Highway Clean Up Scheduled for Next Wednesday

The Michigan Democratic Party is seeking experienced Field Organizers to organize communities across Michigan in 2024. For more information please refer to this flyer from the MDP.

Last Chance to File for Precinct Delegate

THERE’S STILL TIME!

If you are interested in becoming a precinct delegate the filing deadline is 4 PM TODAY! Filing for precinct delegate requires the submission of the Precinct Delegate Affidavit of Identity and Receipt of Filing form, which is available from the Houghton County Clerk. Click here to be taken to the Clerk’s web page to download the form and instructions.

WHAT IS A PRECINCT DELEGATE?

The role of a precinct delegate is one of the most important, yet least understood, of any elected office. Precinct delegates serve as a bridge between Democrats in their neighborhoods and the Democratic Party. Active precinct delegates can help win elections. Additionally, each precinct delegate represents their neighborhood at Democratic Party meetings.

Learn more about what it means to become a Precinct Delegate on this informative webpage from our friends the Clinton County Democrats.

(NOTE: THE FILING DEADLINE FOR SCHOOL BOARD AND CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS IS JULY 23RD.)

Election Inspectors Needed - Training This Friday May 10th

ELECTION WORKERS ARE NEEDED FOR THE AUGUST PRIMARY AND NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTIONS.

Becoming an election worker is a great way to support the democratic process in your local community.

Election workers are hired, paid, and trained local government workers who assist with running local elections.

During an election, Houghton County needs a staff of paid and skilled election workers, called election inspectors, to assist voters and help process ballots. Anyone in Houghton County can be trained to serve as an Election Inspector in Houghton County. Houghton County Clerk Jennifer Kelly will provide training in May. The training takes about an hour. Training info below -

ELECTION INSPECTOR TRAINING

This Friday, May 10th at 1:00 PM

Franklin Township Hall

An Election Inspector Application form is available here. To apply for the training, download, complete and submit this form to your local City/Township Clerk (use this search tool if you need help to find your local clerk). NOTE: You must declare a party on this form because State Law requires a balance of party affiliation among the Election Inspectors at each poll. It doesn't mean that you must be a member of a party, just that you identify with one of the parties.

If you’d like to learn more about what it means to be an election worker, view these Frequently Asked Questions from the Michigan Department of State.

Highway Clean Up Set for Next Wednesday

COME JOIN US FOR OUR FIRST HIGHWAY CLEAN UP OF 2024! 

The Houghton County Dems are longtime participants in the Adopt-A-Highway program. Our stretch of highway is M-26 from just past Goat Hill Rd heading out of Ripley, and on through to Dollar Bay.

We’ll get together to clean our stretch of highway next Wednesday, May 15th at 5:30pm. (Rain Date is the following Wednesday, May 22nd). Parking is available at the Adopt-A-Highway sign just past Goat Hill Rd. We provide gloves, safety vests and bags. After the pick up we have typically met at Quincy's for dinner and conversation.

Please join us so we can continue this very worthwhile community service. Hope to see you there!

WHEN: Wednesday, May 15th @ 5:30 PM

WHERE: Park along M-26 at the Adopt-A-Highway sign just past Goat Hill Road heading out of Ripley

If you’d like to volunteer to join the highway clean up crew contact Barb Turuc at [email protected] or leave a message at (906) 523-1233 

Mark Your Calendars (and Volunteer!)

We’ve got a number of activities and events coming up and we’d love to have you join us. Below is the list of our annual summer activities. Mark your calendars and volunteer:

• May 15 - ANNUAL ADOPT-A-HIGHWAY: See article above for more info

• June 1 - KEWEENAW PRIDEFEST: The second annual Keweenaw Pridefest will be held at Hancock Beach this year. The Houghton County Democrats are a proud sponsor of the Fest this year. We will have a table from which to distribute literature and engage with the Fest-goers.

• June 13 thru 16 - BRIDGEFEST: Just as we’ve done in previous years we will again be staffing a booth at the Festival and walking in the Parade. This is a great opportunity to interact with the public and share our message of freedom and democracy.

• July 4 - INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADES: We’re still finalizing which parade(s) we’ll be marching in this year. If you have a particular parade you’d like to join in and march with us, let us know.

• July 12 and 13 - STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL: Strawberry Fest is a favorite every year. We’ll be marching in the Festival Parade - come join us!

• August 22 thru 25 - HOUGHTON COUNTY FAIR: We staff a table every year to engage with the public and distribute literature. We’ll have our button maker and materials ready for the kids to create their own button designs, while we chat with the adults.

• Labor Day Weekend - LABOR DAY PICNIC: Each year we gather over Labor Day Weekend to picnic and connect as we get ready for the fall campaign season.

If you’d like to volunteer for any of these activities let us know. Just leave a message at (906) 523-1233 or email us at [email protected]

Decline to Sign the “Citizens for Local Choice” Petition

A petition is being circulated that purports to support local control over the siting of new solar and windmill installations. But in truth the petition is a deliberate attempt to halt Michigan’s historic move to 60% clean energy by 2035.

