June 2021
FROM OUR LEADERSHIP
MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR. JUNE EDITION.
By Greg Hosé
Fellow Democrats,

I am humbled and excited to have been elected as the new Chair of the Downers Grove Township Democratic Organization. It has been said that we stand on the shoulders of those who came before us and that is as true here as anywhere. Kim Savage has given us 14 years of tremendous leadership, from consistent growth in PC numbers, to our vibrant and growing office that has served as a touchpoint for so much activity and inspired other townships across DuPage County. I was so proud that our first act after my election was to name the PC of the Year Award in her honor. I look forward to Kim’s wise counsel in the months and years ahead.

Filling Kim’s shoes will be a difficult task and it is one I do not intend to attempt alone. At the July meeting, I will nominate Steve Leopoldo for the position of our First Vice Chair. Steve has been involved in the organization for 10+ years and did a tremendous job as the campaign manager and strategist for our latest Downers Grove Township campaign. Steve’s focus will be organizing and recruiting. I am proud to call Steve a friend and thrilled to have him involved.

I have also proposed amending the bylaws to include two new Vice Chair positions: Communications and Fundraising. The world of social media evolves so quickly and we have to be ready to evolve with it. I am going to nominate Elissa Baker, a volunteer from Clarendon Hills, to take the position of Vice Chair for Communications. Elissa’s focus will be social media, the website, Newsletter, and other communications from the DGTDO. Elissa’s professional background in communications and marketing make this a tremendous fit.

The position of Vice Chair for Fundraising is yet to be filled. Please send me any recommendations you may have. The full proposed bylaws that were first reviewed at the June meeting will be e-mailed to the membership in advance of the July meeting.
We will be returning to in person meetings in July. Keep an eye out for the announcement!

Finally, parade season is upon us! Please look below for details on the Hinsdale parade on July 3 and the Darien parade on July 5. I hope to see you there!

In Solidarity,
Greg Hosé
BACK IN THE PARADES!
By Chris Hotchkin
The Downers Grove Township Democratic Organization will be participating in two July 4th parades, Hinsdale and Darien. Because the 4th is on a Sunday this year, the parades are on different days.

The Hinsdale Independence Day Parade will be Saturday, July 3. This parade steps off at 10:00 and we will be lining up between 9:00 and 9:30. We will line up on 7th Street, east of Garfield-- right next to Casten for Congress!

The Darien Lions Club will be holding their 50th Independence Day Parade on Monday, July 5. This parade steps off at 9:30 and we will be lining up our vehicle at 8:30, but marchers can join us any time until 9:30 at the Jewel parking lot at 75th and Cass. The parade will end at Hinsdale South High School.

We are in need of a vehicle to decorate for the parades. If you are willing to lend us a convertible, sports car, or pickup truck, please contact Julia Beckman at beckman110@comcast.net or Chris Hotchkin CHotchkin@sbcglobal.net.
DGTDO OFFICE
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Send checks to DGTDO, PO Box 785,
Downers Grove 60515
SUPPORT DGTDO OFFICE AND HELP ELECT DEMOCRATS!
Please donate today to keep our office open and help us to continue our outreach to our voters. We will be meeting in person again and knocking on doors. In addition to social media and email, we will continue to outreach through the U.S. Mail. Also, we must continue to pay for our office rent and utilities.
 
The DGTDO office is instrumental in supporting and electing Democrats to offices at all levels of government. We need to start planning for the 2022 election cycle. Because of redistricting, we will have more candidates in 2022 than in other election cycles. All US Representatives, State Senate, State Representatives, County Board, and Forrest Preserve Board positions will be up for election. We will be busy and your donation allows us to do the work to elect Democratic candidates.
 
If you are a monthly supporter, we appreciate your ongoing commitment to the organization. We also appreciate the annual checks that we have received from some of our special donors.
 
