SAVE THE DATE: On Friday, February 7 the DWC is hosting two events.

At 7:30am we’ll host our monthly breakfast at the Village Deli: Jenny Robinson and Debbie Fish from the Indiana Coalition for Public Education will update us on Education related bills.  Plus we’ll have a day of action that morning with postcards to legislators and the Governor's Office. And since the state legislature won’t pass a bill removing sales tax from sanitary products, we’ll collect them for organizations with women in need. We’ll have full details in next week’s newsletter.
Then from 6:30 - 9:30pm join us for Roaring Into the 20s: A Democratic Women's Caucus Murder Mystery Fundraiser at The Fields Clubhouse, 1333 S. Fenbrook Ln.Join us for an evening of food, drink, fun and mystery! See below for all the details and to purchase your ticket!Then from 6:30 - 9:30pm join us for Roaring Into the 20s: A Democratic Women's Caucus Murder Mystery Fundraiser at The Fields Clubhouse, 1333 S. Fenbrook Ln.Join us for an evening of food, drink, fun and mystery! See below for all the details and to purchase your ticket!

What may be the most consequential election of our lifetime is 10 months away, the Indiana Legislature is in session, and the Republican supermajority is busily trying to figure out how to keep those pesky voters away from the polls. To that end, they've proposed SB334, which deals with "cleaning up" voter rolls. The information that follows comes from an alert issued by the League of Women Voters of Indiana.

Highlights of the bill include:
*The county elections/voter registration office can send a letter to the address they have on file for any voter if they suspect the voter does not live at that address. If the card is not returned/mailed back to the voter registration office by a given deadline, the voter can be removed from the voting rolls.           
*If a county-issued mailing about voting district boundaries or polling places comes back as undelivered/undeliverable, a voter can be removed from the voting rolls.
*The creation of the Indiana Data Enhancement Association. IDEA will allow Indiana to form partnerships with other states in order to share voter registration information and citizens’ voting histories.  This information will be used by each state to determine whom to remove from the voter rolls. A point system will be used.
*Voter registration offices in Indiana, in certain circumstances, can remove a citizen’s name from the voter rolls without informing them they have been removed or checking on their eligibility to vote.

Here's a link to the bill itself: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2020/bills/senate/334#document-c5ba0758

Please contact your state senator and urge him or her to vote "nay" on this pernicious attempt to disenfranchise our citizens. See action items below.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

DWC ANNOUNCEMENTS & UPDATES:

Are you creative, skilled at writing, a social media expert?? - THE DWC NEEDS YOU!! We trust you like our communications and rely on them to help keep you informed of political happenings and DWC operations. Those communications are not magically self-generating-they are an essential function of the DWC and we have a small crew of creative women who make it happen. We are looking for women to join that team and help create the Monday Morning News and our Social Media messages. It is not time consuming, and it is not difficult. Plus, for those of us who like to write and craft messages, it is actually fun! If anyone reading this newsletter has a few scant hours a month to help us out, please let us know by sending an email to [email protected]

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OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Filing to be a Delegate at the State Convention: To be a delegate to the Indiana StateConvention, one needs to be elected by Democrats in the May Primary. Here in Monroe County delegates are apportioned by county council district. Filing starts on January 8th and ends at noon (local time) on February 7th. In Monroe County filing is at Election Central offices at 7th and Madison. They have the forms, and can notarize and accept your filing within just a few minutes.

The preponderance of National Delegates are elected by the State Delegates at the state convention in June.  For details on the National Delegate Selection Plan see the IDP website at: https://www.indems.org/dnc-convention-2020/ It's a treasure trove of complete information about filing for Delegate, and all the particulars about being a delegate.

