WHAT’S INSIDE

• Volunteers Still Needed For The County Fair
• What’s New From Clermont to Columbus and Beyond
• Word From The Chair – Raymond Lembke
• Overview of The August 2nd Primary
• Early Voting Hours For August 2nd Primary
• Meet Your 2022 Democratic Candidates On The November Ballot
• Two Important Trifectas In The General Election
• Action Needed
• Ohio Democratic Party Press Release
• Join The Donkey Club
• Stand With Ukraine
• Reading Room
• COVID19 In Ohio
• Clermont County Democratic Club Meetings
• Clermont County Democratic Club Directory
• Next Issue Publication Dates

VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED FOR THE county FAIR

The Clermont County Fair is in progress all week and we still need volunteers to staff the Clermont County Democratic Party’s air-conditioned fair building. If you can spare two hours to meet and greet people seeking information about the party and upcoming elections please consider volunteering. Volunteering in our air-conditioned building includes a fair ticket and parking.

For more information contact Katherine Lent at lentkatherine@gmail.com

SIGN UP FOR THE FAIR HERE!

WHAT’S NEW FROM CLERMONT TO COLUMBUS AND BEYOND

CLICK ON THE HEADLINE TO ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

ANALYSIS: HOW THE GOP TURNED OHIO’S REDISTRICTING PROCESS UPSIDE DOWN

Twice, in 2015 and 2018, Ohio voters went to the polls and overwhelmingly supported constitutional amendments dealing with the process for drawing state legislative and congressional district lines — amendments that were aimed at taking at least some of the partisan politics out of the process. So far, it’s been a massive failure. Republicans — who have a vise-like grip on the reins of both the Ohio General Assembly and the seven-member Ohio Redistricting Commission — have made sure of that. READ MORE

THE ELECTORAL COUNT REFORM ACT UNPACKED

Last week, U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) released S. 4573, or the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, their long-awaited proposal to reform the Electoral Count Act of 1887 (ECA), an antiquated law that governs how Congress counts the Electoral College votes for president every four years. Former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election revealed several weaknesses in the law that could be exploited by a disgruntled and defiant presidential candidate. READ MORE

CLIMATE CHANGE IS ALREADY COSTING CITIES

Ohio’s cash-strapped cities and towns are going to need to find billions more a year to keep pace as challenges from climate change intensify over the coming decades, according to a new analysis. READ MORE

WORD FROM THE CHAIR – RAYMOND LEMBKE

The August 2 primary is one week away. Indications are that turnout will be low, but maybe not as low as some of us expected. I’m still hearing recent stories of exceptionally long times between mail being sent and delivered. If you have a mail-in ballot you should think about taking it to the Board of Elections during business hours or dropping it in the drop-box right outside the Board’s office at 22 Riverside Drive Batavia any time up to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Remember, only the voter or a member of her immediate family may legally take a voted ballot to the Board or the drop-box. READ MORE

OVERVIEW OF THE AUGUST 2ND PRIMARY

Be sure to vote in the August 2 primary. We must work to get more Democrats elected at the state level in the Ohio General Assembly. Brian Flick is our Democratic candidate for Ohio House General Assembly in District 62 (northern Clermont County). Richard J. Perry is a write-in candidate for Ohio House General Assembly in District 63 (southern Clermont County). We especially need voters in District 63 to vote in this primary and write in Richard J. Perry so we have a Democratic choice in this district.

Also on the ballot Aug. 2 will be candidates for the “State Central Committee.” Both the Democratic and Republican parties in Ohio are run by an elected body called the State Central Committee. They are the board of directors for the two parties in Ohio. One man and one woman is elected from each state senate district for the Democratic State Central Committee. On the ballot for the Democratic State Central Committee in the 14th district for the man is Randy E. Basham and Ben Brady. You can only vote for one. Below is more information on Mr. Basham and Mr. Brady. On the ballot for woman, unopposed, is Melissa Cropper.

