NEWS FROM THE COCONINO DEMOCRATIC PARTY October 16th, 2024

NEWS FROM THE COCONINO COUNTY DEMOCRATS
October 16, 2024
This is our final newsletter before November 5 and Election Day! See below for the definitive guide to voting in person on Election Day. Learn more about the ballot propositions and the other messages we are sharing with voters in our outreach efforts. Read our note of appreciation for the scores of volunteers who labored mightily to get out our Ballot Guide and our other targeted communications. Sign up for the last big push of canvassing, phone calls, and text outreach. And make plans to attend our Election Night watch party and victory celebration!

Dear Voters,
The ballots and our ballot guide have arrived. If you already voted, thank you! If you haven’t yet, please do it now. All our efforts are now directed at getting out the vote across Coconino County to swing Arizona blue for the whole Democratic ticket. Help us by taking your own name off the list of voters whose ballots we have to chase.
I am so proud of the work we’ve done to be ready for this moment. Please keep signing up for canvassing shifts; it’s the most effective method we know for reaching voters. Let’s leave no possible voter’s door un-knocked, no conversation unsaid, no sign location empty.
Gather with us at the Orpheum Theatre on November 5, at 7:00 pm for a joyful Election Night Watch Party to celebrate our victories and the tremendous work we all did to win for Democracy, Climate Change Action, Economic Justice, Gun Safety, Immigration, and Reproductive Freedom.
Vote your whole ballot, vote early, share the Ballot Guide with everyone!Turquoise Blue Arizona 2024,
Laura Carter

Voting in Person on Election DayMake Your Plan Now!
There are many benefits to early voting in Arizona, but still many of us love the ceremony and the sense of community of voting in person at a local polling place. If this is you, or someone you know, be sure to make a voting plan ahead of time. This year’s long ballot could create long wait times, frustration, or even the inclination to leave some ballot choices blank if voters are unprepared. So plan for place, time, and the votes you will cast!
Coconino County will have 38 polling sites open on Election Day. Fifteen of these are Vote Centers – that means a voter residing anywhere within the County can receive a paper ballot reflecting their own precinct. Every location in the City of Flagstaff, plus sites in Page, Leupp, Tuba City, Williams, and Grand Canyon Village, will be a Vote Center. Other locations are Precinct-based – meaning that they will be prepared with paper ballots for specific precincts. Every location, even the smallest, will have Express Vote machines; these provide accessibility for voters with visual disabilities or those who wish to vote in Spanish, Navajo/Diné, or Hopi. And the Express Vote machines can actually provide out-of-precinct ballots as well; County election workers are determined that every eligible voter can cast a ballot, no matter where in the County they go to vote.
This link goes to the list of polling locations with addresses. Note that no schools are serving as voting sites, unlike former years. Choose the site that will be most convenient for you on Election Day!Polling Locations for Election Day
Think about WHEN you plan to vote. The polls open at 6 am and stay open until 7 pm (or until the last person who was in line at 7 pm has finished voting). In some locations there might be a “rush” hour of people voting before or after their workday shifts. But the County is attempting to staff sites with enough poll workers to minimize the chance of long waiting times. Have your identification handy!Link to acceptable forms of ID here:
Finally – do your research and know how you plan to vote. On average we each have 37 choices to make on our long ballot – some have even more! Take our Ballot Guide with you to the polls and use our recommendations (if you have misplaced it, find it on our website here: https://coconinodemocrats.org/sample-ballot/ ).
And take advantage of excellent guides put together by the Friends of Flagstaff’s Future, Civic Engagement Beyond Voting, or other organizations you respect.
This is the moment we have been working toward for two years – make certain your voice is heard!

