“Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.”
– Ruth Bader Ginsburg
This Is How We Lose
In Duval County today, registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by 28,368 voters. But in last week's Unitary Election, Dems were outvoted by more than 7,000 votes.
There are many reasons for low turnout. When there are no national offices on the ballot to attract attention, fewer people
tend to vote. As local news coverage declines, so does awareness of and interest in local elections. And here at the Beaches, we have reports of people who believed that as residents of Atlantic, Neptune, or Jax Beach they weren't eligible to vote for Jacksonville offices - a misconception we need to correct with anyone we can reach. To win on May 16, we must improve Democratic turnout.
Progressives across Duval are meeting now to discuss and assess what worked and did not work in Get Out the Vote (GOTV) efforts to date and how to do a more effective job of educating and motivating voters to the polls for the May 16 runoff election. Stay tuned for details on that. If you or someone you know is not yet registered to vote, the deadline for that is April 17.
This Is How We Win
The excellent news from last week's election is that Donna Deegan, the mayoral candidate who best reflects our concerns & values, emerged as the top vote-getter - winning 147 of the city's 186 precincts - including all Beach sites. She now faces a runoff against Republican Daniel Davis. Helping her win could be a vital first step in transforming our community.
In addition, Joyce Morgan, currently City Council rep for Arlington, will face off against Desantis-endorsed Jason Fischer for the role of Duval Property Appraiser. And in the race for At-large Seat 5, Democrat Charles Garrison will compete against Rutherford staffer Chris Miller. Check out BAM's updated 2023 City Election Guide for more information on all these races. And consider these steps you can take now:
Join the Duval Dems General Meeting tonight at 6 pm at the IBEW Hall, 966 N. Liberty St, JAX. Get a look at the data from last week's election, and hear Mayoral candidate Donna Deegan offer updates on the coming election & how you can help. Register here.
Volunteer! If there's a candidate you strongly believe in, go to their website, register as a volunteer & get busy. Election day is coming fast!
Donate! Getting the public's attention costs money - for yard signs, tv ads, and literature. With a short time to May 16 every dollar counts.
Help GOTV! We'll keep you informed via Action Alerts of opportunities to canvass, postcard & text. Help us turn out a winning majority - and recruit a few friends while you're at it.
Speak Out! Be sure your friends & neighbors know how important this election is to the future of our city, and why you support the candidates you do. And reach beyond your own circle with a Letter to the Editor, too. Or join the Duval Dems at this week's Sunday Canvass and talk to voters face to face.
Legislative Nightmare Continues
These days it often seems the worst thing you can imagine is the next thing on the agenda of the Florida legislature. Already a cascade of bad bills have passed, including an "affordable housing" bill with no rent control provisions, a "tort reform" bill that makes it impossible for homeowners who sue their insurance companies to collect court costs even when they win, and a massive expansion of school vouchers that will divert billions of public school dollars to private & religious schools. Among the upcoming bills that deserve your attention (and Letters to the Editor):
Senate Bill 300 - which would impose a near-total ban on abortions in Florida - will be heard by the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee at 8:30 AM Tuesday, 3/28. Duval's own Senator Clay Yarborough serves on this committee. Call or write him & his colleagues to oppose this bill. Click here for suggested points from NOW.
CS/HB 543l - the proposed Senate companion to the Permitless Carry bill already passed by the House was referred today to the same Senate Fiscal Policy Committee for consideration. When you write - sound off on both bad bills. Click here for proposed language.
SB 256/HB 1445 would gut Florida's public sector unions and could come to a Senate floor vote as early as this week. Learn more from the Florida Education Association about the bill and how to oppose it.
If you think we're missing a measure other activists should know about, email us at beachesactivistmovement@gmail.com.
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