| Nationally, Dems Fired Up!
Historic Turnout Not Just in Colorado! |
| Blown away yet? Not so fast — here’s the really cool part. Democratic ballots turned in outpaced Republican ballots 918,374 to 565,805. More amazing still, the number of unaffiliateds who participated in the Democratic primary compared to the Republican primary was nearly triple. |
| That’s not all though! It isn’t just Colorado — while Colorado’s gold standard vote by mail system clearly helped, Democrats are rising up all across the country and smashing down voter suppression tactics to vote at record turnout! |
| Kentucky on track for historic primary turnout
From CBS News
Kentucky is on track for historic voter turnout in Tuesday’s primary election, setting a new record, with over 1 million people expected to cast ballots this year.
Until now the largest presidential primary election in the state took place in 2008, when 922,000 votes were cast. In 2012, less than half that number voted — about 450,000 — and 670,000 cast a ballot in 2016. Kentucky officials attribute this year’s surge to changes allowing people greater access to voting absentee by mail. Also, at the end of 2019, the state restored the voting rights of more than 150,000 convicted felons who have completed their sentences.
Joe Biden has already clinched the Democratic presidential nomination, but one of the key races to watch is the Kentucky Senate Democratic primary, as state Representative Charles Booker seemed to be gaining on establishment favorite Amy McGrath in the race that will decide who takes on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in November.
UPDATE: Amy McGrath has won this primary and will face off against Mitch McConnell in November.
About 868,000 people requested absentee ballots for the primary, and by Tuesday morning, over 530,000 absentee ballots had been returned. According to one official, the state is expecting 90% of those ballots to be returned, including 30 to 40% on primary day or the day after, as has been the case in other states holding elections by mail. In prior years, absentee ballots made up about 1.5% of the primary vote. Mail-in absentee ballots must be postmarked by June 23.
Click here to read more. |
| Aren’t you glad this ISN’T Colorado? This is Georgia — where voter suppression laws are rampant. |
| Voter turnout soared in Georgia despite massive primary day problems
From NBC News
Despite massive problems at the voting booth, Democratic turnout in Georgia’s primaries skyrocketed — with three times as many votes cast in the Senate primary as in 2016.
With 91 percent of the vote in as of Friday, nearly 960,000 voters had cast ballots in the Democratic Senate primary race won by Jon Ossoff, compared to 310,000 who voted in the Senate primary in 2016.
The Democratic turnout was also higher than it was in the gubernatorial primary in 2018, which saw 550,000 ballots cast.
“This was extraordinarily high turnout for a primary — way beyond what we’ve seen in previous primary elections,” Alan Abramowitz, a political science professor at Atlanta’s Emory University, told NBC News.
“The bottom line is that, despite all of the problems at the polls on Tuesday, it appears that there was a big increase in turnout over 2018, especially on the Democratic side,” Abramowitz said. “And over 900,000 votes cast in the Democratic Senate primary blows the 310,000 votes cast in the 2016 Democratic Senate primary out of the water.”
Voting rights groups have called Tuesday’s primary a disaster, with voters across the state, particularly in counties where the majority of residents are not white, faced issues including long lines, problems with voting machines and a lack of available ballots.
Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican, said he was launching an investigation into the “unacceptable” problems, which he blamed on local election officials in mostly minority counties.
Those officials blamed Raffensperger, saying the responsibility to train, prepare and equip election staff to deal with new election machinery used on Tuesday was his.
Click here to read more. |
| So, what does this mean?
It means that the energy is on our side! While Democrats are shattering voter turnout records, Republicans have a serious enthusiasm problem. BUT WE HAVEN’T WON YET.
November 3 is only a few months away, and we can’t stop working until we defeat Trump, Cory Gardner, Lauren Boebert, Doug Lamborn, Ken Buck, and all Republicans up and down the ticket! Get involved by clicking the button below and join our talent bank! |
| Bob’s Corner:
Now More Than Ever is the Time to Come Together! |
| I am proud to belong to a party of passionate people who can be counted on to fight for what they believe! That passion and the core principles that drive it were on full display during our recent primary.
Now we must now turn that passion to stopping Donald Trump, defeating Cory Gardner, and increasing the Democratic majority in the House. We need to hold Gardner, Ken Buck, and Doug Lamborn accountable for inflicting Trump’s incompetence on America. We need to make sure that Jason Crow, Joe Neguse, Ed Perlmutter, and Diane DeGette can continue their important work as part of the Democratic majority in the House. And we need to make absolutely sure that Diane Mitsch Bush is there to stop even more Republican insanity.
Trump, Gardner, and the rest of the Republican enablers are an existential threat to Democracy and the United States. You see it in their botched handling of the pandemic. You saw it when Trump ordered the use of guns and teargas on peaceful protesters in Washington. You see it when Donald Trump retweets the hate speech of White Supremacists and the Republicans are silent. You see it in their strategy of voter suppression. Through all of this, Cory Gardner is silent, more concerned with protecting the President than in representing the people of Colorado.
John Hickenlooper will not be silent. Joe Biden will not attack Americans as they exercise their constitutional rights. And our Democratic members of Congress will continue to work for what is best for Colorado and the United States.
But we cannot stop there. We must maintain and build on the Democratic majority in the Colorado legislature. Voter suppression happens at the state level. Protection for women’s rights begins at the state level. LGTBQ protections started in state legislatures long before anything happened at the federal level. Down ballot elections are crucial if we are going to protect our way of life here in Colorado. We cannot allow Ken Buck’s Republicans to do to Colorado what Trump is trying to do to the rest of the country.
We are a passionate people. Between now and November, that passion must be entirely focused on getting rid of Trump and the Republicans that support him. Nothing else matters because nothing else can happen until Trump, Gardner, and the rest of the Trump Cult are gone.
Work and vote for Joe Biden. Work and vote for John Hickenlooper. Support our down ballot candidates, whether they’re running for state legislature or for the local school board. Let’s commit to working until we create a Blue wave all across this country.
We have work to do. Let’s start doing it today. |
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| Please join us in welcoming Erica Pike, our new Administrative Coordinator and Executive Assistant to the team! |
| Hello Colorado Dems!
My name is Erica Pike and I’m so excited to joining Team Blue as an Administrative Coordinator. After studying Dance Therapy and Nutrition on the East Coast, I began seeking ways to change the systems that impact health and wellbeing in communities. I have managed public health advocacy and electoral campaigns with a focus on a more equitable and just future. Back in my home state of Massachusetts, I’ve managed coalitions, hosted story slams, served as an AmeriCorps member, and taught leadership and advocacy at community colleges. You can often find me riding my bicycle, digging in my garden, and meeting new people (at an appropriate 6 foot distance).
As a newcomer to Colorado, I moved out west to 1. help my partner’s family business, Wax Trax Records, an icon of the musical and cultural scene of Denver, and 2. put my experience in political and community organizing to good use. I can’t think of a better use for my talents than working for the Democratic Party during such a critical election year.
Each one of us has something to offer this moment and we need ALL of us to create a better future. This includes flipping the Senate seat held by Cory Gardner, reclaiming the White House AND securing democratic leadership all the way down the ballot. I’m excited to put my experience and energy behind Democrats and invite you to join me. |
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