Events featured in our newsletter can also be found on the Events Calendar on the main page of our website.

OPEN HOUSE TOMORROW AT THE OFFICE

Join us TOMORROW to celebrate the opening of the HCDP Office! Stop by our Open House on June 24 to check out the office, learn about volunteer opportunities, meet fellow members and supporters, and enjoy light refreshments.

We look forward to seeing you at the Open House!!

THREAT TO VOTING RIGHTS - RESOLUTION FOR CONSIDERATION AT JULY MEETING

At our meeting on July 1st we will consider a resolution to voice opposition to a “Documentary Proof of Citizenship” ballot initiative that would amend our state constitution. This ballot proposal is similar to the SAVE Act favored by Trump and the Republicans. The group behind the initiative, Americans for Citizens Voting, received $3.5 million dollars last fall in funding from Restoration of America, a dark money group that is not required to disclose its own donors.

If approved, this initiative would require U.S. citizens to show burdensome documents when registering to vote and when voting in the state of Michigan.

In preparation for discussion and a vote on this resolution, you are requested to please review the proposed resolution here.

You may also want to view this summary from the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Michigan about anti-voting petitions/ballot proposals. The summary, from earlier this year, includes the proposal from Americans for Citizens Voting.

WALK WITH US JULY 4TH IN THE SOUTH RANGE PARADE!

Walk with us in the annual South Range Fourth of July Parade on Saturday, July 4th! Parade line-up is at 1pm at the South Range Elementary School. The parade begins at 2pm. Look for the blue Nissan Murano, which we will decorate with signs and garland. We will have pre-made posters to carry or you can hand out candy. Be sure to wear red, white, and blue! For questions, contact Nancy Verive at 812-573-1403.

Looking ahead, we will also be marching in the Strawberry Festival Parade on Saturday, July 11. That parade begins at 11am. More details in next week’s newsletter.

HELP US COOK UP SOMETHING GOOD

WE WANT YOU (TO SHARE YOUR RECIPES!!)

We’re looking for a few good recipes from you and all of our fellow Houghton Dems and newsletter readers. In honor of our nation’s 250th birthday we’d like to prepare a community cookbook so we can all cook up a celebration!

If you’d like to participate, scan the QR code in the graphic above, or click the button below to access our form where you can submit your recipe. Or if you’d like you can email your recipe to [email protected].

WE’D LIKE TO HAVE YOUR RECIPE NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 1ST.

Thanks for participating, and please share with your friends and family!!

RURAL SUMMIT HELD LAST WEEK

Last week five members of the Houghton County Dems attended this year’s Rural Summit. The event was held at the UAW’s beautiful Black Lake Resort in Onaway, MI. Our local attendees included our Democratic candidate for the MI House Brian Irizarry, who spoke at the event.

The Rural Caucus holds this event each year. The four day Summit is an opportunity for Michigan Democrats from rural counties across the state to meet, network, hear from candidates and elected officials, and participate in educational sessions. Attendees include members of local county parties, as well as other MDP caucuses, including the MDP Senior Caucus and the Michigan College Democrats.

(A reminder that you can be both a member of a county party AND a member of an MDP Caucus. Caucuses represent many different needs and communities within the Party. A full list of MDP Caucuses is available here.)

CALLIE BARR CAMPAIGN - UP TOWN HALLS SCHEDULED

Callie Barr has three UP Town Halls scheduled. The first will be held TONIGHT, June 23rd at 4:30 PM in Watersmeet. The Marquette Town Hall will be tomorrow, June 24 at 5:30 PM at NMU. The third will be here in Houghton County at the Calumet Theater on July 19th.

RANK MI VOTE HOLDS “PATH TO VICTORY” EVENT

Join Rank MI Vote TONIGHT at 7 PM for a statewide call to learn more about their new strategic plan to win Ranked Choice Voting (RCV) and give more choice and voice to all voters by...

Special guests Washtenaw Prosecutor Eli Savit, candidate for Attorney General, and Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist II, candidate for Secretary of State.

KYLE BLOMQUIST CAMPAIGN - HANCOCK TOWN HALL SCHEDULED

Kyle Blomquist has announced a Town Hall in Hancock. The Town Hall, scheduled for July 1 at 6 PM, will be at the Orpheum Theater. Find more information and pre-register here.

KELLI VAN GINHOVEN CAMPAIGN ANNOUNCES “DAYS OF ACTION”

Kelli van Ginhoven has announced her campaign’s “Days of Action”, and is seeking volunteers for canvassing. The campaign will be knocking on doors in Dickinson County every Monday starting next month. Help spread the word to your friends in Dickinson County. Interested in joining in yourself? Just fill out this form to volunteer.

NEWS OF INTEREST TO LOCAL DEMOCRATS — PRIMARY ELECTION INFORMATION EDITION

JOIN THE PERMANENT ABSENTEE BALLOT LIST

Who can join the list? Any voter in Michigan can join the Permanent Mail Ballot List. Voters who wish to vote from home in every election, but who may not be at the same address for each election — snowbirds, for example — are still able to join the list, but they must remember to update their mailing address with their local clerk.

Worried about whether the US Postal Service will deliver your absentee ballot in a timely manner? You have other options to make sure your ballot is counted. (1) After you receive your ballot, you can complete it at home, and drop it off in the designated drop box for your precinct. (2) You can complete your ballot at home and take it to your early voting site or to your polling place on Election Day. Let the poll workers know that you would like to put it into the tabulator. (3) Finally, you can give your ballot to the poll workers at the early voting site or polling place and ask them to “spoil” it. They will give you a new ballot that you can complete at the early voting site or polling place.

How do I join the list? You can join the Permanent Mail Ballot List when you apply for an absentee ballot for an upcoming election, whether online, by mail, or in-person. Just check the box for automatically sending an absent voter ballot for each future election.

How do you know if you’re already on the permanent absentee list? If you think you already signed up for the list but are not sure, contact your city or township clerk to confirm.

How do I contact my clerk? For contact information for your city or township clerk, for the location of your polling place, to see if you are registered to vote, or for almost all your Michigan voting questions you can check the Michigan Voter Information Center at mi.gov/vote.

NOTE: Thanks to MichiganVoting.org, from whom much of the information above has been summarized.

WED JUN 24

The Houghton City Council meets at 5:30 PM on Wednesday. The Meeting Agenda is typically posted ahead of the meeting. Look for it in the Searchable Document Center of the Council's website.

A FULL LISTING OF ALL LOCAL CITY, VILLAGE AND TOWNSHIP GOVERNMENTS, WITH CONTACT INFORMATION, AND (WHERE AVAILABLE) TIMING OF LOCAL COUNCIL MEETINGS CAN BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE.