Tength Congressional District Democrats

Wednesday, August 7, 2024

In this Issue: We’ve Got Just The Ticket! ● Lake Dems Day of Action — Saturday, August 10, 2024 ● Apply for a Vote-by-Mail Ballot Today!  ● #HelpAmericaVote: National Poll Worker Recruitment ● Lake Dems Out and About ● ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) ● Upcoming Events

Kamala Harris just selected her running mate. Say hello to your 2024 Democratic Vice Presidential candidate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz! We’re so excited for the Harris-Walz ticket. With that now set, let’s get out there and elect Democrats up and down the ballot.

Lake County Democrats organizers have events planned on Saturday, August 10, 2024 all over Lake County and beyond, including canvasses, phone banks, text banks, postcard-writing events, and even knocking on doors in Wisconsin! We’d love to have you join us! 

Sign up here to let us know what you’d like to do: lakedems.org/dayofaction. Planned events include:

Wauconda: Postcard Writing with Wauconda Township Dems

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 9:00am to noon

Where: Episcopal Church of the Holy Apostles, 26238 Barrington Rd., Wauconda

What: Write postcards to swing states to help Democrats get out the vote. For more info: waucondatownshipdems@gmail.com or 847-440-4767.

Lake Bluff Area: Day of Action for Sandy Hart

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 10:00am to 1:00pm

Where: Location provided upon RSVP

What: Sticky note canvassing and writing postcards to help re-elect Sandy Hart to the Lake County Board. RSVP here. For questions, email team@SandyHart13.com.

Grayslake: Blue Wave Postcard Writing Party

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 10:00am to 1:00pm

Where: Lake County Democrats Grayslake Headquarters (Agora Coworking), 100 N. Atkinson Rd., Suite 106, Grayslake

What: Join Avon Dems and Lake Dems to write postcards for our candidates! Please bring your own stamps or donate at lakedems.org/contribute. Feel free to wear your favorite Hawaiian shirt and bring snacks — let’s do our part to make sure we have a Blue Wave in 2024!! RSVP at avontwpdems@gmail.com.

Libertyville: Text Bank for Democrats

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 10:00am to 1:00pm

Where: Cook Memorial Library, 413 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville

What: Send texts to Democrats using an easy-to-use text-banking app.

Tower Lakes: Kringle, Coffee, and Postcarding

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 10:00am to 1:00pm

Where: Location provided upon RSVP

What:  Drop in for Kringle and postcarding to swing states. RSVP to Mary at mlensotr@sbcglobal.net.

Wadsworth: Door Knocking in Newport Township

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 10:00am to 1:00pm

Where: Dunkin’, 39090 US Hwy. 41, Unit C, Wadsworth

What: Knock on Democratic doors in Wadsworth. For more info: khayden.newport@gmail.com or 847-721-8123.

Grayslake: Veteran-to-Veteran Phone Bank

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 10:00am to noon followed by lunch and Veterans Committee meeting

Where: Lake County Democrats Grayslake Headquarters (Agora Coworking), 100 N. Atkinson Rd., Suite 106, Grayslake

What: Make contact with fellow Democratic veterans at our phone bank. Pizza will be served. Open to veterans and their allies. For more info: jesse.d.rojo@gmail.com or 503-840-2209.

Grayslake: Door Knocking for Democrats

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 10:00am to 3:00pm

Where: Lake County Democrats Grayslake Headquarters (Agora Coworking), 100 N. Atkinson Rd., Suite 106, Grayslake

What: Knock on Democratic doors in Grayslake to help elect our Democratic candidates.

Round Lake: Postcarding for Democratic Candidates

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 10:00am to 3:00pm
Where: Location provided upon RSVP

What: Write postcards to help support Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. For more info, contact granttownshipdemocrats@gmail.com.

Highland Park: Phone Banking, Door Knocking, Text Banking, and Postcarding for Democratic Candidates

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 10:00am to 5:00pm

Where: Lake Dems Highland Park Headquarters, 474 Central Ave., Lower Level, Highland Park

What: Whatever you want to do to help candidates, you can do it here. For more info: cjj60035@gmail.com or 847-494-0919.

