Letter from the Chair
Dear Democrats and Allies,
The Presidential Election is less than 9 months away. We are doing the work now to elect or reelect more Democrats, all the way down the ballot. The Coconino Democratic Party is already planning a victory watch party, secure in the knowledge that we are doing everything humanly possible (and sometimes seemingly impossible!) to ensure that it’s a celebration. There’s a lot to do between now and then, with something to suit every particular interest, skill, or passion. Defending Democracy is hard fun, and we’d love to help you find your position on the team!
Please join us or volunteer to help at the Democracy Fair on Saturday, February 24th, from noon to 4 at Coconino High School. It’s going to be a great community day, and a chance to actively participate in our democratic process. Come for the free popcorn and fun activities, buy lunch at the Tres Amigos food truck, and meet the 2024 candidates! The Arizona for Abortion Access petitions and Voter Registration will be available, bring your friends and neighbors.
What we do now will determine how we experience November 5 and beyond, when
Democracy itself hangs in the balance. The difference will be made by the postcard you sent, the phone call you made, the door you knocked on, the petition you circulated, and the conversation you had with a neighbor.
Check out the newsletter for more information about our work and how you may get more involved!
Blue AZ 2024
Laura
2024 Democracy Fair!
Please join us at the Democracy Fair, sponsored by the Coconino County Democratic Party, this Saturday from noon to 4pm at Coconino High School.
Drop in during the day to visit with candidates and hear them speak, check your voter registration, talk with our partner organizations, sign petitions, write postcards to our elected officials, and more.
We are coordinating a ginormous raffle with more than 40 items including artwork, jewelry, stained glass, baked goods, honey basket, wine, gift cards for restaurants and Bookman’s, children’s books, Ukrainian egg dying class, handmade baskets, coffee, professional dog sitting certificate, lunch by Frank Branham for two, and so much more!!
Raffle tickets will be for sale at the event so bring some $$$. One ticket for $5, three tickets for $10, and ten tickets for $25. You do not have to be present to win, but you do have to write your name/phone on your tickets. Look for our volunteers in blue aprons who will be selling tickets and answering questions.
The event is FREE but bring your $$ for the raffle and Tres Amigos Taco Truck.
Please join us for the 24th Annual Roosevelt-Kennedy Gala on April 20, 2024, at the
NAU High Country Conference Center in Flagstaff, Arizona. Talk to candidates, cash bar reception, buffet dinner, silent and live auctions, guest speakers, and awards.
Tickets are on sale now!
$125 per person or $1,000 per table.
Learn more about the event and purchase tickets through ActBlue or mail or bring payment in person to the office.
Eleanor Roosevelt Award
The annual Roosevelt-Kennedy Celebration is our biggest Party event of the year. This occasion is a time to gather with like-minded Democrats and allies to celebrate our achievements and raise funds for the year ahead.
The Eleanor Roosevelt Award is presented annually to honor a Coconino County Democrat who best exemplifies these words from the First Lady for whom the award is named:
“It is the duty of the Democratic Party to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.”
Please send your submission for this award to info@coconinodemocrats.org with the
subject line “Eleanor Roosevelt Award”. Explain who the nominee is and how they have expressed their commitment to the duty of the Democratic Party as described above. Submissions should be no more than 350 words.
Past recipients of this Award are not eligible. If nominated, they may be considered for
other awards made at the 2024 Celebration.
T-Shirts On-sale!
Regular fit, crew neck, sizes M,L,XL.
Relaxed fitted V-neck, sizes , S, M, L.
Tee Shirts available for a $36.00 donation to the CCDems via check or ActBlue.
New Dates for Primary Election!
As you may have heard at our last monthly meeting, the date for this summer’s Primary Election has changed.
Election Day is now July 30, and all the associated dates and deadlines have also moved up.
– The last date to register to vote in the Primary (or to correct/update your registration) is July 1.
– Early voting will take place July 3 – 26.
– Perhaps most important — the deadline for candidates to file petitions to be on the Primary ballot is April 1.
This earlier deadline makes it all the tougher on our candidates! Help them by going to the eQual site (through the Arizona Secretary of State) to sign petitions on-line, or visit our office in the Ice House to sign candidate petitions there.
