Why Local Elections Matter

Reminder: All registered voters will be mailed their ballots starting this Monday, October 14!

THERE IS AN ELECTION THIS YEAR! Folks will be voting on local school board candidates and Proposition CC, so we're asking you to remind your friends and neighbors that it is their civic duty to vote, and that you're counting on them to be a good American and vote!

Why is it important to get involved in school board/municipal elections?

• School Boards determine the direction that your local schools will go as far as investment and curriculum adoption.
• City Council members are your municipality's legislative body. They can determine where funding for city projects will go, and what contracters and companies your city may hire to do the job!
• Mayors are the head of your city or town. They are the executive in charge, and can set a progressive (or conservative) agenda for your hometown.

Also remind your friends and neighbors that if they haven't registered to vote, need to update their voter registration, or need to know where they can drop off their ballot, they can go to justvoteColorado.org to find out where they can go in person!

Every Election Counts -- Lead Locally & Get Involved in 2019!

Make to sure Adopt a Local Campaign! All politics is local, and the quickest way to affect change in your community to ensure that you're helping your local candidates who are running for these important offices in 2019!

Go to the CDP's Adopt a Campaign sign up sheet by clicking here! 

NOW AVAILABLE AT THE CDP STORE!

We all know that Mitch McConnell refuses to take up a number of bills that House Democrats have passed, including a bill that would ensure our elections are secure from Russian interference (which is why folks call him Moscow Mitch). But -- Moscow Mitch wouldn't be able to do this without his right-hand-man, Colorado's junior U.S. Senator Cory Gardner.

Which is why we're now saying to save our democracy, we must say "Do Svidanya" (goodbye) to Moscow Mitch and Comrade Cory! Click here to visit the Colorado Democratic Party store right now and get your t-shirt and stickers!

Get your Team Blue Merchandise at the CDP Store! Visit here!

The design of the Comrade Cory + Moscow Mitch merchandise was created by local Colorado artist Dustin Resch! You can seem more of his designs as DustinResch.com, and learn more about him in our "Volunteer of the Week" spotlight below!

Volunteer of the Week: Dustin Resch

Meet the artist/creator of our new "Comrade Cory + Moscow Mitch" merchandise, Dustin Resch! A local artist and children's book author, Dustin is the husband of Stephanie Brooke Chavez, who was one of our honorees at the 2019 Obama Dinner as "Volunteer of the Year"! We asked Dustin a few questions about volunteering for Democratic causes.

Why do you volunteer?
Watching my wife and her friends kick butt every day inspires me. I wasn't as politically active before, but watching Stephanie and her friends has motivated me to get out and do more. Plus, there are so many good Democrats out there in Colorado who inspire me to do the work.

Where do you see the intersection of your art and your political activism?
I work full time, so I don't have as much time to canvass or phonebank as some other people do. Through my art and graphic design, I can make an impact. I can help my friends who are marching or who are going to the Capitol make signs.

What would you say to someone who has thought about volunteering, but hasn't taken that first step?
Everybody's got a skill they can use to collaborate and contribute. I've seen people, like senior citizens, who may not be as mobile and can't make phone calls or canvass instead sign postcards. The important thing is to reach out and ask how you can help.

Be sure to visit Dustin's website at DustinResch.com to learn more about his work!

Nominate Awards for the 2020 Obama Dinner!

Want to help us choose who will be named Democrat of the Year? Or named the Rising Star Award? Or the Volunteer of the Year?

Nominations for who will be honored at the 3rd Annual Obama Dinner on Saturday, April 18, 2020 are now open! Click here to tell us who YOU think should recognized at the Colorado Democratic Party's biggest annual celebration!

ALSO:

Tickets are NOW AVAILABLE for the 3rd Annual Obama Dinner -- the Colorado Democratic Party's biggest fundraiser and gala dinner of the year!

Join old friends and meet new allies from across our state on Saturday, April 18, 2020 to kick off the work needed to elect Democrats across Colorado in 2020.

Help us thank our hardworking volunteers by donating a scholarship ticket! Not only will you have the gratitude from a well deserving volunteer, your generosity will be recognized in our program.

Thank you for helping us be more inclusive at our gala dinner. Buy your tickets today! 

Yes on Prop CC: Start Fixing Things!

Supporters of Proposition CC gathered at Metro State University in Denver to officially launch the "Yes on Prop CC" campaign! The goal? To have voters vote 'Yes' this November on a ballot initiative that will allow Colorado to invest millions in roads, bridges, and schools without raising taxes.

Here's what's on the website:

Almost 30 years ago, Colorado voters narrowly enacted the most restrictive government spending limits in the country. Prop CC asks Colorado voters to remove the those arbitrary limits, which have severely restricted our ability to invest in our students, our roads, bridges and transit, and to address the needs of our fast-growing state.

This fall, we have an opportunity to begin to repair the damage the state’s antiquated budget formula has done to critical government services. By voting yes on Prop CC we can fill potholes and fix our roads and bridges, improve our schools by hiring and retaining the best teachers, and improve our economy with investments that help all Coloradans. And we can do it without raising the tax rate.

Prop CC also includes unprecedented transparency, requiring annual, independent audits to show the public how the money was spent.

