WHAT’S INSIDE

• We Did It! But The Work Has Just Begun
• Fight To Pass The Reproductive Freedom Amendment
• Election 2023
• Election 2024
• What’s New From Clermont to Columbus and Beyond
• Word From The Chair – Raymond Lembke
• Join The Donkey Club Today
• Clermont County Democratic Club Meetings
• Clermont County Democratic Party Committee Meetings
• Next Issue Publication Dates

We Did It!

But The Work Has Just Begun

Ohio gained national attention in our fight against Issue One because it was a bellwether for the future of a democracy driven by we the people. Happily we defeated Issue One on August 8th, not by a little, but by a lot – 57% to 43%. But the work has just begun.

Issue One in and of itself was the Ohio GOP’s power grab attempt to take away the people’s voice in Ohio government. But what made Issue One even more insidious was the connection to the Ohio GOP’s attempt to take away reproductive rights.

The anti-abortion movement has been a long time in the making and is driven by a coalition of politicians and “religious” groups. This article, A warning told again: Politics and religion don’t mix, gives us insight into just how deep the ties are.

Make no mistake, “the church” is politicking from the pulpit and we need to figure out a way to push back. The challenge: facts don’t affect religion because religion is based on faith. Yes. The work has just begun.

Join The Fight To Pass The Reproductive Freedom Amendment On November 7th

• The West Clermont Dems are hosting postcards to voters on Saturday, August 26th from 2pm to 4pm at the home of Chris and Elaine Barnett. If cannot attend you can pick up postcards to write at home. Email cbarnett5@cinci.rr.com for address.
• Sign up now to get the most up to date information from Red Wine and Blue – Ohio on the Reproductive Freedom Amendment, including volunteer opportunities, information about yard signs, and plans to help get out the vote this fall. Sign up here.

Election 2023

Democrats on the ballot November 7, 2023

Myra Powers is running for the Milford School Board on the 2023 November ballot this year. Go to Myra Powers for Milford to learn more about Myra and donate to her campaign.

Emily Chesnut is running for reelection to the Milford School Board on the 2023 November ballot this year. To find out more about Emily and how you can support her campaign go to Chesnut for Milford. Check out her Facebook page at Emily Chesnut for School Board.

Deidre Hazelbaker is running for Loveland City Council on the 2023 November ballot. Go to Vote for Hazelbaker to learn more about Deidre and donate to her campaign. Check out her Facebook page at Vote for Hazelbaker.

Alice Rolfes is running for Monroe Township Trustee on the 2023 November ballot. You can donate to her campaign here.

Editors note: The most effective way to support a candidate is to donate to their campaign. No amount is too small. Since this is a non-partisan election year, meaning candidates political affiliation does not appear on the ballot, please let us know of any other Democratic candidates who may want recognition in this newsletter.

Issues on the ballot November 7, 2023

The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety, if passed, would amend Article I of the Ohio Constitution. Go to Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom to download the the three page PDF that contains the language of the amendment and find out how you can help support the amendment.

An Act to Control and Regulate Adult Use Cannabis is an initiated statute proposal sponsored by The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol (CRMLA). To download the language of the initiative and learn how you can support the effort go to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol.

Important Dates

October 10 Deadline for voter registration for Nov. 7, 2023 general election. To check your voter registration or to register online go here.
October 11 Early in-person voting begins for 2023 general election.

Election 2024

Democrats on the ballot November 5, 2024 – This is the big one!

Joseph Robinette Biden is running for a second term as POTUS in 2024. You know him. Vote for him! To support his campaign go to Joe Biden for President

Sherrod Brown is running for reelection for Ohio senator in 2024. You know him. Vote for him! To support his campaign go to Sherrod Brown for Senate.

Samantha Meadows is running again for Ohio District Two to unseat Brad Wenstrup in 2024. Please support her campaign. Wenstrup needs to go. To find out more about Samantha and how you can support her campaign go to Vote Meadows. Check out her Facebook page at Samantha Meadows for Congress OH02

(Possible) Issue on the ballot November 5, 2024

Citizen-led Statewide Redistricting Commission – Groups are starting to collect signatures to get a constitutional amendment on the Nov. 2024 ballot that would scrap Ohio’s current system for drawing legislative and congressional district maps and create a new one. Learn more.

