Texas is a frontline state for future wins.

Texas Has the Blue Vote Potential

Explanatory Statements for the November 7, 2017 Constitutional Amendment Election:

November 7, 2017 Constitutional Amendment Election Ballot Language:

Galveston polling locations and dates:

Hey, Texplainer: What constitutional amendments will be on the November ballot?:

The May election and the June runoffs are over and we won three of five local races.  

Thank you to all who helped elect these outstanding women.   

Now, it's time to expand our financial and electoral foundation for winning even bigger in 2018.   

We need to double the number of precinct chairs across the county before the end of October.  If you’d like to serve as the local representative for the other Democrats in your precinct, volunteer here. 

We need candidates for all 2018 positions by the deadline in November.   The judgeship positions can only be filled by lawyers.  Training is available locally and on-line.   Here is a list of county elected officials - not all will be on the ballot in 2018.  For those who want to run, volunteer here.

We need hundreds of volunteers signed up by the end of March, 2018.  It takes a lot of work to mobilize an additional 8,000 to 10,000 Dem-leaning voters and our base to go vote in 2018.   Help increase voter turnout, volunteer here.

We need at least $50,000 to fund our 2018 county convention, mailing thousands of applications for vote by mail, paying our normal bills, and all the infrastructure we need for get out the vote.   

To cover about half of the $50,000 budget, we need sustaining (monthly) donations.  We need the equivalent of either 200 supporters donating an average of $9 a month, OR 100 supporters donating an average of $18 a month.  We are currently at about 10% of our 2018 goal.  Start your monthly donations now. 

Fellow Galveston County Voters,

“One of the most important [history] lessons is that winning back power requires sending as much support as possible to those on the front lines of the struggle for liberation.”   And Texas is on that front line.

“The upside potential in the front line states is enormous. In 9 of the 10 front line states, the number of potential progressive voters far exceeds the relatively narrow margin by which the 2016 election was decided in that state.”

“In order to turn that population potential into political power, we must identify and fortify the community-based organizations and leaders doing the difficult day-to-day work of organizing, registering, and mobilizing voters. Often overlooked, these front line freedom fighters represent the country’s best hope for taking back our country. Although they don’t get the headlines, resources, and attention they deserve, they are there in the trenches, holding down the fort, eager for assistance and support from allies across the country.”

“Examples of the effectiveness of these organizations abound. While researching and writing my book, I discovered at least 18 groups doing effective, quantifiable voter mobilization work in the front line states. The Texas Organizing Project, for example, …”

“…  challenging the Democratic Party to move massive amounts of money into the front line states in order to dramatically increase the number of progressive voters.”

“Investing the full $500 million in this fashion could swell the ranks of progressive voters by nearly 10 million people. That is how we take the country back."

More here:

and here:

RETURN OF THE MAJORITY: A ROADMAP FOR TAKING BACK OUR COUNTRY 

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If you are ready for “doing the difficult day-to-day work of organizing, registering, and mobilizing voters,” and haven’t already done so, volunteer so you can help take back our country.  

Become a Texas “Frontline Freedom Fighter."

Unity - As we all respond to the 2016 election results, and other losses since 2008, teamwork by all Galvestonians concerned for America's future is key to replacing the ruling right-wing authoritarians who represent a wealthy minority of America's citizens.  

The Galveston County Democratic Party (GCDP) is dedicated to electing progressive Democrats across Galveston county.

In the past few months/years, several groups of activists have taken, and are taking, action in response to the nation's election of the current right-wing authoritarian administration.  Some have long term goals for 2018 and beyond.  Others are about taking on our current elected representatives and resisting DJT.  

