Nine Early Voting Sites Announced

In a year when standing in line to vote in person on Election Day may be dangerous, early voting and voting by mail become more important. Thanks to the hard work of volunteers here, requests for mail-in ballots are way up in New Hanover County this year. Another viable option is to vote early at one of the nine sites available for in-person early voting this year. The New Hanover County Board of Elections has added three new One-Stop sites to the six early voting locations chosen previously.

The One-Stop (also known as “early voting”) voting period begins on Thursday, October 15 and ends on Saturday, October 31. All sites will have weekday hours (Monday-Friday) from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. In addition, the One-Stop sites will have weekend hours of noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, Sunday, October 18, Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25. The final day of One-Stop voting, Saturday, October 31 all sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In addition to voting in person, you can drop off your completed absentee ballot at any One-Stop location versus voting at your regular precinct on Election Day. Residents who are not registered in New Hanover County may also register to vote during the One-Stop early voting period at any of the locations. Curbside voting will be available at all One-Stop sites for anyone unable to enter the voting location due to age, physical disability or physical barriers encountered at the polling place.

Click here to check out the One-Stop sites.

State Election Officials Promise That Your Mail-in Vote Will Be Secure

(From GoBlueRidge.Net) In response to President Trump's efforts to sow confusion and doubt about voting by mail, the North Carolina Board of Elections issued a press release this week citing a dozen reasons why your absentee ballot will be secure. "Across North Carolina, election officials have worked for many months to ensure accessible, safe and accurate elections in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic," the BOE statement said. Among the reasons for confidence are:

Election officials send ballots only to registered voters who request them using official request forms.
The voter or their near relative must fill out and sign the request form. Required information includes the voter's date of birth and the voter's driver's license number or last four digits of their Social Security number.
Fraudulently or falsely completing the form is a Class I felony.
Upon return, the county board of elections reviews the absentee envelope to ensure compliance with the legal requirements.

You can read the full statement here. Click here to download your absentee ballot request.

Public Invited to Comment on New Hanover Regional Medical Center Plans at Advisory Group's Virtual Forums

(From a New Hanover County press release) Members of the Partnership Advisory Group (PAG) will hold a series of Facebook Live Community Forums to continue their efforts to engage the community and answer questions about the proposed partnership between New Hanover Regional Medical Center (NHRMC), Novant Health, UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine. The Partnership Advisory Group (PAG) includes 21 members from the community, including physicians and hospital Board of Trustees, and was established to research, review, and guide the process for evaluating NHRMC’s future.

On July 2, the 21-member PAG unanimously recommended a partnership with Novant Health, UNC Health and UNC School of Medicine after nine months of evaluation. This recommendation was then approved by the NHRMC Board of Trustees on July 7 and the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners on July 13, authorizing the county and NHRMC to execute a letter of intent with Novant Health. Currently, the three parties are working to develop a legally-binding, definitive agreement that furthers the goals of the healthcare system and the priorities of the community. Over the coming months, the definitive agreement will be evaluated by the Board of Commissioners, NHRMC Board of Trustees, and PAG. A final version of the agreement will then be shared publicly at least 10 days prior to a public hearing and a vote of the Board of Commissioners on whether to execute the agreement, likely in October of this year.

The dates for these community-wide forums are:

Tuesday, August 4: 12;00 to 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, August 18: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 1: 12:00 to 1:00 p.m.
Tuesday, September 15: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

At the Forums the PAG will address questions submitted in chat but will not entertain live questions.

Chaos President Returns Chaotic Convention to North Carolina

Governor Cooper warned the Trump Campaign that it was nuts to try to hold a large-scale Republican Convention at a packed indoor arena during the COVID-19 pandemic, so the President threw a tantrum and announced he would gather a crowd for his nomination acceptance in Jacksonville, Florida instead. Now with Florida breaking COVID-19 death records just about every day, Trump's ridiculous Florida gambit has collapsed, so the stripped down Republican Convention will be held in Charlotte after all.

But in typical Trump fashion, there seems to be no plan for what's going to be happening there, according to a recent article from WBTV News: Republican sources have confirmed to WBTV that plans are in the works for President Donald Trump to accept his nomination in Charlotte during a portion of the Republican National Convention in August. But, those sources say, that does not necessarily mean he will give an acceptance speech in the Queen City.

As for the City of Charlotte, leaders said Wednesday they are still in the dark about the RNC's plans. “The Republican National Committee has not informed the City that the President indents [sic] to travel to Charlotte next month to attend any business meetings or events related to the convention portion being held in Charlotte,” the city said in a statement. For the rest of the story click here.

Schedule of Events and Officers Announced for Democratic Convention

The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) and Democratic National Committee (DNC) have announced the leaders from across the nation who have been asked to serve as permanent officers for the 2020 Democratic National Convention, as well as the initial schedule for the convention’s four nights of programming. Convention organizers also released the initial schedule of daytime activities, including virtual caucus and council meetings, where delegates will come together to hear from party and community leaders as they continue to organize and mobilize their constituencies.

