Democratic Women's Caucus

Give thanks to those who showed the way, in their history you will find 
How fierce love and stubborn strength can help us through the hardest times
Hold their courage in your hearts, sisters, worker, children, friends,
We know the vote was just a start, keep the faith as they did then.
Since they stood tall and signed their names 100 years have come and gone
so much has changed, so much remains, we go on, we still go on
Did you see that long long line, young women laughing filled with pride
they're about to vote for the very first time, like in the year of 1920
Si Kahn "1920"  - see the video

It has been almost 100 years since the 19th Amendment was ratified, starting the process of giving women in the U.S. the right to vote. As we begin voting here in Indiana for the 2020 elections let us not forget those who fought to give us the vote and as we reflect on the events of the last few months and, in particular the last few weeks, let us not forget the fights yet to come.. Today’s intro is written by a young woman who will likely be in the forefront of some of those fights. The youngest member of the DWC Steering Committee, Marleyla Wiltz won’t be able to vote until 2021, but she’s already a veteran of the local political process... here's what she wrote for us....

We have our primary election tomorrow. Showing up for the causes we believe in means showing up at the ballot box. Not only is it our civic duty, it is the most basic way to be the change we want to see in the world. As a 16 year old, however, I am ineligible to vote, and this could be a source of frustration. Okay, it is a source of frustration. However, there are many other ways to be involved in our democratic process and have an impact. The most obvious of these is joining local and grassroots organizations that influence policy. As a teen, there are many options. Some organizations you can look into would be the Black Democratic Caucus, the Stonewall Democrats, Young Democrats Club (or Young Republicans if you prefer) at the local high schools, the BHSS Women In Politics Club, Extinction Rebellion, or Youth for Environmental Sustainability. These groups are making impactful change by supporting candidates, organizing and educating the public, and even helping to draft policy. If joining a group isn’t your thing, there are more options still. You could work on campaigns or as a poll worker, impacting elections more directly. Now more than ever, participating in our democratic system is critical. Because I can’t vote yet, I am counting on those who can. To those of you who are voting tomorrow or have already cast your ballot, thank you. Thank you for contributing to positive change and supporting our democracy.

Help keep voters and election workers safe on Primary Election Day:

While many voters have been wearing masks at early voting, some have not.Penny Githens is coordinating the effort to ensure that as many voters as possible are wearing protective gear during their trip to the polls - you can help by signing up for a three hour shift at one of the 7 polling sites to help distribute masks to voters who don’t have their own PPE. The masks have been provided to the Election Office by Monroe County government. Shifts are 6am - 9am, 9am - noon, noon - 3pm, and 3pm - 6pm. If you can help please email Penny at [email protected] as soon as possible with the time you can work and your preferred polling site.

Don't disenfranchise yourself - get your ballot in on time!!

If you have not yet returned your ballot don't mail it – drop it off in person at Election Central before NOON on June 2. For after hours delivery there is a mail slot in the double doors at 401 W. Seventh St., Suite 401. Remember, your completed Ballot must be received by the Election Office by Noon on Primary Election Day – June 2. or it will not be counted. Please note that in the state of Indiana only you, your family members or guardian, or an appointed attorney can legally deliver your ballot.

EARLY VOTING:
Absentee in person voting ends today at Noon. Remember to bring your photo ID, wear a mask and practice good social distancing.

PRIMARY DAY VOTING: June 2 at your poliing location
Vote at your polling place between 6am and 6pm - note: this may not be the same location as you have voted in the past. Remember to bring your photo ID, wear a mask and practice good social distancing.

If you are not sure which precinct you vote in you can check on line at indianavoters.com. You can also find a list of who is on the ballot at that location

For the 2020 primary the polling sites have been reduced to 7 locations:
Edgewood High School, 601 S Edgewood Dr, Ellettsville
City Church for All Nations, 1200 N Russell Road, Bloomington
Bloomington City Hall, 401 N Morton St., Bloomington
Arlington Heights Elementary School, 700 W Parrish Road, Bloomington
Southside Christian Church, 500 E Empire Mill Road, Bloomington
Grandview Elementary School, 2300 S Endwright Road, Bloomington
Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, 2700 E Rogers Road, Bloomington