Important Date

December 20, 2023 – Deadline to file declaration of candidacy for 2024 election by 4 p.m. at the Clermont County Board of Elections.

What’s New From Clermont To Columbus And Beyond

Click on the headline to access the full article

Ohio’s redistricting process was ‘doomed to fail,’ former chief justice says

The Republican former chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court has done as she said she would earlier this year: She’s working with a group that wants to change the way Ohio’s legislative and congressional district maps are drawn. She and the court’s three Democrats ruled against them every time they came before the court last year. CONTINUE READING

Issue 1 exposed the rot in Ohio government. And the people now still have the power to fix it

When former Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich got his hat handed to him by incensed voters over a restrictive collective bargaining law he championed, he was duly chastened. Ohioans sent a loud message to the overreaching first-term governor on Senate Bill 5 in 2011, the anti-union legislation that would have gutted the political power of public sector unions. CONTINUE READING

‘The internet is no longer a luxury’: $667M from USDA for rural broadband

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will spend another $667 million on rural broadband loans and grants, the department said Monday, marking the fourth round of Biden administration funding under a program that the 2021 infrastructure law invigorated. CONTINUE READING

WORD FROM THE CHAIR- Raymond Lembke

As you know, Issue 1 received its richly deserved drubbing on August 8. Clermont County turnout was 39.6%. “Yes” won just over 54% of the vote in Clermont County, but the difference was only 4,948 votes. No won in fifty-five of our 168 counties (including my own Pierce Township Precinct B). Most of those precincts were in the western part of the county where our canvassing efforts were more intense. While many of us dislike canvassing and some of us cannot canvass, this result shows the power of canvassing. CONTINUE READING

Join The Donkey Club Today

We need your support. The Clermont County Democratic Party relies solely on donations from our friends to operate. Our Donkey Club is our major source of funding and we hope you will become a member today. Member benefits below.

• A headquarters located centrally in the county in Batavia
• A bi-monthly e-newsletter
• A robust Internet presence on our Website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
• Support for our Democratic candidates

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

Democratic Club Meetings

Attend the Sept 6 DIA meeting at Linda & Joe Furlong’s. Contact Patty Lawrence at info@democracyinactionohio.com for address. We gather at 6:30 and please bring a beverage or appetizer to share. Aftab Pureval will be the guest speaker scheduled to speak at 7:00. If you have not been to a DIA meeting, you are especially welcome to join us. Building our community is the way we grow and we want to have a big showing.

The next Quin-T Democrat Club meeting will be a social gathering at CCDP Headquarters in Batavia on Thursday, October 5, 2023 at 6:30pm. More details forthcoming.

CLERMONT COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CLUB DIRECTORY

Below is a listing of Democratic groups in Clermont County. Click on the name of each club and it will take you to their website or Facebook page with updated information about meetings.

Clermont County Democratic Party Central Committee

Please contact Ben Indino, Central Committee Chair at: benjamin.indino@gmail.com or Amanda Fox, Central Committee Secretary at: alvfox33@gmail.com for more information.

Clermont County Democratic Party Executive Committee

Next Executive Committee meeting will be Thursday, August 24, 2023 at 7:00 pm

This will be a hybrid meeting with choice of in-person at headquarters, 174 E. Main Street, Batavia, Ohio 45103 and via Zoom. Central Committee members are encouraged to attend.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR COMMITTEES

CCDP has four active committees. Each committee needs volunteers. Please consider getting involved. The strength of our party is our volunteers. You may contact the respective Chairs of each committee below by clicking on their name if you are interested in volunteering.

Finance Committee– Chair – Ben Brady

Events Committee – Chair – Katherine Lent

Communications Committee – Chair – Michelle DeTemple
The Communications Committee meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm via Zoom.

CLERMONT COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY OFFICERS

Patty Lawrence – Central Committee Chair
Benjamin Indino – Central Committee Vice 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
Katherine Lent – 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. If you have critiques about content or format please feel free to voice your opinion.

Next issue will be published Tuesday, September 5, 2023. Deadline for submissions for the next issue is Friday, September 1, 2023. 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
clermontdems@gmail.com
Paid for by the Clermont County Democratic Party, Christopher Barnett, Treasurer