Fellow Ward 6 Democrats,
The 2017 Big Blue Wave in Virginia was the precursor to the 2018 Big Blue Wave that delivered the House of Representatives to the Democrats, and we've seen the fruits of that ranging from last month's historic hearing on DC Statehood to holding Trump accountable for his many violations of our democratic norms and, possibly, our laws, as the impeachment inquiry will determine.
The next several weeks are a critical time for the upcoming Virginia state elections. Ward 6 Democrats, Democrats across DC, Democrats in Virginia, and Democrats outside our region have been working assiduously to flip both houses of the Virginia state legislature blue this fall.
Can success at the state level in Virginia in 2019 set Democrats nationwide up for success in 2020? We think so, but we need your help to make that a reality.
Chuck Burger
President, Ward 6 Democrats
October 1 VA State Elections GOTV/Postcard Party Recap
We had a large group of volunteers at Mr. Henry's Tuesday, Oct. 1, who continued writing Get Out The Vote (GOTV) postcards for Dan Helmer and Sheila Bynum-Coleman.
As a reminder, we are supporting the campaigns of three candidates in the Virginia state elections this fall, as we work to flip both houses of the Virginia state legislature blue.
- Sheila Bynum-Coleman (HD-66), challenging incumbent Speaker of the House of Delegates Republican Kirk Cox
- Dan Helmer (HD-40), challenging incumbent House of Delegates majority caucus chairman Republican Tim Hugo
- Wendy Gooditis (HD-10), Democratic incumbent seeking her first re-election
All three are on the record in support of DC Statehood. They are also united in their support of issues that matter most to Ward 6 Democratic voters: sensible gun safety protections, protecting women's reproductive rights, support for the ERA, and ending extreme partisan gerrymandering.
One of the ways we are supporting these candidates is to write postcards to voters in the relevant Virginia districts. Personalized postcards are a highly effective way to remind inconsistent voters of upcoming elections, spur them to research your candidate, and encourage them to get to the polls and VOTE.
Volunteer Opportunity: FINAL VA State Elections GOTV/Postcard Party - Tuesday, Oct. 15
Our FINAL postcard writing party will take place Tuesday, Oct. 15, from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Solid State Books (600 H Street NE). After we finish up our final postcards - we're nearly out of addresses - we will proceed to Valor Brewpub (723 8th Street NE) to watch that evening's Democratic debate, and you are definitely welcome to join us for the postcards, the debate, or, we hope, both.
You can RSVP for the October 15 postcard event at https://www.ward6dems.org/va_state_elections_gotv_postcard_party_tuesday_oct_15 - it's not required, but it does help us know how many supplies to bring.
(Councilmember Elissa Silverman, who was supposed to join us at Solid State that night, has had a conflict, and we are in the process of rescheduling her salon conversation with us for later this fall.)
#DemDebate4 Watch Party, Tuesday, Oct. 15
Tuesday, Oct. 15 is going to be a busy night. After we finish our final postcards to Virginia voters, we'll be headed to Valor Brewpub (723 8th Street NE) to watch the fourth Democratic debate. The debate starts at 8:00 p.m., and we'll be at the hightop tables in the bar area as usual. You can join us for the postcard party, the debate watch, or, we hope, both.
Volunteer Opportunity: Canvass for Dan Helmer - Sunday, Oct. 20
The Ward 6 Democrats are continuing our support for candidates in Virginia this year with some door knocking for Dan Helmer on Sunday, Oct. 20. Shift times are at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. We'll be working with the Fairfax Young Democrats, so we should have a good crowd. Canvassing is a critical way to motivate inconsistent Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters to get to the polls in the final weeks before an election, and Dan needs your help.
For more information or to RSVP, visit: https://www.ward6dems.org/canvassing_for_dan_helmer_in_virginia.
Volunteer Opportunity: Canvass for Wendy Gooditis - Saturday, Oct. 26
The Ward 6 Democrats are continuing our support for candidates in Virginia this year with some door knocking for Wendy Gooditis on Saturday, Oct. 26. Canvassing is a critical way to motivate inconsistent Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters to get to the polls in the final weeks before an election, and Wendy needs your help.
For more information, visit: https://www.ward6dems.org/canvassing_for_wendy_gooditis_in_virginia.
Save the Date: Ward 6 Matters Panel on Justice in DC - Wednesday, Nov. 13
We're still in the process of finalizing our panelists, but we know that our next Ward 6 Matters panel discussion will be on the topic of Justice in DC, examining issues of transparency, the courts, and public accountability in addressing violent crime in our community. Plan now to join us Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 7:00-9:00 p.m. at the Hal J Gordon Building (124 15th Street NE).