March 20, 2005 Meeting Report

FINAL PLANNING SESSION – PRIMED FOR 2006

A summary of the regular monthly meeting of Arizona Borderlands Democrats held in Cady Hall on Sunday March 20

Arizona Borderlands Democrats met to propose concrete actions to implement the priorities established at the February planning meeting.  Special guests included Monica Perez, Vice-Chair of the Cochise County Democratic Party, Pat Fleming and her husband from the Greater Huachuca Democratic Club and Christine Rhodes, Cochise County Recorder.

The meeting followed the format established in February.  Members of each working party presented followed by discussion by table of ABD members.  At the end of each 15 minute period the members presented their suggestions.  In order of priority of action the following suggestions and actions were proposed.

  1. Membership – A series of ideas were proposed to be implemented during the next few months they include:

  1. Regular headline speakers.  Loretta Sanchez, Nancy Pelosi, Phil Lopes, Raul Grijalva were all suggested.

  1. Reinstitute the phone tree to alert registered Democrats to our meetings and activities.

  1. Individual ABD members should host a series of small social events between monthly meetings.

  1. Target young people and families – particularly in Patagonia – by staging some monthly activities and events in the park.

  1. Keep the basic membership fee low; ABD members should make a point of inviting friends including sympathetic Independents to ABD events.

  1. Liaison – Morris Farr reported on activities by the working group that he and Jack Cox lead.  A primary goal is to create a structure and coordinate activities by all parties within the Legislative Districts 30 and 25.  The suggestion is for a bottom up organization to emerge that will eventually involve all relevant County and Club Chairs as well as relevant PCs.  There are stirrings in organizing the sprawling LD 25 and Morris and Jack are in touch not only with the LD 30 chair but with Cochise County Democrats.

  1. Events – Lois Kolesar’s working party reported on their progress in identifying Democratic goods for ABD to sell and their progress in framing events.

     ABD’s scheduled events are:

April 16 --     ABD will have a booth at the Patagonia Health Fair next to the Home Plate Restaurant.  We will promote Democratic values and have handouts demonstrating Democratic support for health and welfare and families in Arizona compared to Republican opposition to health services.


April 17 – Pizza Party and Volunteer Fair at La Mision in Patagonia from 3 to 5 p.m.  This is a party with the opportunity to sign up to work on the committees and participate in the activities that most interest you.   Invitations are being sent to all 816 registered Democrats in ABD’s area.  Please bring a friend.  Admission is $5 a head for members and $10 for nonmembers with half of that fee being applied to membership.




Dates         Ideas for these meetings:
May 15             1. Fair in the Park
June 19     2. Speakers to help develop a strategy for winning LD 30
July 17     3. Speakers from the Governor’s staff to discuss health initiatives
August 22             4. Entry in the Patagonia Parade with a live burro/donkey.
Sept. 18             5. Clean Elections speaker
 6. Activist Training perhaps Camp Wellstone
 7. Canvass all Patagonia Democrats and Independents
 8. Speakers to talk about Democratic values, Social Security, Arizona List, education


  1. Publicity and Message – Juanita Havill reported on her working party’s discussions and agreed a “rapid response” list should be compiled as well as cataloging the strengths and special areas of knowledge of all ABD members.  


  1. Voter Mobilization – We all agreed this activity hinges on accomplishing the expansion of membership, training of members and efforts through Events and Message to reach all the Democrats in the area.   Monica Perez, former (and I hope future) candidate for the Arizona Legislature for District 25 supplied the following key dates for planning our activity:

  1. May 15, 2006 – First day to file candidate nomination petitions

  1. June 14, 2006 – Final day to file candidate nomination petitions

  1. July 6, 2006 – Last day to file constitutional and initiative petitions

Signatures required for Initiatives – 122,612

Signatures required for Constitutional Amendments – 183,917

  1. August 10, 2006 – Early voting begins for primary election

  1. August 14, 2006 – Voter Registration closes for primary election

  1. September 12, 2006 – Primary Election

  1. October 5, 2006 – Early voting begins for general election

  1. October 9, 2006 – Voter Registration closes for general election

  1. November 7, 2006 – General Election

John Michael reported that there is progress in developing the Santa Cruz County Democratic Party.  The challenge continues to be to attract and appoint Precinct Committee persons.  The goal is to identify and recruit 220 activists in the County by the end of 2005.  That will mean an activist for every 50 registered Democrats.

Please plan on attending the April 17 party at La Mision.  RSVP by mail or by e-mail. [PDF file]  We want to be sure to have enough pizza.

Submitted 3/31/05

John Michael, Chairman