Here's where each precinct will vote on June 2:
• Bean Blossom 1, 2 – Edgewood High Schoo
• Benton 1, 2 – City Church for All Nations
• Bloomington 1, 2, 3 – Bloomington City Hall
• Bloomington 4 – Arlington Heights Elementary School
• Bloomington 5, 6, 7 – Bloomington City Hall
• Bloomington 8, 9, 10, 11 – City Church for All Nations
• Bloomington 12, 13, 14, 15 – Arlington Heights Elementary School
• Bloomington 16 – City Church for All Nations
• Bloomington 17 – Arlington Heights Elementary School
• Bloomington 18, 19, 20 – Bloomington City Hall
• Bloomington 21 – City Church for All Nations
• Bloomington 22 – Arlington Heights Elementary School
• Bloomington 23 – Bloomington City Hall
• Bloomington 24 – Arlington Heights Elementary School
• Clear Creek 1, 2, 3 – Southside Christian Church
• Indian Creek – Southside Christian Church
• Perry 1 – Bloomington City Hall
• Perry 2, 3, 4, 5 – Grandview Elementary School
• Perry 6 – Sherwood Oaks Christian Church
• Perry 7 – City Church for All Nations
• Perry 8 – Bloomington City Hall
• Perry 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 – Sherwood Oaks Christian Church
• Perry 15 – Bloomington City Hall
• Perry 16, 17 – City Church for All Nations
• Perry 18, 19 – Sherwood Oaks Christian Church
• Perry 20 – City Church for All Nations
• Perry 21, 22, 23 – Sherwood Oaks Christian Church
• Perry 24  – Southside Christian Church
• Perry 25 – Grandview Elementary School
• Perry 26 – Sherwood Oaks Christian Church
• Perry 27 – Grandview Elementary School
• Perry 28 – Sherwood Oaks Christian Church
• Perry 29, 30, 31 – Bloomington City Hall
• Perry 32 – City Church for All Nations
• Polk – Southside Christian Church
• Richland 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 – Edgewood High School
• Salt Creek  – Sherwood Oaks Christian Church
• Van Buren 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 – Grandview Elementary School
• Washington  – Arlington Heights Elementary School

Check monroecountyvoters.us for updated information. Questions may also be directed to the voter registration office by calling 812-349-2690.

stay safe, learn something new every day....

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

DWC ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPDATES:

The next DWC Monthly Breakfast meeting will be on Friday, June 5, 2020 at 9:00am - once again we will be meeting on Zoom and Facebook Live - full details and meeting links will be in a special MMN midweek.
On the agenda: A Primary Election Recap, information on Hoosier Women Forward, confirmation of two new Steering Committee members (see below) and a visit with Linda Lawson, candidate for Indiana Lieutenant Governor on the ticket with Dr. Woody Myers. We will be virtually bundling checks for Linda’s candidacy to help her with transportation and staffing needs.

Per the DWC Bylaws we have invited two women join the Steering Committee to bring our roster up to full strength subject to confirmation by the membership.Bridget Anderson and Ilana Stonebraker have great credentials, youthful energy and will make a great addition to our Executive group. Bio information and election details will be in next week’s Monday Morning News and you will have the chance to meet Bridget and Ilana at our virtual breakfast on June 5 before the voting. Since we’re having a virtual meeting we will also be voting virtually - by email - DWC members in good standing will receive voting information next week.

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ENDORSED CANDIDATE NEWS AND EVENTS:

Candidates, especially new candidates, often have a hard road to victory - but this year may be especially difficult - raising money, contacting voters and getting the message out is all going to be different in the age of coronavirus.
The list of DWC endorsed candidates with their websites and contact information can be found at: https://www.democraticwomenscaucus.org/candidates. We are continuing to work to make this page a comprehensive site for our candidates so please check back frequently.

Volunteer for Cheryl Munson: Who knew that County Council would be such a hot race this year? Cheryl is running for re-election to an At-Large seat in a crowded primary. If you would be interested in helping with Cheryl's campaign, please contact Olivia Reed at [email protected]. You can contact Cheryl at [email protected]. More info about Cheryl's Council accomplishments and future goals WWW.CHERYLMUNSON.US

Volunteering for Shelli Yoder: Get Out The Vote For Shelli - Team Yoder needs your help to get out the vote! To sign up for a virtual volunteer shift TODAY, please email [email protected] or text 812-671-0305.