Gurnee: Postcard Writing to Swing States

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 10:30am to 1:30pm

Where: Warren Newport Library, 224 O’Plaine Rd., Gurnee

What: Postcard writing to swing states. Up to nine volunteers are needed to write postcards. For more info: grahahw2020@gmail.com or 847-505-2334.

Help Win Over Wisconsin for Harris/Walz and other Democrats

When:  Saturday, August 10, 2024 (a Day of Action in both Lake County and Kenosha), from 12:00 noon until 3:00pm. Carpools will leave Lake County locations at 10:45am and return around 4:30pm.

Where: Meeting points in Lake County to carpool to Kenosha. Then gather at the Kenosha County Democratic Party’s staging/training site before heading out to canvass in the area.

What: Win Over Wisconsin (WOW!), a Lake Dems project, in conjunction with the Democratic Party of Wisconsin (WisDems), to persuade voters to vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. This is also an opportunity to help Democrats hold the Senate and flip the House. Knock doors and speak with voters identified as undecided or leaning Democratic. Pre-canvassing orientation and training provided by WisDems. RSVP here.

Lake Villa: Lake Dems Day of Action Door-to-Door for Lake County Board Candidate Mike Conway

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 11:00am to 3:00pm
Where: Lake Villa Public Library, 140 N. Munn Rd., Lake Villa
What: A Day of Action in support of Mike Conway. Attendees will meet at the Lake Villa Public Library to get campaign literature and a walk list. Then knock doors to help get out the vote for Mike Conway. To RSVP, call Joe Bilas at 224-436-7365.

Grayslake: Phonebank and Postcarding for Democratic Candidates

When: Saturday August 10, 2024 from 11:00am to 4:00pm

Where: 10 N. Lake St., Grayslake

What: Lake County Democratic Women is partnering with Lake County Democrats on the August 10th Day of Action! Write postcards to swing states or phone bank for Democratic candidates. We will provide postcards but are requesting everyone to bring a roll or book of postcard stamps if possible. We will provide training to those who haven’t phone banked before–all you need to provide is your phone and don’t forget your earbuds or headset.  RSVP: ninaaustin@hotmail.com or 847-846-4197.

Hawthorn Woods: Knock on Doors for Democratic Candidates

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm

Where: Community Park, near the gazebo, 5 Park View Ln., Hawthorn Woods

What: Knock on doors in Hawthorn Woods and Mundelein for Eric Rinehart and Lake County Board candidates. For more info, contact lawdoc1129@gmail.com or 312-543-2332.

Mundelein: Postcarding for Democrats

When: Saturday, August 10, 2024 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm

Where: Oak Trail Taphouse, 408 N. Lake St., Mundelein

What: Write postcards to Democrats in a congenial atmosphere. For more info, marymaillard@comcast.net or 847-846-6278.

Today (August 7, 2024) is the first day to request a Vote-by-Mail ballot for the November 5, 2024 election. Go to Lake County Voter Power for Registered Voters and follow the steps to access your personalized Voter Power page. Your official ballot will be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service starting September 20, 2024.

Voting by mail is simple and convenient. Your ballot arrives in the mail; you mark it in the convenience of your home, and you can return it postage-free or use one of the many drop boxes available in Lake County before Election Day. You should get an email confirmation from the Clerk’s office when they receive your marked ballot. You should get another email upon signature verification.

And remember, requesting a Vote-by-Mail ballot doesn’t mean you can’t vote in person. Just take your Vote-by-Mail ballot to the polls, hand it to the Election Judge to be voided, and vote there instead. What’s important is that once you’ve got that Vote-by-Mail ballot in hand, you can be certain that no last-minute emergency can prevent you from voting in this oh-so-important election.