Coco Dems at the Farmers’ Market(from Nancy Branham, Coconino Democrats First Vice-Chair)
For the past 5 months a dedicated group of volunteers has been staffing our table at the Flagstaff Community Market on Sunday mornings. Our tabling has included signature gathering on petitions, voter registration, candidate information, along with engaging countless numbers in meaningful conversations. We have REALLY made a difference and had a lot of fun along the way. It may be just a drop in the bucket when you look at the big picture, but every drop counts.
On October 13th we held our first tabling since ballot drop on October 9th. The energy was obvious and uplifting. Many folks walked by and let us know they have voted, or that they will be voting for Democrats all the way. We also had dozens of conversations where we were able to help by answering questions and providing useful information.
BUT. . . THIS SUNDAY WAS DIFFERENT TO ME IN A CONCERNING WAY. As folks walked by and assured us they had voted or would vote, most had received (and thanked us) for our Ballot Guide. I did not doubt them, but I was concerned about how seriously they would study the propositions and I am concerned they do not understand the complexity of these propositions.
There are 13 state propositions on the ballot; most were placed on the ballot by the AZ Republican Legislature. The first eight that are numbered in the 100’s would amend the AZ Constitution which means that if the voters approve any of them they cannot be repealed by the Legislature; they are pretty much permanent. The other five would change Arizona law if passed.
The Secretary of State has mailed a General Election Publicity Pamphlet (only 355 pages) but there are a couple of other resources, besides our Ballot Guide, that give non-partisan summaries of these measures which match the Coconino County Democratic Party recommendations. PLEASE TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY!
Our BALLOT GUIDE is recommending a YES vote for Proposition 139, the Abortion Access Initiative, and a NO VOTE on all the rest of the state propositions. We are recommending a YES vote on the three County and City propositions.
Friends of Flagstaff’s Future is Flagstaff’s oldest, grass roots, community supported advocacy organization. Click this link https://friendsofflagstaff.org/state-propositions/ for their summary of the propositions.Click this link https://friendsofflagstaff.org/2024-city-council-candidate-questionnaire-by-question-number/ if you are interested in reading the City Council candidates answers to their questionnaire.Click this link https://friendsofflagstaff.org/2024-FUSD-candidate-questionnaire-by-question-number/ if you are interested in reading FUSD Board Member candidates answers to their questionnaire.
Civic Engagement Beyond Voting is a grassroots nonpartisan organization working to empower Arizona residents to exercise their voices at state and local levels. Click this link https://cebv.substack.com/p/cebv-2024-propositions-guide for their guide to the propositions.
We have three more weeks of tabling. It is a rewarding and inspirational way to help folks so please sign up on the volunteer work sheet using this link:https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18tQfhmywVsvGu8bbrs0hJGvmnVXdoI6M/edit?gid=818083841#gid=818083841

Check Out the Findings of Our Research & Messaging Committee
The Research & Messaging Committee (R&M) was established to investigate where candidates and officeholders stand on issues. What are the voting records? What are their values and experiences? What do they want for the future? Also, we are preparing general informative/educational pieces about issues. This information should be available to voters and you can be that messenger. Posts from the R&M Committee will be available at this link. Please check back often.
Do you have questions/comments/suggestions you’d like to direct to the R&M Committee? Would you like to become a member of R&M? Please contact us at:
Join Us on the Big Night!
Register here for our Election Night Watch Party and Celebration at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Flagstaff! Register at this Mobilize link:
https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/726554/