Volunteer for Kara Krothe
If you are interested in volunteering to help elect Kara Krothe for Judge please contact us at [email protected] or visit karakrotheforjudge.com to sign up.

Note: The DWC’s mission is to recruit, fund and support pro-choice, progressive women candidates in Monroe County. For more information about candidates, candidate events and other political information that does not fall within this mission, check out, among others, the Monroe County Democratic Party Website, The Indiana Democratic Party Website and the Indiana Secretary of State's Election Division. If you don't currently get the Monroe County Democratic Party Dispatch, you can send a note to [email protected] to sign up.

UPDATED INDIANA PRIMARY CALENDAR - deadlines have been extended with the change in the Primary Date to 6/2/2020

Monday, June 1, 2020 - DEADLINE by noon, for a voter to vote an absentee ballot in person at the office of the circuit court clerk or satellite office (Early Voting ends)

Tuesday, June 2, 2020 - PRIMARY ELECTION DAY
Polls are open 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., prevailing local time. Due to the need to keep workers and voters safe, as well as balancing the reduced number of workers available, a need to provide as much coverage of the county as possible and the wish to be sensitive to the needs of the regular hosts, there will be 7 polls open on Primary Election Day: at Edgewood High School, Southside Christian Church, Sherwood Oaks, Grandview Elementary, Arlington Elementary, City Hall and City Church. If you must vote on primary day you will be able to check where your precinct will be voting on June 2 and get directions as well as information about who is on your ballot online at indianavoters.com.
DEADLINE by noon, for a voter to return an absentee-by-mail ballot to Election Central

The Monroe County Election Division is looking for democratic poll workers to work as Inspectors, Judges, Clerks and Sheriffs. 
To work the polls in the 2020 Primary you must:
     • Be a registered voter in the state of Indiana.
     • Attend training,  provided by the Election Board.
     • Have access to transportation.
You will be paid for training, working at the polls and a $25 food allowance. Training will take place between May 21 and May 29, 2020.
There will be some major differences between this primary and previous years. Polling sites have been reduced to seven locations: Arlington Heights Elementary, Bloomington City Hall, City Church, Edgewood High School, Grandview School, Sherwood Oaks Church and Southside Christian Church.
All workers will be supplied a face shield, mask, gloves and plenty of hand sanitizer as well as continuous cleaning throughout the day. There will be someone at each location designated to monitor flow of traffic and social distancing.  
There is a first come first served basis for applicants seeking to work the polls as the time to fill roles and train workers is limited. 
If you are interested in working at a polling location, please contact Orion Saft at [email protected] ASAP
More information can be found at: http://monroecountyvoters.us/pollworkerportal.html

The Indiana Democratic Convention is slated for Saturday, June 13 - this will be a virtual meeting
The National Democratic Convention has been moved to August 17-20 in Milwaukee. 

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CANDIDATE & OTHER POLITICAL TRAININGS:

Indiana Democratic Party

A Candidate Tool Box, Precinct Committee Person Handbook, VAN training and links to the Party’s Webinar Training Series can be found at https://www.indems.org/trainings-and-voter-file-access/

The Emily's List Training Center:
Training pro-choice Democratic women to run for office - and win
https://trainingcenter.emilyslist.org

National Democratic Training Committee Webinars
The NDTC has and extensive list of webinars and courses in political management, messaging and communication, fundraising, and running for office. Check out their list of courses at https://traindemocrats.org/course-catalog/

The Campaign Workshop

Part of adapting to this new virtual reality is finding innovative ways to capture the attention of both your supporters and potential voters. Now that many of us spend the majority of our time glued to a screen, it's even harder to break through the noise. How to tell a compelling story and engage community members:
• Taking a Long-Term Approach to Non-Profit Storytelling
• Community Advocates: What Does It Take?
• How to Choose the Right Political Direct Mail Printing Paper
How to Win a Campaign Podcasts:
New this week: Episode 8: Fundraising Like A Pro (feat. Amie Kershner)

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OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The Indiana Democratic Party has announced that the speaker at this year’s virtual Hoosier Hospitality Dinner will be Congresswoman and DCCC Chair Cheri Bustos (IL-17). The dinner will take place on Friday, June 12 at 5:30pm. When you get a ticket to our virtual Hoosier Hospitality Dinner, you’re unlocking an exclusive offer to hear from elected officials and Party leaders and Democrats from across the country.. But you don’t have to risk your health to watch them, just open your computer. Get your tickets here! You won’t want to miss out on this exclusive opportunity.

