Johnson County Democratic Party Meeting
Oct 1, 2019
Agenda

7:00 p.m. Call to Order
Pledge of Allegiance
Sign in sheet and introductions

7:05 p.m. Reports
Secretary’s presentation of the minutes of the last meeting. https://jcdemswyo.org/2019/09/minutes-september-3-2019/
Treasurer’s summary of financial activity.
Announcements from the Chair.

7:10 p.m. Old Business:
Follow up on resolution story to Bulletin.
Follow up on email listserv.

7:15 p.m. New Business:
Letter content ideas and addressees
Announcements from the floor

7:25 p.m. Adjourn

** LETTER WRITING SESSION **

JC Dems Minutes – Sept. 3, 2019
In Attendance: Greg Haas (P), Jim Shell (T), Lois Petersen (S), Bob Day, and Kathie Day (SCW)

Meeting was called to order at 7:00 pm
Agenda for this meeting and minutes of our Aug. 6th meeting were approved as written
Treasurer’s Report: Jim reported a current balance of $2028.23. Jim shared a record of donations given to JC Dems through ActBlue Network. Lois will write a thank you notes.

Announcements:
Greg noted that our website domain name ( jcdemswyo.org ) is expiring. Payment of $15.99 was approved to renew it.
Greg updated us on the Aug. 17 meeting of the State Central Committee that took place in Lander. Three resolutions were presented and passed there:
1) RESOLUTION URGING CONGRESS TO PROVIDE THE RESIDENTS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WITH STATEHOOD AND FULL DEMOCRACY
2) A RESOLUTION REGARDING WYOMING DEMOCRATIC PARTY SUPPORT OF DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES DURING THE 2020 PRIMARY AND GENERAL ELECTION CYCLES
3) A RESOLUTION URGING THE WYOMING STATE LEGISLATURE TO ADOPT LEGISLATION TO MAKE ALL COUNTY-LEVEL POLITICAL RACES NON-PARTISAN This resolution, submitted by JC Democrats, was presented by Greg and was passed unanimously. Greg will report on this resolution and its passage at the state level to the Buffalo Bulletin. IMPORTANT: The Johnson County Democrats will host a letter-writing session at our next scheduled meeting (Oct. 1st), sending information about this resolution proposal to our state legislators and asking their support for it. Please plan to come to the meeting and help with this effort.

The next State Committee Meeting will take place in February of 2020. Park County was selected as the location for the 2020 Wyoming Democratic Party (WDP) Convention taking place on Saturday, June 6, 2020 – mark your calendar.

Greg summarized other documents related to state party politics and activities sent by Joe Barbuto, WDP Chair.

Greg demonstrated Instant run-off or ranked choice voting.

New business:
We need to start conversing with fellow democrats, help people get registered to vote, and recruit precinct chairs. There was discussion about possible ways to use voter rolls for this effort.

Meeting adjourned at 8:20.
Next meeting is on Tues., Oct. 1, 7:00 pm, Bomber Mountain Room 108.

Johnson County Democratic Party Meeting
Sept 3, 2019
Agenda (proposed)

7:00 p.m. Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance
Sign in sheet and introductions

7:10 p.m. Reports

• Secretary’s presentation of the minutes of the last meeting. https://jcdemswyo.org/2019/08/minutes-august-6-2019/
• Treasurer’s summary of financial activity.
• Announcements from the Chair, including reports from SCC on August 17 in Lander, WY (three resolutions, WDP, DNC, ASDC, and further discussion in New Business)

7:25 p.m. Old Business:

• Precinct Committee People – Names, Precincts

7:35 p.m. New Business:

• Discussion about objectives and planning for next several meetings, especially leading into Primary/Caucus 2020.
• Discussion time regarding ranked-choice (instant runoff) voting.
  (Chair will share a sample ballot at the meeting)

8:00 p.m. Adjournment

For the record, here’s a copy of the resolution passed by the WDP State Central Committee in 2019.

