Newsletter #70, Thursday, August 2, 2018
90 weeks down, 14 weeks to midterm elections
VOTE in the Primary Election: Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Facebook ‌ Twitter ‌ LinkedIn ‌
Greetings!

We believe that there is a limit to what we can accomplish trying to get many of our elected officials to reflect our values of equality and acceptance. Consequently, we will be emphasizing events and actions that will lead to replacing those elected officials. This newsletter contains many suggestions to contact your congresspeople. To acquire their contact information, click here .
‘Voting Is Sexy’: College voters in Michigan need to know these tips
This video for college voters is “How to Vote Absentee as a First-Time Student Voter.” Read more...
Is it okay to take a selfie while you're voting (and other things to know about primary voting in Michigan)
  1. Where and when are the primaries?  
  2. Can’t make it to the polls? How do you vote absentee? NOTE: Deadline to apply is Saturday, August 4! 
  3. Can you vote for more than one party?
  4. If you've moved recently, can you still vote in the primary?
  5. Can I vote if I don't have an ID? 
  6. What else do I need to know?
By the way, the answer to taking selfies in the voting booth is No . Find the answers to these other important questions  here .  -  Michigan Radio
Ensure you’ll have a ballot for 2018 primaries and midterms
Spend 60 seconds to verify your right to vote.
  1. Check that you haven’t been removed from your state’s voter rolls (check here).
  2. Ensure that you meet your state’s voter ID requirements (check here). If you need help with getting ID or transport, go here or here.
  3. Put your state’s primary dates in your calendar (check here).
  4. Make sure your polling place hasn’t been moved (check here).
  5. Important: Share these steps on social media so your friends can also vote.
Events and things to do that can help make a difference in the 2018 elections
Friday, August 3. Canvass for the Washtenaw Democratic Party

Thursday, August 2 thru Tuesday, August 7. Get out the Vote
RSVP: Thursday , Friday , Saturday , Sunday , Monday , Election Day .   IBEW Local 252 , 7920 Jackson Rd, Ann Arbor . 10 am–9 pm (M/Th/F/Sat/Sun); 9 am –7 pm (Election Day).

Saturday, August 4. Last chance to request to vote Absentee
If you want to vote Absentee, you must request the ballot before 2 pm this Saturday, August 4 and it must be submitted (with your signature) to the Clerk's office by 8 pm on Tuesday August 7. Our August 7 primary will be our test run for our turnout success. Then on November 6, we'll have the opportunity to truly test the appetite for our current legislators.

Saturday, August. 4. Ann Arbor and Ypsi Clerk's Office Open for Absentee Voting
Ann Arbor City Hall, 2nd floor, 301 E. Huron, Ann Arbor . Click here for more information . 8 am - 2 pm. Ypsilanti Township Clerk Office will also be open Saturday, August 4th 9am–2:30 pm. The number of absentee ballots are up over 200,000 since 2014. If you want change, we need to make our voices heard at the ballot box.

Canvass for Sam Bagenstos and Megan Kathleen Cavanagh
If you want to get started with your neighborhood, the contact information and the candidate cards are available.. If you'd like to have prepared lists before our official kickoff shortly after the primary, and the WCDP will get them to you. Contact the POC at [email protected] or call (734) 480-8508.
Upcoming Events
The PEG event calendar is provided as a community service to its readers, and is based on information provided by the event sponsors. Inclusion of material does not imply endorsement by PEG.
Thursday, August 2.  WeROC Meeting of the Whole
Community Church of God, 565 Jefferson St, Ypsilanti , 5:30–7:30 pm

Friday, August 3. Meet and Greet with Democratic Candidate for Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Special Guest State Representative Ronnie Peterson
Ypsilanti Senior/Community Center, 1015 N. Congress, Ypsilanti. 4– 5:30 pm

Attend a MI-Resistance calling party
This week’s focus: Demand release of SCOTUS nominee Kavanaugh documents for review.
Saturday, August 4. Planned Parenthood Tabling at Ann Arbor Pride   
This is an important opportunity to distribute buttons, bumper stickers, t-shirts, literature on endorsed candidates -- as well as info on voter registration and precinct organizing.  Sign-up for two-hour shifts. Sign up for a time slot here . Contact Ethan Schmidt for more info at [email protected] . Catherine St. between Fourth and Main St. in Ann Arbor. 8 am–8 pm.
 
