This has been a truly incredible year for the Democratic Party — and so I wanted to take a moment to thank you personally.

Since I was elected DNC Chair in February 2017, my North Star has been making the Democratic Party more accountable to you — empowering grassroots supporters to take full ownership of this party.

Much of that work has been around our presidential primary process — making it more transparent, fair, and inclusive. I believe that if we do that, we’ll put our party in the best possible position to take back the White House in 2020.

But so much of our progress has come from you holding up your end of the bargain. We’ve asked you — a lot — to donate to support the DNC, and you’ve come through. Most people don’t know this, but the majority of the DNC’s fundraising in 2017-18 came from donors giving $200 or less.

With your support, we enacted some of the strongest reforms to our party in decades — here are some of the ones I’m most proud of:
We took the historic step of reducing the influence that superdelegates have over our presidential nominating process. Now, superdelegates will refrain from voting on the first presidential nominating ballot, unless a candidate has already passed the threshold to secure the nomination. This change empowers the grassroots and respects the will of the voters.
The DNC voted to expand the use of primaries so that more people can participate in the presidential nomination process. Primaries are more accessible for many voters, including seniors, shift-workers, students, members of the military, parents of young children, and people with disabilities.
For states with caucuses, our reforms recommend that those states take steps to make their caucuses as accessible as possible, including offering absentee voting for voters who can’t make the caucus in person and implementing better processes for tracking ballots in case a recount is needed.
We’ve announced an initial framework for presidential primary debates in 2019 and 2020, which will help maximize viewership and allow our candidates to talk about our party’s values and ideas in front of as many voters as possible.
To accommodate a potentially large field, we’re taking two unprecedented steps for our first two debates:
We’re including grassroots fundraising as a qualifying criterion for debate participation, in addition to other objective measures that gauge candidate support such as polling.
In the event that the qualifying field of candidates requires these debates to be held over multiple nights, the lineup for each night will be determined at random, with qualifying candidates assigned one night per debate. The random selection of candidates will be done publicly.
These steps are a really big deal — they’re going to make our party more inclusive, and ultimately more successful. But we’ve still got a lot more work to do — this is just the beginning. So as we head into the new year, I’d love to hear what you think. I’ll ask you the same questions I’ve been asking all DNC staffers:
What do you think worked in 2018? What should we keep doing?
What do you think we can do a better job of moving forward?
Let me know what you think here — and don’t be shy, I have a pretty thick skin. Our team will go through all of your answers over the next few weeks, and your input will be really helpful as we continue to make our plans for the next two years.

Thank you so much for everything you’ve done over the past two years, Ellis — with your continued support, I’m confident we can take back the White House and win up and down the ticket in the years to come.

Happy New Year,
Tom Perez
Chair
Democratic National Committee

Vote by mail has been a stunning success in Florida, increasing turnout and making it easy and convenient to cast a ballot with time to research and reflect. But a new study shows that mail ballots cast by African-American, Hispanic or younger voters are far likelier to be rejected than others — and rejection rates for all voters vary widely by county. These findings demonstrate the need for statewide uniformity in how county supervisors of elections evaluate ballots and that voters need to be sure they understand how to properly complete a mail ballot.

The study, commissioned by the Florida ACLU and conducted by Daniel Smith, chair of the political science department at the University of Florida, shows that Pinellas County is a model for how to do vote by mail right. Pinellas has few of the problems facing other counties.

Statewide, 1 percent of ballots cast by mail are rejected, and that’s 10 times the rate for those who vote in person. Although 1 percent might seem small, it adds up to thousands and thousands of people who were disenfranchised when their ballots were rejected. In the 2016 general election, about 29 percent of Floridians (2.7 million) voted by mail. In Pinellas, where far more than half vote by mail, the rejection rate was 10 times lower than the state average, about one-tenth of 1 percent.

For a mail-in ballot to count, it must be signed and dated, and the signature must match the one on file. Either problem can be “cured,” and Pinellas is particularly good at it both through education about avoiding glitches in the first place and through proactive measures to alert voters in time to fix their mistakes when they do occur.

