Wednesday, October 9, 2024
In this Issue: Forum Features Eric Rinehart, Erin Cartwright Weinstein ● REV Up with Lake Dems to Reach Every Voter ● Join Us for Birthday Cake at Our Shades of Blue Awards Reception (It’s Kamala’s Birthday!) ● Governor Pritzker Joins Local and State Officials Celebrating Illinois State Beach Ribbon-Cutting ● Make Your Plan to Vote! ● Sign Up for the Election Protection Team ● Show Your Neighbors You Support Harris-Walz and Other Lake County Democratic Candidates ● Lake Dems Out and About ● ICYMI ● Upcoming Events
Contribute or Join/Renew Your Lake Dems Membership
Forum Features Eric Rinehart, Erin Cartwright Weinstein
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Don’t miss your chance to see Democratic Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart and Democratic Lake County Circuit Court Clerk Erin Cartwright Weinstein and their Republican challengers on a live Zoom forum. The Lake County Candidate Forum begins at 7:30pm on Thursday, Oct. 10. Erin Cartwright Weinstein will be on from 7:30 to 8:10pm, and Eric Rinehart from 8:20 to 9:00pm. The forum is sponsored by several League of Women Voters chapters and the Mano a Mano Family Resource Center. Questions will be posed by a League of Women Voters-trained moderator. Zoom’s multilingual “translated captions” feature will be available. Registration is required. |
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REV Up with Lake Dems to Reach Every Voter
Lake Dems volunteers are busy knocking on doors, talking to voters about how important it is to vote for Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. Studies show that talking to voters at their doors can increase turnout by up to 8%. That is the winning margin in close races.
You can make a difference by joining our Reach Every Voter (REV) project.
Please click lakedems.org/REV if you’re willing to help.
Join Us for Birthday Cake at Our Shades of Blue Awards Reception (It’s Kamala’s Birthday!)
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Governor Pritzker Joins Local and State Officials Celebrating Illinois State Beach Ribbon-Cutting
Governor JB Pritzker and local and state officials gathered September 30 to celebrate the completion of the Illinois Beach State Park Shoreline Stabilization Project in Lake County. The $73 million investment provided for the preservation of several miles of natural shoreline in three areas of the park.
“Illinois Beach State Park is one of the many natural beauties that make our state special, with dunes and swales, sprawling marshes, forests of oak and vast arrays of animal life and vegetation—and of course the last remaining natural shoreline in Illinois. And I am so proud and grateful that we could come together to protect it,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Thanks to all those who tirelessly worked to execute this project—Illinoisans will continue to visit the lakefront here for generations to come, and we’ll keep this habitat and the local economy flourishing.”
Illinois Beach State Park required immediate intervention to restore the natural lakefront, which was eroding at more than 100 feet per year and putting rare habitat at risk. The new offshore stone breakwater structures shelter the Lake Michigan shoreline from wave energy and preserve the surrounding ecosystems. The breakwaters assist in retaining the newly placed sand, slowing down the littoral process, and enhancing public access to the beach.
“Illinois Beach State Park is a natural treasure, and this project ensures its beauty and ecosystem are preserved for future generations,” said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “Protecting our environment is not just about today but about creating a legacy of stewardship that will benefit our communities for years to come.”
(The rest of the article can be found here, including comments from State Senator Mary Edly-Allen, State Representative Joyce Mason, State Senator Adriane Johnson, State Representative Rita Mayfield, Beach Park Mayor John Hucker, Lake County Chair Sandy Hart, and Winthrop Harbor Mayor Dr. Michael Bruno.)
Make Your Plan to Vote!
Lake County Early Voting Has Begun
All registered Lake County voters are eligible to vote early at the Lake County Main Courthouse lobby in Waukegan. More early voting sites will be open across the county beginning on October 21. Unlike on Election Day, Lake County voters can vote at any site countywide regardless of where they live.
Click here to find a complete list of early voting locations.
Lake County Clerk Began Sending Vote-by-Mail Ballots on Sept. 26
It’s not too late to apply for a Vote-by-Mail ballot
. The Lake County Clerk’s office must receive your completed ballot application by 5:00pm on the Thursday before Election Day, October 31; don’t take a chance and wait that long.
Note that you do not have to use the U.S. Postal Service to vote by mail. There will be drop boxes in every early voting location starting October 21, and six 24-hour drop boxes that will be available until 7:00pm on Election Day, November 5.
Click here for a complete list of drop box locations.
Sign Up for the Election Protection Team
In an alarming moment during the vice presidential debate, Trump’s running mate JD Vance made it clear that MAGA followers still have no intention of accepting election results, and they’re planning to fill voting places with supporters for so-called “election integrity.” The good news is that we’ve seen this before and people like you can do something about it: attorneys and other poll watchers should join the Lake Dems/Tenth Dems Election Protection Team.
SIgn up at lakedems.org/ElectionProtection to protect voting rights during Early Voting (which begins countywide on October 21) and/or on Election Day, November 5.
We’ve been ahead of the curve on this. For years, our Election Protection Team of over 125 poll watchers – and we need even more – has helped in Lake County and the 10th Congressional District.
Attorneys with election law expertise lead our training sessions. Options include:
- Wednesday, October 16, 6:00 – 7:30pm, in Lake County
- Wednesday, October 23, 7:00 – 8:30pm, in Cook County
- Sunday, October 27, time TBA, on Zoom
Training is free and open to Democrats. (Note to attorneys seeking CLE credit: This training is approved for 1.5 hours of FREE Professional Responsibility CLE.)