Register for the Fiesta through Mobilize
Thank You to Our Amazing Volunteers!
Your local Coconino County Democratic Party has been busy reaching out to voters. A Blue Wave depends on getting out the vote of our like-minded voters.
Our largest outlay of money (and effort) this year has been the designing, printing, organizing, stuffing, transporting and mailing of 50,000 Democratic Ballot Guides to 50,000 Coconino County Democrats and Democratic leaning Independents.
We wrote four different cover letters: one to Democrats, one to our youth, one to Indigenous voters, and one to Independent voters. Over the years we have received countless comments that these guides are invaluable in helping voters complete their ballots. Our volunteer team of over 70 people has been fantastic. We estimate well over 1,000 volunteer hours went into this very important project. A gigantic “THANK YOU” to all who participated.In addition to the 50,000 guides that were mailed, another 30,000 are being distributed through the Coordinated Campaign, at numerous events during this Get Out The Vote (GOTV) phase of the election.
There are well over 1,000 voters who have registered as Democrats since April, and we have reached out to them with a beautifully designed postcard congratulating them and encouraging them to vote. Each of these oversized postcards included a handwritten note from a dedicated group of volunteers.
Last Friday we mailed over 9,000 large postcards to “low propensity” voters: folks who are registered as Democrats but did not vote in the last election. We are hopeful this encouraging message will make a difference in the election outcome next month. The Coconino Democrats teamed up with Northeast Native Democrats and toured numerous chapters on Indigenous lands over the last 3 weeks. This week we are sending a “Thank You” postcard to 25,000 of our Indigenous neighbors in Coconino, Navajo and Apache Counties, once again reminding them of the importance of this election.
A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS!!!

From the Flagstaff Office of the Coordinated CampaignHelp Us in the Final Push!
Canvassing:Ballot Drop Weekend Canvassing- 10/12-10/13,9am, 12pm, 3pm, 5pmLink to Sign Up: https://www.mobilize.us/jumpstartaz/event/693411/Early Vote Weekend- 10/19-10/20,9am, 12pm, 3pm, 5pmLink to Sign Up: https://www.mobilize.us/jumpstartaz/event/693451/Mail It Back Weekend- 10/26-10/27,9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pmLink to Sign Up: https://www.mobilize.us/dashboard/jumpstartaz/event/693759/Get Out the Vote Weekend- 11/2-11/5,9am, 12pm, 3pm, 5pmLink to Sign Up: https://www.mobilize.us/jumpstartaz/event/693794/Weekday Canvassing- Every weekday,3pm, 5pmLink to Sign Up:https://www.mobilize.us/jumpstartaz/event/629311/
Phonebanking: Ballot Drop Weekend Phonebanking- 10/12-10/13,9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pmLink to Sign Up: https://www.mobilize.us/jumpstartaz/event/693538/Early Vote Weekend- 10/19-10/20,9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pmLink to Sign Up:https://www.mobilize.us/jumpstartaz/event/693570/Mail It Back Weekend- 10/26-10/27,9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pmLink to Sign Up:https://www.mobilize.us/jumpstartaz/event/693836/Get Out the Vote Weekend- 11/2-11/5,9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pmLink to Sign Up: https://www.mobilize.us/jumpstartaz/event/693887/Weekday In Person Phonebanks- Daily,3pm, 6pmLink to Sign Up:https://www.mobilize.us/jumpstartaz/event/685172/

Join Us in Our Key Outreach and Voter Education Work This Fall
Fewer than 3 weeks to go! If you have any availability to help, even for just one hour, we can use your assistance. And we guarantee guidance and good fellowship! Sign up with the Coordinated Campaign (see above) to help with voter communication and ballot chasing. Sign up on our Volunteer Worksheet to help with our own activities – see link below.
Volunteer Signup Sheet!
As our outreach and community activities heat up with the late stages of the campaign season, we are using a new and convenient tool for signing up. This link below will take you to a spreadsheet where you can learn about all of our events and sign up for those you’d like to help with. The tabs at the bottom are by month; click on OCTOBER if you’d like to see what we have going that month. Each sheet then presents all of the events for that month, from serving dinner at the Flagstaff Family Food Center, to talking to voters at the Sunday markets. Put your name and contact information into the sheet where you’d like to help; no need to email or call or click Submit, because the sheet will be updated and your information will be visible to the organizer as soon as you sign up. Thanks for being part of the fun and the great work we are doing this year!Volunteer Signup

Calendar of Events
To share an upcoming event in our bi-monthly newsletter or the monthly events calendar on our website, please email us the details at by Friday prior to each newsletter.Fight for Democracy. Protect our Freedoms.Support the 2024 Election. Become a monthly donor today.Donate

Paid for by the Coconino County Democratic Party.
Donations are political contributions and not tax-deductible.