Delegate Selection for the 2012 Democratic National Convention starts March 10 in Knox County
Local Democrats to host County Convention to begin delegate elections
The Knox County Democratic Party will host a County Convention at 12 p.m. CST / 1 p.m. EST on March 10 at the City County Building Main Auditorium. This convention will begin the District-Level Delegate elections for the 2012 Democratic National Convention.
Registration begins at 11 a.m. CST / 12 p.m. EST and doors close promptly at 12 p.m. CST / 1 p.m. EST.
The local convention is open to all registered voters in Knox County who sign a Democratic Pledge of Support form during registration.
Democrats wishing to become a District-Level Delegate to the 2012 Democratic National Convention must vote in the March 6 Democratic Primary and declare their candidacy by filling out a Statement of Candidacy and Pledge of Support form available at www.TNDP.org.
Forms may be requested by phone at (615) 327-9779. Completed forms must be returned to the state Party by 12 p.m. CST March 1 by fax at (615) 891-7453 or by mail at TNDP, 1900 Church St., Suite 203, Nashville, TN 37203.
On March 10, participants at the county convention will elect a group of county representatives to attend a Congressional District Convention to be held on March 24.
As a group representing Knox County, only these elected participants will be eligible to vote at Congressional District-Level Conventions.
Congressional District Conventions will include representatives from every county in the U.S. House district based on 2010 lines. Participants will elect District-Level Delegates for the Democratic National Convention.
Locations for the Congressional District Conventions will be announced at the local county convention.
by Rep. Mike Stewart
There is no more fundamental American freedom than the freedom of speech. The right of the people to exchange ideas and to protest government actions they find unwise is enshrined in the both the United States and Tennessee Constitutions. Defending such essential American rights should be the very first job of [...]
The following column appeared in the Sunday, October 23, 2011 edition of The Chattanooga Times Free Press.
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Add Mrs. Virginia Lasater, a 91-year-old woman in Rutherford County, to the list of known Tennessee seniors who are struggling to comply with state Sen. Bill Ketron’s new Republican voter ID law.
Mrs. Lasater went to a driver testing center in Mufreesboro to get a state-issued photo ID so she could vote, but ran into a problem. From The Daily News Journal1:
Aided by a walking cane to get around, she quickly decided she couldn’t stand up long enough to wait and her son could find no chairs available for her to sit. (Her son) Richard estimated at least 100 people were in the building, and workers were “way overworked and way understaffed.” He was told at the help desk there was nothing they could do but wait.
They left, upset about the law and the long lines.
“I’m just afraid people will say it’s too much trouble,” said Mrs. Lasater.
With Republican plans on the table to gut Medicare and privatize Social Security, it’s not a wonder why Republicans are making it harder for senior citizens to be voters.
This past legislative session, Tennessee Republicans passed a voter ID law—written by big, corporate specials interests—that requires all voters to have a government-issued photo ID at the polls.
The law sounds reasonable on its face. But there’s a huge problem: 675,000 Tennesseans, who, like Mrs. Lasater, are law-abiding citizens and eligible to vote—have no state-issued photo ID.
This law was passed in a hasty manner with insufficient funding and absolutely no mechanism in place to efficiently educate voters and distribute hundreds of thousands of state-issued photo IDs.
With only 19 weeks until the Primary Election, we’re running out of time. Since July, according to the article, the state has only issued 561 new voter IDs.
It’s almost guaranteed that some citizens who have voted for years without a problem will be turned away in next year’s elections when the discriminatory law goes into effect.
Would it bother Sen. Ketron if the votes of law-abiding citizens like 91-year-old Mrs. Virginia Lasater were not counted because they couldn’t wait in an hours-long line for a state-issued picture ID?
Ketron said, “NO… I’m not that concerned about it.”2
This is the difference.
The Tennessee Democratic Party won’t stop fighting until every law-abiding Tennessean can be a voter and participate in this democracy. Republicans like Bill Ketron, well, they just aren’t that concerned about it.
If you have a problem getting a state-issued photo ID, we want to help. Click here to share your Voter ID Story.
Your fellow Democrat,
Chip Forrester
Chairman
on behalf of YOUR Tennessee Democratic Party
1. “After long wait, no seat , voter, 91, quits on ID,” The Daily News Journal.
2. Ketron says he’s not concerned about uncounted votes. The Daily News Journal.
Democrats announce first phase of jobs package to put Tennesseans back to work.
NASHVILLE – Tennessee House and Senate Democrats announced the first phase of their job creation plan Thursday, which includes calling for $15 million for new equipment and program expansion at the state’s 27 technology centers.
“We heard about the success of our skills training across the state during our jobs tour, but the one thing we heard again and again was the need for more skilled workers,” said House Democratic Leader Craig Fitzhugh. “This investment would enable our technology centers to train more workers faster and get them a good education with an even better job.”
The state’s technology centers’ average completion rate is 75 percent, and the job placement rate is 85 percent. They have been recognized as a national model, but currently only 4 percent of all higher education students in Tennessee attend a technology center.
“The thousands of manufacturing jobs that have come back to Tennessee need a highly skilled workforce. We have the structure to provide that workforce, but we must provide the resources to meet the capacity needs,” said House Speaker Emeritus Jimmy Naifeh. Now is the time to make this investment, because it will pay dividends for our workers and our state for a generation.”
Other legislation discussed by Democrats Thursday included:
Democrats noted that the initiatives discussed Thursday were only the first phase of an ongoing, bipartisan process to identify ways state government can play a role in job creation.
“We are in a jobs crisis right now, and we need all hands on deck to help sail the ship through these choppy waters,” said Senate Democratic Chairman Lowe Finney. “It’s going to take all of us working together to put Tennesseans back to work.”
The excitement around Jackson Day is growing so fast, we had to buy a bigger tent.
