October 19, 2022
In this Issue: Lake Dems Shades of Blue Fundraiser Thursday Evening ● Our Election Protection Team Gears Up For Election Day ● Make Sure Your Vote Will Count in November ● Free Countywide Election Night Party ● Senator Dick Durbin Visits Lake Forest to Stump for IL State Treasurer Mike Frerichs ● Democrats Turn Out at Fundraising Event in Support of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul ● Brunch and Bubbly with Judge Chris Kennedy ● A Saturday Night with Lake County Board Candidate Wendy Meister ● Senator Tammy Duckworth Headlines Maria Peterson’s “Rally to Vote” in Barrington ● Ela Township Democrats and Candidates Canvass in Lake Zurich and Hawthorn Woods ● Candidates Forum: Jessica Vealitzek ● Volunteer Spotlight ● In Case You Missed It
● INCLUDES UPCOMING EVENTS ●
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Lake Dems Shades of Blue Fundraiser Thursday Evening
We’re excited to announce that U.S. Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut will be zooming in to our Shades of Blue Fundraiser in Deerfield tomorrow evening for comments and Q&A. Senator Murphy has been a leading national voice for gun violence prevention since the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre of 26 children and educators in the U.S. House District he represented at the time.
Join like-minded friends for an evening supporting our Lake County Democrats’ GOTV (Get-Out-The-Vote) efforts as we hit the final stretch before the election. Click here to reserve your place. (See flyer below.) IL State Treasurer Mike Frerichs, IL Supreme Court Candidate Judge Elizabeth Rochford, Congresspersons Jan Schakowsky and Brad Schneider, as well as many others, will join us. And we’ll have a special video message for Lake County Dems from Senator Tammy Duckworth.
In addition, we will honor Luis Rivas, Jr. as Labor Leader of the Year, Lake Villa Township Democratic Chair Kasia Kondracki as Volunteer of the Year, and Sheriff John Idleburg, as recipient of our Leadership Award for his heroic actions in Highland Park on July 4th.
Purchase your tickets for Thursday night’s Shades of Blue, our Lake Dems Annual Fundraiser at lakedems.org/fundraiser2022. The event will be at the Hyatt Regency Deerfield, 1750 Lake Cook Road, Deerfield, at 7PM on Thursday October 20th.
You know that in this election, our rights are on the ballot — bodily autonomy, freedom from gun violence, workers’ rights, and so much more. We won’t go back. We can’t go back, given what’s at stake. Help us make sure we elect Democrats who share our values. Join us: lakedems.org/fundraiser2022. If you are unable to attend, please consider making a contribution to help Democrats.
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Our Election Protection Team Gears Up For Election Day
Last night, Tuesday, October 18th, Tenth Dems University held the second of three training sessions for attorneys and other pollwatchers planning to join the 2022 Lake Dems/Tenth Dems Election Protection Team. The session included a lively question and answer segment. We Democrats believe that everyone eligible to vote should be allowed to vote, and if you want to play a significant role in ensuring that this happens, our Election Protection Team is the place for you!
If you can join our Team on Election Day, or help during early voting, please let us know. There is still one more training scheduled. Join us on Sunday, October 30th, from 4:00 to 5:30, on Zoom. Once again, we’ll be offering attorneys 1.5 hours of CLE (Continuing Legal Education) credit (non-attorneys welcome).
If you’re not able to help at polling places, there are other ways to help. We can still use one or two more volunteers to manage our Election Protection Team as we make assignments and ensure that all have the necessary credentials to legally enter polling places as a pollwatcher; we will provide these for you. Email info@lakedems.org to let us know if you can help with this task.
Also on Election Day, we’d like to have a few more trained pollwatchers to staff our Democratic Voter Assistance Hotline. That number is 847-432-VOTE (8683). While the Legal Coordinators take calls from pollwatchers out in the field, these trained attorney Hotline volunteers will be taking calls directly from voters who may report a problem at a polling place or need help finding their polling place, returning a mail-in ballot, or registering to vote. Email info@lakedems.org to let us know if you can help with this task.
There is still much to do. So return your mail-in ballot, or take advantage of Early Voting, and then work with our Election Protection Team to help make sure that in Lake County (and the 10th Congressional District) everyone eligible to vote is, in fact, allowed to vote. Email info@lakedems.org and let us know exactly how you’d like to help.
Make Sure Your Vote Will Count in November
Election Day is less than three weeks away. With so much at stake—reproductive freedom, protection from gun violence, our very democracy—we all need a plan to vote.
First item on your to-do list? Make sure you’re registered to vote at your current address. If you’re not, know that you can register in person at your County Clerk’s office, at an Early Voting site, or on Election Day at your regular polling place. Just make sure you bring two pieces of identification, one of which must show your current address. The deadline to request a Vote-by-Mail ballot is November 3, 2022.
If you’re already registered, make your plan to vote. You can request and return a Vote-by-Mail ballot. (If mailing your ballot, it must be postmarked by November 8th.) Or, you can vote right now at the Lake County Courthouse (lobby) any weekday between 9am and 5pm. Starting October 24th, you can plan to vote in person at any of several Early Voting locations across your county, or on Election Day, November 8th, at your assigned neighborhood polling place.
For early voting locations in Lake County and other information click here. To find your assigned Election Day polling place, go to Voter Power for Registered Voters.
If you find that the instructions for completing and returning your Vote-by-Mail ballot are unclear or have any other questions about voting, call the Democratic Voter Assistance Hotline at 847-432-VOTE (8683).
Free Countywide Election Night Watch Party!!
When: Tuesday, November 8th, 2022. 7pm
Where: Rosati’s, 3110 West IL Route 60, Mundelein
What: Lake Dems Countywide Election Night Watch Party. All Democrats welcome. Free pizza, salad, and soft drinks. Space may be limited. Please RSVP here.
