🌊 Kent County Democratic Party April Newsletter

Happy April from everyone here at the Kent County Democratic Party! As the weather warms and we start enjoying longer days, the pace around here is also picking up. Thanks to everyone who turned out to march in the St. Patrick's Day parade. Despite the cold, the walk was a lot of fun. Not everything this month was celebratory, however, as we witnessed Big Lie-pusher Robert Regan win the Republican primary for the 74th district. Regan's extremist views regarding women, minorities, the validity of the 2020 election, and many other issues are so egregious that his own daughter is on record begging people not to vote for him.

This is why your involvement is so important this year. In some ways, the Kent Dems in 2022 are going to need your help even more than in 2020. The opposition is marshaling all of their considerable resources to undo every gain we made last election. They are targeting school boards and polling stations as points of vulnerability. The GOP believes that the relatively anonymous nature of school boards make them an ideal place to insert candidates who want to dictate curriculum and who want to strip teachers of their ability to teach objectively and scientifically. And in polling stations, they intend to place monitors under the guise of "election transparency". Their true aim is voter intimidation and suppression.

For a complete list of how to get involved and participate in the many events we are hosting or are affiliated with this month, please see below.

Mark your calendars for our biggest fundraiser of the year: the KCDP Gala will take place on April 30 at the Eberhard Center!

Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist and other fantastic speakers will motivate us as we prepare for the last six months of the campaign. You'll also enjoy good food, great company, and the knowledge that you are helping Democrats win.

The road to Democratic majorities in Lansing and Washington runs through Kent County. Gala proceeds will help us re-elect Governor Whitmer and other great Democrats, while ensuring that they have a legislature that works with them, not against them.

For more information and to register for the gala, click here.

The May special election is coming up on May 3. We need volunteers to serve as Poll Challengers that day and as Early Vote Observers at the clerk's office for early voting. All volunteers will receive training from the MDP Voter Protection team. You can sign-up here.

Poll Challengers serve as our team’s eyes and ears on the ground at polling locations on Election Day. They observe the process and intervene with election officials as needed, to make sure that voters are able to cast a ballot that counts. Our Challengers do NOT challenge voters; rather, they advocate for voters. Poll Challengers must be registered to vote in Michigan and they receive credentials from the MDP.

Early Vote Observers visit clerk’s offices periodically during the Early Voting period (40 days before Election Day) to make sure that absentee ballots are being issued upon request and that all relevant rules are being followed.