OCDC UPDATE October 24, 2008

OCDC UPDATE October 24, 2008

1. Countdown to Change Victory Rally Tomorrow 5:30 pm
2. GOTV Plans
3. Need volunteers in White River Junction Office
4. Symington Campaign
5. Wednesday, Oct 29, Gaye in Windsor
6. Gaye on VPR Vermont Edition on Monday 12 noon
7. OCDC meeting schedule
8. Minutes from Oct. 15th OCDC meeting

The election is only 11 days away!! Politics is a team sport!

1.Countdown to Change Victory Rally
Saturday, October 25, 5:30 p.m. Old Labor Hall in Barre
Join us and our special invited guests -- Senator Patrick Leahy, Congressman Peter Welch, Speaker Gaye Symington and Tom Costello -- to kick off our final push for an historic Democratic victory on November 4.


2. Phone bank Thurs 10/30, Sat (11/1), Sun (11/2)
We NEED volunteers for Get Out the Vote calls.

Caleb Rick's home in Chelsea, Thursday, 5:30-8:30, Saturday 10 -4, Sunday, 10 -8. In Thetford on Tuesday 11/4 9 am – 6 pm

Looking for volunteers with cell phones with unlimited minutes for election day. Need more 7 ground lines or cell phones with unlimited minutes for Tuesday, 11/4 in Orange County.

Looking for Hospitality Captains during GOTV (11/1 – 11/4)
Contact Jules at 802-295-1443 or jearly@vtdemocrats.org

Thanks to all the volunteers who have been calling on Thursdays in Chelsea!!! Last night they made 937 calls!! WOW!

3.Need Volunteers in the White River Junction Office
Please help us by signing up for a couple hours. Jules Earley, VT Coordinated Campaign Field Organizer for Orange – Windsor, White River Junction Office (3rd floor Briggs Building) is open. 802-295-1443 (office), 928-301-5419 (cell), or jearly@vtdemocrats.org to volunteer.

4.Symington campaign
Women for Symington: Sign up as a member of "She's for Symington" on the website (www.symingtonforgovernor.com/sfs/) and make a contribution. Spreading the word and getting other women to join the effort.
Check out the web site http://ocvtdems.blogspot.com for info on ways to help Gaye Symington's campaign. Drew Hudson, Field Director, 802-272-9763 www.symingtonforgovernor.com

From Jill Michaels:
Folks:
On the "She's for Symington" conference call with Karen yesterday I made a suggestion that at the time was just a dream -- to work on getting the money together to put half page ads in papers across the state the Sunday and Monday before the election pointing out Douglas' abysmal record on jobs and the economy.

Since then I have talked with Arshad Hasan at Democracy for American and Gov. Kunin. Both are enthusiastic about doing this and what wonderful serendipity that the DFA ad that is just going up on TV is such a perfect match for this effort.(Great minds think alike!)

Arshad has agreed to help us do this and the funds we raise to do it would go through DFA. That means that even if you have maxed out to Gaye directly you could still donate up to $5,000 for this venture.

Gov. Kunin is lining up Govs Hoff and Salmon. We still need someone to be able to connect with Gov. Dean. I have also touched base with Chuck Ross (Sen. Leahy), Bob Rogan (Cong. Welch) and Caroline Dwyer to ask for their support in this.

I have begun to get information on what it would cost to do those half page ads in the Free Press, the Rutland Herald, Valley News, Bennington Banner, Brattleboro Reformer and Caledonian Record. We are probably looking at needing to raise on the order of $10,000.

But we need to do this together. And we need to do it quickly. The the ad will contain a list of folks who support it with contributions of $100 or more and that's where you come in.

$10,000 is 100 people at $100. (or 200 people at $50 or 50 people at $200)

We can do this and just think what an impact it would have!

Please let me know as soon as you can if you are willing to work on this. We need to know we have the funds by next Wednesday (October 29) if we are going to go ahead -- a number of the newspapers require money up front for political ads.
Jill Michaels
jill_michaels@valley.net
(802)765-4102
Fax (802) 765-4103


5.You are invited to an evening with:
Speaker Gaye Symington
Democratic Candidate for Governor
Wednesday, October 29th
5:00 to 7:00 PM
Hors d'oeuvre & cash bar
Juniper Hill Inn
Juniper Hill Road, Windsor, VT
Suggested Contribution: $50
Friends of Gaye: $100
Host: $250
Host Committee:
Kathy & Senator John Campbell  Ted Hillis & Jane Osgood
Senator Alice Nitka  Representative Donna Sweaney & Bill Ballantyne
Innkeepers of the Year – Robert Dean & Ari Nikki
RSVP Requested:
Please reply by Friday, October 24th to 802-674-5175

www.symingtonforgovernor.com
PO Box 1584, Burlington, VT 05402
Contributions to Symington for Governor are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes.
We may accept contributions from an individual totaling up to $2000.



6.Gaye Symington on VPR Vermont Edition
Monday, October 27 12 noon
Call in during the program at (800) 639-2211 E-mail questions to the Vermont Edition team: vermontedition@vpr.net


7.OCDC Meetings
Wednesday, Nov 19, Thetford/W Fairlee at Chris Aquino's home 6:30 potluck, 7 pm meeting
Wednesday, NO MEETING in December

Check out our web site!!
Orange County Democratic Committee http://ocvtdems.blogspot.com

VDP website: www.vtdemocrats.org

8. Minutes from October 15th OCDC Meeting

October Meeting held in the Williamstown Jr & High School library.
In attendance were Jean MacDonald, Fred Crowley, Sherry Merrick, Frank Roderick, Suzanne Smith and Winona Johnson.

September minutes reviewed.

Written report from Jules Earley, Coordinated Campaign Field Organizer for Orange–Windsor County
GOTV plans. He needs many volunteers on Saturday, 11/1 - Tuesday, 11/4 for phone banking, visibility, driving, runners and comfort captain.
HQ Dates and Times – Thursdays in Oct. at Rick's in Chelsea
White River Jct office needs volunteers


Symington Campaign – written report from Drew:
1) Norwich House Party with Peter Welch and Gaye Symington tomorrow.
You are invited to join us for a House Party celebrating the great Democrats running for State-wide office this year. All are welcome 5-7pm at the Home of Jack and Jill Harned in Norwich VT. Please RSVP for details and directions: 651-3488.

2) Symington/DFA rock the young Democrats:
With Barack Obama pulling ahead with a commanding lead in NH, we've been getting tons of questions in Vermont about how local activists can help Symington win in the last 2 weeks. With our partners at DFA, we've launched an ambitious campaign to talk to 30,000 young voters who supported Democrats in the February primary, but have never voted before in a state-level race. For more info contact the DFA-team mlangenmayr@democracyforamerica.com, spuls@democracyforamerica.com

3) Letters needed NOW to the Burlington Free Press
The Free Press has declared that they will stop accepting letters to the editor about the election on October 24 - almost 2 full weeks before election day. That means we have just 10 days to get enough letters in to ensure Symington is well supported in the state's largest paper during the crucial last 2 weeks before election day. Please send a letter ASAP to letters@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com. If you need talking points or other suggestions email Symington communications Director Michael Carrese at michael@symingtonforgovernor.com.

Committee reports
Treasurer– Frank Roderick - $492.58 balance. Received 4 checks (total$165) from the e-mail fund raising letter

Fundraising– Jean MacDonald. Committee suggests we send a second email fundraising reminder, and not a post letter. After a short discussion the group decided not to send a follow-up e-mail fund reminder.

Voter file- Linda Weiss:
Speerstras did some data entry work but are now vacationing out of state. Lois traveled to Thetford to help with data entry there.

Sherry Merrick and Marie Ricketts of Strafford have now been trained on VAN.
List parties completed this cycle: Corinth, Thetford, Fairlee, Randolph, Strafford, Vershire. Wish there were more of these to report.

Candidate-specific data entry has been done for candidates French, the late Jim Hutchinson, Louise Barreda. We have used the VAN to target Louise's former students for early vote and then for voter follow up.

OCDC used the VAN for successful mailing for write in nominees John Taylor and Susan Hatch Davis. Is also using the VAN for mailings to Dems in targeted House districts featuring our House/Senate candidates slates.

Resignation of secretary, Liane Allen:
"With deep regret, I must submit my resignation as the Orange County Democrats' Secretary. Due to a catastrophic failure in our electrical generating system, we will not be able to stay in our cabin for the foreseeable future. As a result, we'll be moving to Massachusetts to stay with family for an undetermined period of time, which will make it difficult, if not impossible to fulfill my obligations as Secretary." Liane Allen.
A new secretary will be nominated and elected at the next OCDC meeting.


Post Card Mailing: 919 postcards were mailed to 6 OC towns. The folded card included an absentee ballot request mail-in post card and list of national, state and local democratic candidates.

Upcoming events Countdown to Change Victory Rally
Saturday, October 25, 5:30 p.m. Old Labor Hall in Barre

Next meeting Wednesday, November 19 in West Fairlee, Potluck @6:30 pm / Mtg @ 7pm

New business – December's meeting. We decided to skip a December meeting.

Respectfully submitted, Sherry Merrick