Runoff Election Reminder

The runoff election for Gainesville City Commission, District 2, will be this Tuesday, February 19. Our endorsed candidate, Democrat Lauren Poe, will be facing off against Republican Bonnie Mott. Because this is the only election on that day it is expected that voter turnout will be low. So please be sure to get out and vote for Poe if you live in District 2. If you don't live in that district, please take the time to contact your friends in District 2 and ask them to vote.

The following link features a map of Gainesville that shows what District 2's borders are: http://elections.alachua.fl.us/voter%2Dregistration/Districts/gainesville.html

Also, you can vote early at the County Administration Building Location at 12 SE 1st Street - today until 5 pm and Saturday and Sunday from 1 pm to 5 pm.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday, March 13 at 5:45 pm.

February Meeting Reminder

Our next meeting will be this Thursday, February 14, at 5:45 pm at the ACDEC headquarters, 901 NW 8^th Ave, Suite A-3.

We will be discussing details on our hosting the conference of the state GLBT caucus in July, Gainesville city commission election results, the District 2 runoff election, and passage of the gender identity ordinance.

Election Reminder: Democrat Lauren Poe is running in the runoff election for Gainesville City Commission District 2 on Tuesday, February 19. You can vote early at the downtown supervisor of election's office. Every vote counts in these runoffs!

Vote Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Tuesday, January 29 is election day. The polls are open from 7 am to 7 pm. You can locate your polling precinct on the Supervisor of Elections website. Voters must present current and valid photo and signature ID at the polls or they must vote a provisional ballot.

The Stonewall Democrats of Alachua County is proud to endorse the following GLBT-friendly Democratic candidates for Gainesville City Commission:
Jack Donovan (District 3), Lauren Poe (District 2), and Thomas Hawkins, Jr. (At-Large, Seat 2). The non-partisan, gay rights-oriented Human Rights Council of North Central Florida has also endorsed these three candidates.
Also, the Alachua County Democratic Executive Committee is advising voters to vote "No" on Property Tax Amendment No. 1.

Parties: Once election results come in at the Supervisor of Elections office there will be various victory parties around downtown. In case you want to join, Donovan's, Poe's, and Hawkins's campaigns will be celebrating at The Top.

Finally, our next meeting will be on Thursday, February 14, at 5:45 pm at the ACDEC office: 901 NW 8 Ave., Suite A-3.

January Meeting & Upcoming Elections

The next meeting of the Stonewall Democrats of Alachua County will be this Thursday, January 10, 5:45 pm, at 901 NW 8 Ave., Suite A-3. We will be discussing our December meeting with State Rep. Chuck Chestnut, the upcoming city commission and presidential preference elections, the Gainesville city commission's upcoming vote on "gender identity and expression," and continue planning for our hosting of the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus Meeting in July.

News: Tuesday, January 29 is election day. All registered Democrats will be able to vote for their preferred presidential candidate. All registered voters in Gainesville will be able to vote for city commission candidates. All registered Florida voters will be able to vote on the property tax amendment.

There is one registered Democrat running for election in each of the Gainesville City Commission races: Lauren Poe (District 2), Thomas Hawkins Jr. (At-Large, Seat 2), and Jack Donovan (District 3). All three candidates attended our Stonewall Democrats Social in December to meet our members and show their support for our organization.
Early voting will be held January 14-18 and January 21-25 from 9 am to 5 pm at the following locations:
*The Supervisor of Elections County Administration Building location at 12 S.E. 1st Street, Gainesville
*Millhopper Branch Library at 3145 N.W. 43rd Street, Gainesville
*Tower Road Branch Library at 3020 S.W. 75th Street, Gainesville

You can request to Vote By Mail (absentee) by going to this website: http://elections.alachua.fl.us/absentee_personal_request_form.html

Stonewall Meet-and-Greet A Success & Rep. Chestnut Co-Sponsors HB 191

Guests at the Stonewall Democrats Holiday Meet-and-Greet
check out materials about the caucus and local city candidates.

Gainesville City Commission candidates Lauren Poe, Thomas Hawkins, and Jack Donovan attended the social to meet the caucus' members and to talk about their campaigns and their support for gay rights.

After the Stonewall Democrats of Alachua County met with State Representative Charles "Chuck" Chestnut to discuss HB 191, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing and employment in Florida, Rep. Chestnut became the bill's 22nd co-sponsor this week. Thank him for his leadership on this issue by e-mailing him at charles.chestnut at myfloridahouse.gov.

Our next meeting will be on Thursday, January 10 at 5:45 pm at the Democratic Party Center, 901 NW 8 Ave., Suite A-3. We will be discussing the status of HB 191, the upcoming elections on January 29, and ways to Get Out The Vote (GOTV) with queer Democrats.

Come to our December Social

Please join us for our Holiday Social. Candidates for Gainesville City Commission will be on hand. You do not need to be a member to attend. Bring a friend, ask questions, and mingle.

