VOTING EARLY IS THE WINNING STRATEGY | |
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Newsletter
September 5, 2023
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Our Strategic Goals
★ Support Veterans and their Families
★ Defend our Constitution as Written and Amended
★ Protect the Nation at Home and Abroad
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VETS TO VOTE
KICKOFF RALLY
A Call To Action
A rally for Veterans, their families, and supporters to further Governor Youngkin's secure the vote initiative
Norfolk
Friday, September 22
VFW Post 4809
5728 Bartee Street
Norfolk, VA
4:00 PM - Reception with food and drinks
5:00 PM - Rally with special guest
Election support training immediately following rally
Suggested donation: $25 per person
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Agents of Change
Bellwether - interesting word (Google it!). Virginia’s 2021 state election was indeed a hopeful bellwether. The results shocked a nation resigned to what seemed an inevitable descent in national spirit, community, even identity after Covid and following the 2020 “Summer of Love.” A remarkably talented set of new Virginia leaders was elected promising to make our Virginia a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
And, in my opinion, this team continues to deliver with legislative victories, bi-partisan compromise, and constant connection with every locality, every community, and every voter. The creative energy of this team keeps opponents off balance and off message.
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Bob Wood
CEO, American Veterans Vote
LTG (R), US Army
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"Opponents know they are playing a game defined in California but not welcome in Virginia."
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Opponents know they are playing a game defined in California but not welcome in Virginia. If all politics is local, all political change begins locally as well. Our Virginia elections, our work to support these elections, and our influence on national politics can again be a bellwether. What an opportunity to achieve local change with national impact!
Remarkably, this year only four states are holding legislative or state level elections – Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia. And only Virginia races are truly competitive, posing a real possibility of shifting power between political parties. A change of 3-4 seats can flip or hold either the Virginia Senate or the House of Delegates. AVV’s strategy of focusing on key elections and Veteran votes to enable slim victory margins can be decisive if executed collectively and aggressively.
That’s where our members, supporters, and allies come into play. Our target districts are selected. Our data is defined and in hand. Our election materials are printed. A new member-based website will be deployed in coming weeks. And our member base continues to expand (57 new members signed up last weekend; 500 members across Virginia). The targets for our collective effort are fellow Veterans who have chosen in the past to skip state elections, or only vote on election day, or don’t think their vote really matters. There are 710K Veterans in Virginia; only 57% vote; all likely understand what is at risk but not how important a real team effort can be this year.
What can you do to help the cause? With our Website (AmericanVeteransVote.com) as your guide and portal:
1. Join American Veterans Vote: Our present members have taken positive steps to become an important part of the solution. Joining AVV indicates clear recognition of the role Veterans can make through their engagement in the political space. Join the team.
2. Lead by example: As AVV we stress – Vote, Volunteer, Run. Our website (AmericanVeteransVote.com) enables these actions.
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a. Vote: Register for your Absentee ballot or vote early; Ask to serve as a poll watcher; Use AVV supplied material to advocate similar actions by both fellow Veterans and Veteran Supporters in your community. Material available at csmeagan@yahoo.com
b. Volunteer: Step forward to assist in AVV Calls to Action in engagement and contact with fellow Veterans needing information or encouragement to Vote – Absentee – Best; Early – Better; Election Day – Good. Additionally, volunteer to support AVV endorsed candidates - See endorsements on our AVV Website.
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c. Run: Primaries are now past; consider community elected roles next year such as school board, council membership, party positions. All Congressional seats are up for elections next year! Watch, participate, learn in this elections cycle.
3. Donate: Joining requires a signature and commitment to our Code of Conduct. Aligning our values remains most important. An all-volunteer organization is a strength. But enabling this growing force demands legal, accounting, publishing, and reporting strengths. For these services, donations are vital. Consider giving regularly, an amount you choose.
Realize the role you can play, again, in this shock to our nation. Winning (and losing) margins are slim. We’ve selected key races and great candidates who support our goals. An additional 1000 - 1500 Veteran votes, off the sidelines this year, can be the decisive edge. Early voting advantages can be overcome by collective AVV action and signups year-round.
Be the bellwether, again, for a nation needing leadership, at community, state, and national level. Change through the ballot box needs to happen.
Veterans Forward!
Every Veteran, Every Vote
Bob Wood
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Inspiration Corner
By
COL (R) Michael B. "Yama" Hoyes
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During my time in the Air Force, I spent many hundreds of hours flying low level missions. During those missions I saw an “evolution of breathing patterns.” Initially, technology provided an aircraft that sensed and automatically avoided the terrain ahead, which allowed us to skim the earth at altitudes of 200 to 1000 feet above the ground while traveling at approximately 600 mph. At night, there was a lot of fast-paced breathing during those missions as we hoped the aircraft flew as designed and missed those obstacles that we crew members couldn't see.
Over time advancements in technology provided us the ability to visually see targets, even at night…ah, that was a relief! But the entire low-level mission was still in the dark. And then, technology advanced further and we flew with forward-looking infra-red displays and even helmet-mounted displays…we could actually see the outside world in which we were flying. Breathing became more “relaxed.”
We read in Genesis that in the beginning there was darkness, and then the Lord spoke, “Let there be light, and there was light!” [Genesis 1:3]
I remember what it felt like to travel low level without seeing a thing outside the aircraft except perhaps an occasional flash of a mountain to the left or right as we flew down a valley. I also recall the relief I felt later when new technology made it possible to actually see those potential obstacles…to have light.
During one of His many “I AM” statements, Jesus declared “I AM the Light of the World.” [John8:12] He and only He is the source of spiritual light. We can see physical light, but there is that unseen spiritual light that is equally present. Like physical light, which is necessary for the earth itself to exist, spiritual light is necessary for us to have wisdom and to elude threats, to walk in a way that is of honor. We are called to be reflectors of that light to others. Imagine a life in THAT light!
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American Veterans Vote, Inc., is proud to endorse the following candidates running for office in the Commonwealth of Virginia in 2023. We appreciate all the candidates who have “come forth to save their country” in response to George Washington’s plea. As always, we encourage Veterans to vote, volunteer, and run! We especially want to encourage Veterans to vote as early as possible to secure their vote for the upcoming election. Early Voting begins September 22, 2023. | |
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AVV Endorsed Candidates For
The Virginia Senate
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AVV Endorsed Candidates For
The Virginia House Of Delegates
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Newsletter Key Takeaways
- Republics are dependent upon the active and informed involvement of the people
- Our republic is in a precarious situation and is not guaranteed
- Local voting empowers our Constitutional Republic to limit federal overreach
- Inaction is not an option - Veteran voters have the numbers to force change through the ballot box
- Fight political apathy; Veterans must be front and center in voter turnout, absentee ballot sign-ups, and early voting
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The Decisive Edge - Early and Absentee Voting
Use the following QR codes to:
- Register to vote
- Request an absentee ballot
- Track your ballot
It's a fact ...early mail-in voters decide the elections.
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American Veterans Vote, Inc. (AVV) is a volunteer team of Veterans and Veteran supporters who led the Veteran Coalition for Glenn Youngkin. We are a 527 Political Action Committee with a nationally-focused mission to promote the political voice of Veterans and mission partners in support of our three strategic goals:
- Support of Veterans and their Families
- Defense of the Constitution, and
- Promote Our Nation’s Security
AVV’s goal is to help Veterans maximize their political voice by supporting Veterans’ ability to Vote, Volunteer and Run for Public Office.
"Every Veteran, Every Vote."
We don't speak FOR Veterans... we speak AS Veterans.
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PAID FOR BY AMERICAN VETERANS VOTE | | | | |