If you are running for Indiana Convention Delegate you should have received a call to virtual convention from the Democratic Party outlining the process and voting details and asking you to provide additional information to them prior to the convention. If you did not receive this email please contact [email protected]. Note: due to the short time between the primary and the Indiana Democratic Convention all candidates for convention delegate are receiving this information but only those who are actually selected in the primary (that would be all candidates running in District 1 or 3 where there fewer than candidates than spots and the top 16 vote winners in Districts 2 and 4) will participate.

Dr. Woody Myers has selected former State Representative Linda Lawson to be his running mate and the next Lieutenant Governor of Indiana! Linda’s experience as a leader in law enforcement, in public education, and in the General Assembly make her the perfect partner for Woody in leading Indiana out of the current pandemic and economic downturn.The Myers-Lawson ticket is just what Indiana needs to take on whatever crisis comes next: Hoosiers couldn’t ask for a better combined resume from two highly accomplished professionals.
Welcome Linda by supporting the Myers/Lawson campaign today.

MONROE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY EVENTS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: 
contact the Monroe County Democratic Party at [email protected]

Some Useful Websites in the fight against Covid-19

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Covid-19 Resources for Bloomington, Ellettsville & Monroe County

No Space For Hate Covid-19 Mutual Aid
Are you homebound and in need of help getting access to groceries and other supplies? For your friends and neighbors who are homebound and quarantined, are you willing to help make grocery deliveries and supply runs?

NextDoor.com for your neighborhood

Open for Bloomington - support for local restaurants (note site may take some time to load)

Unemployment Information:
Indiana Department of Workforce Development

BOARD AND COMMISSION OPENINGS: A great way to get involved and learn about how government works in Monroe County and Bloomington and to make a difference in your community:

CITY OF BLOOMINGTON B&Cs
For information City Commissions that have vacancies at this time, contact the office of the City Clerk or check https://bloomington.in.gov/boards to see the nature of the board or commission, recent minutes and actions, and how that particular vacancy is filled.

MONROE COUNTY GOVERNMENTAL B&Cs
The Monroe County Board of Commissioners invites you to apply to serve on a Board or Commission! There are immediate openings on a number of these bodies, including: Animal Management, Environmental Commission, and the Human Rights Commission. For information on each of them, see https://www.co.monroe.in.us/boards/. The application is available in a tab at the right side of the boards page. If you have any questions, please contact Julie Thomas ([email protected]). 

CALENDAR OF EVENTS THAT MIGHT BE OF INTEREST TO OUR MEMBERSHIP:

In this time of uncertainty, check prior to leaving for any in-person meeting...

Through December 31, 2020
VOTES FOR WOMEN: The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Monroe County
Monroe County History Center, 202 E. 6th St., Bloomington
Commemorating the centennial of the 19th Amendment to the US Constitution granting women the right to vote with a year-long exhibition in the Deckard Education Room. Featuring Monroe County women involved in the struggle for suffrage in the context of the State and National suffrage movements based on the research of Hilary Fleck and supported by the May Wright Sewall Fellowship from Indiana Humanities. Sponsored by The Indiana Women’s Suffrage Centennial, the Monroe County Bicentennial, the City of  Bloomington, and Monroe County NOW

Tuesday, June 2, 2020, 6:00am-6:00pm - Polls are open for the Indiana Primary

Wednesday, June 3, 2020, 11:00am-7:00pm
8 Hours for 8 Minutes
Kirkwood Avenue
Hosted by Stand For Something, Kneel For Everything
Taking a stand by Kneeling... one hour for every minute that George Floyd was begging for his Life to be saved
https://www.facebook.com/events/2547404022193495/