The Indiana Women’s Suffrage Centennial: On Aug. 26, 1920, Hoosier women won the right to vote. At first glance, the meaning behind that statement is simple. But the real story goes much deeper. In Indiana, almost seventy years passed between the first calls for women’s voting rights and the passage of the 19th Amendment. And, though momentous, 1920 is just one milestone in a long and ongoing journey, and access to the voting booth is just one part of what it means to be an equal part of the democratic process.
The Indiana Women’s Suffrage Centennial, catalyzed by Indiana Humanities, the Indianapolis Propylaeum, the Indiana Historical Society and the Indiana Historical Bureau, working with many grassroots and local partners, marks the anniversary of the 19th Amendment. We invite Hoosiers to honor the ideas and ideals that fueled the suffrage movement in Indiana, and the people who led the way; to engage in a conversation about inclusion, equity, perseverance and power; to consider what remains to be done to ensure that our democracy truly includes everyone; and to identify and act on the lessons of the women’s suffrage movement.
The Indiana Women’s Suffrage Centennial Commission has issued a Call for Proposals to Indiana-based artists to create an original work of art to be displayed in the Indiana Statehouse to commemorate the 19th Amendment.
Read more: indianasuffrage100.org

MONROE COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY EVENTS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES: contact Taegan Bolden-Davis
Executive Director, Monroe County Democratic Party at [email protected]

BOARD AND COMMISSION OPENINGS: A great way to get involved and learn about how government works in Monroe County and Bloomington and to make a difference in your community:

CITY OF BLOOMINGTON B&Cs
The office of the City Clerk announces a vacant position on the Bloomington Commission on Sustainability. This position is available for city residents 18 years of age or older. The BCOS promotes economic development, environmental health, and social equity in the community for present and future generations. The commission gathers and disseminates information, promotes practical initiatives, and measures, monitors, and reports on the community’s progress towards sustainability. 
For information on this position, or other commissions that have vacancies at this time, contact the office of the City Clerk or check https://bloomington.in.gov/boards to see the nature of the board or commission, recent minutes and actions, and how that particular vacancy is filled.

MONROE COUNTY GOVERNMENTAL B&Cs
The Monroe County Board of Commissioners invites you to apply to serve on a Board or Commission! There are immediate openings on a number of these bodies, including: Animal Management, Environmental Commission, and the Human Rights Commission. For information on each of them, see https://www.co.monroe.in.us/boards/. The application is available in a tab at the right side of the boards page. If you have any questions, please contact Julie Thomas ([email protected]). 

EVENTS

Thursday, January 30, 6:00pm
Early State Phone Bank for Elizabeth Warren
Democratic Headquarters, 116 S. Madison St., Bloomington
Whether you’re new to the fight, all in for Elizabeth or just looking for ways to get involved in Indiana… there’s a grassroots event in Bloomington you can join. RSVP here.

Thursday, January 30, 7:00pm
College Dems at Indiana University Fundraiser
Switchyard Brewing Co., 419 N. Walnut St.
Please join the College Democrats at IU for their fundraiser! 2020 is going to be a pivotal election year and they plan to be on the front lines of the fight, championing progressive policies and getting fellow Hoosier Democrats elected all over Indiana. Speakers for the evening include State Senator JD Ford, gubernatorial candidates Josh Owens and Dr. Woody Myers, and more! Tickets are $25, FREE for students. Tickets and sponsorships are available on Eventbrite at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/college-democrats-at-iu-fundraiser-tickets-87734573471. If you'd like to donate directly, the College Dems' ActBlue can be found at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/democratsatiu

Saturday, February 1, 1:30 - 2:30pm
Sue Sgambelluri First Saturday Constituent Meeting
Bloomington City Hall, Room 135
Sue will be sharing updates on current council legislation and listening to your ideas, comments and questions.

Sunday, February 2, 2020, 2:00pm
MCDP Training: Field Plans
Monroe County Democratic Headquarters, 116 S. Madison St., Bloomington

Sunday, February 2, 2020, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Slay The Gerrymander: Reforming the Redistricting Process in Indiana
Monroe County Public Library Auditorium, 303 E. Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington
Slay the Gerymander a program about reforming the redistricting process in Indiana.  Featuring a video of a presentation at the Mauer School of Law by Trevor Potter, a former member of the Federal Elections Commission and current president of the Campaign Legal Center, a nonprofit organization which works in the areas of campaign finance and elections.  Following the video, RCU Founder Jim Allison will explain how we know our legislators have chosen their voters, not the other way around.
Hosted by Reverse Citizens United, DFMC, Monroe County Now, the Indiana Coalition for Public Education - Monroe County, Women For Change, the League of Women Voters - Bloomington-Monroe County and Citizens for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel.

