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Mar 17, 2023

Help Support Street Safe

We are lucky: A home, the ability to read, access to electricity and technology, clothing, and a caring community are privileges you and I likely have in common. Our community is not perfect, but it does offer many comforts and conveniences. But some among us are not so lucky.


I was moved by a presentation I heard tonight by Christine Barber, one of the founders of Street Safe, an all-volunteer nonprofit that serves women who have been victims of trafficking. Street Safe volunteers “prefer to be where we make a difference — on the street. Talking and laughing with the women we serve. Helping them stay alive.” By listening while giving out supplies, volunteers identify actions that can transform a life, create a new situation, and make possible a fuller humanity.


At our Saturday, March 25 CCC meeting, we will be collecting chocolate and supplies such as clothing, pads, and toiletries for Street Safe to give to women on the street. A list of supplies is below, and monetary donations can be made at Donations | Street Safe (streetsafenewmexico.org).

Chocolate

Razors

Women's clothing

Under-arm deodorant

Bras

Lip balm

Underwear

Sleeping bags

Hotel-sized shampoo

Jewelry

Hotel-sized conditioner

Makeup

Hotel-sized lotion

Nail polish

Condoms

Safety whistles

Feminine wipes

Purses

Toothbrushes

Belts

Toothpaste

Shoes

Join me in supporting this important work.

We are building the bridge to a more just and equitable democracy as we cross it.



Yours in service and with gratitude,

Flora

Legislature Bolsters NM Voting Rights

By the time this legislative session is over, there will be many causes for Democrats to celebrate. Voting rights strides are among them.


There’s every reason to assume Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham will sign HB 4, one of the most important voting rights bills in the country, and SB 180, a bill transforming New Mexico’s election processes. Both bills have passed both houses of the legislature well before the closing of this session at noon March 18.  


New Mexico continues to lead in encouraging more voter participation as once-reasonable states concentrate on restricting it. Further, the state is upgrading its processes for registering, balloting, assessing, and notifying voters of primaries and general elections, all while guaranteeing the security of election programs.


HB 4

HB 4, sponsored by House Speaker Javier Martinez with Reps. Gail Chasey, Wonda Johnson, Raymundo Lara and Senator Katy Duhigg, makes it easier to vote and to register to vote. The most important of its changes is making voter registration “opt-out” rather than “opt-in” as it currently is, a process termed “automatic voter registration,” or AVR.  


With AVR, the State will presume that those who give their information to the state through car registration or applying for public benefits prefer to register to vote as well, if they are qualified and have not already registered.  


Everyone has the option to opt out, of course, but people in the 20-odd states that now use AVR have not found many opting out. In fact, since Oregon became the first state in the nation to implement AVR in 2016, registration rates quadrupled at motor vehicle offices. Similarly, in Vermont, AVR triggered an increase of 62% in voter registration the first six months after implementation in 2017, according to the Brennan Center. As in other states, New Mexico voter information will be updated automatically when registration changes for a move or other change in the voter’s information.


HB 4 also keeps people from losing their right to vote permanently upon conviction of a felony. Under current law, a person convicted of a felony may be able to regain the right to vote after fulfilling all the terms of probation and parole. With the governor’s signature on HB 4, an incarcerated person can register to vote again when close to release, but before completing probation or parole.


SB 180

Bernalillo County Democrats are likely to be especially grateful for the 176-page SB 180, sponsored by Sens. Duhigg and Reps. Leo Jaramillo and Chasey. The bill substantially cleans up scores of sections of legal provisions for the processes by which voters are notified of state elections, how elections are conducted, certified, and tallied. The bill allows for electronic signatures on nominating petitions—substantially decreasing the difficulty for a candidate to get on the ballot (and reducing the workload of many a Democratic Party volunteer.) The bill establishes a requirement for training election challengers and watchers, and allows for changes in rule to make home addresses of legislative candidates confidential for security purposes. It authorizes the Secretary of State to create a permanent mailed ballot registry so that those who prefer voting by mail can, by registering their preference, receive all election ballots by mail.


The fact that both bills passed by substantial margins is heartening, especially in an era with election deniers chipping away at legitimacy of elections in other states.New Mexicans can be proud of the legislative sponsors and our elected officials for making changes to support more election participation and more legitimacy and accountability in elections.

County Central Committee Meeting March 25

Ballots for ward and precinct positions with the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County were counted on Tuesday and the results are in! Please see the list of elected positions on the DPBC website: https://bernalillodems.org.


County Central Committee Members

  • If you are a ward or precinct chair, you are automatically a member of the County Central Committee (CCC). 
  • As a CCC member, you will vote for DPBC’s County Chair and two County Vice-Chairs. You will also help elect our county’s State Central Committee members.