We hope that everyone will continue to donate to fund our work during this next vital election cycle. Don't forget, in recent elections, we elected a majority on the County Board and the Forest Preserve Commission, a judge to the Circuit Court, county wide offices, and to the State Legislature. It is our job to help get voters to the polls, and we welcome your support. Here are links to online donation opportunities:


Send checks to DGTDO, PO Box 785,
Downers Grove 60515

Thank you for your continued support!

DGTDO OFFICE RESOURCES AVAILABLE.
DGTDO Office resources are available for volunteers and PC. Here are some of them:
 
  • To reserve the office for a meeting, text Sue at 630-441-6640 or email at sasitton@aol.com. Provide date, time, reason and how many people are expected.
  • Print and make copies of PC letters to voters thanking them for voting
  • Voter lists based on your needs - contact Sue Sitton at sasitton@aol.com if you need help
  • Run and print voter lists
  • Voter labels for mailings

Let us know what you need.
PC CORNER
PC CORNER - JUNE 2021.
By Chris Hotchkin
Now that we are vaccinated, it is okay to knock on the doors of your voters. There will be some canvasses organized this summer to recruit volunteers. Because of remapping, the 2022 primary has been moved until June, and we will not be doing candidate petitions until this winter. As a precinct committeeperson, you could use the nice summer weather to have real conversations at the doors or in the yards of your Democratic voters: ask if anyone in the household needs to be registered, thank them for voting, and ask if there are any issues on their minds they would like to talk about. Spend at least a few minutes with them if they are willing to talk so that you can get to know each other a little better. Tell them a little about yourself, why you are actively involved, and how they can get involved if they are interested. Getting to know the voters in your precinct and giving them a chance to know you is a key to being an effective PC. It will be helpful to you as a PC if you can obtain their email address.

We hope all precinct committeepersons who are in town July 3 and July 5 will participate in one or both parades the Downers Grove Township Democratic Organization will be doing, Hinsdale on July 3 and Darien on July 5. See the article in this newsletter for details.

There are postcards in the office to write to first time voters in swing states, to provide encouragement for them to continue to be regular voters.
STAY INFORMED - LOCAL.
GETTING BACK TO NORMAL.
Are you vaccinated? Illinois is opening up and so are we in DGTDO. If you are not vaccinated, please get vaccinated for yourself, your family, friends and fellow Democrats.

PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION
https://www.vaccines.gov helps you find clinics, pharmacies and other places to get vaccinated including:
STAY INFORMED - FEDERAL.
GOP'S WAR AGAINST DEMOCRCY.
By Carla Feinkind
Trump and HIS GOP keep pushing the "BIG LIE" that Trump actually won in 2020. He even incited the January 6th, TERRORIST attack on the Capital and Congress by his supporters in their MAGA, Nazi, and KKK gear! Everyone was scared and HORRIFIED, even Republicans. Then, the GOP closed ranks and stood with their "beloved" fetid, orange leader. Talk about BIGGEST LOSERS!

Trump feels NO shame and along with HIS GOP relentlessly pushes the BIG LIE. They have taken cases to court (losing them). The never-ending election audit in Arizona, run by the tech company, CYBER NINJAS follows few election laws/guidelines and is as PATHETIC as it is DANGEROUS.

The BIG LIE lives on in the Red states.

Georgia even tried to get rid of Secretary of State Brad Raffensberger, because he refused to help Trump "find" votes. It has criminalized offering food and water to voters waiting in long lines!! Texas lowered the threshold for their state to overthrow election results! Texas Democrats walked out of their legislature so that the malicious bill could NOT pass.

As many as 45 states have passed some kind of GOP voter restriction bills. The GOP is WAGING WAR on our Democracy....If you live in a BLUE state does it really matter??

In the 1930's Germany was a Democracy. Did you know that Hitler was ELECTED? Hitler used hate and lies to rally Germans. Not every German was a blood thirsty killer. Many Germans looked away and too many just went along to get along. And then, the cattle cars lined up to take socialists, labor organizers, and Jews away to their deaths....by then, there were very few left to stand up to the Nazi killer state.
Like Hitler, Trump and HIS GOP are the ENEMIES of Democracy! Democracy and JUSTICE cannot survive without free and fair access to the ballot. Democracies DIE from lies and neglect.