The problems are most acute among younger voters. In 2016, voters between 18 and 21 were eight times more likely to have their vote by mail ballots rejected than were voters who were 65 or older. In fact, more than 4 percent of all mail votes cast by these youngest voters were rejected. In the 2016 general election, voters under 30 years old accounted for nearly 31 percent of all rejected ballots even though they cast just 9.2 percent of all vote by mail ballots.

For younger voters, it’s quite possible that their signature has changed from when they preregistered at 16 to when they signed a ballot at 18 or 21. For Hispanic voters, it’s possible that variations in signature — one might include a mother’s surname and another might not — account for part of the problem. And it’s also likely that more bilingual ballot information would help those who have a weak command of English. Smith, the UF professor, has found some cultural aspects in play, too. For example, he discovered names that include hyphens or apostrophes were more likely to be rejected.

The statistical disparities across groups greatly trouble Howard Simon, executive director of the Florida ACLU, who says your vote “shouldn’t depend on your zip code or your county.” Getting this right is partly up to the individual voter, but it’s also up to the entire state to adopt the kind of thinking that Pinellas uses to make vote by mail a success.

The Legislature allows voters to fix or “cure” a ballot that lacks a signature or has one that is mismatched, but neither the Legislature nor the secretary of state has adopted detailed protocols that should be uniform in all counties.

What does Pinellas do right? First, its ballot is easy to use and direct. In a big red bilingual box, it says “voter must sign” and warns that if you don’t sign it, your vote won’t count. Then, when the ballot arrives at the elections office, workers use a multi-pass system to verify signatures. On the first run, a line worker looks at a computer monitor to compare the signature on the ballot envelope with other signatures on file — past votes cast in person, etc. — to look for a match. Even if there isn’t one, that worker cannot reject the signature but rather escalates to a manager for a second pass. It is clear from experience when signatures match, and this is key. For example, one signature might include a middle initial and another might not, and that’s okay. Pinellas maintains the integrity of the system and guards against voter fraud, but not at the expense of rejecting legitimately cast votes. If there still is no match, the office sends a letter to the voter to let them certify a new signature. The office will also try emailing or calling, using all means possible to reach the voter in time to fix the ballot by 5 p.m. the day before the election.

This education and outreach is what makes Pinellas different, and it is a model the secretary of state should specify and the Legislature should adopt going forward. In the meantime, voters should ensure that they have a current signature on file and that they are careful to date and sign the envelope before sending back their ballots. They’ll be in the mail in just over a week.

Editorial By The Tampa Bay Times
Published: September 21, 2018

First and foremost, I want to thank you for being a registered Democrat in Polk County. My name is Kathie Sutherland. I work with the Polk County Democratic Party and serve as the chair of the Membership and Precinct Organizing Committee. Our goals are:
1) to get Democratic candidates elected at the mid-term elections in November and
2) to get Democratic voters to register for Vote-by-Mail.

Check out the video on Voting-by-Mail on the Home Page! It…
– saves time and convenience
– allows research on candidates and ballot issues (There are up to 13 Constitutional Amendments on this Fall’s ballot!)
– avoids last minute emergencies that may prevent voting
– substantially increases turnout.

If you already vote by mail, then “Thank You” for that. If not, take action now to be the be the best voter you can be! Call the Supervisor of Elections at 863-534-5888 or request your ballot online. They will verify your name and date of birth, and you can get mail-in ballots for all elections through 2020.

Across the nation, since 2016, Democrats are taking action and they are voting in unprecedented numbers. We have already flipped 41 state elections from Republican to Democrat.

If you feel as strongly as I do about the need to get Democrats elected, then help build the Blue Wave. Share this email with your friends and family. If you have any suggestions or questions, or if you would like to volunteer, please email me or call the Polk County Democratic headquarters at 863-668-7199. Learn more about us at polkdemocrats.org.

Best,
Kathie Sutherland, MD
Chair of the Membership and Precinct Organizing Committee, Polk DEC
650-305-0139

More than 250 Solivita Residents stopped by during our Candidate Rally on July 14 in Freedom Park.