Senator Dick Durbin Visits Lake Forest to Stump for IL State Treasurer Mike Frerichs
Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerich is joined by a democratic intern, Lake County Dems Chair, Lauren Beth Gash and Senator Dick Durbin at an event supporting Mike’s candidacy for reelection.
Democrats Turn Out at Fundraising Event in Support of Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul
Attorney General Kwame Raoul is joined by (left to right), Senator Dick Durbin, event host Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton.
Senator Dick Durbin addresses the crowd at the fundraiser for Attorney General Kwame Raoul.
Brunch and Bubbly with Judge Chris Kennedy
Judge Chris Kennedy, Candidate for Illinois Appellate Court (District 2), addresses the crowd at this well-attended event supporting his candidacy.
Judge Chris Kennedy is flanked by (left to right) headliner Patti Vasquez, WCPT radio show host, comedian, and political commentator, Lake Dems Chair, Lauren Beth-Gash, and event hosts Kristen Pate Ramirez and Larry Ramirez.
Attendees listen intently to headline speaker Patti Vasquez.
A Saturday Night with Lake County Board Candidate Wendy Meister
Wendy Meister, Candidate for Lake County Board District 3, was joined by many friends and supporters at Jo Jo’s Bar and Grill in Grayslake.
Senator Tammy Duckworth Headlines Maria Peterson’s “Rally to Vote” in Barrington
Senator Tammy Duckworth and Maria Peterson, Candidate for Illinois Senate (26th District), share a laugh during the event.
Over 150 volunteers and supporters attended this event at the Barrington Library and on Facebook Live.
Ela Township Democrats and Candidates Canvass in Lake Zurich and Hawthorn Woods
Candidates and volunteers were out in force, knocking on doors and speaking with voters in Ela Township.
Ela Township Dems volunteers were hard at work preparing lit drop packages before hitting the road.
Candidates Forum
Jessica Vealitzek
Candidate for Lake County Board, District 10
I’d like to thank the Lake County Democrats for this opportunity to introduce myself and my campaign.
Since 2018, we’ve made unprecedented achievements as the first Democratic board in Lake County history. Your votes mattered.
Just some of our unprecedented accomplishments:
- Creation of an independent Ethics Commission
- Recording of all committee meetings for posting online
- Solar power at County properties
- Ride Lake County, a paratransit system
- Lake County Crisis Care center
- Flat County property taxes for three years in a row
- Elimination of single-use plastics in County operations
- Better investments in stormwater management, gun violence prevention,
and veterans services
Thank you for the opportunity to lead. I’m truly pleased with what we’ve accomplished together. I am and will continue to be committed to responsible government, healthy communities, and environmental sustainability.
Please encourage all of your friends and family to cast their ballots for Democrats this November. The stakes are incredibly high for both our country and Lake County, and we have so many more positive improvements yet to come.
For more info: jessicaforlakecounty.com.
Volunteer Spotlight
Lake Dems is grateful for our many active volunteers:
Holly Fales Garvey is Antioch Township Democrats Vice Chair and coordinates the on-line presence for both Antioch and Grant Township Democrats, maintaining their Facebook pages and websites. She helps with monthly membership meetings, organizational discussions and planning for member outreach, such as the Harvest Gathering recently held in Antioch. She generously gives of her limited time, while raising her children with her husband and pursuing her education. We as Lake Dems are so grateful to have Holly as an active volunteer on our team.
In Case You Missed It
Upcoming Events
Events below are taken from the complete list of Upcoming Events at LakeDems.org/events. To submit your event for consideration, click here.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 19
Wauconda Township Democrats October Meeting. 6-7pm, online via Zoom. More.
Indivisible Western Lake County (IWLC) October Meeting. 7-8:30pm, Lindenhurst. More.
THURSDAY, OCT. 20
Lake County Democrats Shades of Blue Fundraiser. 7pm, Deerfield. Speakers include IL State Treasurer Mike Frerichs, IL Supreme Court Candidate Judge Elizabeth Rochford, Congresspersons Brad Schneider and Jan Schakowsky and many others. More.
SATURDAY, OCT. 22
Lake Villa Dems Day of Action. 11am-2pm, Lake Villa. More.
Wauconda Township Democrats Highway Cleanup. 1-2:30pm, Wauconda. More.
Shields Township Democrats Day of Action for Judge Elizabeth Rochford and Judge Chris Kennedy. 1-3pm, Lake Forest. More.
Day of Action in Fremont. 1-4pm, Mundelein. More.
Knocking on Doors for Rep. Joyce Mason (61st District) and Board Candidate Wendy Meister (District 3). 2-5pm, Gurnee. More.
SUNDAY, OCT. 23
Meet and Greet with Attorney General Kwame Raoul and Sheriff John Idleburg. 11:30-1:30pm, Buffalo Grove. More.
Go North to Help Mandela Barnes and Gov. Tony Evers Win in Wisconsin. From 1-5pm, locations TBA. More.
MONDAY, OCT. 24
Reception for Candidate for Illinois Supreme Court Judge Elizabeth Rochford. 6-8pm, Highwood. More.
THURSDAY, OCT 27
Live4Lali’s Annual Fundraiser. 5:30-8:30pm, Schaumburg. More.
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How Do I Join Lake County Democrats?
Lake County Democrats is made up of people like you, people who are passionate about building better communities and a better world. We’re a grassroots political organization, working with Democrats in all parts of Lake County – from Antioch to Highland Park, Libertyville to Waukegan, Barrington to Zion. Become a member online now or send a check payable to Lake County Democrats to P.O. Box 671, Lake Zurich, IL 60047. Questions? Contact info@lakedems.org.
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