MAKING A PLAN TO VOTE – AND HELPING OTHERS TO DO THE SAME
Early Voting in Maryland begins Thursday (Oct. 25) across the state. Remember, if you make a plan to vote early and something doesn’t work out, you can still vote the following day, right up through Nov. 1. So make your plan, follow through -- then help to turn out your neighbors and your community. In this crucial election, expanding the electorate is the key to ending business as usual.
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Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for Monday October 22, 2018
MAKING A PLAN TO VOTE – AND HELP OTHERS TO DO THE SAME
Early Voting in Maryland begins Thursday (Oct. 25) across the state. Remember, if you make a plan to vote early and something doesn’t work out, you can still vote the following day, right up through Nov. 1. At all Early Voting centers you can vote from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Early voter center availability ranges from 11 sites in Baltimore, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties to one each in all Eastern Shore counties except Queen Anne’s (2), and one each in western counties Allegany and Washington (Garrett has 2) You can get chapter and verse on Early Voting, including locations of those centers, at the state Elections Board page.
So, great – you are making a plan to be a voter. But you are already beginning to whisper to yourself that tired old song that your vote doesn’t count. Obviously, it does. It counts as one vote. If you want to see real, progressive results from the 2018 midterm in Maryland, you should try to add something else – your neighbors, your community. Who is not likely to vote unless you help? Nate Cohn of the Upshot, the New York Times’s tip sheet on polling, notes that most recently, for the Nov. 6 election, “voters age 18 to 34 make up 13 percent of the likely electorate in the polls, compared with 23 percent of all registered voters.” The key to getting Ben Jealous instead of more Larry Hogan in the governor’s seat is enlarging the electorate, and that starts at street level. Know some young people? Remind them whose future is most at stake. Put a sign in your yard – maybe your neighbors will ask who this guy Jealous is, and rethink the question “what has Hogan done for me (not just for his corporate and big-business buddies)?” Think about doing a little door-to-door action yourself or get involved with our Progressive Maryland canvass activity.
Early Voting is the gift that keeps on giving, seven whole days to fit in a trip to the polling place. If you wait till Election Day, November 6, sure -- you will experience the civic solidarity of doing it on a day we still think of as special, near-sacred. One political scientist called Election Day “the great mystery of democracy,” because of the sense of common purpose as people went to the polls. But when there was only one Election Day, many people were unable to feel that sensation, to vote, because they couldn’t get off work, or had a family emergency, or dozens of other very good reasons. And people who already had more control over their lives – the middle class or better – were disproportionately able to vote. People of color and working class Americans have, through our history, struggled to have their voices heard for those reasons. Sen. Bernie Sanders has filed a bill to make Election Day a federal holiday, to right some of those inequalities. That would help.
But Early Voting offers opportunities -- RIGHT NOW, THIS ELECTION -- not to get ambushed by the problems of everyday life on Election Day. Make a plan, vote early, and do your civic duty by getting your neighbors and your community to do the same – or spend what time you have on Election Day helping others to vote.
OUR CHAPTERS AROUND THE STATE
Tomorrow, Tuesday Oct. 23, Prince George's County Council is slated to vote on the small-donor campaign finance bill. The Washington Post has made an excellent case for passing it. What we can do to give fair election finance a final push:
                    > Call or email to urge your Council member to vote for CB-99-2018. District 1: Councilwoman Mary Lehman* ([email protected], 301-952-3887) District 2: Councilwoman Deni Taveras ([email protected], 301-952-4436) District 3: Councilwoman Danielle Glaros, Chair ([email protected], 301-952-3060)
District 4: Councilman Todd Turner, Vice-Chair ([email protected], 301-952-3094)
District 5: Councilwoman Andrea Harrison ([email protected], 301-982-3864)
District 6: Councilman Derrick Leon Davis ([email protected], 301-952-3426)
District 7: Councilwoman Karen Toles* ([email protected], 301-952-3690) District 8: Councilman Obie Patterson* ([email protected], 301-952-3860) District 9: Councilman Mel Franklin* ([email protected], 301-952-3820)
                    >Turn up at 3 pm tomorrow, Tues. Oct. 23, for the hearing at County Administration Building, 14741 Governor Oden Bowie Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20774. Just help form a crowd of supporters (this bill is last on the docket, so start time may turn out to be rather later than 3- show up when you can!), or consider signing up to speak, by calling 301-952-3600 through today or online at https://pgccouncil.us/458/Public-Hearing-Notices-Sign-Up-to-Speak.
