Message from the Chair
On Wednesday, Apr 28 at 9 pm, President Joe Biden will address Congress for the first time. Senator Tim Scott has been picked to deliver the GOP “Response” to President Biden’s words.
We think it’s important to hear opposing viewpoints, so to help make it more palatable (and to help keep you awake at that late hour) we’ve come up with “Tim Scott Bingo”!
Just mosey on over to our Tim Scott Bingo web page and choose any of the 5 Bingo cards to download. Then tune in and see how quickly you can achieve BINGO! by matching phrases on the card with actual words spoken by the Senator. We’ll even have a Live Tracker available to help you check if your card’s phrases have been spoken.
We hope you have fun with this little pastime!
GWCDP News
We have a great Virtual Breakfast Meeting lined up for this Saturday, May 1, at 9 am. Our featured speakers include:
Christopher Byrant is a DC attorney by way of Charleston, SC specializing in voting rights. He will talk with us about voting suppression in SC and how we stack up against other states in the country. He also shares what it was like to sit 10 feet away from Dylan Roof at a trial hearing!
Rev Alexis Carter Thomas may be a relative newcomer to Greenwood, but she’s already made a huge impact on our community! She will speak about the journey that brought her here, talking with youth about the Derek Chauvin verdict, and how the Lander University “Race and Identity Dialogue” series came about.
David Gaskin is the GWCDP Executive Committeeman, a cornerstone member of Bailey Bethel AME, and a veteran of the Vietnam War. He will share with us his story and opinions about what’s happening in the political world today.
We will also have Legislative Updates from Denise Waldrep, GWCDP Updates from Chair Bill Kimler, and an open forum for Zoom participants at the end.
Please register now so that you can get the connection links and email reminders as the event draws close.
Community Care Movement
Precinct Leadership
We welcome Denise Waldrep, April Tumminelli, and Janis Puzar as our newest Precinct Leaders!
Our candidates will need our help in 2020 (see below) and you can do your part by being a Precinct Leader in Greenwood County.
Our next 30-minute Zoom info session is on Wed, April 28 at 6 pm. Sign up to learn about our Crawl-Walk-Method to achieving the type of success we saw Stacey Abrams and others have in Georgia. No experience necessary! No commitment needs to be made at this meeting. Please just attend and see if it’s for you.
Your Voting Rights
All over the country, attempts to suppress voter participation in the names of “election integrity” is underway, propelled by the “Big Lie” of widespread voting fraud in 2020.
South Carolina is no exception. Here are some key legislative proposals being considered in Columbia:
H. 3822 Voting Rights Bill – If passed, this historic legislation sponsored by Democratic House Member Gilda Cobb-Hunter, would be the most sweeping expansion of voting rights in South Carolina history. Republicans are trying to quietly kill this bill by not giving it a vote in the House Judiciary Subcommittee.
H. 4162 Require Photo ID for Absentee Ballots – At present, South Carolina requires identification for in person voting, but not for absentee. This bill would make it a requirement to provide a photo ID in order to submit an absentee ballot. While proponents of the bill claim this measure will make voting safer, Democrats believe this is an obvious voter suppression tactic that will ultimately impact the disabled, elderly and rural voters, and anyone who may have difficulty physically accessing the polls in person.
H. 4150 Prevent Vote by Mail – This bill would greatly reduce the reasons in which a vote could cast an absentee ballot. Another thinly veiled voter suppression law, as during the 2020 election South Carolina allowed Statewide absentee voting with no evidence of widespread voter fraud.
Our Community
We’ve known many families in our community who have been devastated by the loss of a loved one due to COVID-19. Please help spread the word that financial assistance is available.
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.
FEMA has begun processing funeral assistance applications. Please visit FEMA’s website or call their support line at 844-684-6333, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for assistance in applying.
Rental Assistance
The following information came to us from Greenwood City Councilwoman Betty Boles. This could be extremely important to you or someone you know. Please pass it along! You can also visit the following link for more details: https://sclegal.org/rental-assistance-chart/
Click the image below to see a larger version.
Candidate Updates
2022 may seem far away still, but we already have four Democratic candidates who have announced they are running for office!
Governor of South Carolina
- Activist Gary Votour
- Former US Congressman, Joe Cunningham.
US Senate
- Spartanburg Democratic Chair Angela Geter
- SC State House Rep Krystle Matthews
We eagerly look forward to learning about these candidates and others who will be sure to announce in the coming months. If you’re a candidate who wishes to speak with the Greenwood County Democrats, please contact us at info@gwdcountydems.org!
Search & Support Committee
The GWCDP Search & Support Committee meets monthly on the 2nd Thursday of each month. If you want to participate in a group that is actively recruiting and helping candidates at the local level, just reply to this email newsletter expressing your interest! The next meeting is on Thu, May 13 at 6 pm.
Upcoming Events
See our Calendar Page for these and other upcoming events.
| GWCDP Precinct Leadership Info Session Wed, Apr 27 6 pm – 6:30 pm Register Virtual Breakfast Meeting Sat, May 1 9 am – 11 am Register via Mobilize Greenwood County Gateway Cleanup – District 3 Sat, May 1 9 am – 11 am Civic Center more info GWD County Council Tue, May 4 5:30 pm Greenwood Public Library Watch on YouTube Greenwood County Gateway Cleanup – District 4 Sat, May 8 9 am – 11 am Civic Center more info Election Day – School Boards Tue, May 11 more info GWCDP Precinct Leadership Info Session Tue, May 11 6 pm – 6:30 pm Register GWCDP Search & Support Committee Thu, May 13 6 pm – 7 pm Email us to join Floyd’s Fish Fry & Cookout Planning Committee Sun, May 19 2 pm Email us to join Greenwood City Council Mon, May 17 5:30 pm Municipal Building 520 Monument St., Room 2012 Watch on FB Live GWD County Council Tue, May 18 5:30 pm Greenwood Public Library Watch on YouTube GWCDP Executive Committee Thu, May 20 6 pm – 7 pm SCDP State Convention Wed, May 19 – Sat, May 22 virtual more info |
