Ballots arriving soon

Yes, we’re THIS desperate!

Polling shows Biden trailing his MAGA nemesis on most key issues:

Who do you trust more on the economy? Biden is behind 59%-37%.

Solving immigration problems? Biden trails 53%-41%.

He’s even losing ground on the moral high ground of saving Democracy – 45% say the Orange Idiot is better on that compared to 48% who think Biden is the answer.

Can Taylor Swift save this candidate?

Stay tuned, and stay involved.

Great Job SB Dems! Near Sweep on South Coast, Calamity Averted for the Nation

Nationally, Democrats are feeling grateful that things aren’t worse. Locally, though, Election Day 2022 couldn’t have gone much better. At this point two days after the voting deadline, we are winning 22 of the 25 races the County party endorsed in.

As crunch time arrived at HQ on Carrillo St., the DSC was there in full force, counting out slate pieces and candidate’s individual campaign lit., labeling all of it with appropriate polling location info for GOTV canvassers to leave with voters, and bundling it all into walkable packets for an incredible team of local volunteers.  All under the skilled direction of our Operations Director (he’s so much more than that!) Spencer Brandt, who himself was running for office in Isla Vista—AND WON!.

Labor Day BBQ at Tucker’s Grove

Hear From The Endorsed Candidates!

Labor Day Picnic 2022

Monday, September 5
2pm – 4pm

Tucker’s Grove Park – Area 1

Purchase Tickets Here

42-year-old memories revived for Marian Shapiro

Those of us who know Marian Shapiro like to claim her as our own treasure. The DSC certainly does, but then so do Dem Women and many other progressive organizations in Santa Barbara. In the spring of 1980, though, she was living in Hays, Kansas and traveled as a delegate to the National League of Women Voters conference in Washington D.C.

Marian was abruptly yanked back to her experience there recently when she was contacted by a reporter for NPR, who is putting together a podcast about the Mariel boat lift in which for about 5 months that year over a hundred thousand Cuban refugees had been allowed (in fact encouraged) to leave Cuba and were flooding into Miami. The reporter wanted to know if she was “the Marian Shapiro” who’d asked a question of President Jimmy Carter when he spoke to the group. Of course it was!

As it is today, immigration and refugees were extremely hot button topics, and the Carter White House had not yet made any public statement on this situation that was starting to look like a crisis. It was not just the numbers, but the make-up of the refugee population. Fidel Castro had released inmates from prisons and mental hospitals along with other groups—pointedly LGBTQ Cubans—encouraged to leave his country. These were not the middle class citizens, humbled celebrities, or entrepreneurs who had been buying their way out and settling into Florida for twenty years.

As Marian tells it, she had eagerly grasped the chance to ask a question of the president when given the opportunity, but had not given much thought to what she’d ask about. She was quickly recruited by the Florida delegation to inquire about Carter’s position on the influx of poor Cubans arriving by the thousands each day. She agreed to be a designated presenter, but found herself quite nervous when it was her turn at the microphone, and made small talk with the Secret Service agent stationed at the microphone. When her turn came, she told the president, “I’m Marian Shapiro from Hays, Kansas. The group from Florida has asked me to ask you this question. And Mr President, your aide here tells me I can stop shaking, because you’re a really nice guy.” 

If you know Marian, you don’t need proof of that, but here’s an audio recording of the moment and Jimmy Carter’s equally ingenuous reply that made the national news that evening: “Well if you’re nice to me, I can stop shaking too.”

You can hear that the substance of his answer was an expression of compassion and concern for refugees welcomed with “open hearts and open arms”—a stance on immigration that was no doubt more difficult to take for an American president at the time than it is now. And Marian Shapiro, the daughter of refugee parents and grandparents, was there as a witness to progress.

Anyone interested in details of Marian’s encounter with the Mariel boat lift story or who would like to hear her recording of songs she was performing around that time can email her at marianshapiro@gmail.com

 

 

SB Dems Honor Sally Hearon

We share the treasure that is Sally Hearon with many others in the local Democratic community, but we want to recognize that she was there from the start of the Democratic Service Club, and over the years has provided leadership and more than her share of “service” alongside our many other volunteers.

Congratulations, Sally, on receiving the Selma Rubin Leadership Award at last Saturday’s 14th annual Roosevelt-Hamer dinner, held at SBCC. Following Sally and other award winners Christian Alonso (Democratic Future Award), Luz Reyes-Martín (Democratic Values Award), and Madi’s Treasure Box (Chris Lanier Solidarity Award) at the microphone was California’s Attorney General Rob Bonta.