Don't be a BY STANDER. Be an UP STANDER! Work for and donate to Democrats LOCALLY and NATIONWIDE! This GOP really is our enemy! If not now, WHEN? If NOT you, WHO?
“Democracy is the government
of the people,
by the people,
for the people.”
RED-STATE VOTER SUPPRESSION AT ITS WORST. SUPPORT "FOR THE PEOPLE ACT" (S.1).
By Sue Sitton
Our democracy is in jeopardy. As we all have heard on the news, states continue to pass voter suppression bills (GOP anti-democracy bills). To launch a massive attack on voting rights and free elections, the GOP has exploited the “Big Lie” that President Biden was not fairly elected. These are the actions of the GOP orchestrated by the Heritage Foundation and other far right wing organizations to suppress votes for those who would likely vote for democratic candidates. It’s the only way they can win.

Last month Ari Berman wrote an article in Mother Jones “Leaked Video: Dark Money Group Brags About Writing GOP Voter Suppression Bills Across the Country” that says it all. “We did it quickly and we did it quietly” said the executive director of Heritage Action. Here’s a link to the article and video.

We are lucky to be in Illinois where it is easy to vote with vote-by-mail (no excuse), early voting, same day registration, and more. What happens in other states have a direct impact on us at the federal level. If we get another Trump elected, our democracy may not survive. Especially with the GOP fully supporting Trumpism. Recently, Cynthia Borbas, DuPage Dem Chair, posted “Let’s be very clear: Beating 45 was just the start. We have to WIN BIG in 2022 and 2024 before we can even THINK about breathing.”

The GOP has waged a war against our right to vote in fair and free elections, specifically relating to people of color. We all need to care because even though we are not the target of voter suppression laws, the outcome of elections effect all of us. 

So, what can we do? Call our senators and encourage them to support For the People Act (S.1). Both of our senators support the bill, but they need our positive feedback that we support the bill. S.1 is the only protection we have against state voter suppression laws. S.1 not only will nullify the worst anti-voting state bills, but it will also expand voting rights, end partisan gerrymandering, curb the influence of corporations on our politics, and much more
S.1 is expected to be brought to the senate for a vote in a couple of weeks. So now is the time to make your calls.

Tammy Duckworth 202-224-2854
Dick Durbin 202-224-2152
GET INVOLVED.
Sign up for an informational session:

COMMUNITY SAFETY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. (Reminder)
By Co-Op Team
Last summer, the world watched in horror as George Floyd was murdered by former police officer and convicted murderer Derek Chauvin. Many people of all backgrounds came out to protest and demand change. But as is the case for all movements, sustaining that passion from last summer is not always easy. And as we all know; this is not the first time nor will it be the last that a person of color is killed by police. So where do we go from here?

Community Safety Co-Op (the Coop) was formed to harness the passion from last summer and push for changes locally in DuPage county. At Community Safety Co-Op we believe that defunding police means a positive and proactive investment in community well-being. We are guided by actions that reflect this belief and operate from the understanding that those impacted the most are closest to the solution.

Let’s learn together, share ideas and take actions to drive change from the current system that takes resources but does not address the true needs of the community. We are holding informational meetings on the 3rd Wednesday each month from 7 to 8pm. Sign up below and come join us at the Coop! All are welcome.


For additional information: https://linktr.ee/community.safety.coop
POSTCARDS TO SWING STATES AVAILABLE AT DGTDO.
Are you interested in writing postcards to swing states? Stop by DGTDO office and pick them up. We currently have postcards for Georgia, thanking voters for voting in the 2020 election. These postcards can be mailed as you write them. Thanks for your help.
2022 ELECTION
RACES ON THE 2022 BALLOT.
Due to the delay in finalizing redistricting, the 2022 Primary Election will be in June. Here are key dates:

Petition signatures: 1/13 to 3/14
Petition filing: 3/7 to 3/14
Primary Election: 6/28

Here are the races that will be on the 2022 Ballot for DG Township (based on current districts). The incumbents are listed below and republicans are identified with (R). We want to replace them. It will be a busy election cycle. In January, "petition season" will begin and there are 30 races listed here. Stay tuned for updates.