This Week in Trump: Obstructing the House Inquiry

It continues to look worse for Donald Trump and Republicans as more and more of the facts surrounding Trump's gross abuse of power are coming out. In fact, with all this news coming out, it can be tough to keep up! Here's what's going on:

• The White House announced it would refuse to cooperate with the House impeachment inquiry.
• wo of Rudy Giuliani’s associates, who helped his efforts to get Ukraine to investigate Trump’s political opponent, were charged with violating campaign finance laws in a scheme to funnel a Russian donor’s money to aid Trump’s campaign. 
• It was reported that Trump asked then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to pressure the Justice Department to drop a criminal case against a client of Rudy Giuliani.
• We also learne that a White House official who listened in on Trump’s call with Zelensky told the whistleblower that Trump’s actions were “crazy” and “frightening.”
• The Trump administration continued to obstruct the House inquiry by preventing Ambassador Sondland from sitting for his deposition, making it even more clear that the White House is engaged in a cover-up.
• Trump took ownership of the order to block Sondland’s testimony, which came from the State Department.
• Sondland reportedly called Trump after another senior diplomat texted him that it was “crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” After speaking with Trump, Sondland replied that the president had been “crystal clear” that there were “no quid pro quos of any kind” — the same text that Trump is now claiming exonerates him.
• A second whistleblower with firsthand knowledge of Trump’s phone call came forward this weekend.
• Trump openly called for China and Ukraine to open investigations into a political opponent. Meanwhile, the president continues to boast about having “tremendous power” over China in trade negotiations.
• Trump previously spoke to China’s president about his political rivals, in another call that was stored on the White House’s highly secure computer system intended for sensitive national security secrets.
• Recently released text messages show an explicit quid pro quo in Ukraine -- security assistance and a White House meeting in exchange for Ukraine opening an investigation advantageous to Trump’s reelection.
• Two Trump administration diplomats worked with Rudy Giuliani to write a draft statement for the Ukrainian government that would have committed them to pursuing investigations into Trump’s political rivals.
• Trump ordered the removal of the Ukraine ambassador after complaints from Giuliani that she was undermining his work to get Ukraine to investigate his political rival.
• Vice President Mike Pence reportedly received the transcript of Trump’s call within hours of it ending. Pence also told the Ukrainian president that U.S. aid was being withheld while demanding more aggressive action on corruption, days after Trump’s call asking for an investigation.
• If you hear Vice President Pence tell it, he had no idea that Trump was pushing Ukraine to investigate one of his political rivals, but his denials don’t pass the smell test. Pence had immediate access to the transcript, his aide was on the call, and Giuliani had been bragging about a quest for an Ukrainian investigation of a political rival for months. 
• Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed that he was listening in on the call where Trump pressured the Ukrainian president, despite previously suggesting he had no knowledge of the call.
• Attorney General Barr held private meetings with foreign officials seeking their help to discredit U.S. intelligence agencies’ investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.
• The intelligence community’s inspector general released a statement pushing back on allegations that the whistleblower’s knowledge was entirely “hearsay” -- he had “direct knowledge” of some information -- and on the Republican conspiracy theory that the whistleblower form was recently changed -- it wasn’t. 
• A former advisor to the Ukranian president said that it was a “well-known fact” Trump wanted compromising info on his political opponent, and that the Ukrainian president knew critical U.S. aide was at stake.
• Attorney General Bill Barr held private meetings with foreign officials seeking their help to discredit U.S. intelligence agencies’ investigation of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election. Trump also pressured the UK and Australian governments to help Attorney General Barr gather information to discredit the Mueller investigation.
• During a press availability, Trump tripled down, not only again calling on Ukraine to investigate a political rival, but now calling on China to investigate a political rival.

ICYMI: Here's some excellent resources to keep you taught up on all things Impeachment.

Join us at our 2019 Statewide Outreach Stops and Senate Forums!

October 13, 2019 (Trainings @ 2:00pm, Forum @ 5:00pm)
Custer, El Paso, Fremont, Huerfano, Pueblo, and Teller Counties
CSU-Pueblo, Occhiato Center Ballroom, 2200 Bonforte Boulevard, Pueblo, CO 81001

Click the Graphic to Sign Up!

Sign up for "Work for the Wave" Webinars!

Our party wouldn't be as organized and successful as it is without the talented and dedicated volunteers we have at the local levels. Want to brush up on your skills so you can help make sure Colorado goes blue in 2020? Sign up for an upcoming webinar:

October 14: GOTV (Hosted by Morgan Carroll)
When Democrats turn out to vote, we win elections! Learn from CDP Chair Morgan Carroll some tips and strategies for effectively turning out voters in your community!

October 28: Campaign Finance (Hosted by Jamie Elkins and Martha Tierney)
How do you ensure that you're in compliance with Colorado's campaign finance laws while running a campaign and fundraising? Learn from attorney Martha Tierney and CDP's Compliance Director Jamie Elkins!

November 14: Citizen Lobbying (Hosted by Morgan Carroll)
How do you exercise your power as an individual and citizen to engage with lawmakers and affect change in Colorado? Learn from CDP Chair (and former Colorado Senate President) Morgan Carroll on how to talk to lawmakers and how to become an advocate on issues you care about!

November 25: Messaging (Hosted by Halisi Vinson and David Pourshoushtari)
How do Democrats win the narrative, and ultimately break through all the noise to get their message out there? Learn from CDP Executive Director Halisi Vinson and Communications Director David Pourshoushtari about how to get your message out there through traditional and digital media!

On The Road

CDP Chair Morgan Carroll, 1st Vice Chair Howard Chou, Outreach Chair Xochitl 'Sochi' Gaytan, and Comms Advisor Alyssa Roberts were present on Saturday at the first Denver US Senate Forum hosted by the Denver Dems. Howard served as moderator. Howard also attended the 108th National Day Reception Republic of China, Taiwan in Denver. Morgan attended the Great Education Colorado luncheon, which honored Rollie and Josie Heath for all their work to support Colorado's students!

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