- Our party must collect the paperwork from all primary candidates between March 20 and April 6, and immediately afterwards verify the petition signatures to get each candidate on the ballot. It’s fun, and much quicker, as a group project; please email cvilledemschair@gmail.com for information if you might be able to pitch in a few hours.
- We’d like to organize some candidate forums in April, possibly in collaboration with the Albemarle Democrats. Details will be announced when they’re worked out.
- Nancy Damon updated us on the upcoming annual dinner fundraiser, tentatively scheduled for Friday June 2 (see below). Thanks to Nancy and the committee for doing all the planning!
- We want to increase our efforts at community engagement to get more people (and more diversity!) in our membership. If you or someone you know might be interested in joining this effort, please contact cvilledemschair@gmail.com.
- We’ve formalized some policies and procedures for covering the primary candidates, so we can pass on information to our members without showing favoritism to any candidate.
- Kate Vasiloff, a local activist working with Compassion and Choices to expand end-of-life options, briefed us on a proposed bill that would allow for assisted suicide in very narrowly prescribed cases of incurable terminal illnesses. In past years, the General Assembly hasn’t passed similar bills, despite large majority support from both Democratic and Republican voters. The Charlottesville Democrats have not taken any position on this issue. If you’d like to learn more, or to participate in this effort, you can contact Kate: kate@untoldresearch.com
- Erin Monaghan gave 5th District and DPVA reports (see below).
“It’s finally here! Charlottesville has released its draft zoning map. As dry as that sounds, this small document has the potential to dramatically change the look, feel — and livability — of this city for decades to come.”
Here are the candidates we know about in 2023 Charlottesville election races (partisan races only, we won’t be disseminating information about the non-partisan but important races for City of Charlottesville School Board and Jefferson District Soil and Water Board):
Over 170 people came out for the Charlottesville Clergy Collective Saturday screening of the “Repairing the World” documentary about the mass shooting at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue on Saturday February 11; the event was important in continuing the community dialogue around how we can work together to combat antisemitism, racism, and other forms of hate in our area.