Federal Races:
US Senator – Tammy Duckworth
US Congress District 3 – Marie Newman
US Congress District 5 – Mike Quigley
US Congress District 6 – Sean Casten
US Congress District 11 – Bill Foster

State of Illinois Races:
Illinois Governor – JB Pritzker
Lieutenant Governor – Julianna Stratton
Attorney General – Kwame Raoul
Secretary of State – Jesse White
Comptroller – Susana Mendoza
Treasurer – Michael Frerichs
Senate District 24 – Suzy Glowiak Hilton
Senate District 41 – John Curran (R)
Representative District 47 – Deanne Mazzochi (R)
Representative District 48 – Terra Costa Howard
Representative District 81 – Anne Stava-Murray
Representative District 82 – Jim Durkin (R)

DuPage County-Wide Races:
DuPage County Board Chair – Dan Cronin (R)
DuPage County Clerk – Jean Kaczmarek
DuPage County Sheriff – James Mendrick (R)
DuPage County Treasurer – Gwen Henry (R)

DuPage County-Board Races:
DuPage County Board Member D2 – Elizabeth Chaplin
DuPage County Board Member D2 – Paula Deacon Garcia
DuPage County Board Member D2 – Peter DiCianni (R)
DuPage County Board Member D3 – Greg Hart (R)
DuPage County Board Member D3 – Brian Krajewski (R)
DuPage County Board Member D3 – Julie Renehan

DuPage County-Forest Preserve District Races:
DuPage Forest Preserve President – Dan Hebreard
DuPage Forest Preserve Board D2 – Tina Tyson-Dunne
DuPage Forest Preserve Board D3 – Linda Painter (R)
MORE EVENTS AND RESOURCES
WE THE PEOPLE CONSTITUTION DISCUSSION GROUP (Virtual)
TOPIC: To be announced

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Tuesday, July 13
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

If interested, please email wtpconstitutiondg2020@gmail.com
IDCCA COUNTY CHAIRS' BRUNCH
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EVENT

Crowne Plaza Hotel - Springfield

Wednesday, August 18
9:00 a.m.

JOIN PEACE TOASTMASTERS.
PEACE! TOASTMASTERS
1ST FRIDAY 6:30-8:30PM
3RD SUNDAY 3:00-5:00pm
DUPAGE DEMOCRATS OFFICE
CURRENTLY MEETING VIRTUALLY

  • Improve your impromptu speaking
  • Learn to articulate your message clearly
  • Learn to use feedback to improve performance
  • Try out new ideas
  • Vent with like-minded people
CHECK FOR UPDATES
2022 Election Races.
We will update the website to list 2022 races that will be on the ballot.

On the Home Page, scroll down to see a list of events that that will take place in our DGTDO Office. Upcoming events that may be of interest are updated regularly on the website. If there is an event you would like added, let us know.

Our goal is to make the website more useful to everyone including voters, precinct committeemen, and people looking to get involved in our democratic efforts.

Your input is important. Submit your thoughts and ideas to Sue at sasitton@aol.com
White House: (202) 456-1111   
Click on GET INVOLVED in the blue header

Dept of Justice: (202) 353-1555

Congressional Switchboard for Both Houses: (202) 224-3121

Local offices if Washington office is busy:
Sen. Dick Durbin (312) 353-4952
Sen. Tammy Duckworth (312) 886-3506
Rep. Sean Casten 202-225-4561, 630-520-9450
Rep. Mike Quigley (773) 267-5926
Rep. Bill Foster (630) 585-7672
Rep. Marie Newman (773) 948-6223