• Battleground Texas (BGTX) has been around since 2013 and its goal is to turn Texas blue by 2020.   It's "a people-based, metrics-driven organization that is dedicated to the idea that volunteers, in their neighborhoods, can and do significantly impact local, state and national elections."  Here is how Oscar Silva, the BGTX Political Director, put it in his letter of 3/2/8/2017, "Battleground Texas is fighting for change and electing progressive candidates who will represent all Texans."    
• Our Revolution - "Through supporting a new generation of progressive leaders, empowering millions to fight for progressive change and elevating the political consciousness, Our Revolution will transform American politics to make our political and economic systems once again responsive to the needs of working families."  Local leadership from Our Revolution is part of the GCDP Field Ops team.  
• Brand New Congress is "recruiting and running more than 400 outstanding candidates in a single, unified, national campaign for Congress in 2018.  Together, they will pass an aggressive and practical plan to significantly increase wages, remove the influence of big money from our government, and protect the rights of all Americans."  
• Indivisible is a collection of over "4,500 local groups have signed up to resist the Trump agenda in nearly every congressional district in the country."  They have put together a set of resources for influencing elected representatives, including a detailed guide written by former congressional staffers.   They are becoming a non-profit organization with the stated purposes to "demystify congressional advocacy" and "support the community of local groups putting the Indivisible Guide into action."  Local Indivisible leadership is participating in GCDP and Democratic club meetings around the county. 
• Pantsuit Republic has the goals of: Building community through dialogue between diverse groups to promote mutual understanding. Organize campaigns that support progressive initiatives in Texas. Providing our members with resources on effective participation in the political process. Identify and support progressives to run for public office. 
• Justice Democrats - "We are recruiting Justice Democrats to run a unified campaign to replace every establishment politician in Congress in 2018.  It’s time to rebuild the Democratic Party from scratch to be a party that fights for a clear progressive vision."  Note: Justice Democrats has joined forces with Brand New Congress.

 

The GCDP already coordinates with BGTX, local leaders from Indivisible and Pantsuit Republic for the purpose of electing Democrats, and we will coordinate with other groups who have similar goals as they set up local groups. 

Moving On - As we all move forward, our actions must be about what can we do better together to dramatically alter our political and economic landscape.  It's about recovering from recent and significant losses against the extreme right and their paymasters.  It's about returning our government to one who's moral responsibility is to equally protect and empower all citizens.

Self-funding - We need at least 100 people from all over the county to contribute an average of $18.00 a month starting now and through to the 2018 mid term elections.  This is just to fund minimum basic activities and bills the local party has to pay, like funing our primary and the elections, and supporting our candidates.  

Unpaid hard work - We need hundreds of volunteers from all across the county.   We need precinct chairs.   We need candidates for local offices.  We need to complete thousands of phone calls and face-to-face meetings to help elect local candidates.  If you have not already volunteered to help the Galveston County Democratic Party, please do so now.

If you are, please contact John Young, [email protected] or (713) 299-5884. The article, copied below. was written by JOHN WAYNE FERGUSON from The Daily News, lists the available positions.

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Wednesday was the first day for candidates to apply for a spot on ballots for the May 6 election. A number of cities and school districts in Galveston County plan to hold elections this year. The following elected positions are eligible for elections this year.

Candidates seeking election or re-election must submit an application by Feb. 17.

-- La Marque: Two council seats, for District B and District D, are up for an election. Chris Lane is the current District B representative. Clent Brown currently represents District D.

-- Dickinson: The mayor and council positions 1, 3 and 5 are up for an election. The current mayor is Julie Masters. The council seats are held by Charles Suderman, Walter Wilson and Louis Decker.

-- Jamaica Beach: The mayor’s seat and two alderman positions are up for election. Steve Spicer is the current mayor. The eligible alderman positions are held by Terry Hudson and Rosemary Lindley.

-- Hitchcock ISD: District 3 and District 5 are open on the Hitchcock Independent School District School Board of Trustees. District 3 is currently represented by Edward Wilson. District 5 is represented by Chad Allen.

-- Dickinson ISD: District 1 and District 2 are eligible for an election on the Dickinson Independent School District Board of Trustees. District 1 is represented by Board President Mike Mackey. District 2 is represented by board secretary Veanna Veasey.

-- Texas City ISD: Three positions are open on the Texas City Independent School District Board of Trustees. District 3 and District 5 are eligible to be filled for full three-year terms. District 3 is represented by Tom Prouty. District 5 is represented by Dickey Campbell. The district will also hold an election for a two-year term for the District 2 position. Manuel Guajardo, the last person elected to that position, died on June 22, 2016. Mabel Pratt was appointed to fill that position until an election could be held.

-- Clear Creek ISD: Two positions, District 2 and District 3, are open on the Clear Creek Independent School District Board of Trustees. District 2 is represented by Win Weber. District 3 is represented by Ken Baliker.

(John Wayne Ferguson can be reached at 409-683-5226 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter, @johnwferguson.)

Don't miss this opportunity to tell your state Rep, Faircloth, what he needs to do to better represent the district: