What’s at stake in our local spring elections

By: Kelly Fenton, POC

Before asking once again for your help in reaching out to Democratic voters during these critical local elections, let’s give you some ideas as to why it’s so important that we elect or retain the right people on city council and county boards.

After scanning the list below, please scroll back up and sign up for upcoming phone banks using the following links.
Weekend of Action Canvassing with the Outagamie County Democrats!!
Phone Banking Weekend of Action with the Outagamie County Democrats!
Volunteer Recruitment Calls for Weekends of Action with the Outagamie County Dems!
Take Action with the Outagamie County Democrats!!

These are benefits we are already enjoying as well as benefits to come if we do the hard work:

We would not be, for instance, talking about the details of the new library. Rather, we would be talking about how to best make do with our current outdated building.

We might not have authorized the climate task force and, if we don’t maintain control in April, we might not be able to implement its all-important recommendations.

We might have remained silent on the issues of diversity and equity, instead of implementing them as guiding principles in our local government.

We might not have made abundantly clear that we stand with the marginalized and denounce hate and hate crimes with all our moral capacity.

We might not have outlawed conversion therapy.

We might not be allocating AARPA funds in such meaningful way: Our current progressive council is using the first tranche for expanding broadband and lead pipe mitigation, and intends to use the remaining $3 million for such critical matters as affordable housing, community grants, early childhood education, childcare and family services and other things vital to our area.

And, so important in these trying times for democracy, we must ensure that our city and county clerks are able to hold free and fair elections without interference from dark forces.

So if you don’t think local elections matter, they most emphatically do.

We will also be calling Democratic voters the weekend of March 26-27 and again over the weekend leading up to the April 5 elections to chase absentee ballots, to make sure our voters are going to the polls and to identify for them the progressive candidates in each non-partisan race.

Earlier this month, our efforts helped earn progressive Israel Del Toro more than 50 percent of the votes in the three-person District 4 Alder primary and advanced five progressive school board candidates into the general election.

Good things are happening in our city and in our county. Those things are not assured unless we pick up our phones and assure them.