Highlighting the event were guests former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Congressman Darren Soro (D-FL).

The President’s Letter:

Martha Cusimano needs your help. She has stepped forward to train voter registrars in Poinciana, especially in Solivita. However, there is a the problem of a Power Point training presentation to assist in performing this task, but its whereabouts are currently unknown. We are appealing to the Polk County DEC, Polk County Supervisor of Elections Lori Edwards, and current, past members, and officers of this club to help us locate the training material. Martha also needs volunteers to successfully complete the project, and we ask that you please help. Martha’s email address is marthacus@aol.com.

It saddens me to say that one of our members, Pat Hill who is also the wife of our club Vice President Ron Hill, broke both of her wrists as a result of a fall while playing Pickle Ball. The challenge for the two of them is that Ron has never had the role of caregiver before the injury. We can only imagine the challenges that the two of them are experiencing. Their contact information appears below; please join us in wishing Pat well and a speedy recovery.

Pat and Ronald Hill
454 Villa Park Rd
Kissimmee, FL 34759
Ronhill454@gmail.com

Please mark Saturday July 14, 2018 on your calendar for our Voter Registration Rally. It has been proposed that our club invite CDD members, all of the Polk Co. Democratic clubs, and caucuses. The CDD members will not speak, but will be recognized from the stage. The event is currently in the planning stages, and all indications are that it will be from 11 AM to 2 PM and in lieu of our monthly members meeting. Food will be free with an option to donate to the Solivita Democratic Club.

Don’t forget that our next regularly scheduled Solivita Democratic Club meeting is Wednesday April 11, 2018 at 7 PM in the Ballroom. Doors open at 6:30 PM. Our topic and theme of the meeting is “How to Bridge Today’s Great Social Divide”.

Regards,
Stanley P. Dillard, Sr. President
Solivita Democratic Club
863-427- 4480

Seniors Against Assault Weapon Violence has arranged for bus/coach transportation to the March for Our Lives event in Orlando. The event is Saturday, March 24, at Lake Eola in Orlando. The rally will be from 12 Noon to 3 PM. We will leave at 10 AM from Freedom Park parking lot in Solivita, and people will gather by 9:45 AM to be ready to board at 10. We will leave the rally at 2:45 to be picked up by the bus at 3 PM, which should get us back to Solivita by 4 PM.

The cost of the 54 passenger bus is $375. Until we know how many people are going, we will not know the exact cost. At present we have 15 definite people signed up and at least 10 maybes. We expect to get more people signing up, and optimistically hope for 50. However, due to not knowing if we will get that many we are asking people to give Shelli a $20 check to hold their places on the bus. These checks will not be cashed unless the cost does turn out to be $20. It will likely be less, in which case we will be able to advise people prior to the trip what the exact cost is. The only other cost will be the gratuity for the driver. That is usually done by passing a large envelope, which we will provide, and people can add what they think is appropriate.

The bus is equipped with a bathroom, and wifi. I think it also has electric outlets for charging phones.

We will need the phone numbers of those people who are going, so that when we get ready to depart from Orlando we can call anyone who is not on the bus to make sure no one is left behind. We will also give out our phone numbers so people can reach us in case of any problem that day.

Hope you can join us.
Shelli Greenfield
973-207-1664

Dorothy Schwartz
732-207-3358

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 12, 2018

TALLAHASSEE – In an effort to give Florida voters a chance to decide for themselves whether civilians should possess weapons of war, former Senate Democratic Leader Chris Smith today filed an amendment with the Constitution Revision Commission (CRC) which, if the voters agree, would ban assault weapons in The Sunshine State.

“Since the 2016 horrific shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, and especially after the Valentine’s Day tragedy at Stoneman Douglas High School, Floridians have signaled their support for an assault weapons ban,” said Smith, who is currently a member of the 2017-2018 CRC and may directly submit an amendment proposal. “Since the Legislature did not act, I wanted to give the people the power to decide for themselves.”

The CRC is a 37-member organization established every 20 years, tasked with reviewing the state constitution and recommending any needed changes. Members are appointed by the Governor, Attorney General, the Supreme Court Chief Justice, Senate President and House Speaker.

Under Smith’s proposal the sale or transfer of assault weapons would be prohibited. The legislature may enact legislation within the amendment’s framework to provide exceptions to the prohibition on the transfer of assault weapons legally possessed prior to the effective date of the ban.

In his amendment, an “assault weapon” is defined as a semiautomatic rifle that is able to accept a detachable magazine, belt, drum, feed strip, or similar device that is capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition, or that has a fixed magazine capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition.

The amendment, which will now undergo vetting by the CRC committee process, must garner 22 votes by the full CRC membership in order to appear on the November 2018 ballot.

If successful, and if 60 percent of Florida’s voters then sign off on the Smith amendment, the assault weapons ban would become part of Florida’s state constitution.”

President’s Message

There is so much information to share with you that I ask that you please forgive me for its length. Karen Weizal, of the Polk Democratic Executive committee, asked that I share with you details of an event as part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s “March for Our Lives Events” campaign at 1 Highlander Way; Lake Wales, FL on Saturday, March 24 at 6 PM. RSVP here to join her by clicking the following link: http://act.everytown.org/event/march-our-lives-events_attend/9766/?source=taf&referring_akid=.6455839.zP7wB6

Our Blue Wave Dance is March 14th in the Ballroom; doors open at 6:30 PM. Music by DJ, Irwin Zalko. Please bring a snack for your table; Cash bar. Tickets $10 per person. DO NOT respond directly to this email to order tickets. Email or call Kate Kohout at katekohout@yahoo.com or (863)-496-0481. Include your name, number of tickets and your phone number.

In his opening statement in a recent email blast, Ryan Torrens (candidate for Florida Attorney Genera) said last week said that “I am ashamed of my party”. We had the pleasure of having him address our club last month, and those in attendance found him to be a compelling and passionate speaker. I feel that he is one of the best candidates that Florida Democrats have had in a long time. His opponent is being backed by the Koch brothers, and has amassed a multi-million dollar war chest.

To quote Mr. Torrens, “I believe that one of the reasons the Democratic Party keeps losing in Florida is because my party has lost touch with working people in our state. My party used to be known as the party who fought for the underprivileged, the forgotten, and those struggling to get ahead. It was my party who fought for everyone to have fair chance to achieve their dreams. It was my party who fought for the laid off factory worker and the single mom, living paycheck to paycheck.” He said that Democratic members of the Florida Legislature voted in favor of payday lenders, and Democratic members of the U.S. Senate voted to relax the rules for big banks instead of fighting for the people who sent them there. And most ironic of all, they did this during National Consumer Protection Week. This is exactly why so many voters have called out Democrats with their talk of fighting for the working man. Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words.

Mr. Torrens further stated that “we need to return to the party of LBJ, who fought for health insurance for the elderly and the poor. We need to return to the party of FDR, who fought for the workers who were relegated to a life of poverty and humiliation due to the ravages of the Great Depression. Only when we do this will the voters place their trust in the Democratic Party once again.
‘ It’s time to go back to basics. It’s time to actually fight for what our party claims to believe in. It’s really easy to show up at a fancy party, cocktail in hand, and talk about how progressively-minded you are. When the fight is on, like it was yesterday, our people expect us to to fight for them. Our party let the people down yesterday. What a shame.

‘We’re doing things differently in this campaign. I’m campaigning as the people’s lawyer. It’s who I am and it’s what I do. Fighting for all Florida consumers isn’t Democratic or Republican and it isn’t liberal or conservative. It’s just the right thing to do. We’re going to win this election, but only with your support. I don’t care what your party is. If you believe it’s time to put the AG’s office back on the side of the consumers, join our team today.” Mr. Torrens recognizes that the wind is at our backs, and it’s time to take advantage of that momentum.