Click link for WDP PDF –> Resolution Urging Non-Partisan County Races

Click link for JCDems PDF –> Resolution-County-Elections-Signed

JC Dems Minutes – Aug. 6, 2019
In Attendance: Greg Haas (C), Jim Shell (T), Lois Petersen (S), Bob Day, Bill McIntyre (SCM), John O’Laughlin, and Kathie Day (SCW)

Meeting was called to order at 7:03 pm
Agenda for this meeting and minutes of our July 2nd meeting were approved as written
Treasurer’s Report: Jim reported a current balance of $1897.80. Forms to update bank signature cards have been signed and Jim will return them to the bank.

Announcements:
Greg shared news of the loss of two special young men. Shawn Cox, son of Carol and Will Cox, and Patrick McCormick, the son of Kay and Jim McCormick, both died suddenly this past month. A celebration of Shawn’s life will be held at 10 am on Sat., Aug. 10th at the Big Horn Baptist Church. Donations in Shawn’s memory can be made to the Donor Alliance for Organ and Tissue Donations, 200 Spruce St., Suite 200, Denver, CO 80230. A celebration of life for Patrick will be held at the American Legion Hall in Buffalo from 5-7 pm on Friday, Aug. 16th. We share the sorrow of these losses.

The resolution developed by JC Dems, asking the legislature to enact legislation to make all county level political races non-partisan, has been submitted to the State Party, was enhanced by Joe Barbuto, and the new version was read and approved at tonight’s meeting and will be introduced at the Aug. 16th-17th meeting of the WDP. Greg Haas, and possibly Bill McIntyre, plan to attend the state meeting to present and defend the resolution. They will be able to vote and, if supplied the proper forms from Carol Cox and Kathie Day who, by office, are eligible to vote, be able to vote in proxy for them if they are not able to attend in person.

There was a discussion about Precinct Committeemen. As a result, Greg appointed John O’Laughlin to this position in the 04-08 precinct and Bill McIntyre to the position for Kaycee.

Greg projected a list of names of those registered as Democrats in Johnson County both pre and post the 2016 election. There was a net loss of 36 from pre to post since some Democrats changed their affiliation in order to be able to vote for county position candidates. He will supply us with access to that list and has asked each of us to select a number of names of those who switched affiliation that we will reach out to and invite back into Democrat affiliation.

Meeting adjourned at 8:05. Next meeting is on Tues., Sept. 3, 7 pm, Bomber Mountain Room 108.

Regarding the partisan nature of county elections in Wyoming, JC Dems passed the following on second and final reading July 2, 2019:

WHEREAS hundreds, if not thousands of voters, without switching party affiliation, are unable to vote in Municipal and County partisan primary elections for their candidate of choice and,

WHEREAS partisan primaries and “party switching” creates significant increases in record keeping for election officials and,

WHEREAS “party switching” results in increases of costs and difficulties faced by state parties when attempting to accurately reach out to their members and,

WHEREAS “party switching” leads to inaccurate counts of party membership, especially in smaller jurisdictions and,

WHEREAS voters who change parties in order to vote in a local primary election are inadvertently locked into affecting a state-level primary race and,

WHEREAS many municipal elections in Wyoming are already non-partisan,

THEREFORE we hereby RESOLVE that the Wyoming elections statutes be amended to state that “all municipal and county elections in Wyoming” shall be non-partisan.

Johnson County Democratic Party Meeting
August 6, 2019
Agenda (proposed)

7:00 p.m. Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance
Sign in sheet and introductions

7:10 p.m. Reports

Secretary’s presentation of the minutes of the last meeting.
Treasurer’s summary of financial activity.
Announcements from the Chair.

7:15 p.m. Old Business:

Precinct Committee People – Names, Precincts

7:30 p.m. New Business:
WDP Summer events Schedule Review

7:45 p.m. Adjournment

JC Dems Minutes – July 2, 2019 **DRAFT**
In Attendance:
Greg Haas (C), Carol Cox (VC), Lois Petersen (Sec), Bob Day, Bill McIntyre, John O’Laughlin, Will Cox, Jim Shell (T)

Video – How Corporations Infiltrated the Supreme Court – was shown pre-meeting.