If you plan to speak, Martha Ainsworth of our county Sierra Club would like you to get in touch with her for the sake of coordinating main talking points- [email protected].
Want to know more about Fair Elections Prince George’s – how a democratizing measure would work? See the fact sheet.
Also tomorrow – Tuesday, Oct. 23, the last legislative day of this year’s County Council session till after Election Day – a public hearing on the rewrite of the Prince George’s zoning code (CB-13 2018). Discussion before the Council begins at 10 a.m. Is the new code giving away the store to developers? Some critics say so. You can read more about it here and sign up to speak here.
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NEW --
We're down to just 3 days before the start of Early Voting. We know that if Ben wins Prince George's, he can win this election. We'll be in PG texting people to get out the vote on Wed. October 24 at 7 PM in our PG office (9221 Hampton Overlook Dr. Capitol Heights, MD).Â
RSVP here (events.mobilizeamerica.io/progressivemaryland/event/78537/Â ) to join us!Â
October 27, 2018 Progressive Prince George’s Participatory Defense Community Meeting at 1pm - 3pm Oakcreast Community Center Info  [email protected] ·
For Montgomery County: there is an event planned for Ben Jealous by Takoma Park Mobilization, a sister org:Â https://www.facebook.com/events/297092187792940/
Our canvassing and phone banking efforts have been through the Democratic Coordinated Campaign, people can sign up here:Â https://events.mobilizeamerica.io/?address=Silver%20Spring%2C%20MD%2020910%2C%20USA&lat=39.0041504&lon=-77.03917539999998&org_ids=1069&org_ids=948&org_ids=637
-- Garrett Mannchen
And our allies in MoCo, Progressive Neighbors, have sent this roundup of their endorsements and activities: Summarized briefly, “At the top of our list must be Ben Jealous’ win in the Governor’s race and Marc Elrich's victory in the County Executive primary.
“We now have two great candidates to get behind whose victories would represent a real opportunity for a more just and equitable government in both Annapolis and Rockville.” See the full roundup and activism opportunities at the link above.
 Frederick County Progressives
Take Action Anne Arundel County
Action Report:
Take Action AAC canvassed in Crofton, Shady Side, and Annapolis and contributed 28 canvass shifts this weekend. Thanks to all the canvassers and to our canvass hosts Chrissy Holt and Randye Williams. A big thank you to the James Kitchin and Eve Hurwitz campaign teams for joining forces with Take Action AAC this weekend in Crofton. Our team in Annapolis attended the Ben Jealous Canvass Launch and worked with the coordinated campaign helping to blanket the city of Annapolis with support for Ben Jealous.Â
Take Action AAC Events
Canvassing
Saturday, October 27 at 2 pm in Annapolis. Meet at Ceremony Coffee Roastery on 90 Russell Ave
Canvassing for Progressive Maryland endorsed candidates in District 30 and County Council District 6, including Ben Jealous for Governor and Lisa Rodvien for County Council District 6
Sunday, October 28 at 1 pm in Annapolis. Meet at Ceremony Coffee Roastery on 90 Russell Ave
Canvassing for Progressive Maryland endorsed candidates in District 30 and County Council District 6, including Ben Jealous for Governor and Lisa Rodvien for County Council District 6
 RSVP here  Share FB event
Phonebank
Thursday, November 1 at 6 pm in Annapolis. Get Out the Vote Phonebank in Annapolis. Focus on key precincts to drive turnout for progressive candidates.
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Other Anne Arundel Events
 Environment and Health Briefings
The Maryland Environmental Health Network is hosting a series of briefings from October through December prior to the 2018-2019 legislative session. You can register for these webinars by clicking here. Â
Canvass For Colvin
Upcoming Group Canvass -- meet up at Dem HQ in EastonÂ
Saturday, Oct. 27 - 11 am -  1 pm
Can't make our group canvass dates? We can also set up canvassers to go out at alternate times. Grab a friend or we'll find you a partner and arm you with the materials you need. Once early voting starts and with it getting darker earlier, we'll be looking for more volunteers to knock doors during the afternoons. Contact Nancy Andrew at [email protected].