Michigan’s new Renewable Energy Siting Laws, PA 233 and 234 aim to help fast-track Michigan's road to increased reliance on renewable rather than carbon energy sources. Critics claim that it removes local control over construction of large scale wind and solar facilities. Prior to enactment of this law, local authorities have been able to deny landowners - farmers, in particular - the right to lease their land for operation of these facilities, even when there was no legitimate reason (health, safety, etc.) for the denial. Increasingly, farmers are looking at these facilities as ways to supplement their incomes but are being blocked by arbitrary - often NIMBY - reasons.

Among its other provisions, the Renewable Energy Siting Laws set statewide siting standards and grants siting authority for permitting large scale wind and solar facilities to the Michigan Public Services Commission unless local communities adopt and use standards that are compatible with the state standards, thereby removing arbitrary local roadblocks on land use by farmers and other landowners.

Although the Renewable Energy Siting laws were enacted in 2023, there are efforts to repeal the laws. This petition is one of them.

FACTS:

• The committee behind this petition has been criticized for receiving dark money contributions.

• The spokesman for this petition is a Senior Fellow at the Energy and Environment Legal Institute, which has received backing from coal companies.

• Much of the messaging to support this petition has been crafted with assistance from a public relations firm that has represented the Wolverine Pipeline Company for decades.

DON”T BE MISLED. DECLINE TO SIGN!

At the Capital and On the Campaign Trail

A SMALL SAMPLING OF WHAT’S HAPPENING IN MICHIGAN AND ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

• Democratic Majority Restored in Michigan House: New Michigan Democratic House Representatives, Peter Herzberg (D-Westland) and Mai Xiong (D-Warren) were sworn in last Tuesday, restoring the Democratic majority in the House. The pair replace two Democratic representatives who left the House after the November election, when they were both elected to be Mayors of cities within their districts. MORE: Michigan Public Radio 

• Michigan Senate Passes Election Recount Reform Bills: The bills address concerns raised by recount efforts around votes cast in the 2022 reproductive freedom and voting rights proposals. The recount efforts were widely criticized at the time as a waste of taxpayer money primarily because the number of votes involved in the recount would not have been sufficient to effect the outcome of either proposal. Many saw the recount requests as “fishing expeditions” attempting to launch a broader investigation into the election and undermine public confidence in our election procedures. MORE: Detroit Free Press

• Senator Stabenow Committed to Getting Farm Bill Finished: The Senator stressed last week that the Ag Committee, which she chairs, remains committed to providing certainty to farmers under the proposed 5 year bill. The Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act would strengthen crop insurance for all farmers. While negotiations within the committee have been stalled the Senator hopes the framework she released last Wednesday will help restart the negotiations. “We’re doing this within the context of three major goals: keeping farmers farming, keeping families fed, and keeping rural communities strong,” she says. MORE: Brownfield News

• Trump’s Michigan Rally Drew An Estimated 6,500 People: Trump’s whirlwind two hour visit to Saginaw County took place last Wednesday - the one day of the week when Trump’s 2016 election interference criminal trial is not in session. The crowd was down from an estimated 10,000 people who attended his last rally in Saginaw County for the 2020 campaign. Trump used the occasion to repeat his many false claims about the 2020 election and to promise an “historic effort” to “prevent cheating” in 2024. MORE: MLive and Detroit Free Press

• Michigan Fake Electors Investigation Back in the News: Attorney General Dana Nessel’s investigation into the 2020 fake electors scheme in Michigan is still active and back in the news. CNN reported last Tuesday that search warrants served to Google and X/Twitter yielded hundreds of emails and social media direct messages from Kenneth Cheesbro, the Trump lawyer who played a major role in the scheme. Trump is an unindicted co-conspirator in the Michigan case. MORE: CNN

• President Biden On Campus Protests: Last Thursday President Biden defended college students’ right to protest against events in Gaza, but he also said protests should be peaceful. "There's the right to protest but no the right to cause chaos," he said. Biden also affirmed that there is no place for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind in America. MORE: NPR

Our Next Monthly Meeting

HCDP Monthly Meetings: Unless otherwise communicated our monthly meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month. Potluck at 6 PM, Meeting at 7 PM. In the conference room at the Houghton Super 8, and by Zoom (starting at 7 PM).

NEXT MEETING: June 5th

Governmental Meetings

WED MAY 8

The Houghton City Council meets at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Meeting Agenda can be found in the Searchable Document Center of the Council's website.

Governmental meetings are scheduled throughout the month by bodies from the County Commission to City, Village and Township boards, committees and commissions; as well as local School Boards and the Copper Country Intermediate School District.

Check by phone or on the particular governmental website for meeting notices in your community. Your participation in local government meetings lets your elected and appointed officials know you are interested in their work, and can provide you with the opportunity to speak about your concerns during public comment periods