Address to the State Democratic Party
November 13, 2004
Twenty one months ago a handful of women met in the home of Lou Anne Kirby, precinct committeewoman from Sonoita 15 in Santa Cruz County and a State Committeewoman, and decided to form a Democratic Club to do something about the direction our country is taking under a Republican administration. That handful grew to our current 140 paid up members - 15% of the registered Democrats in our core precincts of Elgin, Sonoita and Patagonia.
During those 21 months our accomplishments include:
- Raising $12,708 to support Get Out the Vote activities for the General Election. Those activities included:
- More than 1,000 Spanish language radio advertisements urging voters of Santa Cruz County to vote for John
Kerry and John Edwards.
- Funding a full time staff worker at the County Democratic Party headquarters in Nogales that operated in part with a $5,000 grant from the State party.
- Producing a one page summary of all Democratic candidates for state office as well as Legislative Districts 25 and 30, Congressional District 8 and all propositions on the ballot.
- Supplying 11,000 door hangers promoting all Democratic State, County and relevant legislative and Congressional districts.
- Additional support included providing canvassers in Nogales supporting and directed by the Grijalva and Coordinated Campaign.
- Donating the use of a computer to the County office.
Results were a 56% voter turnout with 59% of the votes going to the Kerry/Edwards ticket. That was the second greatest percentage for Kerry of any County in the State.
We accomplished this without any significant support from the State Party and without a full roster of precinct committee persons in the County. The balance of this brief summary is a plea.What can we do to develop a strategic approach to making "turn Arizona Blue" more than a slogan? Our suggestions include:
- Develop a consistent and persistent message on behalf of the party that we can all begin broadcasting now.
That must include key issues that will convince voters the Democratic Party and its candidates really will improve
conditions in the State and Nation.
- Develop a program of coordination between existing clubs and county parties that has as its aims:
- Early selection of candidates for all state and Congressional positions that we can unite behind and work to elect beginning now - not in August 2006.
- A network of party spokespersons from the local up to the state level that will keep the Democratic message before the public.
- Representatives at precinct and block level that will work month in and month out to identify and motivate Democrats and Independents to support Democratic candidates and policies.
Arizona Borderlands Democrats looks forward to supporting a statewide effort to build on the enthusiasm and the disappointment of the November 2 election. We need guidance, though, not an avalanche of e-mails in the six weeks before each election. All of us are highly motivated. But without a plan and action - with defined objectives - motivation cannot provide victory for Democratic values.