Randy E. Basham			Ben Brady
As a former County Party Chairman who also served on the Scioto County Board of Elections for 15 years, I have come to know how our State Party works and the people at the state level. I have been employed by the Steel Workers Union serving as an International Representative working across Southern Ohio and have been working in Batavia as of late. I know this District “like the back of my hand” and I know how Southern Ohio has sometimes been ignored. If elected, I guarantee you our Voices will be heard in Columbus!			I am running for the Ohio Democratic Party State Central Committee because I have heard from too many of my family, friends and coworkers who feel the party has left them out, especially in the rural areas between cities. I want to be the voice for our rural constituents in the Democratic Party to have our voices heard on the party platform, on the endorsed candidates and to push for the party to recognize that we have just as many great rural candidates that needs the state party backing and funding as the candidates who have bravely stepped up to represent us.
Background: Life long resident of District 14. Employed by the Steel Workers Union serving as an International Union Representative for over 25 years. Former Democratic Party Chairman of Scioto County. Former Democratic member on the Scioto County Board of Election. Randy will be at the Democratic Booth at the Clermont County Fair on Wednesday of this week to meet those of you who are there.			Background: Army Veteran, former business owner and Chairman of the Greater Cincinnati UAW CAP Council representing UAW Active and Retired Members from seven locals in the six Southwest Counties of Ohio. Meets regularly with local, state and federal elected officials on labor issues. Recently elected to the Executive Board of the Clermont County Democratic Party for Jackson Township A.
Randy E. Basham 740-412-4674			Ben Brady 615-830-9396

Early Voting Hours for the August 2nd primary

MEET YOUR 2022 OHIO DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES

Pick a candidate and donate and/or volunteer for their campaign. We need all hands on deck.

TWO IMPORTANT TRIFECTAS IN THE GENERAL ELECTION

The November 8 general election may be the most important election in our lives if we do not want to see our democracy die. Of course we want you to vote D all down the ticket, but we have two super important trifectas we really need to promote.

TRIFECTA ONE: We have three Ohio Supreme Court candidates. Justice Jennifer Brunner is running for Chief Justice and we need to add Marilyn Zayas and Terri Jamison to the Ohio Supreme Court as well. Remember their names and be sure to urge your Democratic friends to vote for them in November.

TRIFECTA TWO: After experiencing the recent redistricting nightmare brought to us by the Republicans on the Ohio Redistricting Committee it is imperative that we replace three key statewide offices with Democrats. These are the positions who will serve on the next Redistricting Committee: elect Nan Whaley as Governor of Ohio, Chelsea Clarke as Secretary of State, and Taylor Sappington as State Auditor.

We urge you to check your voter registration and plan your vote for November 8, 2022. The deadline to register for the November 8th general election is October 11, 2022. You can check your registration here

ACTION NEEDED

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.”
-Barack Obama

Below are three organizations where you can find critical actions to take to get involved.

FIELD TEAM 6

Basic Twitter Skills for Social Storming with Field Team 6!

Wednesday, July 27
2pm – 3pm EDT
Virtual Event

Join us to build awareness for Field Team 6’s Voter Registration efforts all from the comfort of your own social media accounts!

Nervous about using Twitter? We’ll make it easy and comfortable for you

We’ll cover – What IS Social Storming? Social Storming steps Setting up your Twitter account Understanding Twitter limits and more! Sign Up Here

If you’re ready for more advanced skills, check out our Advanced Twitter Skills Session at: https://www.mobilize.us/ft6/event/455140/

To learn more about social storming, please click here: https://vimeo.com/494506792/0fa3f430dd

TURN OHIO BLUE

Go to https://ohiodems.org/2022democraticcandidates/ for a list all the Ohio statewide Democratic candidates and links to their social media platforms. First follow all of these candidates. Then like, comment, share, retweet. Pick a candidate or two and volunteer and/or donate to their campaigns. Learn about the candidates then share with your friends. Encourage them to vote!