Meeting was called to order at 7:10 pm
Agenda for this meeting and minutes of our May 7 meeting were approved as written – Bill/Bob
Treasurer’s Report: Jim reported a current balance of $1797.80. Bank signature cards need to be updated with current officers – Jim will check into how best to get this done. Greg shared his efforts to correct donation issues within Action Network. Act Blue is now set up to facilitate donations J C Democratic Party.

Announcements:
An upcoming ‘Campaign Coaching’ session is being offered by the State Party. We all need to get on their email list to be sure of getting notices.
The State Party is now using MobilizeAmerica to communicate and organize event information.
Sarah Hunt has not yet replied to Greg about setting up training in Clearmont to include Dems from Sheridan, Buffalo, and Gillette. Also, she reported probably no staff will be able to help with the parade on 8/3.

Old Business:
Greg has spread sheets that show contact information for registered democrats. His data shows there was a decrease in numbers from Aug. 2018 (321 registered) to Sept. 2018 (285 reg.) He can sort these names by precinct which will help with canvassing. He also has access to Greenwood Maps from the County which provides a great deal of information pertinent during election years.
The County Elections Resolution was unanimously approved on second and final reading (Bob/Will). Will moved/Bob seconded the motion to submit the resolution at the August State Central Committee Meeting to be considered and approved at the state level. (Motion passed unanimously.)

New Business:
Having held 2 parade committee meetings, Carol reported progress is being made. Bill has agreed to the use of his trailer and truck, we have bunting and banners from last year, and the theme – Year of the Woman – is similar enough to reuse some of the costumes from last year. However, volunteers are desperately needed. They hope to have 5 women on the float and will ask several to serve in this way. Other volunteers are needed to pass out water. Greg will ask Mitch Black about helping again with bottled water. Greg offered ‘She Persisted’ as a sub-theme for this year’s float. Jim and Greg will help with setting up the float. An after-parade potluck picnic will be held in a park covered area. Carol will reserve a park shelter for that day.

Meeting adjourned at 8:00.

Next meeting is on Aug. 6, 2019 at 7 pm, Bomber Mountain Room 108.

Johnson County Democratic Party Meeting
June 4, 2019
Agenda

7:00 p.m. Call to Order

Pledge of Allegiance
Sign in sheet and introductions

7:10 p.m. Reports

Secretary’s presentation of the minutes of the last meeting.
Treasurer’s summary of financial activity.
Announcements from the Chair.

7:15 p.m. Old Business:

Precinct Committee People – Names, Precincts
Resolutions – County elections (Chair would entertain a motion to, for example, accept the resolution as written on “second and final reading”.)

7:40 p.m. New Business:

Parade 2019 – Updates, Discussion, Budget Requests

8:00 p.m. Adjournment

Video Presentation – Lois Petersen

Regarding the partisan nature of county elections in Wyoming, JC Dems passed the following on first reading June 4, 2019:

WHEREAS hundreds, if not thousands of voters, without switching party affiliation, are unable to vote in Municipal and County partisan primary elections for their candidate of choice and

WHEREAS partisan primaries and “party switching” creates significant increases in record keeping for election officials and

WHEREAS “party switching” results in increases of costs and difficulties faced by state parties when attempting to accurately reach out to their members and,

WHEREAS “party switching” leads to inaccurate counts of party membership, especially in smaller jurisdictions and

WHEREAS voters who change parties in order to vote in a local primary election are inadvertently locked into affecting a state-level primary race and,

WHEREAS many municipal elections in Wyoming are already non-partisan

THEREFORE we hereby RESOLVE that the Wyoming elections statutes be amended to state that “all municipal and county elections in Wyoming” shall be non-partisan.