Greenwood County Democratic Party

Message from the Chair

I was inspired last week by Senator Mike Fanning (see his news item below) to reflect on what the top priorities of the Greenwood County Democratic Party should be.

We need to do so much: Voter registration, issue education, fundraising, community volunteerism, and candidate support just to name a few. In my mind, in order to more effectively do these things, we have to have these as our top two priorities:

Precinct Organization and Leadership
There are 50 voting precincts in Greenwood County. We are striving to secure representatives from each one to be a part of our County Democratic leadership group and truly work to take the messaging to the people. No experience is necessary nor will it require a major time commitment. All it takes is a willingness to get involved and make a difference. You can learn more in a Zoom info session on Saturday, April 10 at 10 am.

Defend our Voting Rights
If more of the 250+ Republican-authored voting restriction laws across the nation go into effect then we will find ourselves in a position to be unable to secure representation at the local, state and federal levels. Voting accessibility is fundamental to everything else we seek to accomplish. Be informed about the “For the People Act“. Learn about what happened in GA and take it as a warning for us all. And be prepared to take action to defend this most fundamental right of our Democracy.

As COVID vaccine eligibility expands in SC this week, we’re going to be venturing out into the public again. So keep this in mind:

If you remain on the sidelines,
you may find your rights as a citizen sidelined!

Your Voting Rights

What is HR1?
A recent press release from the SCDP put it best:

HR 1. For The People Act is a comprehensive piece of legislation designed to expand voter registration, protect vote by mail and early voting access, while eliminating partisan gerrymandering and demanding an end to voter intimidation and suppression.

You will hear Republican legislators rattle off the pre-written objections that were handed to them. For example, Congressman Jeff Duncan once lamely called it the “For the Democrats Act”. Meanwhile, author Heather Cox Richardson writes:

While Republicans insist that the For the People Act voting rights act, H.R. 1, is a partisan plan, in fact, a leaked conference call from January 8 between a policy advisor to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and leaders of a number of conservative groups showed the participants’ concern that H.R. 1 is quite popular even with Republicans. Across the political spectrum, ordinary Americans especially like its provision to limit the dark money that has flowed into our elections since the 2010 Citizens United v. the Federal Election Commission Supreme Court decision, permitting billionaires to buy an election’s outcome.

In the 2020 federal election cycle, dark-money groups spent more than a billion dollars. More than 654 million came from just fifteen groups, the top of which is connected to McConnell.

Message from the Chair

Precinct Presidents
Planning for success in the 2022 elections starts today, and it can start with you!

We are looking to expand our reach into every corner of Greenwood County by designating a “Precinct President” in each of the 50 voting precincts. The Precinct President is the eyes and ears of their community, looking for opportunities for the GWCDP and Democratic candidates to get the message out to the people.

We can’t rely on “someone else” to be a force for change. If we don’t have you, then who? You don’t need to be a political expert with tons of experience – you only need the fundamental desire to help turn SC Blue! 

Take a look at the poster below and reach out if you want to explore the idea further. You CAN make a difference and have fun in the process!

Your Voting Rights

Starting with this newsletter, we are going to focus on the coast-to-coast attacks on our voting rights, attacks that disproportionately affect people of color. 

Consider this: Jonathan Rodden, a political science professor at Stanford University, submitted the following report as part of a lawsuit that found that in Atlanta’s metro area during the 2020 primary:

“In polling places where minorities constituted more than 90 percent of active registered voters, the average minimum wait time in the evening was 51 minutes. When whites constituted more than 90 percent of registered voters, the average was around six minutes.”

So whether by active legislation, gerrymandering, or by selective omission of resources, the anti-democratic reaction to Donald Trump’s loss in November’s election has been swift and brazen. We will continue to report examples of legislation aimed to suppress the vote, what the Biden Administration is doing to combat that, and specific actions YOU can take to ensure democracy is allowed to thrive in the United States.

In this Newsletter:

• Message from the Chair
• Candidate & Elected Officials
• GWCDP News
• Our Community
• News & Noteworthy
• Legislative Updates
• Upcoming Events

Message from the Chair

Elections have consequences, both good and bad. The Biden administration along with the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate have just this week enacted a most needed stimulus bill that is perfectly timed to get our country’s people back to work, children back to school, and states operational with the safety of the people as a priority. 

At the same time, Republican-dominated State Legislations across the country, and especially here in SC, have gone to next-level bully mode: Cutting back voting accessibility that mostly impact minorities and the poor, criminalizing women and health professionals for making their own constitutionally-protected choices, prioritizing guns over infrastructure, and blatantly hateful attacks on transgender youth.

Fielding candidates at the local level are more critical than ever. This week, I’m stealing the words of my fellow Chair in York County, John Kraljevich. Please read and consider stepping up to serve and save your community.

I’ve fielded some questions about recruiting candidates for office, so let me offer some guidance:

 We would like to have a Democrat running for every spot on the ballot, so we won’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Not everyone has to be Abraham Lincoln. But we want candidates who are able to enunciate this party’s ideals and spend the time and effort to run a real campaign that communicates with their voters.

 The best candidates have non-political connections to their communities. Professional networks, volunteer organizations, neighborhood friends, etc. The more people you know, the easier it is.

 You don’t need to be an active member of this party or even particularly partisan to have success, especially when it comes to municipal races

 Candidates don’t need to be perfect angels or Scouts either. No one cares if you’ve been divorced, or if you got arrested for having a joint in your hair at Woodstock. This isn’t a presidential race we’re talking about here. 

 Getting elected to the state legislature, an opportunity which candidates will have in 2022, requires a real time commitment, one that is difficult to handle if you have a regular 9-to-5. Getting elected to town or city council or a school board position does not. Anyone with any profession or any amount of money can run and win one of those races — and serve admirably.

 I am here to answer questions, however broad or granular they may be. This is my job.

– John Kraljevich
Chair, York County Democratic Party

Candidates & Elected Officials

Newly elected Greenwood City Councilwoman, Patricia Partlow, has an actively maintained Facebook Page for Ward 2. Be sure to “like” that page to receive valuable updates that may concern you!