By Laura Bray
For the “Progressive Views” column, Boerne Star, March 31, 2024
Laura presented a version of this column at the Kendall County Democratic Convention on Saturday, March 23.
I’m not going to belabor the obvious, since I’m preaching to the choir. But this is the most important election in our lives. Our very democracy is at stake, and here in Texas, our leaders are racing each other further and further to the right. We must make sure every voter knows the stakes. So we’ll need everyone on board to help in one way or another.
We’ve had some exciting media coverage this week. The Boerne Star published a press release in early March after the County Executive Committee passed its anti-secession resolution, and somehow, Newsweek magazine got wind of it and published a story on March 19. Then I spoke to the San Antonio Express-News, and their story appeared online on March 22. It’s great coverage for us and helps other Democrats in the county know that they’re not alone. Many thanks to all of you for passing the resolution earlier today. It now moves onto the Texas Democratic Party, where the Resolutions Committee will consider it for presentation to statewide delegates in June.
As we move through this challenging election cycle, you’ll want to find ways to stay sane in the face of all the crazy. I encourage you to get together often with groups of like-minded folks, such as Boerne Area Democrats meetings, the book club, supper club, Thirsty Thursday, and other events. Watch our newsletters for all the details.
We had a fantastic Strategic Planning Meeting in February, and quite a few previously non-engaged people have gotten involved. These are the major areas where we need help:
- We need Precinct Chairs for seven precincts. Precinct Chairs coordinate voter contact and the “boots on the ground” work.
- We need an Event Coordinator to organize various events.
- We need Writers for Progressive Views and op-ed columns/letters to the editor for the Boerne Star and the San Antonio Express-News.
- We’ll need folks to send peer-to-peer texts to voters once we have selected an app later this spring or summer.
- We need social media-savvy volunteers to help with our Social Media Committee—or Social Media Nerds as they like to be known.
- We need folks to write postcards to targeted sets of voters. We’ll provide the materials, the list, and the message.
- Later this summer and in the fall, we’ll need people to blockwalk and make phone calls to talk to “friendly” voters to inform them about candidates, issues, and the upcoming election. Training is provided.
- We need someone to coordinate the gathering and placement of campaign signs later this summer.
For more details on any of the above, please visit our website at https://kendalltxdemocrats.org/action/participate/.
A group of us just finished six weeks of work to prepare talking points on eleven major issues such as common-sense gun safety, healthcare, and immigration. These documents will familiarize you with our position on major issues, some facts and statistics, the position of “the other side,” and provide points to use when you chat with folks about who to vote for. They’ll be up on the website soon.
I’d like to thank our three candidates for stopping by today to visit with us: Dwain Handley (running for Texas House District 19); Dr. Merrie Fox (running for Texas Senate District 25); and Dr. Raquel Saenz Ortiz (running for State Board of Education District 10). We appreciate your taking the time to fit us into your “Convention Day” schedule.
There’s a quote attributed to anthropologist Margaret Mead that I love: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed individuals can change the world. In fact, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
We are all those thoughtful, committed individuals, and together, we can change things here in Kendall, in Texas, and nationally. We just need your help to do it!
For more information on our activities and how to get involved, call our office at 830-331-1243 or visit https://kendalltxdemocrats.org/
Laura Bray is Chair of the Kendall County Democratic Party.