 

Roosevelt-Hamer is June 25th

The Santa Barbara County Democratic Party invites you to
Fight for the right to vote: 14th Annual Roosevelt-Hamer Dinner
Saturday, June 25th
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Santa Barbara City College Campus Patio

PURCHASE TICKETS

The Roosevelt-Hamer Dinner is the main annual benefit event of the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party. Party supporters, activists, and contributors will gather together to honor awardees, celebrate our successes, and rally for the future.

Featuring California Secretary of State Dr. Shirley Weber
Dr. Weber made history last year when she became the first Black person to serve as Secretary of State. Through 20+ years of public service, she has led the fight to defend and expand civil and voting rights.

Celebrating our 2022 Honorees

Democratic Future Award

Christian Alonso

Selma Rubin Leadership Award

Sally Hearon

Chris Lanier Solidarity Award

Madi’s Treasure Box

Democratic Values Award

Luz Reyes-Martín

Special interests and conservative Republicans are trying to buy this election

2021

Santa Barbara County Democratic Party

Make no mistake – special interests and conservative Republicans are trying to buy this election. They’re spending big to reverse the progress our Democratic city leaders have made over the past four years: fighting climate change, protecting renters, implementing real solutions to homelessness, and creating more good-paying union jobs.

 

The Democratic Party supports the progress our city council has made under the leadership of Mayor Cathy Murillo, Councilmember Kristen Sneddon, and Councilmember Meagan Harmon. We need your help to keep our city moving forward on the issues that matter, and to help voters understand what is at stake in this election.

 

Ballots have already been mailed out – the time to help is now! Can you sign up for a volunteer shift to help reach voters and let them know that their ballot is arriving? Just an hour of your time will go a long way towards helping win this election.

 

Spencer Brandt

Organizing Director, Santa Barbara County Democratic Party

Volunteer!

Canvass/Door-Knock

Sat, Oct 16, 10:00am–1:00pm

Sun, Oct 17, 1:00pm–4:00pm

Sign Up

Phone Bank

Mon, Oct 11, 5:30pm–8:00pm

Wed, Oct 13, 5:30pm–8:00pm

Paid for by Santa Barbara County Democratic Central Committee

FPPC #742091 • FEC #C00427856

Thank You to Our Dedicated Volunteers

2021

DSC Volunteers in Action

The everlasting pandemic has somewhat constrained our eager team of volunteers as far as opportunities to be of service go. Candidate fund-raisers, where we could cover an array of essential chores, have, shall we say, all but dried-up, and mass mailings, routinely handled by our seasoned Mailing Brigade, have generally gone to the expensive alternative of a professional mailing house.

Joan and Richard Page assemble materials for precinct canvassing and help keep Dem HQ running smoothly.
We have, however, been able to provide safe staffing on a regular rotation at the party’s downtown headquarters, preparing campaign materials for neighborhood walks, greeting visitors, distributing yard signs, answering phones, and handling other clerical duties. Many thanks to Sondra Aggeler, Stephanie Chandler, Jan and Charles Clouse, Jane Fehrenbacher, Gerry Gabowitz, Laurie Guitteau, Martha Hassenplug, Paula Johnson, Joan and Richard Page, and Mary Stoddard for their service in the 2020 campaign. Caroline Gunther and Sally Hearon have joined the Clouses, the Pages, and Martha Hassenplug for the current campaign season.
Last year’s “lock down” did not mean idle hands for the DSC, who organized a vast team of regulars and newcomers to write more than 3,000 postcards to voters around California and out of state, especially to Georgia in its special senatorial election. Deserving recognition for their tireless work and legible handwriting are Sondra Aggeler, Lauren Berris, John Devereaux, Jacqueline Dyson, Ilana Eden, Jane Fehrenbacher, Gail Gillies, Laurie Guitteau, Peter Hasler, Martha Hassenplug, Sally Hearon, Lee Heller, Kathy Houlihan, Majorie McKean, Charlotte MacMillan, Cynthia Marin, Susan Matsumoto, Marcy Mullin, Lee Neill, Joan and Richard Page, Cheryl Rogers, Antonia Robertson, Marian Shapiro, Mary Stoddard, Jill Wilk, and Hap Ziegler.
Currently, the DSC has recruited volunteers to write some 500 Stop the Recall postcards to voters around California. Many of the same volunteers named above are involved, plus several more. Requests to participate have outrun our ability to supply cards and voter addresses–a good problem to have!

California Procrastinators – Vote Now

And make sure every CA friend, relative and acquaintance you know has voted.

Every single one.

  • Return your vote-by-mail ballot by mail with prepaid postage as long as it’s postmarked by September 14, 2021 or in-person to a secure ballot drop box, to a voting location or your county elections office by 8:00 p.m. on September 14, 2021.
  • In-person voting locations will offer voter registration, replacement ballots, accessible voting machines, and language assistance to those who need it.