review Day
Election Central, 401 W. 7th St., Bloomington
February 27, 2019, will be a day to come to Election Central and see the new ballot for the Primary Election. This is open to the public and is highly encouraged for ALL candidates running for an office to see their name on ballot. Any misspellings or any other error can easily be corrected at this point so it is HIGHLY important to check the ballot out.
Wednesday, February 27, 2019, 6:00 to 7:30pm
Meeting with State Superintendent Dr. Jennifer McCormick
MCCSC Co-Lab, 553 E. Miller Dr., Bloomington
A longtime educator and a Republican, Dr. McCormick has called for increases in state funding for education and for more transparency regarding voucher and charter schools. Since announcing her decision not to seek another term, she has been outspoken about the political pressures in Indiana on education policy. Dr. McCormick’s visit will be hosted by the Monroe County Community School Corporation, Indiana University School of Education, and the Indiana Coalition for Public Education of Monroe County. https://www.facebook.com/events/435091007234532/
Thursday, February 28, 6:00 to 8:00pm
Take Action Thursday: Fight for Public Ed!
Hoosier Action headquarters, 1461 W. Bloomfield Road, Bloomington
Hoosier Action and ICPE–Monroe County are partnering to fight for public education. Dinner and a brief training will be provided—then we will text Hoosiers from across the state to advocate for an increase in public education funding. When adjusted for inflation, funding has not recovered to pre-recession levels. We need the legislature to act in this budget year. You can RSVP and see details at the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2195358847189596/
Thursday, February 28, 6:30-8:30pm and Sunday, March 3, 2019, 3:00-5:00pm
Sue Sgambelluri For City Council Meet Your Candidate House Party, Idea Forum and Fundraiser
The February 28 event is hosted by Jocelyn Bowie and David Semmel and the March 3 event will be hosted by Tony & Julia Armstrong
Share ideas and hear more about Sue's priorities for our city. Enjoy the conversation! Contributions of all sizes are welcome and appreciated!
Visit https://www.facebook.com/SueForCityCouncil/ or www.SueForCityCouncil.com for locations and more information.
Thursday, February 28, 6:00pm
Monroe County Black Democrats Monthly Meeting
Democratic Headquarters
Friday March 1, 2019 7:30am - 9:00am
Democratic Women’s Caucus Monthly Breakfast
Village Deli
Saturday March, 2, 2019, 9:30-11:00am
League of Women Voters Legislative Update
Bloomington City Council Chambers, City Hall, Showers Complex
The public is invited to the second League of Women Voters Legislative Update of 2019.
State legislators representing Monroe County will discuss the ongoing Indiana General Assembly “long” session. Audience questions and concerns will follow the legislators' remarks.
The event will be taped by Cable Access Television Services through the Monroe County Public Library and will be replayed by CATS throughout the current legislative session.
Saturday, March 2 and Sunday, March 3, 2019, 11:00am
Canvassing with Amanda Barge
Canvassing teams depart from 221 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington
Join Mayoral candidate Amanda Barge for Barge on the Block canvassing. Haven’t knocked on doors before? There will be a fun and easy training session at 221 E Kirkwood Avenue, 10:30 each day and you can be paired up with an experienced canvasser.
Saturday, March 2, 4:30 to 6:00pm
Meet and Greet for Amanda Barge
716 W. Cherokee Dr., Bloomington, 47403
A Meet and Greet for Mayoral candidate Amanda Barge to get to know her better, learn about her stances on issues, and ask questions. Light food and drinks provided.
Thursday, March 7, 2019, 6:00pm
Democracy For Monroe County Monthly Link-Up: The New Tax Code And You
Noodles & Company, 2560 E. Third St., Bloomington
With the new tax code, the process of filing your tax returns may be mystifying. For their March link-up, DFMC will be hosting a panel of experts to talk about ways the new tax codes impact your tax returns and refunds. Presenters will include: Elizabeth Ruh from Personal Finance Services, a representative from the IU Law School to talk about tax law, and representatives from organizations who offer free tax help to low-income individuals and families. Come to have your questions answered!
Don't forget that the deadline to file your taxes is April 15.
Saturday, March 9, 10:30am - 2:00pm
IN Ninth District Democratic Party 2019 Training Workshop: Train. Run. Win. Workshop
Mid America Science Park, 821 South Lake Road S., Scottsburg, IN 47170
State Party staff and district organizers will feature interactive discussions including:
1) Campaign 101 - The Basic of Campaign Organization
2) Tips and Best Practices for Local Parties
3) Messaging, Branding & Persuasion
Democrats across our District are gearing up for the 2019 Municipal Election to help make our cities, our towns, our communities a better place to live, work and raise a family. Build momentum for a Democratic victory in 2019 and beyond….
RSVP: [email protected]
Wednesday, March 20, 2019, 11:15am to 1:30pm
Annual Women’s History Month Luncheon
Monroe County Convention Center, 302 S. College Ave, Bloomington
Hosted by the City of Bloomington Commission on the Status of Women and the Community and Family Resources Department
The 34th annual Women's History Month Luncheon. The theme of the luncheon is "Visionary Women: Champions of Peace and Nonviolence." Joyce Ajlouny will be the keynote speaker. Joyce serves as the General Secretary, the executive head, of the American Friends Service Committee, where she is responsible for the organization's worldwide peace and social justice programs and advocacy.
Thursday, March 21, 2019, 6:00pm
MCDP FDR Gala
Fountain Square Ballroom, Bloomington
Save the date for the annual FDR Gala held to celebrate Democratic candidates and the values for which the Party fights! More details to come!
Friday March 22, 2019 7:30am - 9:00am
Democratic Women’s Caucus Special Endorsement Breakfast Meeting
Village Deli
Saturday, March 30, 2019 10:00am - Noon
Women’s Leadership Development Event: Women. Power. Progress
City Hall Council Chambers
The annual Women's Leadership Development Event including keynote speakers, panel discussions, Leadership Scholarship recipients and the 2019 Emerging Leader Award winner.
This FREE event aims to help girls and women develop leadership skills they can use to improve the Bloomington community.
ACTION ITEM(s):
Volunteer to help the female candidate of your choice during this election. The sooner the better! If a candidate doesn't yet have a website with contact information, please email [email protected] and we will find that information for you!
Keep an eye out on the goings on at the State House - there are bills on redistricting, abortion, education, guns, and much more making their way or not making their way through the legislative session - attend the League of Women Voters Legislative Sessions, follow the bills on the State House website, keep informed and call your representatives to let them know what you think!
BECOME A DWC MEMBER or RENEW your membership!
The DWC is dedicated to inspiring, recruiting, training, supporting and funding women to increase the number of progressive, pro-choice women in the political arena. We ALL help with this mission, together, collectively. Make sure you have full rights and privileges of membership.
Only $20 for one year’s membership.
Join online here: https://democraticwomenscaucus.nationbuilder.com/membership
Do you have news items? Send your items of interest to us at [email protected]
Deadline for MMN is noon on Sunday.
Paid for by DWPAC - Democratic Women's Political Action Committee
Democratic Women's Caucus
http://www.democraticwomenscaucus.org/