Illinois State Elected Officials

State of IL: JB Pritzker:
(217) 782-0244

State Sen Suzy Glowiak
(217) 782-8148, (630) 785-3177

Rep Deanne Mazzochi
(217) 782-1448, (630) 852-8633

State Sen John Curran
(630) 796-2623, (217) 82-9407

State Rep Jim Durkin
(217) 782-0494, (630) 325-2028

State Rep Anne Stava-Murray
(217) 782-6578 , 630-605-0595
DGTDO OFFICE HOURS:
June / July 2021
DGTDO Office
(PO Box 785)
908 Curtiss, Downers Grove
630-297-8600

Office Open
for face-to-face meetings.
Stop by.

Monday 1:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday 1:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Wednesday 1:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Thursday 1:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Friday 2:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
For most current list of events, go to www.dgdemocrats.org/
 
Upcoming Events and Key Election Dates
Types of events: DGTDO, Candidate, Education / Issues, “Be Active”, Organization Meeting
To add events to the following list, email information to dgdemocrats@gmail.com
 
Updated June 16, 2021

Recurring Events

DGTDO Office Hours (In-Person – We’re back!)
Saturdays, 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Stop by for coffee and chat. Good conversation with like-minded people.
DGTDO Office
908 Curtiss Street, Downers Grove
 

June 2021

June 17 (Thursday), 12:00 to 5:00 pm
Help Defend Our Democracy – Fight state-level voter suppression laws
Virtual Meeting

June 17 (Thursday), 5:30 to 7:00 pm
Reform: Restoration, Revitalization, and Representation
Virtual Meeting

June 17 (Thursday), 7:00 to 8:00 pm
The Legacy Project: LGBTQ+ History and Illinois’ LGBTQ-Inclusive Curriculum
(hosted by: The Legacy Project
Virtual Meeting

June 20 (Sunday), 3:00 to 5:00 pm
PEACE Toastmasters Meeting  (1st Fridays, 3rd Sundays)
Virtual Meeting

June 22 (Tuesday), 1:00 to 2:00 pm
The corrupting influence of unlimited political money, and what we can do about it.
Virtual Meeting

June 23 (Wednesday), 2:00 to 3:00 pm
Inequality and what we can do about it, with Jeremiah Emmanuel
(hosted by: The Guardian
Virtual Meeting
 
 
July 2021

July 2 (Friday), 6:00 to 9:00 pm 
PEACE Toastmasters Meeting  (1st Fridays, 3rd Sundays)
Virtual Meeting

July 13 (Tuesday), 6:30 to 8:00 pm 
We the People Constitution Discussion Group
Virtual Meeting
Details to follow

July 14 (Wednesday), 7:30 to 9:00 pm 
DGTDO Monthly Meeting (2nd Wednesday)
Virtual Meeting
Details to follow

July 14 (Wednesday), 7:30 to 9:00 pm 
P4C July Meeting – Food Sustainability: Building Community Through Food
Virtual Meeting

July 17 (Saturday), 12:00 to 4:00 pm 
Free STEM Exploration Day for Families
(hosted by: Alive Center
Alive Center
500 W 5th Ave, Naperville
must have ticket to enter

July 18 (Sunday), 3:00 to 5:00 pm
PEACE Toastmasters Meeting  (1st Fridays, 3rd Sundays)
Virtual Meeting
 

August 2021

August 6 (Friday), 6:00 to 9:00 pm 
PEACE Toastmasters Meeting  (1st Fridays, 3rd Sundays)
Virtual Meeting

August 10 (Tuesday), 6:30 to 8:00 pm 
We the People Constitution Discussion Group
Virtual Meeting
Details to follow

August 11 (Wednesday), 7:30 to 9:00 pm 
DGTDO Monthly Meeting (2nd Wednesday)
Virtual Meeting

August 15 (Sunday), 3:00 to 5:00 pm
PEACE Toastmasters Meeting  (1st Fridays, 3rd Sundays)
Virtual Meeting