Saturday, August 4. Planned Parenthood Tabling at Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market Contact Ethan Schmidt for more info at [email protected] . 8 am–4 pm.
 
Sunday, August 5. Creative Tactics: Direct Action, Non-Violent CD
The weekly training program is open to all Michigan United members, friends, and allies. Trainings take place from 2–4 pm at the Michigan United office, 4405 Wesson,Detroit .  Please confirm with Ken Whittaker, [email protected] , to ensure that there have been no changes to the schedule.
 
Thursday August 9. 12th District Dems Monthly Meeting
Please email [email protected] with any questions you might have. UAW, 9650 South Telegraph Rd., Taylor , 6:15 pm Executive Meeting, 7 pm General Meeting.
 
Friday, August 10. Washtenaw County Democratic Party Unity Dinner with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell
RSVP to Ashley Hall or to get more information, [email protected] , (248) 320-3887. Local 898, 8975 Textile Rd, Ypsilanti. 6–8 pm.

Friday, August 10 and Saturday, August 11. Help the Western Washtenaw Democrats staff their Dexter Daze booth
As a booth worker, you will be meeting/greeting people coming to the Festival and talking to them about who they are and what they're doing. Don't worry if you think you don't know what to say -- we'll provide info for you to share. Sign up for as many shifts as you want - and bring a friend! If you can only do an hour, that's OK, too. After your shift, stick around for the fun at the Festival. Sign up here .
 
Saturday, August 11. 12th Democratic Congressional District Convention
UAW Region 1A, 9650 Telegraph Rd., Taylord . Registration is from 11:30 am until noon.
Saturday August 11. Interfaith Council on Peace and Justice Poverty Simulation
A Poverty Simulation is a three-hour experiential learning workshop in which participants are sensitized to the realities of living in poverty. Volunteers “staff” create a “community” with stores and agencies in which participants interact for four 15-minute weeks. Questions: Contact ICPJ at (734) 663-1870 or email [email protected] . Ann Arbor location TBD. 8:30 am - noon.

Saturday, August 11. Michigan For Single Payer Healthcare General Meeting
What is Single Payer, aka “Medicare For All”?  How will Single Payer benefit me and others? Come and join us to learn all about Single Payer Healthcare! Please RSVP to [email protected]. Journey of Faith Christian Church, 1900 Manchester Rd. , Ann Arbor 12 – 2 pm.

Sunday, August 12. Washtenaw County Democratic Party County Convention
Chelsea District Library, 221 S. Main St., Chelsea . Registration will begin at 1:30 pm. The convention will be from 2 –4 pm.

Sunday, August 12.   WCDP Precinct Organizing Committee Canvassing Training
For more information, email [email protected] or call 734-480-8508. Gladwin Center, 4105 W. Liberty, Ann Arbor . 1–3 pm.
Read, watch and listen
Under State Control: Our Body, Ourselves
Through Dem Labs and Flip Grid technology, The Birthright Impact Campaign made a film, “Birthright: A War story”  based on actual women sharing horror stories of being denied prescriptions for contraception or to induce an abortion, based on the religious beliefs of the pharmacist. Read more...

Purging the Voter Rolls with Gusto
When the Supreme Court struck down a key  key section of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which protected minority voters from state disenfranchisement, states began making changes to the voter rolls without getting federal approval.  Read More...