#HelpAmericaVote: National Poll Worker Recruitment

Thursday was National Poll Worker Recruitment Day and the Lake County Clerk’s Office joined in the fun! This nationwide event was a fantastic opportunity for community members to sign up as poll workers and play a vital role in ensuring smooth and secure elections.

Poll workers are the unsung heroes of Election Day, helping to maintain the integrity of the voting process. By serving as a poll worker, you’ll not only be serving your community but also 

ensuring that everyone’s voice is heard. As an added bonus, it’s a great way to meet new people and learn more about the democratic process!

How Can You Get Involved?

1.  Sign Up to Be a Poll Worker: Visit bit.ly/LC-EJ to apply to serve as a Lake County Election Judge or poll worker. We need dedicated individuals like you to help our elections run smoothly!

2.  Spread the Word: Use the hashtag #LakeCountyVotes on social media to share your excitement about serving and encourage others to join in. Feel free to share our X (formerly Twitter) & Facebook posts or create content of your own. Mobilize your community to participate in the democratic process!

3.  Be Our Ambassador!: Help us extend our reach by recruiting or connecting with local organizations and encouraging them to promote poll worker recruitment within their networks.

4.  Stay Informed: Click here to familiarize yourself with the descriptions and duties of Lake County poll workers. Also, be sure to stay connected to our website and social media pages for pertinent updates! 

Becoming a poll worker is a rewarding way to contribute to our community and ensure the integrity of our elections. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned veteran, we welcome your enthusiasm and dedication. Together, we can #HelpAmericaVote and make this November’s election a success!

We love to include event photos in our newsletter! To be considered for inclusion, please send yours to info@lakedems.org with a brief description of the event. Have an event coming up? To submit future events for consideration for our website and emails: lakedems.org/submit-an-event.

Lake Dems Walk With Congressman Brad Schneider in North Chicago Community Days Parade

Lake Dems Hosts Cookies and Conversation in Buffalo Grove

Child Pornography Defendant Detained Until Trial; State’s Attorney Rinehart Praises New System’s Ability To Detain All Child Sex Predators

Inside the ‘painstaking’ negotiations that led to the biggest prisoner swap since the Cold War

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 7

Walk with Lake Dems and Brad Schneider in the Lake Forest Day Parade. 9:30am, Lake Forest. More.

Fundraiser for Eric Rinehart, Daniel Didech, and Sara Knizhnik. 6:30pm, Vernon Hills. More.

Dessert, Dems, and Discussion with Maria Peterson. 7:00pm, Lake Barrington. More.

THURSDAY, AUG. 8

Warren Township Dems Postcard Party for Democracy. 6:00pm, Wadsworth. More.

Congressman Brad Schneider Volunteer Appreciation Kickoff. 6:00pm, RSVP required to receive location. More.

SATURDAY, AUG. 10

Lake Dems Day of Action. At various times throughout the day; all over Lake County, and beyond. See the above article “Lake Dems Day of Action Saturday, August 10, for a list of events.

SUNDAY, AUG. 11

Ela Township Dems at Unplugged Fest. 11:00am, Lake Zurich. More.

Walk With Warren Township Dems, Congressman Brad Schneider, and other Democrats in the Gurnee Days Parade. 11:30am, Gurnee. More.

West Deerfield Township Democrats Get Out The Vote Postcard-Writing Event. 2:00pm, Waukegan. More.

Holly and Erin’s 3rd Annual Pool Party. 2:00pm, Gurnee. More.

Hilary Winiarz’s First Fundraiser. 4:00pm, Wauconda. More.

Michael J. Conway Going for Gold Fundraiser. 4:30pm, Lake Villa. More.

MONDAY, AUG. 12

Reception Cruise in Support of Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza. 5:30pm, Chicago. More.

TUESDAY, AUG. 13

Deadheads for Kamala. 7:00pm, online. More.

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 14

Illinois Democratic County Chairs Association (IDCCA) Brunch. 7:00am, Springfield. More.

Write Postcards with Lake Dems to Elect Democrats. 2:00pm, Highland Park. More.