Next Steps


County Central Committee Meeting and Election

  • The DPBC County Central Committee Meeting is Saturday, March 25 at UNM Continuing Ed Auditorium, 1634 University Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131
  • Doors open at 1:00 pm.
  • Ballots to elect the DPBC County Chair and Vice Chairs, and DPBC’s State Central Committee (SCC) members will be sent Sunday, March 26 and must be submitted by 11:59 pm on Thursday, March 30.
  • If you would like to self-nominate for County Chair, Vice Chair, or State Central Committee, fill out the forms located on the homepage of our website.


Send any questions to helpdesk.dpbc@gmail.com, and we’ll get back to you asap!


Registration for Elections and Meetings

Feb 1 – Mar 5

Ward Meetings (optional, all voting will take place electronically at a later date)

Feb 18 – Mar 5

Ward and precinct voting

Mar 7 – Mar 11

Count ward and precinct ballots

March 14

Publish ward and precinct elections results

Mar 16

Appointment period

March 16-18

Publish list of 2023 ward and precinct officers

March 19

Credentials Committee Meeting

March 20

County Central Committee (CCC) Meeting

UNM Continuing Education Auditorium

March 25

CCC Voting for County Chair, Vice-Chairs, and SCC Members

March 26-30

Count CCC votes

April 1

Publish CCC election results

April 2

State Central Committee (SCC) elects DPNM Officers

April 16-20

DPNM Spring SCC Meeting

Albuquerque Convention Center

April 22

SCC elects CD Vice Chairs and DPNM Standing Committee Members

April 23-29

West Side Dems Meet March 27

Electing Leaders to Keep the West Side Blue

MEETING INFO:

Monday, March 27                 

6:00-7:30 pm

Don Newton Taylor Ranch Community Center

4900 Kachina St. NW – 87120

Our meetings include snacks!


Also available on Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89688048333?pwd=MTdpUXNLUUZ5YzRMWjMxYkthQ3V2dz09


AT THIS MEETING: 

  • We will meet our candidates for WSD offices and ask them questions. 
  • We will discuss the great brainstorming ideas we all shared at the February meeting and have an opportunity to choose activities we want to support. 
  • We will also find out our Precinct Numbers and learn why that’s important. Then we’ll find out who our newly elected Precinct and Ward Chairs are. WSD is helping them to get out the vote for school board elections this year and for the general election in 2024!
  • We will have a trivia question -- and snacks – and time to network!

More info at: WestSideDems.org


Why Get Involved Now? How?

It takes a village to guarantee the survival of West Side Dems. We almost lost that feeling of community, and we almost lost the West Side Dems during the pandemic. But we were able to revive the sense of community and WSD last fall. That resurrection kept the West Side blue.


So WSD is back and very much alive.

We win elections! 

You can become part of this winning team. How?


Become a member ($10 a year) by clicking here — If you have been a member in the past but you have not paid your dues for 2023, you are not a current member.

    

Run for office – We will be electing WSD officers this month. Click here to declare your candidacy. We are electing WSD officers at the end of March. Declared candidates will candidacy for one of our 4 officer positions. You are eligible to run if you have been a member for 30 days. Deadline to declare candidacy is March 20, though self-nominations can be made at the March 27 meeting. Declared candidates will present at this meeting. 


Vote for your candidates of choice — Electronic voting begins March 30. You must be a member in good standing to receive an emailed ballot.

You Can Now Follow Us On TikTok


The midterm election showed us just how important it is to reach younger voters using the communication channels they use. We stepped up to the challenge!


We've created a TikTok channel and we'd love for you to join us there & give us a follow!


There are a couple of very fun videos featuring DPBC 1st Vice Chair Danny Leiva, and Young Dems member Danny Bernal Jr. for you to enjoy, and there's more to come! The images to the left are not clickable from here, so to see the fun content, you'll have to.....

Follow Us On TikTok!
Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel

DPBC is currently hard at work to bring you timely information through YouTube. Come see our Zoom meetings and ward meetings and so much more. And watch for our new LIVE videos to come. Make sure you subscribe because it really helps us out! Also, click the notification bell if you wish to be alerted when our new videos are up and ready. We’ll see you there!
Visit our YouTube Channel

Join In!


Democrats who want to see change and be change are participating throughout the County in making change. Join them! Join us! Subscribe to The Blue Review at the bernalillodems.org website at https://bernalillodems.org/newsletter-subscription. Send us your news too! We want to hear from you.


Contact us by noon on Mondays and Thursdays for the newsletter editions on Tuesdays and Fridays. Write to us directly at news@bernalillodems.org.  You can also reach us by clicking on the “Enter Your Event" link on the website at www.bernalillodems.org website or this link: https://bernalillodems.org/event-entry/Bernalillo Dems.


Public Event Entry – Bernalillo Dems Newsletter deadlines: content must be received by noon Monday or noon Thursday.


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