DeVos to eliminate rules aimed at abuses by for-profit colleges
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos plans to cut ‘14 Obama rules which would cut aid if a student’s loan payment was too much. In Jan 2017 800 programs (98% for-profit) failed to meet requirements." - The New York Times
DETER bill to impose Russian sanctions if they meddled in U.S. elections
Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) want a vote on a Senate Bill, S2785 , called "DETER", that would impose new sanctions if U.S. intelligence officials determine Russia meddled in U.S. elections. The DETER Act would make sanctions more automatic and aim to punish Russia’s finance, energy, defense and other sectors. Read more at Reuters Senators push sanctions to send Putin election meddling warning . Find your own S enators here so you can tell them you want the DETER Act brought to the Senate floor for a vote and that we support it. We can also tell Senators Rubio and Graham that we support them on this.
Read about Michigan for Single Payer Healthcare
Check out the blog in the August Newsletter , below that link.  Please share the Single Payer Shout Out newsletter and our website address with your friends to help build the movement for Single Payer in Michigan!
2018 Election: Get ready, get set....
Here are sources to get you ready to vote in the August 7 Primary
  • This two-page brochure from the Michigan Secretary of State's office provides a ton of facts about the voting process in an easy-to-use format.
  • The Ann Arbor League of Women Voters http://lwvannarbor.org/ has links to nonpartisan information about candidates and issues.
  • The Michigan Voter Information Center will provide you complete information on your own voter registration including where to vote, sample ballots, tracking the status of an absentee ballot, and more. Just go to https://vote.michigan.gov/MVIC/. 
  • Also, the League of Women Voters (LWV) has a helpful website www.vote411.org. Put in your address on this site, then click on “Get personalized information on candidates and issues” to see a listing of the races in which you can vote. When you click on a race, you will see a list of candidates. You can click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate, including the candidate’s responses to questions asked by the LWV. If you like a candidate, you can click on the “select this candidate” button at the end of their responses. You can also compare two candidates. When you have finished making your selections, the site provides a printable list of your choices as your “personalized ballot”. The site also gives information about upcoming debates and forums and provides links to videos of recorded candidate forums.
2018 Voter & Candidate Toolbox
Click here for a one-stop shop for the statewide elections. This is a quick guide to all the fact-driven, data-driven, nonpartisan 2018 issues. -Bridge Magazine
Even more valuable voter resources
Know when elections are happening, and have the information you need to vote with confidence. Sign up to receive election reminders, get registered to vote, and apply for your absentee ballot!

Guide to Voter Registration in Michigan for college students
Click here for this great site.
 
Find out if a person is registered to vote
This organization has lots of other good info such as next election dates, polling places, etc. - National Association of Secretaries of State

Congressional Districts by zip code
Things That Are Good
Officials affiliated with Charles Koch reiterated plans to spend as much as $400 million during the 2018 election cycle, but lamented the “deterioration of the core institutions of society” and “tremendous lack of leadership” in Washington. Read more...
And More Good News:
  • Fortunately, the courts have made some good decisions in holding agencies’ feet to the fire regarding family reunification. Let’s let our MoC know that we are not losing focus on these human rights abuses being committed in our name and that we expect action yesterday. We can also continue to contact DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and HHS Secretary Alex Azar to let them know we expect their resignations: https://www.dhs.gov/contact-us and https://www.hhs.gov/about/contact-us/index.html.
  • From Grannies Respond:   Veteran Service Corps – you may know them as the veterans from Standing Rock - is joining with Grannies Respond to mobilize people to McAllen,Texas, on August 6 to bring compassion and human decency to how we treat refugees entering the US.  Who knows better how to do this than our beloved veterans? After all, they mobilized 8,000 vets to Standing Rock in 96 hours! Click through for the full press release.
  • "Several of the nation’s airlines made headlines in June when they told Washington that they would not fly immigrant children separated from their families at the border. Now United is going one step further by donating flights to reunite children that have been separated from their immigrant families."  Let's thank United for stepping up and using their position to provide this socially responsible humanitarian aid.
PEG is a non-partisan volunteer organization whose mission is to assure that our government will treat all Americans with equality and acceptance. We do our work by recruiting, educating and nurturing supporters for worthy organizations, actions and events that reflect our beliefs. To subscribe to this free newsletter go to our website by clicking here . To share with your friends and networks, use the sharing buttons at the top of the newsletter or just 'forward' from your email!

 Looking for more information?
Check out the equalityingov.org webpage. Find out everything you want to know about who we are; the issues and organizations we endorse; an events calendar; and past issues of our newsletter and Facebook postings. It’s all there on the Web! Click here to see us on Facebook and our frequent posts .
Thanks to Newsletter contributors: Bernie Banet, Carolyn Christopher, Ellen Halter, Leslie McGraw, Richard Gaeth, Al DuBruck, Laurie Williams, CivCity, and Chuck Newman for their help preparing this newsletter. Write us at [email protected] if you would like help create our weekly newsletter. It’s fun and no ongoing commitment is required.