That means we have 10 open tables and we are extending ticket sales until the seats are filled! So there’s still room for you to join us — under the big tent — on Bicentennial Mall in Nashville for our annual Jackson Day Dinner this Saturday, Oct. 1. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Click here to purchase tickets at JacksonDay.org.
This year we are celebrating who we are as Democrats by paying tribute to the legacy of Governor Ned McWherter.
We’re thrilled to announce Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, House Leader Craig Fitzhugh and former Commissioner of Economic Development Matt Kisber will be joining us for the tribute.
They’ll be sharing the stage with the outstanding John Seigenthaler and our keynote speaker Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio.
With an incredible Drew Westen message workshop during the day and a comedy filled After Party co-hosted by the Tennessee Young Democrats — this will be the big tent party of the year.
Jackson Day is just three days away and our new, bigger tent is filling fast. So don’t wait to get your tickets.
See you, October 1st!
Chip Forrester
Chairman
Values-based Strategy: Message Training for Tennessee Democrats
By popular demand, Democratic messaging expert Drew Westen is coming back to Tennessee.
If you’re frustrated with the Republican noise machine and want the skills to change the story, then join us next Saturday.
October 1st —before Jackson Day— the TNDP will host a Drew Westen messaging workshop in Nashville!
A three-hour interactive training for candidates, party leaders and organizers
1 p.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday, October 1st
Martin Luther King Academic Magnet School
613 17th Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37203
Tuition is $50**, and all participants will receive great resource materials to take with them.
Throughout his 20-year career as a political consultant, Drew Westen has trained members of Congress, major progressive organizations and even worked with the president.
This training will offer a unique opportunity to learn basic values-based strategy skills such as framing and effective message development. Westen’s hands on, interactive approach will help you incorporate your values into your organizing and campaign strategy.
This training is guaranteed to fill up fast.
**NOTE: The workshop is FREE to ANY elected Democratic official, County Democratic Party chair or state Executive Committee member. If you are an elected official, county chair or executive committee member, please click here to RSVP online for the FREE training.
For more information, contact Brandon@TNDP.org or by phone at (615) 327-9779.
We’re thrilled to announce the addition of former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland to next weekend’s Jackson Day Dinner.
Strickland is a lifelong advocate for working and middle class families. He has recently been at the forefront of the grassroots fight to defeat Ohio’s Senate Bill 5, a measure that — similar to the Republican attacks on Tennessee teachers — would severely limit the collective bargaining rights of schoolteachers, police officers and firefighters.
Governor Strickland’s remarks add to an already great program featuring a salute and celebration of our state’s 46th Governor entitled, “The People’s Governor: A Tribute to Ned McWherter.”
The tribute features an address from the legendary John Seigenthaler.
We’re just days away…If you haven’t already purchased tickets to the Party’s “who’s who” event of the year, now’s the time to do so!
The Jackson Day Dinner will be held Saturday, October 1 at the Bicentennial Mall in Nashville. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the program starting at 7:30 p.m.
For more information or to RSVP, please contact the Tennessee Democratic Party at (615) 327-9779 or visit www.JacksonDay.org.
Rachel Craig, until recently a member of the Metropolitan Planning Commission, will be the guest
of South of the River Democrats and will discussthe workings of the MPC and issues facing South Knoxville and South Knox County. Come a little early if you care for a drink or something to eat. Chapman Highway Burger King has a great, free meeting space!
See you then, Diana Conn and Jim Sessions
First Fridays have become a staple of Democratic socializing in Knox County and it’s thanks to all who come out and visit us! Last month’s First Friday drew a wonderful crowd of friends to our headquarters for refreshments and camaraderie, and this month should be the same! We want to show Knox County that the Democratic Party is a true friend of public education by taking donations of school supplies for teachers to use as school nears once again! So stop by during your night out and be sure to bring a friend or two! We would love to see all of you!
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Part of President Obama’s ‘Winning the Future’ campaign states that, “…To win the future, we have to out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world, tapping the creativity and imagination of our people.” Thus, the theme of this year’s Truman Day is, ‘Salute to Public Education!’
Without solid public education, which seems to be under attack in parts of the U.S., winning the future will be impossible! So, we are highlighting accomplishments of those here in East Tennessee by inviting two Knox County teachers and sponsors of the Technology Student Association, Leigh Davis and Wanda Walker, as well as some of the students that represent East Tennessee as the top technology students in the nation! …Their achievements speak volumes to all who fret about the quality of our public educators in Tennessee. To demonstrate KCDP’s efforts to help educate our young people, we will announce our Maxine Clark Memorial Scholarship Award.
Other special Truman Day guests include our Keynote Speaker, Senator Roy Herron, Chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, Chip Forrester and Knoxville mayoral candidates, Mark Padgett and Madeline Rogero! Additionally, there will be silent auction items and live music with the Kelle Jolly Band.
A $50 individual’s ticket grants access to the buffet dinner and the rest of the evening festivities. Buy soon because tickets are selling quickly and you won’t want to miss! Guests also have the option of purchasing tables for $500. Several tables have been reserved already, but there are more! Priority table location is given to those who buy sooner than later, so don’t wait to get your name out there and have a great table spot waiting for you and your guests!
Looking to advertise? Ads are being sold in our full-color Truman Day book that has been very successful in years past. Advertising options are as such:
Full page: $200
Half page: $125
1/4 page: $75
1/8 page: $50
This is a night that blends Democratic class with a highly festive atmosphere! Reservations for tickets, tables, and advertising can all be made by calling the Knox County Democratic Office at (865)-540-4001 or by finding us at 311 Morgan Street in Knoxville Old City . Tickets may also be purchased online at actblue.com/page/trumanday . We hope to see as many of our friends for Truman Day as possible!
