October 31, 2018 (HAPPY HALLOWEEN!)
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NEWS
Radnor Democratic Committee Hosts Second Annual Fall Cocktail Party
Our sincerest thank you to all who supported and/or attended our second annual Radnor Democratic Committee (RDC) pre-election event! Over 120 Radnor residents enjoyed an evening at The Barn at Valley Forge Flowers mingling, nibbling and hearing from our impressive federal and state candidates--Mary Gay Scanlon, Jenn O’Mara and Greg Vitale--as well as Delaware County Democratic Committee (DCDC) Chair Colleen Guiney. Guests also had a chance to learn more about the writing of Lucy Bell Jarka-Sellers' political satire, Meet John Dough--Super Hero. Much enthusiasm was generated for the upcoming midterm elections, and over $2,100 was raised to support next year’s Radnor school board and commissioner candidates. Special thanks to the many volunteers who made the event possible, including, but not limited to, event co-chairs Debbie Singer and Rob Armstrong, photographer Theji Brennan and several members of Radnor High School's Young Democrats Club. Enjoy these photos by Theji Brennan, and please plan to join us again next October!
Beautiful bird's-eye view of RDC fall cocktail party (photo credit: Theji Brennan)
Political Luminaries Visit Radnor to Campaign for and Fire Up Delaware County Democrats
On October 12th, the current House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi, former Maryland Governor and Presidential candidate Martin O'Malley and the current Pennsylvania Governor, Tom Wolf, addressed a standing-room-only crowd at the annual fall cocktail party hosted by the DCDC at the Radnor Hotel. The event was so high profile, it even attracted a gaggle of right-wing protesters outside the hotel!
Governor Tom Wolf addressing the crowd at DCDC fall cocktail party (photo credit: Jannie Lau)
Democratic Sample Ballots Available Now
Election Day is just days away on November 6th! The easiest and most appropriate thing to do is to push the button on your voting machine to vote straight Democratic, but we also have sample Democratic ballots for your reference. If you live in Radnor precincts 1-1, 3-1, 4-1, 4-2, 5-2, 6-1 or 6-2, then this is your sample ballot. All other Radnor residents should refer to this ballot. Please note that you need to vote for Mary Gay Scanlon TWICE for U.S. Congress--first for our new 5th Congressional District, then again to serve out the unexpired term for our old, and still very much gerrymandered, 7th Congressional District.
Funds Raised for RDC Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) Mailer
On October 10th, the RDC voted to print and distribute a special midterm GOTV mailer to target both newly registered Radnor Democrats and Independents as well as those Radnor Democrats who historically have not voted in midterm elections. Through the generosity of readers like you, over $2,700 has been raised to fund the postage costs for this awesome postcard, which will reach approximately 2,200 voters in Radnor.
RDC Appoints Megan Hand as Committeeperson in 6-2 for 2018-2022 Term
The RDC is pleased to announce the appointment of Megan Hand as a Committeeperson in Ward 6, Precinct 2. Megan joins elected Committeeperson Noreen Piatt and appointed Committeepersons Heather Suplee Klaehn and Herbert McDuffy, Jr., as our representatives in 6-2. Thank you for your service to our party, Megan! Additional Committee appointments are forthcoming. If you too are interested in serving, please contact George Badey.
Radnor Democrats Remember Heidi Diskin
Like so many others whose lives she touched and changed for the better, we Radnor Democrats mourn the passing of one of our own, Heidi Diskin. Before she lost her own battle with depression and bipolar disorder on September 7th, Heidi had made mental health advocacy and suicide prevention her life’s work. In 2017, she accepted our party's nomination to run for the Radnor Board of Commissioners in Ward 2, eventually losing to incumbent Republican Rich Booker by just three votes. Her life and legacy are beautifully captured in this article that ran in Savvy Main Line.
Heidi Diskin (1974-2018)
ACTION ITEMS
Volunteer for Turnout / Get-Out-the-Vote (GOTV) Efforts
The Blue Wave is not a weather event and is not assured; we need your help to make it happen! Virtually all of the Democratic campaigns represented on our ballot are coordinating their efforts, so you can contact any of them to help turn out our base: Jennifer O'Mara (State Representative, PA-165), Greg Vitali (State Representative, PA-166), Mary Gay Scanlon (U.S. Congress, PA-5), Bob Casey (U.S. Senator, PA), John Fetterman (Lieutenant Governor, PA) and Tom Wolf (Governor, PA). We are now less than a week away from Election Day, so we need all hands on deck!!
Be a Poll Greeter on Election Day
To get ready for the big day, we are seeking as many volunteers as possible to serve as poll greeters at precincts in Radnor. The job of an Election Day greeter is to hand out Democratic literature, including sample ballots and campaign flyers, to voters as they arrive at their polling place. For more details and to sign up, click here.
Protect the Vote
Calling all legal eagles! Are you a lawyer who resides in Delaware County? If so, we need your help! Join the DCDC Election Protection Team to help protect our right to vote and ensure smooth voting operations on Election Day. If you are a new voter protection volunteer, email DCDC.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Deadline to Return Absentee Ballot
Friday, November 2nd, 5pm
The Board of Elections in Media (201 West Front Street) must receive your absentee ballot by 5pm.
Pre-Election Day Distribution of Materials
Saturday, November 3rd, 2-4pm
Windsor Room, Radnor Memorial Library
114 West Wayne Avenue, Wayne, PA
We will distribute campaign signs, literature and other materials to Election Day polling place volunteers.
