Canvassing Board Controversy
Thanks to the several people who made sure we were aware of today's controversy that arose when it was revealed that Duval Canvassing Board Chair Judge Brent Shore had donated many times to the Trump campaign and had multiple partisan yard signs in his yard - things forbidden to Canvassing Board members. Within a few hours of the first calls for his resignation, Judge Shore did resign from the Board. So all of you who were looking for the best place to write and demand his resignation can relax on that point. We should all keep an eye on continuing questions about how the Board is doing its work - with less transparency than the state mandates. This piece from the Times Union details how that could threaten the speed of Florida's vote count. Stay tuned.
Ways to Help This Weekend
First & foremost - be sure you and everyone you can influence has voted. Sunday, November 1 is the last day of early voting - and the final day Vote-by-Mail ballots can be deposited at early voting sites. Be sure your VBM friends know this. After 7 pm Sunday, their only remaining ways to vote are to deliver their VBM ballot to the Supervisor of Elections (105 E. Monroe St.) or to go to their designated polling place and vote a regular in-person ballot. Beyond sharing that critical message with everyone you know, consider:
*Signwaving & Outdoor Poll Watching at Early Voting
Sign wavers, masked & distanced, create good energy at the polls, and outdoor poll watchers (often also waving signs) are the Democratic Party’s boots on the ground to let them know what's happening at the polls. The Duval Dems are looking to fill 2 hour shifts on Friday, Saturday & Sunday - not only at our Beaches Library site but across the County. Click here to volunteer. And while you're at it, don't forget the finale: Election Day. Click here if you can take a shift on November 3.
* Phone Banking to Get Out the Vote (GOTV)
As everyone who's joined one of Hanna Moore's phone banks knows, they are both a very effective way to reach voters - and a lot of fun. As the polls tighten, a Biden win is still possible in Florida but every vote matters. Depending on when you're available consider:
Friday's GOTV Phone-thon. Two-hour shifts available all day long.
Sign up for Saturday & Sunday Zoom sessions here.
*Lit Drops to Support Candidates & GOTV
Saturday, October 31 - 10 am. Lit Drop for Donna Deegan.
Saturday, October 31 - 10 am. Lit Drop & GOTV for Clerk of Court candidate Jimmy Midyette.
Saturday, October 31 - 4 pm. Duval Dems are hosting a final lit drop targeting Congressional District 4 with candidate information & GOTV.
* Protect & Cure Votes
The response to the call for volunteers to phone or visit voters whose VBM ballots were rejected has been amazing! Virtually every rejected voter has been contacted - most cured with phone guidance, the rest with the more personalized help they needed.
At this moment, we have more than 50 door-to-door curers and there are no plans to train more. More than 70% of the Democratic mail ballots issued have been returned - a tribute both to the passion of Democratic voters - and to the hard work of all the people who have phoned & texted to urge the speedy return of those votes.
We're in touch with the Voter Protection Team and will let you know in Monday's newsletter if more phone volunteers are needed to reach out to mail voters rejected in the final days of voting.
Besides Vote Curing, we all know there may be an assortment of post-election legal challenges to the vote itself. We're gathering resources now that will be in Monday's newsletter on ways we can help take action if a fight develops over the election results. A lot of groups have been on this case for months. If you have organizations to suggest for that, please send the information to us at beachesactivistmovement@gmail.com. Otherwise, let's keep up the good work & create such a resounding victory that no questions are possible!
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