"It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped." - Robert Kennedy
Help Turn Out Voters for City Council Election
In 2019, the last election without a presidential race, less than a quarter of Duval County's registered voters chose Jacksonville's Mayor, Sheriff, and 5 At-Large Council members. The special election coming on December 7 to fill Tommy Hazouri's At-Large seat will likely attract even less attention unless we act.
If you are still assessing the Democratic candidates, Tracye Polson is holding a Virtual Town Hall on Wednesday, 10/27 from 7-8 pm. We've found no published events, but you can check out James Jacobs' campaign site here.
To boost Democratic participation in this important election, join the Duval Dems for:
A DWIN Textbank Wednesday 10/27 from 11:30-2 pm to reach out to Democratic military & overseas voters to be sure they know about the upcoming special election. Click here to register.
Duval Dems Text-banking Wednesday & Saturday of this week (and beyond) to urge local Dems to vote early in the December special election. Details here.
Canvassing Saturday, 10/30 and every weekend until the election to get out the vote. Register here.
Monday, October 25 @ 6:30 PM - Atlantic Beach City Commission Meeting - TREES!
If protection of the AB tree canopy is important to you, tonight's Commission meeting deserves your attention. Agenda item 7 will be the Environmental Stewardship Committee's report on the loss of Heritage trees in AB, and their recommended actions. If you can't attend in person, please take the time to reach out to the Commission and let them know your views.
Tuesday, October 26, JAX City Council Meeting: Confederate Statues & Covid Funding
Thanks to the WJCT's new email Newsletter JAX Today, we know of at least 2 important issues to be considered at tomorrow night's CC meeting at 5 pm. Members of the public can speak up to 3 minutes during public comment period. Click here for the agenda & streaming link and consider weighing in on:
A bill appropriating $1.3 million to remove a Confederate monument in Springfield Park, at the request of Mayor Curry.
A bill introduced by Council members Diamond, Carlucci, DeFoor and Ferraro to create new, stricter processes for how City Council awards funding to outside groups.
BAM has long supported the removal of Confederate statues from our public parks, so we welcome this proposal for action in Springfield Park. The second measure is a response to the outcry after the Council's recent award of hundreds of thousands of dollars to nonprofits run by sitting Council members. It, too, deserves our support, and its sponsors deserve our thanks. Contact info for Council is here.
Explore Jacksonville's Racial Truths
Tuesday, October 26 @ 6 PM - When Is It Safe to Be a Black Man? Virtual Community forum sponsored by local group 904Ward will feature a panel of black men sharing their experiences. More info & registration here.
What does race look like in FL? The Tributary, the Jax-based nonprofit news source whose reporting on redistricting we've been following, has created a new interactive tool using the latest Census data to create a racial-dot map of every person in Florida. It offers a revealing look at our area - and all of Florida. Click here to explore the map.
An Early Look at the JAX Mayor's Race
It's not until 2023, but already it looks like the most expensive race in the city's history. Thanks to JAX Today, here's an excellent overview of the current contenders - both formally announced and still exploring.