Hope to see you at the training and at the polls.
President Biden Got the Job Done; Elect Kamala to Keep It Going
Last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the monthly employment report, the most widely followed measure of how our economy is doing. It was fantastic. The U.S. economy created 254,000 new jobs in September, and the unemployment rate fell to just 4.1%.
Included in the report is the measure of hourly earnings, which as measured year over year, comes to a 4% increase in the average wage. By contrast, the annualized rate of inflation, as reported for the 12 months ending in August–the latest data that is available–rose by only 2.5% over the last year. Unemployment has been at an all-time low for over two years, and now that interest rates and inflation are both easing, our economic outlook is excellent.
If we fail to elect Vice President Kamala Harris and Gov. Tim Walz on Nov. 5, all that will change. Donald Trump wants tariffs, which will only raise prices and hit middle class families hard. Kamala Harris wants to invest in small businesses here at home. It is a choice, so remind your family and friends: One side is for us and has the track record to prove it, while the other side is all about lies.
Show Your Neighbors You Support Harris-Walz and Other Lake County Democratic Candidates
(We can deliver to Lake County and the 10th Congressional District)
And we have signs for our Lake County Democratic candidates, too! Watch your email for more information.
We need help with yard sign distribution. If you’re willing, go to
lakedems.org/volunteer and select Merchandise.
Lake Dems Out and About
We love to include event photos in our newsletter! To be considered for inclusion, please send yours to info@lakedems.org with a brief description of the event. Have an event coming up? To submit future events for consideration for our website and emails: lakedems.org/submit-an-event.
Mano a Mano Family Resource Center Hispanic Heritage Celebration Gala (with Founders Award to Lake County Board)
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Luncheon Supporting Candidate for State Rep. Maria Peterson with Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch
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All Ages Join Lake County Democrats Literature Bundling
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Lake Villa Township Democrats Day of Action
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Lake County Dems and Waukegan Dems Write Postcards to Swing States
Planned Parenthood and Young Democrats of Lake County Day of Action for Maria Peterson, Nabeela Syed, and Nicolle Grasse
Lake County Dems in the (Green)House at Illinois Environmental Council Annual Gala
Gala attendees from Lake County included, from left, three former Lake County State Representatives—Karen May, Kathy Ryg, and Lauren Beth Gash; Warren-Newport Public Library Board Vice President Celeste Flores; and State Central Committeeman Tom Maillard.
ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)
Daily Herald endorsement: Harris-Walz for leadership emphasizing optimism, determination
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul Warns of new scam targeting student loan borrowers
Upcoming Events
THURSDAY, OCT. 10
Exploring African American Ancestry Through Digital Experiences. 11:00am, Waukegan.
League of Women Voters (LWV) Candidate Forums with State Rep. Candidate Maria Peterson and State Rep. Nabeela Syed. 6:30-8:45pm., Barrington.
League of Women Voters (LWV) of Highland Park, Highwood Zoom Candidate Forum. With Lake County Circuit Court Clerk Erin Cartwright and Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart. 7:30pm on Zoom.
SATURDAY, OCT. 12
Postcard Writing with Lake Dems in Our Grayslake Office. 10:00am, Grayslake.
Canvass Supporting Nabeela Syed for State Representative. 10:30am, Palatine.
Lake County Dems Text Banking Party. Noon to 2pm, Grayslake.
Knock Doors with Lake Dems in Wisconsin for Harris-Walz. Noon to 3pm, multiple Lake County staging sites.
SUNDAY, OCT. 13
Canvass Supporting Nabeela Syed for State Representative. 10:30am, Palatine.
Day of Action with Lake County Democrats and Young Democrats for Eric Rinehart. 11am, Highland Park.
Lake County Democrats Veterans Committee Day of Action for Jen Banek and Eric Rinehart. 11am-1pm, Mundelein.
Knock Doors with Lake Dems in Wisconsin for Harris-Walz. Noon to 3pm, multiple Lake County staging sites.
Brushwood Center Event: Festeje! Hispanic Heritage Month Performance. 3:00pm, Round Lake Beach.
MONDAY, OCT. 14
Antioch & Grant Township Democrats October Meeting. 6:30pm, Fox Lake.
TUESDAY, OCT. 15
SOMOS (We Are) Lake County Celebration of Hispanic/Latino Culture. 4:00pm, Round Lake Beach.
SAFE Illinois’ Unity Gala (Safe Access For Everyone). 7:00-10:00pm, Highland Park.
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 16
Write Postcards with Lake Dems to Elect Democrats. 2:00pm, Highland Park.
Brushwood Center Event 41st Annual Smith Nature Symposium Awards Dinner. 5:00pm, Lincolnshire.
Wauconda Township Democrats October Meeting. 7:00pm, Wauconda.
THURSDAY, OCT. 17
United for Choice for Eric Rinehart with Personal PAC CEO Sarah Garza Resnick. 5:30pm, Highland Park.
Joint Action Committee (JAC) Dad Bands for Democracy. 7:00pm, Highwood.
SUNDAY, OCT. 20
Lake Dems Shades of Blue Annual Awards Reception. 7:00pm, Riverwoods.
For the complete list of Upcoming Events, go to lakedems.org/events.
Click here to submit your event for consideration.
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 (individual: $35/couples $60 – though more is always appreciated), or send a check payable to Lake County Democrats to P.O. Box 671, Lake Zurich, IL 60047. Questions? Contact info@lakedems.org.