For the complete list of Upcoming Events, go to lakedems.org/events. Click here to submit your event for consideration.

Lake County Democrats is made up of people like you, people who are passionate about building better communities and a better world. We’re a grassroots political organization, working with Democrats in all parts of Lake County – from Antioch to Highland Park, Libertyville to Waukegan, Barrington to Zion. Become a member online now (individual: $35/couples $60 – though more is always appreciated), or send a check payable to Lake County Democrats to P.O. Box 671, Lake Zurich, IL 60047. Questions? Contact info@lakedems.org.

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

In this Issue: Legacy ● Kamala Harris: Off to a Great Start! ● Presidential Race: Prosecutor vs. Felon ● Illinois Republican Party Chair Salvi Embracing Big Lie ● Lake Dems Out and About ● ICYMI (In Case You Missed It) ● Upcoming Events

On Sunday, President Joseph R. Biden Jr., putting the country to which he has devoted his life first, made the monumental decision to drop out of the presidential race. This heroic and selfless act only adds to the list of accomplishments of this great American statesman, one of our time’s most transformative and effective presidents.

Although Biden has withdrawn, he still maintains the office of the presidency. As he mentioned in his statement, withdrawing from the election frees him up to put his full energy into continuing to lead the United States and pass Democratic policies that best serve the American people.

By endorsing Kamala Harris, he passes the torch to the next standard bearer for the party. Let us be united in our work to build on the legacy of Joe Biden, stand up to the MAGA extremism of Donald Trump, and keep moving the country forward.

Read the president’s initial statement here and his statement endorsing Harris here.

In the first 24 hours of her campaign, Vice President Harris secured enough delegates to win the Democratic nomination. Her PAC raised more money in 24 hours ($81 million) than any candidate in history. Per The Hill:

“The campaign said it brought in more than 888,000 contributions from individual grassroots donors, 60 percent of whom had not donated before in the 2024 cycle. Roughly 43,000 donors have signed up to give weekly to the campaign.”

This renewed enthusiasm for the Democratic Party is gratifying; however, let’s remember this race will be tough. Lake Dems must remain vigilant in our work to elect Democrats at every level of government. We will be out there holding and promoting events, registering voters, writing postcards, knocking on doors, making phone calls, distributing yard signs, and disseminating fact-based information, so the difficult conversations about what’s at stake this November can be had.

By: Democratic Intern from Grayslake, Matthew Sprenger

People are excited about Kamala Harris. Harris’s announcement regarding her candidacy has clearly generated a fresh wave of energy and rejuvenated excitement and faith in the Democratic Party. Harris has already generated strong support among many Democrats including young voters, women, and the African American community. She is also a remarkable debater, as evidenced by her performance against former Vice President Mike Pence in 2020. A match-up between Harris and Trump will almost certainly be refreshing for Democrats after President Biden’s self-proclaimed “bad night.” 

Kamala Harris has undoubtedly rendered many of the political attacks Trump made against Joe Biden irrelevant, or better yet, self-destructive. For example, the Trump campaign played into the concerns of many Americans that President Biden is simply too old for the job. Now Trump is the old guy, and Kamala Harris can use his own words against him. If elected, Donald Trump would be the oldest president in American history by the end of his term in 2029. ABC News reported that 60 percent of Americans believe Trump is too old, which means even some Republicans have concerns about Trump’s age. 

Another attack from the Trump campaign against Democrats is that crime rates are up and the Democrats are “too soft” on crime. As the national crime rate is actually down, this is also false, which is unsurprising, as the odds of anything that Trump says being true are slim to none. It’s also ironic that the convicted felon with cases still pending, who expressed plans to destroy and weaponize the Department of Justice, says he is concerned about adequately addressing crime. Regardless, given Harris’s history as a prosecutor, any claim about not addressing crime becomes even more outlandish. This race is almost poetic in a way: Prosecutor versus Felon.