Thursday, June 4, 2020, 6:30am-8:30pm
DFMC June Linkup - Our Community Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic
Zoom
The current COVID-19 has brought into stark relief the serious vulnerabilities health care, housing, and food that our community faces. Four activists will discuss their views on these issues:
* Dr. Rob Stone - Director of Medicare for All, Indiana
* Emily Pike - Executive Director at New Hope for Families
* Abby Ang - Organizer with Monroe County Mutual Aid for COVID-19
* Forrest Gilmore - Executive Director at Shalom Community Center
https://www.facebook.com/democracyformonroecounty/

Friday, June 5, 2020 - DWC Monthly Breakfast - we will be meeting again on Zoom and Facebook Live in June - full details and links coming mid week.

Friday, June 5, 2020, 3:00pm
Peaceful March/Protest against Police Brutality
Dunn Meadow
Hosted by Monroe County Mutual Aid for Covid-19
Speakers will include: Dr. Charlie Nelms, Community Activist; Rev. Jimmy Moore, Pastoral Staff at St. Mark’s; Shelton Meyers, Student Speaker; Jennifer Crossley, Chair of the Monroe County Democratic Party ; Seth Debro, Chair of the Commission of the Status of Black Males. Gloria Howell, Vice Chair, Dr. MLK Birthday Commission; Shatoyia Moss, Director of Safe and Civil City; Jim Sims, City Council At-Large; Dr. Amrita Chakrabarti Myers, Black Lives Matter Bloomington
https://www.facebook.com/events/3053893141326870/

June 5-7 - #wearorange weekend
While we're all staying at home or working jobs deemed essential, we'll all Wear Orange on June 5th for National Gun Violence Awareness Day. We Wear Orange to honor the more than 100 Americans shot and killed every day and the hundreds more wounded.
Our local Moms Demand Action have planned a few activities to allow people to mark Wear Orange weekend while socially distancing:
* posting "Wear Orange/We Can End Gun Violence" yard signs (we will deliver to your door)
* painting orange rocks with gun violence awareness messages and dropping them off at the Square in front of the Peace statue (as per attached) -- great activity to do with kiddos
* distributing orange lanterns (with kite string to avoid environmental damage) for launching on the night of June 5th. 
There is a limited supply of signs and lanterns, so please contact Rachael Guglielmo to let them know if you'd like one and they’ll let you know if they can get it to you! 
Post photos on social media using the hashtag #WearOrange. Connect with the Bloomington chapter of Moms Demand Action on Facebook here. Watch this video to learn more about why we #WearOrange.

Sunday, June 14, 2020, Noon to 1:30pm
Monroe County NOW June Chapter Meeting
Zoom
Featuring: Megan Stuart, Director of the LGBT Law Project for Indiana Legal Services Inc.
https://www.facebook.com/events/284033419302767/

Tuesday, June 23, 2020, 10:00am - 3:00pm
Red Cross Blood Drive
Monroe County Commissioner’s Office, 302 S. Walnut
You must make an appointment to donate - Schedule online or call 1-800-RED CROSS.
For more information click here

ACTION ITEM(s):

1. Support our endorsed candidates as they negotiate an unprecedented primary session. The best way to support them is to make sure your mail in ballot is received at election central by NOON on June 2 or vote at the polls.

2. Participate in peaceful protests condemning violence against people of color around the country. Listen, learn and continue to fight for justice and change. Donate to organizations that are working to effect change.

3. Renew your membership in the DWC for 2020 (see below) and get involved with the DWC - there are ways you can contribute beyond your membership support...Our most urgent need is for help with our Social Media: we are looking for women to help us maintain and keep our social media pages up to date and to contribute to writing and/or editing the Monday Morning News. A couple of our long time writers will be unavailable after this spring. This doesn’t necessarily require a major time commitment. If you’re interested please email us at[email protected]

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES

Todd Young:
https://www.young.senate.gov/contact/email-todd
(202) 224-5623

Mike Braun
https://www.braun.senate.gov/contact-mike
(202) 224-4814
(317) 822-8240

Trey Hollingsworth
https://hollingsworth.house.gov/contact/
(202) 225-5315 (U.S. House) or (812) 288-3999 (Jeffersonville Office)

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/