THE STATES PROJECT

State legislatures drive every issue that impacts your daily life. If we want to move our country past the tyranny of a radical, self-interested minority, the work begins in the states. Everyone has a role to play in securing the future of our country. Whether you start or join a Giving Circle or donate to candidates via Give Smart, The States Project’s programs are designed to convert your interest in doing something into an enduring and effective impact on our democracy. Join us at the foundations of our democracy to elect state lawmakers who will have the governing power to improve millions of lives. LEARN MORE

THE CONSEQUENCES OF DAVE YOST’S AND OTHER REPUBLICANS’ HANDLING OF 10-YEAR-OLD’S RAPE CASE

“Although partisanship and the intensely differing views on abortion will lead some to defend Yost, at best, he looked foolish speculating on national television about a sensitive topic about which he clearly was not informed. At worst, it’s easy for critics to cast him as being callous or even professionally irresponsible, given his office’s work, which includes supporting rape survivors and often getting involved in local criminal cases. Victims’ advocates said Yost’s decision to publicly doubt the story could prevent future victims from coming forward, given the still prevalent social stigma that they may not be believed, ” writes Cleveland.com’s Andrew Tobias. CONTINUE READING

Join The Donkey Club

Our Donkey Club is our major source of funding and we hope you will become a member by joining.

Member Benefits

• A headquarters located centrally in the county in Batavia where you can attend Central and Executive Business Meetings of the party as well as other events
• A bi-monthly e-newsletter with the latest local and national news, information about candidates and activist opportunities
• A robust Internet presence on our Website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
• You are helping SUPPORT OUR CANDIDATES and supporting our participation in the Clermont County Fair and other community events around the county

Suggested donation amounts: $50 Individual, $100 Couple, $200 Family, $250 Congressional, $500 Senate, $1000 Presidential

Click the Donate button below and make your donation securely online through ActBlue or mail a check. Make Checks payable to: Clermont County Democratic Party (CCDP), PO Box 475, Batavia, OH 45103

Thank you for your support! Raymond W. Lembke, Party Chairman Clermont County Democratic Party

RUSSIA ATTACKS ODESSA PORT A DAY AFTER SIGNING GRAIN DEAL, UKRAINE SAYS

Russian missiles hit the Black Sea port of Odessa on Saturday, Ukrainian officials said, imperiling a deal Moscow and Kyiv reached a day earlier to allow shipment of millions of tons of trapped grain and ease a global food crisis. CONTINUE READING

HOW TO HELP PEOPLE IN UKRAINE RIGHT NOW

As the Russian military invasion of Ukraine has unfolded, so too has a full-blown humanitarian crisis. “Heavy weapons fire along the line of contact has already damaged critical water infrastructure and education facilities in recent days,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine M. Russell. “Unless the fighting subsides, tens of thousands of families could be displaced, dramatically escalating humanitarian needs.” FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HELP

READING ROOM

The Big Lie: Election Chaos, Political Opportunism, and the State of American Politics After 2020 by Jonathan Lemire

Jonathan Lemire uncovers that “The Big Lie,” as it’s been termed, isn’t just about the 2020 election. It’s become a political philosophy that has only further divided the two parties.

Donald Trump first tried it out in 2016, at an August rally in Ohio. He said that perhaps he wouldn’t accept the election results in his race against Hillary Clinton, that the election was “rigged.” He then mentioned it at more rallies and even at one of the fall debates. He didn’t have to challenge the result that year, but the stage was set. When he lost in 2020, he started the lie back up again and to devastating results: an insurrection at the Capitol in January 2021. LEARN MORE

COVID19 IN OHIO

VACCINE HESITANCY, FOR VARIOUS REASONS, STILL A PROBLEM

Misinformation has been a struggle for public health officials all throughout the pandemic, and something that has been verified to decrease the likelihood for some to receive a vaccine. Anti-vaccination legislation has also been brought to the Ohio legislature. READ MORE

TRACKING CORONAVIRUS IN OHIO

Sources: State and local health departments About this Data: New cases and deaths are matched to the date they occurred when possible. Otherwise, they are recorded on the date they are reported by health departments. The seven-day average is the mean number of new cases and deaths for the previous seven days.

