Highway Clean Up Tomorrow

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.

This is one of several positions the MI Dems currently have open. See the complete list of job openings or submit your resume to their resume bank here.

Highway Clean Up Tomorrow

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 tomorrow, Wednesday, May 15th at 5:30pm. (Rain Date is next 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]

MAGA Republicans in Delta and Ottawa Counties Defeated in Recall Elections

Here in the UP last week - in Delta County - three Republican County Commissioners were recalled by wide margins.

Robert Barron, David Moyle and Robert Petersen lost to two independent candidates and one Democratic candidate. Those candidates immediately replace the recalled Republicans and will serve until November.

All six, the three who were recalled and their successors, are filed to run in the August primary.

The recall election was precipitated by the firing of the County’s administrator, Emily DeSalvo, who criticized the Board of Commissioner’s elimination of their Ethics Committee at a February Board meeting. Her comments included direct criticism of the Board for unethical and disrespectful behavior.

After the administrator spoke the Board abruptly voted 3 to 2 to terminate her employment. The three who voted to terminate were those who were recalled on Tuesday.

Here is the hyperbolic reaction of one of the recalled Republicans, as reported by Michigan Advance:

Also last week in Ottawa County, in western lower Michigan, Republican County Commissioner Lucy Ebel, a member of the “right-wing evangelical coalition” known as Ottawa Impact was defeated by Democrat Chris Kleinjans in a recall election, by a 20 point margin. Nine of the eleven County Commissioners won their seats with the endorsement of Ottawa Impact in November 2022.

These recall election results are rejections of MAGA Republicans who gained local offices in the previous cycle and have generated significant backlash with their actions once in office. The margins of these recalls in heavily Republican areas of the state would seem to indicate that MAGA candidates are facing diminishing support even among Republican voters. Hopeful signs for this fall’s election.

Key Dates for the Upcoming Election Season

KEY DATES FOR VOTING IN THIS FALL’S ELECTIONS

This will be the first full election year in which Michigan’s election law reforms are in place. We have both a primary in August and the general election in November. With absentee ballots and early voting periods those elections are closer than you might think.

As you look at your plans for the rest of the year, here are some dates to keep in mind for exercising your right to vote:

AUGUST PRIMARY

• June 27: Secure absentee drop boxes become available, and remain in place until 8 PM Election Day

• July 22: Deadline to register by mail or online to be eligible to vote in the August primary. (Registration in-person is available through Election Day at your local clerk’s office.)

• July 27: Early voting begins

• August 4: Last day of early voting

• August 6: Primary Election Day. Polls open at 7 AM and close at 8 PM

NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION

• September 26: Secure absentee drop boxes become available, and remain in place 24 hours a day until 8 PM Election Day

• October 21: Deadline to register by mail or online to be eligible to vote in the November general election. (Registration in-person is available through Election Day at your local clerk’s office.)

• October 26: Early voting begins

• November 3: Last day of early voting

• November 5: General Election Day. Polls open at 7 AM and close at 8 PM

You can find a complete listing of important election dates for clerks, candidates and voters on this Election Calendar from the Michigan Secretary of State’s office.

At the Capital and On the Campaign Trail

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

• Biden Harris Campaign Release “Trump Attacks Mothers” Ad: On Mother’s Day the President’s campaign released what Newsweek described as “a brutal …ad …attacking Donald Trump's past and proposed policies regarding mothers and women.” You can watch the full ad below -

• Biden Ramps Up Ground Game While Trump Goes Lean: The Biden campaign is taking full advantage of their fundraising success by opening a number of field offices in swing states including Michigan. Meanwhile Trump is telling his campaign that he personally will take care of the “get out the vote” campaign needs. Since the Trump team took over the RNC they have tossed out an earlier campaign office build out and replaced it with…not much. MORE ON BIDEN: Washington Examiner MORE ON TRUMP: Washington Post

• AG Dana Nessel to Sue Big Oil Over Climate Change: This past Thursday Attorney General Nessel announced that her department is seeking proposals from outside lawyers and law firms willing to pursue litigation against fossil fuel companies over climate change MORE: Bridge Michigan

• Top Candidates for MI Senate Seat Invited to Debate: The Detroit Regional Chamber has announced that they have sent invitations to the top 3 Democrats and Republicans in the race to replace Debbie Stabenow in the US Senate. The debate is slated to take place during the Mackinac Policy Conference at the Grand Hotel later this month. MORE: Michigan Chronicle

• US House Republicans Propose Bill to Add $4.6 Trillion to the National Debt: US House Republicans are proposing to make parts of their expiring 2017 tax law, which slashed rates for the richest Americans, permanent. A new analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that extending the individual, business, and estate tax provisions would add $4.6 trillion to the national debt over the first 10 years. Jack Bergman voted for a similar bill in 2018. MORE: Michigan Independent

• President Biden Pauses Arms Shipment to Israel: The decision, which has frustrated many in the Israeli government, comes as the President pushes for Israel and Hamas to reach a cease-fire deal, and Israel appears on the verge of a large-scale assault on Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians are sheltering in dire conditions. MORE: NBC News

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 15

• This month's regular meeting of the Houghton County Board of Commissioners has moved from today until tomorrow afternoon at 4 PM in the Conference Room on the fifth floor of the Houghton County Courthouse. Find more information on the Board's webpage.

• The Hancock City Council meets at 6 PM in the Hancock City Hall Council Chambers.

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