Final Weekend GOTV for PA Dems Coordinated Campaign
Saturday through Monday, November 3rd through 5th, 11am-5pm
Home of Lisa Goldstein
670 Malin Road, Newtown Square, PA
In less than one week, we will hold the most consequential election of our lifetime. The single most important factor in whether someone will vote is personal contact--and that could be you! Please come out, volunteer and bring friends; no experience is necessary to knock on doors or make calls (or drop off snacks). To sign up, please email Lisa.
ELECTION DAY
Tuesday, November 6th, 7am-8pm
Click here to find your polling place. THEN GO VOTE!
Election Night Watch Party with Turn PA Blue
Tuesday, November 6th, 7-11pm
Turn PA Blue Office
314 Maple Street, Conshohocken, PA
Come spend election night with Turn PA Blue after a day full of canvassing, poll watching, phone banking and more! We'll have drinks and snacks available as we watch the results come in! RSVP here.
Radnor Democrats Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, November 14th, 7pm
Windsor Room, Radnor Memorial Library
114 West Wayne Avenue, Wayne, PA
We will recap (and hopefully celebrate!) the results of the General Election. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Delaware County Democrats Holiday Party
Friday, November 30th, 6:30pm
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DID YOU KNOW?
For this year's general election, the deadline to request a regular absentee ballot was Tuesday, October 30th. However, did you know that emergency absentee ballots are also available under certain circumstances even after October 30th?
Should you become physically disabled or ill between 5pm on the Friday before Election Day (November 2nd) and 8pm on Election Day (November 6th) or if you find out after 5pm on November 2nd that you will be absent from your municipality of residence on Election Day because of your business, duties, or occupation, you can apply for an Emergency Absentee Ballot via the Court of Common Pleas (click here for emergency application form). If you are not able to appear in court to receive the ballot, you can designate, in writing, a representative to deliver the absentee ballot to you and return your completed absentee ballot to the Bureau of Elections. The voted ballot must be received in the Bureau of Elections no later than 8pm on November 6th.
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Greg Vitali
Candidate, 166th Legislative District
Greg has dedicated his life to environmental protection. He is considered by many to be the leading environmental legislator in Harrisburg. He has received numerous statewide environmental awards.
Greg served for 24 years on the House Environmental Resource and Energy Committee--four as Democratic Chairman.
His primary focus has been on climate and energy. He was the first Pennsylvania legislator to introduce climate change legislation and the first to introduce the idea of a severance tax on natural gas.
Greg has also been recognized as a strong advocate for brick and mortar public schools, women’s rights, criminal justice reform, sensible gun control policies, government reform, and equality for all under the law.
Greg has often been referred to as “the Conscience of the Legislature” because of the principled stands he takes on issues. He is not afraid to speak truth to power. His frank and blunt style often puts him at odds with powerful politicians.
Greg is a lifetime resident of Delaware County and graduate of St. Joseph’s Prep. He received his B.S. in Economics (cum laude) from Villanova University and his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.
As a solo practitioner in Havertown for 12 years, Greg learned both how laws affects real people and how to run a small business.
In 1992, building on his success as a community activist and knocking on nearly every door in the neighborhood, Greg became the first Democrat ever elected to the 166th Legislative District of Pennsylvania. He has been reelected 12 times winning with his own brand of “shoe leather “ campaigning–not special interest money.
As an adjunct professor at Villanova University, Greg taught classes on state and local government.
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FROM THE CHAIR
Well, here we are – in the final few days before the most important midterm election in all of our lifetimes. In precincts all over Radnor Township, and all over our nation, these crucial elections will be decided by TURNOUT. Don’t waste your time trying to change anyone’s opinion. Instead, GO THROUGH YOUR PHONE CONTACTS AND YOUR EMAIL CONTACTS this coming weekend – call or email your friends who are not as ‘political’ as you are but who you know agree with us on the essential issues – AND URGE THEM ALL TO SHOW UP AND VOTE!! If everyone who gets this newsletter calls 10 or 20 (or more) friends and sends an email to a lot more between now and Tuesday, and even if only a few of them actually show up in response to your call/email, that will still be several thousand more votes total given the distribution of this newsletter.
Here’s a suggested "script" for your calls/emails: “Hey, how are you doing? I was calling to remind you how important it is to vote on Tuesday . . . (then explain in your own inimitable and passionate way – why). Then, also tell them about how a Radnor Democratic candidate for Commissioner (in a ward with over 4,000 residents) lost by just three votes in November 2017. And how school board elections (in our township of almost 32,000 residents) were decided by single digits! “Every vote counts” is much more than a cliché.
If you’re calling friends in Radnor Township, you can truthfully explain that we expect to have at least two really close elections. For example, Jenn O’Mara is running for State Representative in the 165th. She is a spectacular candidate, running against a Republican "yes-man" who is facing his first re-election this year. We will win in Radnor for Jenn, but that is not good enough. We need to win Radnor BIG in order to counteract the more Republican parts of Jenn’s district in Springfield and Marple. Also, I’ll be honest, the polls look good for Mary Gay Scanlon in the new 5th Congressional District. BUT . . . Mary Gay is also running in a Special Election to fill Pat Meehan’s unexpired term in the gerrymandered 7th District. That is a MUCH tougher fight. Even though it’s for only two months, a win in the 7th is so very important, as it will give OUR new Congresswoman a leg up and seniority over ALL NEW FRESHMEN elected to Congress this year. Seniority matters a lot in Congress.
Remember how you felt two years ago on Election Night? A wave of sickening disbelief descended. “This can’t be happening . . . .”
We cannot ever let that happen again. So, in these final few days, knock on doors, make calls, make emails, and MAKE A DIFFERENCE! --George Badey
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