DEMOCRATS VIE for COUNTY BOARD of EDUCATION and COUNTY COMMISSIONER  

The New Hanover County Democratic Party has quality, qualified candidates who filed with the Board of Elections for the County School Board and County Commissioners. The Democratic candidates will conduct an issue-based campaign that will contrast their fresh ideas to the opposition’s track record of poor fiscal management and tax policy.

School Board Member Dorothy DeShields is seeking re-election.  She is joined by new candidates Jan Brewington, former PTA president and child advocate with the Parks and Recreation Department and Dale Smith, chairman of the Cape Fear Area Recourse Centers, Incorporated.

Filing for County Commissioner is Jonathan Barfield, Jr.  Barfield is past Chairman of the Affordable Housing Coalition of South Eastern North Carolina, former board member of Habitat for Humanity, and immediate past president of the Wilmington Regional Association of Realtors (WRAR).

Sandra Spauling-Hughes, former member of the Wilmington, North Carolina City Council from 1999 through 2003, is seeking election to the North Carolina House of Representatives, District 18, covering portions of New Hanover and Pender Counties.  This seat is presently held by Thomas Wright. Ms. Hughes, a retired educator, is actively involved in community affairs and is an educational and parent empowerment consultant.♦

PRIORITIES #1 – REGISTER VOTERS for the PRIMARY and GENERAL ELECTIONS

The New Hanover County Democratic Party is launching an aggressive voter registration campaign to sign-up Democrats. The Democrats (49,079) and Republicans (49,208) are virtually tied in numbers. Independents are at 31,898.

Chair Jim Morgan announced “…with the primary election in May and the general election in November, registration is a number one priority.” Party members can register Democrats anytime, anyplace, obtaining forms from the County Board of Elections.

With the May 6th presidential primary as well as state-wide and county candidates on the ballot, registration is underway.

 

 

 

 

 

·         Party members will register individual voters until the April 11th deadline.

·         March 11, New Hanover County precinct leaders and supporters will organize precincts in addition to the newly merged and split precincts.

·         March 17, absentee voting by mail begins.

·         April 17, One-Stop Voting for the May primary begins.

·         May 3, One-Stop Voting ends at 1 PM.

·         May 6, Primary Election Day

The College Democrats are registering faculty, staff, and students EVERY Wednesday from 11a-1p for the rest of the semester in front of the Fisher Student Center. At that time, they are also doing voter education. If a democratic Candidate has filed and wished to have their materials at the table, please get in touch with one of the

Officers:

President: Miles Hensley mrh9731@uncw.edu
Vice President: Cortney Whitaker ccw1811@uncw.edu
Treasurer: Aaron Ward, ajw8046@uncw.edu
Secretary: Joshua Groll, jag5185@uncw.edu
Events and PR: Kaitlin Helms, kdh7491@uncw.edu
Advisor: Bo Dean Deanb@uncw.edu

STATE DEMOCRATS 2008 VICTORY PLAN

The North Carolina Democratic Party State Executive Committee met in Hamlet, NC on Saturday, January 27. Chairman Jerry Meek introduced candidates for state office and they briefly presented their platforms.

Democrats Constructing Victory, a new program, was presented.  It includes many resources providing you an innovative way to participate in the State Democrats’ 2008 Victory Plan.  You are encouraged to be ahead of the game by signing up now at http://www.constructingvictory.com/

WANT to BE a NATIONAL CONVENTION DELEGATE?

In the 7^th Congressional District there are six delegate positions and two alternates in the North Carolina delegation to the Democratic National Convention Aug. 25 – 28 in Denver, CO. The delegation will be evenly divided between women and men. 

           

 

The selection process will be May 17th at a Congressional District Convention with the national convention delegates reflecting the votes in the May primary.  For greater detail about this delegate selection process go to http://www.ncdp.org/delegate

MESSAGE FROM CHAIRMAN JIM MORGAN

The 2008 Election, by any measure, will be one of the most important elections in many decades.  Let us now unite to do everything within our power to elect Democrats to public office in 2008.

Now Is The Time: To register voters, To organize 100% of our precincts, To recruit and support Democratic candidates, To build relationships within the community, and To get out the Democratic vote in overwhelming numbers on election day, There will be no better time than Now to invest our time, our energy, and our financial resources in this important cause.

Now Is The Time! Let's Get Going!

 AFRICAN AMERICAN CAUCUS

The African American Caucus-North Carolina Democratic Party is the newest sanctioned auxiliary or “arm” of the State Democratic Party.  The AAC-NCDP consists of one AAC County Auxiliary (branch) from each county of North Carolina.  When fully established, it will become one of the largest sanctioned auxiliaries for the North Carolina Democratic Party.

Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of the AAC-NCDP shall be to seek full representation of African Americans at all levels and in all activities of the Democratic Party.

For more information, contact Helen Worthy, 910-772-9448, (cell) 620-1078 worthyh@earthlink.net

HELP KEEP THE DEMOCRATIC GRASS ROOTS GREEN

While national elections are important and get a lot of media coverage, to quote Tip O’Neill, “All politics is local.”  Local public service and local politics are where the action is—and where it starts. 

Politicos “in the know” talk about “grass roots politics.”  To apply this analogy:  Individual blades make a lawn and the lawn needs to be nurtured.  When we actively cultivate, select, and elect candidates for positions on city, county, and school councils and boards, those bodies will better represent our values.

As Democrats, we must tend to our own political backyards.  Help fill in the bare patches in our grass.  Get involved!  Volunteer!                       

 

 

Some Activist Democrats’ Suggestions for How They Got Involved (& You Can Too!)

 

Participate in precinct, city, & county activities.

·         Find out who your precinct chair is.  Attend your precinct meeting

·         Invite a few neighbors for coffee and conversation with your precinct chair

·         Volunteer to lead or co-lead a precinct. (It’s not really that hard! Contact:
Sandra Sheridan or Jim Morgan, 343-8000)

·         Attend and participate at NHCo. Dem meetings: 3rd Monday of the month, 5:30pm

Help “grow” future leaders

·         Mentor a girl or boy and help them develop leadership skills

·         Volunteer to read stories to children about leaders who have made a difference

·         March is Women’s History Month. Give a talk in schools (or to neighborhood children) about the documented and undocumented contributions of women. (Sources: National Women’s History Project www.nwhp.org/  National Women’s History Museum www.nmwh.org/

 

Invite a future leader to accompany you at political or issue-related meetings or events.

 

Help find & elect local leaders

·         Help recruit potential candidates for local office

·         Volunteer on a Democrat’s campaign for city/county council or school board.

·         (Bite the bullet and) Run for office yourself

Help keep the democracy running

·         Work at the polls on Election Day. (Contact: Board of Elections, 798-7330)

·         Keep informed about issues important to you and your neighborhood.  Contact your elected representatives and (politely) share your views.

·         Write letters to the editor; call in on talk radio shows.

·         Help register new (Democratic!) voters and encourage people to vote.

·         Exercise your rights and responsibilities as a citizen; make sure you vote in each
and every election.

We need YOU in our backyard!