For the schedule of events, click here. For other convention information, click here.

Combined Campaign Begins Virtual Office Hours On Zoom

Because of the coronavirus we are left without traditional campaign tools that help us organize to support our candidates. The Combined Campaign has rented space in the same building the NHCDP uses, but has not been using the office because of the risk of infection. However our local Field Organizers are planning office hours on Zoom that you can use to get in touch, ask questions, and volunteer to help elect Democrats. They intend to hold the virtual office open daily from 10 am to 7 pm at this Zoom link: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0qc-GtrTsqHNdIuJvnHz_7rC8F3YJhABKa

EVENTS

Combined Campaign Virtual Phone Banks for Joe Biden -- Now through August 25

When: Daily through August 25

Where: Join Phone Bank and call from home

Team Joe supporters from Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, New Hanover, and Pender counties are invited for a virtual phone bank to make phone calls to other Joe Biden supporters. Training will be provided, and volunteers can choose the hours that work best for them. To get more details and to sign up, click here.

Wine Tasting with Marcia Morgan -- August 4

When: Tuesday, August 4, 6:00 p.m.

Where: Online

Join Team Marcia for a wine tasting featuring two Greek wines from Soif de Vin--one white, one red.. Enjoy the wines in the comfort of your own home; we'll provide info on suggested food pairings and will learn more about the wines we're tasting.for an evening of inspiring, insightful conversation. Sign up: https://secure.ngpvan.com/THCzetbHAUiUbVNwlDqi2g2

An Evening of Conversation about Restorative Justice to Support Leslie Cohen -- August 5

When: Wednesday, August 5, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Where: Virtual Event via Zoom

A nexus of recent events culminating with the murder of George Floyd has focused our attention on the institutional racism and implicit bias in every aspect of public policy. This is an incredible opportunity to learn from community expert Dr. Kim Cook, a Professor of Sociology and Criminology at UNCW and chair of the Board of Directors for LINC, Inc.. In 2015, Dr. Cook resumed work as a restorative justice facilitator in New Hanover County, in Juvenile Court, public schools, and local non-profit organizations.

Use this link to reserve your spot and receive access to this Zoom event: https://act.myngp.com/Forms/-4772514324279522048 Attendance to all Leslie's virtual events and fundraisers is FREE. Sponsorships are available and appreciated.

A Celebration of Women's Empowerment with Marcia Morgan -- August 9

When: Sunday, August 9, 2:00 p.m.

Where: Online

Join Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, legislator Deb Butler, playwright Lauren Gunderson and stage/screen star Ari Afsar as they join Marcia Morgan for an amazing event. They'll talk about why it's so important to elect women to office and Lauren and Ari will wow you with excerpts from the incredible story of Jeannette. Jeannette electrifies the life and history of suffrage activist, social worker and Montanan, Jeannette Rankin. Elected to Congress in 1916—three years before women are granted the right to vote—Jeannette finds herself to be the only female voice within the halls of power to vote on women's suffrage.

This is a FREE virtual event; sponsorships are available and registration is required. Sign up here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/4pvX5XPos0yK1GuOPVoVmQ2

Democratic National Convention -- August 17-20

When: Monday through Thursday, August 17-20

Where: TV, or Online Here: https://www.demconvention.com/watch-the-convention/

The Democratic National Convention evening program will run from 9 to 11 pm Eastern Time. Unlike the RNC, the DNC has been planning for months to stage a virtual convention, and will strive to present the best convention possible for these changed conditions. Of course this is our first-ever virtual Democratic National Convention, so it will be interesting to see what they come up with.

Reception for NC Attorney General Josh Stein -- September 2

When: Wednesday, September 2, 6:00 p.m.

Where: Online

This event will take place by teleconference for supporters in the Wilmington area at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, September 2nd. To attend or to contribute, click here.

Election 2020 Begins Today -- September 4

When: Friday, September 4

Where: Your Mailbox

Vote by mail ballots will be received on or about September 4th by those voters who applied early for an absentee ballot. Here's what you must do to make sure it counts: Read the instructions carefully and make sure you do these three things: (1) sign it, (2) make sure your witness signs it, and (3) return it promptly.

Vote Counting Begins -- September 29

When: Tuesday, September 29

Where: Online

The Board of Elections will begin counting the absentee ballots around September 29th. No results will be announced, but your ballot will be scanned, and you will able to confirm online that it has been received and accepted. If you are in this group, your vote will be announced on November 3, right after the polls close.

Best,

Richard Poole, Chair

News Content by James Cummings

If you have any announcements, comments, questions or concerns regarding this email series, please contact the Editor here.

Paid for by the New Hanover County Democratic Party

Mailing Address:

NHCDP

PO Box 3036

Wilmington, NC 28406

Office Address:

5041 New Centre Drive

Wilmington, NC 28403

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