"Start strong, stay strong, and finish strong by remembering why you started in the first place.” – Ralph Marston
Push to the Finish! October 13 BAM Meeting
Join us Thursday evening 10/13 at 7 PM at Adele Grage Community Center (716 Ocean Blvd, Atlantic Beach) as we make a final push to Get Out the Vote for the 2022 Mid-terms in November. We plan to use our final meeting before Election Day to BAM to postcard the more than 2200 Duval Dems in Districts 3, 4, 11 & 13 that canvassers cannot reach because they live in gated communities or secured apartment complexes. We'll provide the cards, the postage, and the GOTV message. But we need your
help to address and personalize each card. The BAM Postcard Group has done most of the heavy lifting on this project so help us get to the finish line! We'll also have info on other ways you can help contribute to a Blue Wave in Florida and nationwide during the final weeks before the election. Turnout is critical to winning key state races like Governor and U.S. Senate which will be decided by razor-thin margins! Bring a friend, bring a drink, and join fellow progressives for an evening of motivation, action, and socializing! We will supply the snacks and fun! RSVP here!
Sex Ed: Voice Your Support By Signing Letter
Recent actions by the Duval County School Board took away students' right to have comprehensive sex ed, and we need to make our voices heard. It's unlikely we can get the former ETR health curriculum back at this time, but we need to press the district to get their promised new curriculum up and running this year. If not, students will not get the education they need and they could be harmed. This is in addition to taking away the LGBTQ+ support guide and Safe Space stickers.
Voice your concern by signing this letter to the Board and superintendent. Add your name to the bottom, and any professional designations or important identifiers (like doctor, teacher, student, leader of an organization, community member, etc.). You can also attend the School Board meeting on 10/10 and let the Board know how important this issue is to our community. Get more information here.
VBM Ballots are Out!
If you signed up for Vote-By-Mail, you should have your ballot by now. If you don't, check with the SOE office to confirm your VBM request and voting status. There is still time to request a ballot too. Ballots need to be returned to the SOE office by 7 PM on Election Day, November 8th.
You can mail your completed ballot in the pre-addressed, pre-paid envelope provided, or deposit it in the Security Box located at the Beaches Library or any Early Voting site October 24 - November 6. Remember, you can track the status of your ballot online. If you change your mind and chose to vote in person, you can simply turn in the VBM ballot at the voting site before you vote.
Need Info on Candidates, Ballot Issues & More?
Be sure to check out the BAM 2022 Mid-term Election Guide for information on candidates, ballot issues, key voting dates, options for voting, and more! We've updated the guide after the primary and included valuable links to endorsements and recommendations for a number of ballot measures.
If you're voting in one of the local Beach elections, take a look at our guide for the Beaches races, including responses to the BAM candidate questionnaires for city council races in Atlantic and Neptune Beach.
And if you need help convincing family members and friends about the importance of voting in the races for FL Governor and U.S. Senator, the Democratic Women's Club of FL has two great resources: 101 Reasons NOT to Vote for DeSantis and a comparison of the voting records of Val Demings and Marco Rubio!
10/12 @ 7 PM - Beaches Watch Neptune Beach Candidate Forum
Join Beaches Watch this Wednesday night at 7 PM at the Beaches Branch Library for their Neptune Beach candidate forum. Registration is not required but click here for more info.
Thanks, Beaches for Supporting Hurricane Relief
Members of BAM, Beaches Democratic Club, Moms Demand Action, and other progressive organizations donated food and supplies for victims of Hurricane Ian in a drive last week organized by the Crist campaign! A re-purposed campaign bus visited locations around Northeast Florida for the collection effort.
If you missed the bus and still want to donate to storm relief, consider:
The Florida Disaster Fund is a state sponsored program funding immediate response & recovery efforts by distributing money across Florida-based service organizations.
Metropolitan Ministries is partnering with World Central Kitchen to distribute 25,000 meals a day from the Metropolitan Ministries kitchen in Tampa Bay.
The American Red Cross is often first on the ground with a range of relief services. The link above is to their Hurricane Ian fund.
Save the Date! Meet Adam Hattersley
There will be a Meet & Greet for CFO candidate Adam Hattersley on 10/20 at the Beach. Mark your calendar and look for more information soon!
More Action Options
Text Out the Vote - Texting registered Democrats is a simple & effective way to remind them of the upcoming election & motivate them to vote. Join other Duval Dems this week for a Zoom-directed text campaign you can do from home. Register here.
Choice is Choice Phonebank - The Democratic Women's Club has joined forces with Women for Crist for a 90-minute phonebank focusing on abortion rights 10/11 starting at 6:30 PM. Click here for information.
Daily Phonebanking - The Duval Dems have set up a phone bank you can use to call & activate voters on your own schedule every day - without using your own phone number. Click here to learn more.
Election Security Volunteer. With all of the GOP's efforts to suppress the vote, Poll Watchers, Vote Curers, Canvassing Board Observers, and other trained volunteers will play a critical role in this election. The Florida Democratic Party is training for all these roles. Click here to learn more & register to help.
Free Crist Yard Signs - If you're at the Beach and need a yard sign for DEM Gubernatorial Candidate Charlie Crist, contact Judy Sheklin at jsheklin@yahoo.com.
Quick Reads
"Will more women vote in Florida in light of the overturning of Roe v. Wade?" Florida Phoenix article looks at the increase in voter registration by women and its potential impact on the mid-term election.
"FL Leaders Oppose Climate Change But Want Hurricane Help" New York Times. Once again, GOP leaders in the state are on the wrong side of an issue - yet manage to reap the benefits.
And, if you're freaked out by stories about bad polls (and are a little nerdy), Wake Up To Politics has a great piece for you: "Pick Your Own Narrative Election"!