You can find where to get vaccines and booster shots in Clermont County here.

Place Your Order for Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests here.

For information for COVID19 testing in Ohio go here.

For more information about the numbers in Ohio, what precautions you need to take and where you can find resources for testing, mental health assistance and employment visit the Ohio Department of Health Coronavirus Portal  

DEMOCRATIC CLUB UPCOMING MEETINGS

DIA is meeting in person at Pam Sisney’s home on Wednesday, Aug 3. We are back to our normal day and time. Hooray! Friends gather at 6:30 and the meeting at 7:00. Expect a few candidates. Equally important is that our community connects. The magic happens when this group meets beyond Facebook and Zoom. Also there are 2-3 events coming up that we need to plan for. Email Chair Patty Lawrence at p.lawrence@fuse.net for her address. All welcome!

Come meet your fellow Democrats in Clermont County. The Quin-T Democrat Club will be meeting Thursday, August 4 starting at 6:30pm at the CCDP headquarters at 174 E. Main St., Batavia, Ohio. We will have an half hour social time between 6:30pm and 7:00pm. Feel free to bring something to eat and drink. Grammas Pizza is right next door to headquarters. At 7:00pm there will be a formal meeting with a short agenda. The remaining time will be used for an open forum. Information about the candidates running in the mid-term election on November 8, 2022 will also be provided.

West Clermont Democrats will meet Monday, August 8, 2022 starting at 7pm. There will be a social time from 7 – 7:30pm. The official meeting will begin at 7:30pm. The agenda will include state house updates from Columbus. Location Day Heights Fireman’s Memorial Building 1313 OH-131, Day Heights, OH 45150

CLERMONT COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB DIRECTORY

Below is a listing of Democratic groups in Clermont County. Due to the concerns about COVID19 it is a challenge to schedule in-person meetings. Remember this is temporary. We will get through this! Click on the name of each club and it will take you to their website or Facebook page with updated information about meetings. Some groups are conducting virtual meetings while others are looking to outside locations.

Clermont County Democratic Party Central Committee

Please contact Ben Indino, Central Committee Chair at: benjamin.indino@gmail.com for more information.

Clermont County Democratic Party Executive Committee
Next Executive Committee meeting will be Thursday, August 25, 2022 at 7:00 p.m., hybrid meeting with choice of in-person at headquarters or via Zoom, 174 E. Main Street, Batavia, Ohio 45103 and via Zoom. Central Committee members are encouraged to attend.

CLERMONT COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY OFFICERS

Benjamin Indino – Central Committee Chair
Tracy Jo Small – Central Committee Vice Chair
Amanda Fox – Central Committee Secretary

Raymond Lembke – Executive Committee Chair
Elaine Barnett – Executive Committee Vice Chair
Chris Barnett – Treasurer
Bonnie Carlier – Executive Committee Secretary

STAY CONNECTED

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND INSTAGRAM – VISIT OUR WEBSITE

Like, share, comment and retweet our posts. Use the hashtags #OHDems #ClermontOHDems

This is your newsletter. We welcome you to submit news items, events, book reviews or anything else you feel is important to advance our Democratic values in Clermont County.

Next issue will be published Tuesday, August 09, 2022. Deadline for submissions for the next issue is Friday, August 05, 2022. Send your submission with “CCDP Newsletter” in the subject line to our newsletter editor Cheryl Richards at: cheryl1richards@gmail.com

Share the newsletter with your friends and encourage them to sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter at clermontdems.org

Clermont County Democratic Party
174 E. Main Street P.O. Box 475
Batavia, OH, 45103
513-732-2378
Paid for by the Clermont County Democratic Party, Christopher Barnett, Treasurer