Share the news about these earlier dates with your friends and neighbors – don’t let voters be caught off-guard by the change.
Our Presidential Preference Election, March 19:
Your Opportunity for Hands-on Engagement in Democracy!
Arizona’s Presidential Preference Election (PPE) takes place March 19, 2024. While the outcome may not be too surprising, this is still a crucial test of all the voting and election processes that will be used later in the year for the Primary and the General Elections. Both Coconino County Elections and the Coconino Democrats need your help in ensuring the transparency, privacy, and security of the ballot.
Poll Workers are employed and trained by Coconino County. They work at polling locations (vote centers and precincts) in teams carefully selected to balance party representation. While there are plenty of Democratic poll workers in Flagstaff itself, the County has to work hard to find appropriate party representatives for some of the more rural or distant voting locations. Go to this link to learn more and to apply: https://coconino.az.gov/3088/Get-Involved-Local-People-Administer-Loc
Hand Count Audit Workers are also employed (paid) and trained by the County, but they are appointed by our County Party Chair. For the PPE, the Hand Count Audit Board will begin work on March 20 at 1 pm. We must appoint three members and two alternates for this service. This is a crucial piece of guaranteeing the trustworthiness and accuracy of our elections! If interested, please contact Laura Carter (chair@coconinodemocrats.org ) and Laura Huenneke (laura.huenneke@gmail.com ).
Party Observers are not paid. They are appointed (credentialed) by the County Party Chair, and training is provided by the Coordinated Campaign of the Arizona Democratic Party. We need observers at polling (voting) places on Election Day (March 19). And we also need observers to work at the County’s central Election Center (here in Flagstaff) to observe tabulation (the counting of ballots) and other ballot-related processes, beginning on March 11th at 9 am, when the tabulation of early ballots begins. We can even have an observer watch the receiving of Election Day ballots – a night-owl assignment at the Election Center beginning at 6 pm on March 19 and going into the early hours of March 20. If you are interested in being one of these many observers, or just want to read a little more about what’s involved, contact Laura Huenneke (laura.huenneke@gmail.com ) and/or go to this link where the ADP is recruiting and training observers: https://bit.ly/azdem-posignup . It will be great practice for the Primary in July and for the November General Election!
Link to register as a Poll Worker with the Elections Dept.
Arizona for Abortion Access Ballot Initiative
The Coconino County Democrats office is your local petition hub. We have the Arizona for Abortion Access (AAA) ballot initiative petitions available and ready for circulation.
The AAA Campaign requires that all petition circulators must first complete an official petition circulator training. Right now there are online trainings available by registering with Healthcare Rising and/ or Arizona’s List. The Coconino Democratic Party and Indivisible NAZ are hosting a monthly in-person training. The next will be at 11am, March 23, 2024.
*Please note in advance, the AAA Coalition requires circulators to complete the petition training and provide your original training date information to check-out any petitions from the Flagstaff or NAU Hub.
Check out Arizona’s List, Healthcare Rising, our website calendar & our Mobilize page for news, updates, and training information.
- You can stop by on TUESDAYS and Fridays between 11:30 AM-1:30 PM to pick up petitions.
- And get petitions notarized TUESDAYS and Fridays between 11:30 AM-1:30 PM.
- We are looking for volunteers to host events, add new locations, and notarize petitions.
- If you are a notary and would like to volunteer services, please email us.
Beginning MARCH 1st: First Fridays with the Coconino Democrats!
- Visit us at the Historic Ice House from 5PM-8PM to view the ongoing art displays, and stop by the Coconino County Democratic Party office to SIGN THE ARIZONA FOR ABORTION ACCESS PETITION and learn how to get involved. Pick up a temporary tattoo or make a button from one of our designs!
Getting this initiative onto the 2024 ballot will be key to turning out the vote and wining all races from re-electing Biden to flipping our legislature. We need your help!
FLAGSTAFF – EVENT
SIGN the Arizona for Abortion Access Petition at Oeno Wine Lounge
Wednesday, February 28th, between 4pm and 7pm.
Let’s get the politicians out of our healthcare decisions!
Registration is not required for this event. Bring a friend!
We appreciate Oeno Wine Lounge for hosting us!
We hope you will join us in patronizing the business!