Also, if you bring laundry detergent we will be donating it to the Gainesville Area AIDS Project!

UPDATE: We met with State Representative Charles "Chuck" Chestnut this past Monday to discuss HB 191, which would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment and housing in Florida. He agreed to sign on as a co-sponsor. Thank him for his leadership on this issue by e-mailing him at charles.chestnut at myfloridahouse.gov.

The Stonewall Democrats of Alachua County tabled at Gainesville Pride 2007 this past Saturday. We registered dozens of voters and handed out information about the importance of voting Democratically to support gay and lesbian rights.

Our next meeting will be Thursday, November 8 at 5:45 p.m.

Our December meeting will be a Holiday Social - bring a friend or two, or three - Thursday, December 13 at 5:45 p.m. at local DEC headquarters.

We will be tabling at Gainesville's Pride Fest tomorrow, Saturday, October 13, from 1 to 6 p.m. in the Downtown Community Plaza. Come by and say hi!

We have new voter outreach palm cards that we will be distributing to folks when we table, and we'll also be giving them to the local DEC so that they can hand them out to people who they identify as concerned with GLBT rights when they do door-to-door canvassing. These cards explain our reasons why GLBT folks should vote for Democrats. Some of our reasons include:

Nationally:

• There are only two openly gay members of Congress, both are Democrats.
• Every single Democrat in the U.S. Senate voted in favor of including "sexual orientation" in the Hate Crimes Bill.

Locally:

• The five Gainesville City Commissioners who approved the city’s Domestic Partners Registry are Democrats.
• Craig Lowe, Gainesville’s first and only openly gay city commissioner, is a lifelong Democrat.

Our next meeting will be Thursday, November 8 at 5:45 p.m.

Our December meeting will be a Holiday Social - bring a friend or two, or three - Thursday, December 13 at 5:45 p.m.

We now have our first official vinyl banner, and it looks something like this!

We will be using it for our tabling at tonight's Welcome Back Assembly for GLBT students in the Reitz Union at UF as well as at Pride Fest at Gainesville's Downtown Community Plaza on Saturday, October 13. Be sure to come over and check us out at both locations!

Our next meeting will be on Thursday, October 11 at 5:45 p.m. Come by and sign up for times when you can table with us at the Pride Fest!

Our next meeting will be on Thursday, September 13 at 5:45 pm at the DEC office on 901 NW 8 Avenue, Suite A-3.

We are planning to table at UF's GLBT Welcome Assembly on Friday, September 14 as well as at the Pride Festival on Saturday, October 13.

Remember to e-mail us why you are a GLBT Democrat so we can brainstorm about what bullet points to put on our Democratic and Proud canvassing palm card. E-mail us at StonewallDemsAC at gmail.com

We are also planning to have a Holidays social meeting with food and drinks on Thursday, December 13. So feel free to bring friends along for this laid-back gathering!

Meeting and Debate on Thursday

Our next meeting will be this Thursday, August 9 at 5:45 pm at ACDEC headquarters, 901 NW 8 Avenue, Suite A-3.

We will be discussing Gainesville's new DP registry, the city's gender identity proposal, tabling for the Pride Fest, and creating palm cards.

Homemade brownies will be provided!

The GLBT cable channel LOGO will be airing a debate of the Democratic Presidential Candidates at 9 p.m. on their TV station as well as on their website, www.logoonline.com. Here is more information on the debate:

A number of Democratic presidential hopefuls have agreed to participate in a debate devoted to LGBT issues. This one-hour event is scheduled for Thursday, August 9, at 10 pm on the LOGO network. It will also be streamed live on the LOGO Web site at www.LOGOonline.com.

Seven of the eight announced Democratic candidates are scheduled to participate, including Hillary Clinton, Barak Obama, John Edwards, Chris Dodd, Mike Gravel, Bill Richardson and Dennis Kucinich. Joe Biden declined to attend because of scheduling conflict. Republican candidates declined invitations to debate on the LOGO network.

Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese and singer Melissa Etheridge will question the candidates. Question will focus solely on LGBT issues, including gay marriage, civil unions and fighting HIV/AIDS and discrimination.

Questionnaires filled out by the Democrats for the HRC reveal that all the candidates support anti-discrimination laws, state civil union and domestic partnership provisions and measures guaranteeing same-sex couples the same federal employment benefits as heterosexual couples. They also support repealing the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy and more comprehensive sex education. Only former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich support gay marriage.

Read more:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,291637,00.html

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117968321.html?categoryid=14&cs=1

Welcome!

Welcome to the Stonewall Democrats of Alachua County's website and blog. We meet the second Thursday of each month at 5:45 p.m. at the Alachua County DEC headquarters on 901 NW 8 Avenue, Suite A-3.

Our goals include educating our fellow Democrats - from the local to the national level - about issues important to the GLBT community, supporting openly-GLBT and GLBT-friendly Democrats, and informing non-Democrats why the Democratic Party is the best party for GLBT citizens.

Next Meeting: August 9, 2007