Monday, February 3, 2020, 6:00pm
MCDP Training: Financial Compliance for Candidates
Monroe County Democratic Headquarters, 116 S. Madison St., Bloomington

Thursday, February 6, 2020, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
DFMC Monthly Link-Up: The Great Hack
Upland Brewing Company, 350 W. 11th St., Bloomington
Join DFMC in the Upland Brewing Company's Reception Hall for a showing of The Great Hack and some good company! This riveting documentary explores how a data company named Cambridge Analytica came to symbolize the dark side of social media in the wake of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, as uncovered by journalist Carole Cadwalladr.

Friday, February 7, 2020, 6:30 - 9:30pm
Roaring Into the 20s: A Democratic Women's Caucus Murder Mystery Fundraiser
The Fields Clubhouse, 1333 S. Fenbrook Ln.
Join us for an evening of food, drink, and mystery! Tickets may be purchased athttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/roaring-into-the-twenties-murder-mystery-tickets-89155192581 for $50, which includes a small plate dinner, one free drink, and a generous donation to the DWC. Please contact Olivia Reed at [email protected]with any questions about the event (including full details on sponsorship and silent auction donations)!

Sunday, February 9, 2020, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Pies For Penny: a meet and greet fundraiser with Commissioner Candidate Penny Githens
Monroe County Democratic Headquarters, 116 S. Madison St., Bloomington
Come for a piece of pie and a chance to visit with Penny Githens, candidate for Monroe County Commissioner as she starts her campaign for re-election in 2020. If you'd like to donate a pie or two, please contact Olivia Reed at [email protected]!

Monday, February 10 & Tuesday, February 11, 2020, 7:00pm
Cardinal Stage presents Sally Perkins’ original one-woman show, Digging in Their Heels
Ivy Tech Waldron Rose Firebay.
Tickets: $15 General Admission. Tickets available HERE.
For two nights only, celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment with Digging In Their Heels, The Story of Women’s Suffrage Told In A Way You’ll Never Forget! If Susan B Anthony and her pals had iPhones, Twitter, and Uber drivers, maybe it wouldn’t have taken 72 years to win the vote. Maybe. Sally Perkins imagines the suffragists with modern technology as she takes her audiences through the 72-year journey in this interactive, hilarious, and poignant story, revealing the suffragists’ struggles, strategies, racism, and endurance.
Run time: 1 hour, recommended for ages 15 and up.

ACTION ITEM(s): 

1. Take action to defeat SB334.

Write to your state senator by email or snail mail, or post to the senator's Facebook page. Here's a basic letter. Please feel free to copy it, as well as to add your own comments. Some ideas to consider adding are: specific parts of the bill you disagree with, personal incidents you have encountered with being taken off the voter rolls or denied your right to vote, or reasons why you feel this bill is unnecessary.  

Dear (your senator name),

SB 334 will institute processes that have a high probability of erroneously purging voters from the voter registration rolls. If the language of the bill cannot be changed to eliminate this probability, I urge you to either stop the bill from being put up for a vote, or to vote “Nay” when it arrives on the Senate floor for a vote. 

Thank you, 

Your name and address

2. Renew your membership in the DWC for 2020 (see below)

3. Purchase your tickets for the DWC Roaring 20's Murder Mystery and prepare to have a great time... 

4. File to be a delegate to the State Convention!

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES

Todd Young:
https://www.young.senate.gov/contact/email-todd
(202) 224-5623

Mike Braun
https://www.braun.senate.gov/contact-mike
(202) 224-4814
(317) 822-8240

Trey Hollingsworth
https://hollingsworth.house.gov/contact/
(202) 225-5315 (U.S. House) or (812) 288-3999 (Jeffersonville Office)

BECOME A DWC MEMBER or RENEW your membership! 
The DWC is dedicated to inspiring, recruiting, training, supporting and funding women to increase the number of progressive, pro-choice women in the political arena. We ALL help with this mission, together, collectively. Make sure you have full rights and privileges of membership.
Only $20 for one year’s membership. 
Join online here: https://democraticwomenscaucus.nationbuilder.com/membership

Do you have news items? Send your items of interest to us at [email protected]
Deadline for MMN is noon on Sunday.

Paid for by DWPAC - Democratic Women's Political Action Committee
Democratic Women's Caucus
http://www.democraticwomenscaucus.org/