Lastly ,Marilyn Shapiro of our club shared with us one of her writings “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”:
According to the Bipartisanship Policy Center, our country’s history of working across the aisle can be traced back to as early as 1787. Our founding fathers, struggling with congressional representation regarding the populations of the colonies, reached what later was know as the Great Compromise. It was decided that our new government would exist with a proportional House of Representatives and a Senate with equal representation. Once adopted, both sides felt vindicated.

At their best, and despite their differences, presidents and parties have work together to use compromise for the common good of our country. Lincoln created his “team of rivals” because he believed that he had no right to deprive the country of its strongest minds simply because they sometimes disagreed with him. In the last sixty years, the Civil Rights Act (1964); putting man on the moon (1977); the Endangered Species Act (1973); the American’s with Disabilities Act (1990); welfare reform (1996), and No Child Left Behind (2001) all were put into effect because of compromise.
In the current political climate, compromise appears to be all but impossible. Lines have been drawn in the sand, pitting the Republican majority against the Democratic minority with unprecedented rancor. Nuclear options, closed door sessions, and a proliferation of what is regarded as “fake,” exaggerated, and even inflammatory news have torn our country apart in ways that many of us — from gifted historians to concerned citizen—cannot remember.

The battle has spilled over to our personal lives, dividing family and friends. The situation has become so flammable that recommendations on how to get along with family and friends with differing political views have become hot topics on everything from television to newspaper articles to Miss Manners. How do we deal with its aftermath when where one stands—whether to the left, to the right, or in the middle—when politics become personal?
I myself had become caught up in the “us versus them” mentality. In the months before the election, I had spent hours watching television, listening to podcasts, and reading articles—usually with left leaning perspectives. Sharing all this news became my first priority, either through social media or animated, face to face conversations.

And it hurt me. I had cut off contact with a relative after a Facebook fight about the election last fall, reconciling only after four months of protracted tension. One of my new neighbors, knowing how I felt about the November 8 outcome, had purposely avoided me with little more than a smile and hello. Friends invited me to their get-togethers but suggested I leave my politics at the door. As a result, I decided that I could still do what I need to do—stay informed, call my legislators, volunteer to work during the next election cycle. However, as Miss Manners suggested in her June 25, 2017, column, I was no longer going discuss politics in social situations without mutual consent to do so.

While organizing a small dinner party, I realized how difficult the situation had become. One of the guests, whose leanings were unreservedly to the left, called to see if I was inviting a couple known for their strong Republican views. When I asked him the reason for his request, he told me that he recently had had a heated exchange with the couple regarding politics. He and his wife would feel uncomfortable attending if they were going to be there.

Even though the “Republicans” were not on the guest list for that evening, his request troubled me. Since the elections, I had heard similar comments from other friends who had questioned my continued friendship with any of “those people” who didn’t vote the way they had. I also observed many friends drawing lines in the sand. I came to the realization that enough was enough.

I didn’t have a good response for my dinner guests during that phone call, but I do now. When the issue comes up, I tell people, “I will be friends with whom I want. Politics will NOT be a decision in my friendship.”

In Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked, Chris Matthews, the former Chief of Staff for House Speaker Tip O’Neill and MSNBC journalist, reported that the political battles between the House Speaker and President Ronald Reagan were “legendary,” but they respected and even liked one another. Reagan often had both Republicans and Democrats—including O’Neill—over for cocktails. “After six,” O’Neill would insist, “we are all friends.”
The only difference with me, the avowed liberal Democrat, and Tip O’Neill is that I won’t limit my friendships to after six o’clock. As Thomas Jefferson so wisely said over two hundred years ago, “I never considered a difference in opinion on politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause enough in withdrawing from a friend.”

So I will continue to have friends for dinner, no matter our political affiliations. We will break bread. We will drink wine. We will laugh and enjoy each other’s company. And maybe, just maybe, once in a while we will “reach across the aisle.” We will discuss politics, learn what divides and unites us, and, if necessary, agree to disagree. I only wish the same for our president and the members of our United States Senate and House of Representatives.

Stanley P. Dillard, Sr. President
Solivita Democratic Club
863-427- 4480