Ballots Drop Tommorrow, October 18th...

Ballot drops tomorrow, October 18th. Look for your ballot in your mail.

This has been an unusual election season. Full of ... interesting developments and laden with lots of public interest.  In Whatcom County (and WA State), you should have received your 151 page Voter's Pamphlet. If not, you can read it online. If you are looking for Election Forums in Whatcom County, you can find at least two at the Whatcom County League of Women Voters.  They are:

Why do we vote Democrat? Part I

Picture of the author's grandfather (circa 1972). "Bompa" worked on the waterfront most of his life, dropping out of school in sixth grade to support his family. He joined "Harry Bridges and his men" in 1934. During WWII, he and his fellow longshoremen laid on their backs and rolled 55 gallon barrels of oil with their feet into the hull of freighters destined for the war effort. After the mechanization of the waterfront, he became a hod carrier and then a brick mason until his retirement at 65.

Why do we vote as Democrats?

It would be 82 years ago that my grandfather was shouldering 100 lb. sacks of sugar from ship to warehouse on the Oakland waterfront. The year was 1934 and the times were desperate. During my youth, when the discussion turned to politics  my grandfather would often say with some emphasis:

"We knew people, Ryan. We knew people who were hungry. They were standing in the bread lines and starving to death!"

November Election Resources and Links

Resources for Voting and Participating in the November 8th General Election:

(Ballot mailing starts October 18th!)

• Check your voter registration: myvote.wa.gov 
• State Voter's Guide: https://goo.gl/lh2mrd
• Whatcom County Sample Ballot: https://goo.gl/yE1v44
• Whatcom Democrat Endorsements: https://goo.gl/UAAACo
• FUSE Progressive Endorsements: https://goo.gl/8hvcSE
• Washington State Berniecrats : https://goo.gl/iDuwVI
• Berniecrats.net: http://berniecrats.net/
• Current WC Election: http://www.whatcomcounty.us/1732/Current-Election
• Drop Box Locations:http://www.whatcomcounty.us/1863/Ballot-Drop-Box-Locations

Ways you can help Democrats:

• Make sure you a 'status active' registered voter @ http://myvote.wa.gov
• Join the Whatcom Democrats : http://www.whatcomdemocrats.com/
• Find your Precinct on myvote.wa.gov and them find your current Precinct Committee Officer or PCO Elect. Email or call them and offer to help them get out the vote: http://www.whatcomdemocrats.com/…/precinct-committee-office… . 
• For extra bonus points, join the Whatcom Democrats and volunteer to work in one the precincts missing a PCO!
• Volunteer to help the Coordinated Campaign (canvassing and telephone outreach) in Bellingham: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-State-Democrats-Coordinated-Campaign-Bellingham-Office/593327990836370
• Support a Democratic Legislative District candidate by donating to their (underfunded) campaigns:
• Sharlaine LaClair: http://sharlainelaclair.nationbuilder.com/
• Tracy Atwood: http://www.make42blue.com/
• Join your Democratic Legislative District organization:
• 40th LD : http://www.40thdems.org/
• 42nd LD : http://wp.42dems.org/
• Join the WA State Democrats: http://www.wa-democrats.org/
• Encourage your Democratic friends to register to vote at http://myvote.wa.gov and then make sure they vote. October 10th is your last day to register to vote online. If you are a new resident of WA you can still walk into the election office until October 31st.  For any other questions please call the Whatcom County Elections Office at http://www.whatcomcounty.us/1732/Current-Election