A Letter to the Sun-Times by Lake County Election Judge Laurie Schiller

As a Lake County election judge, I take great offense at new Illinois Republican Chair Kathy Salvi raising an envelope that read “election integrity” as she spoke to the GOP Illinois delegates in Milwaukee.

She said that she “wants to make sure that every honest vote is counted,” which implies they were not, raising at the same time the tired lie that there were fraudulent votes in the last few elections. 

There are only two options here: Either she doesn’t understand how elections are run in Illinois and how difficult it would be to cast fraudulent ballots, or she is just another Trump Republican embracing his big lie. 

I challenge Salvi to produce any evidence that “honest” votes were not counted or that fraudulent ones were. Trump couldn’t produce any. Can she? If not, then she should be quiet.

We election judges do an excellent job, and there are dozens of security measures that prevent fraud. And she wonders why the Republican Party is a joke here in Illinois. Just look in the mirror.

We love to include event photos in our newsletter! To be considered for inclusion, please send yours to info@lakedems.org with a brief description of the event. Have an event coming up? To submit future events for consideration for our website and emails: lakedems.org/submit-an-event.

Coffee and Conversation with State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart

Moraine Township Dems Party with Our Party

Lake Dems and Ela Dems in Lake Zurich Alpine Fest Parade

Pritzker announces federal partner for quantum computing campus (mywabashvalley.com)

Illinois AG Kwame Raoul Joins 21-State Coalition to Support Oregon’s Drug Pricing Transparency Law (hoodline.com)

Illinois Comptroller Reports Strong Fiscal Year 2024

WEDNESDAY, JUL. 24

You Can Bank On It: Banking Basics with Holly Kim. 3:00pm, online via Zoom. More.

Lake Dems and Fremont Dems Postcard-Writing Event. 6:00pm, Grayslake. More.

THURSDAY, JUL. 25

Behind the Scenes at Presidential Conventions. 5:30pm, Chicago. More.

Lake Dems Phone Bank for Maria Peterson for State Representative. 6:00pm, online via Zoom. More.

FRIDAY, JUL. 26

Reception for Erin Cartwright Weinstein. 5:30pm, Waukegan. More.

SATURDAY, JUL. 27

State Senator Laura Murphy with IL Senate President Don Harmon at the NV5 Invitational Korn Ferry Tour. 7:00am, Glenview. More.

Lake Dems Day of Action for State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart and County Board Candidate Hilary Winiarz. 10:00am, North Chicago. More.

Alderman Kenneth Smith’s 5th Ward Block Party. 11:00am, North Chicago. More.

Help Win Over Wisconsin for Kamala Harris and More Democrats with Lake Dems. 12:00 noon, meeting points in southeast and central Lake County to travel to Democratic Headquarters in Kenosha. More.

Democratic Gathering to Get Out The Vote (GOTV). 12:30pm, Wheeling. More.

Marah Altenberg Campaign Kickoff with Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky. 2:00pm, Buffalo Grove. More.

SUNDAY, JUL. 28

Tenth Dems Capitol Connection: A Conversation with Congressman Brad Schneider. 4:00pm, Northbrook. More.

TUESDAY, JUL. 30

Summer Reception for Senators Morrison, Johnson, and Edly-Allen. 5:30pm, Green Oaks. More.

WEDNESDAY, JUL. 31

An Evening with State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart in Lake Forest. 6:00pm, Lake Forest address provided upon RSVP. More.

For the complete list of Upcoming Events, go to lakedems.org/events. Click here to submit your event for consideration.

How Do I Join Lake County Democrats?

Lake County Democrats is made up of people like you, people who are passionate about building better communities and a better world. We’re a grassroots political organization, working with Democrats in all parts of Lake County – from Antioch to Highland Park, Libertyville to Waukegan, Barrington to Zion. Become a member online now (individual: $35/couples $60 – though more is always appreciated), or send a check payable to Lake County Democrats to P.O. Box 671, Lake Zurich, IL 60047. Questions? Contact info@lakedems.org.