RALLY FOR EARLY VOTING
Join State Senate candidate Holly Wright Oct. 23 at an event to help energize voters for the home stretch of the election. Meet at 5:30 - 7 pm at Talbot Democratic HQ on 26 W. Dover St., Easton. Refreshments will be served. Early voting starts Oct. 25, 10 am to 8 pm at Easton Firehouse.
STATE CANDIDATE FORUM COMING UP
Candidates for State Senate and the House of Delegates will meet in a forum at 6 pm on Oct. 24. The event is sponsored by the Eastern Shore NAACP Branches, and will be held at Dorchester County Library, 303 Gay St., Cambridge.
Lower Shore Progressive Caucus
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CANVASS TIL YOU DROP IN OCTOBER – AND WIN
Come help Canvass for the general election with Progressive Maryland Baltimore. Mobilizing the vote in Baltimore City and Baltimore County is one of the most crucial steps to getting Ben Jealous elected in November. Support other local progressive candidates in the districts we canvass! Come help make the blue wave happen and meet your fellow voters
- Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at 05:30 PM
Wednesday 10/24 Canvass Baltimore City
rsvp and get notification of the details.
- Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 06:00 PM
Saturday 10/27 Canvass Baltimore City
rsvp and get notification of the details.
- Sunday, October 28, 2018 at 10:00 AM
Sunday 10/28 Canvass Baltimore City
rsvp and get notification of the details.
- Wednesday, October 31, 2018 at 05:30 PM
rsvp and get notification of the details.
ď‚·Â Saturday, November 03, 2018 at 10:00 AM
Saturday 11/3 Canvass Baltimore City
rsvp and get notification of the details
ď‚·Â Sunday, November 04, 2018 at 10:00 AM
Sunday 11/4 Canvass Baltimore City
rsvp and get notification of the details
 Baltimore comrades, Check in on Max Obuszewski’s highly useful calendar and tip sheet at http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/
 It all happens for free… right? Not exactly. Organizing for change in our society and our high-maintenance politics requires both people and money. Keep change moving with a quick, secure impulse-buy contribution here. You know you meant to do it last week and now here you are again...
OUR BLOG POSTS IN THE PAST WEEK
Reading the Progressive Maryland BlogSpace: our blogs for the previous week are shown below, but if you want a handy way to keep track – and never miss a blog post – you can sign up to get this Weekly Memo by email. Remember this is your blogspace and your participation is heartily invited. See something going on that you don’t like – or that you do like and hope to see more of? Send us your thoughts; submit to the moderator at [email protected]
We recently published these blog posts:
October 19, 2018 Larry Hogan is running as a bipartisan. But why should we want that?
"Larry Hogan is running as a bipartisan. But why should we want that? Bipartisanship legitimizes reactionary American politics. Those who strive for bipartisanship and neglect party differences enable the rightward shift of American politics and ignore the extremism of the entire Republican Party."
A University of Maryland student deftly outlines the history of this corruption of our political landscape, writing in the student newspaper, The Diamondback.
October 18, 2018 Ben Jealous is the leader of vision Maryland needs now
As Maryland prepares to name a new governor on November 6, voters have a clear choice: Ben Jealous has put forward a platform of clear, progressive and achievable goals that include universal health care and kindergarten, debt-free college, a statewide $15 minimum wage and a 29 percent salary increase for teachers. And a plan to pay for it.
Larry Hogan’s platform, in contrast, is like much of his career: “go along to get along.” The "moderate" label he claims is belied by the pro-business and anti-people record he tries to hide.
October 15, 2018 Progressive Maryland Weekly Memo for October 15 2018
Every specious argument in favor of Larry Hogan turns out to be an argument in favor of electing Ben Jealous governor of Maryland. Taking credit for nothing going wrong is a far cry from governing.
>>REMEMBER – these blog posts are expressions of political opinion from our wide-ranging membership and circle of allies. They are not expressions of opinion by Progressive Maryland. Don’t be surprised if they sometimes vary in their political content. You might even disagree with them – a good reason to contribute a blog of your own. Send it to the moderator, Woody Woodruff, at [email protected].
>>Keeping up with the blogs is easier with the index. The blogs published in the PM BlogSpace from June 2015 through December 2016 are all available with descriptions and links here. You can follow blogs for 2017-18 starting from here
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