Today signifies America's Independence Day, but it's also important to remember that it signifies so much more than that. Today Ottawa Dems chose to show our support for OUR Ottawa County Democratic candidates by marching in various parades. In Allendale Heidi Zuinga for state rep and Jeanette Schipper for state senate walked in the parade! For more pictures check out our FB page: https://www.facebook.com/OttawaDems/?hc_ref=ARSqN7-a-HJGUR3mUARujNIbWDMneO9KR2Lu8cp_kDYDjdYkGyJUwnGzzbu7jNEBzug
Peters Announces Upcoming Community Meetings
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Gary Peters announced that he is holding four community meetings across Michigan in the coming weeks to provide additional opportunities to hear from constituents. The events are open to the public, and casework staff from Senator Peters’ office will be available to meet with constituents who need help dealing with federal programs and agencies such as Medicare, Social Security, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the IRS.
“I am proud to represent Michigan in the United States Senate, but I know the best ideas don’t come from Washington. As I travel across our state, I always look forward to hearing from Michiganders about what can be done in Washington to make Michigan the best place to live, work and raise a family,” said Senator Peters. “My office stands ready to aid any Michiganders who may need assistance navigating federal agencies or accessing their benefits, and I encourage residents who may need help to visit with my staff and learn more about how my office can be of service.”
Senator Peters hosts Coffee With Gary in his Washington, D.C. office each week the Senate is in session and rides his motorcycle across the state during his annual #RideMI Motorcycle Tour to meet with constituents, business owners, servicemembers and veterans.
In the U.S. Senate, Peters serves on the Armed Services Committee; Commerce Science and Transportation Committee; Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee; and the Joint Economic Committee.
Below are more details on the community meetings. Michiganders interested in attending can RSVP here.
Ypsilanti Community Meeting
Saturday, June 16th at 10:00am
Eastern Michigan University
Ypsilanti, MI 48197
Grand Rapids Community Meeting
Saturday, June 30th at 10:00am
Gerald Ford Presidential Museum
303 Pearl Street NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
Southfield Community Meeting
Saturday, July 14th at 10:00am
Southfield High School for the Arts and Technology
24675 Lahser Road
Southfield, MI 48033
Flint Community Meeting
Saturday, July 28th at 10:00am
University of Michigan – Flint
303 E. Kearsley Street
Flint, MI 48502
Please join us for a Candidate Meet and Greet!
Senate Candiate Jeanette Shipper and MI Rep Candidate Christopher Banks
Sunday June 10th from 6:00-8:00pm
Ottawa Dems Office: 451 Columbia Holland, MI
Applications for absentee ballots are available now (link to printable application available now). If you are in need of an absentee ballot please make sure you fill out the application and return it to your LOCAL CLERK for processing. This will ensure that you receive a ballot when they are sent out before the election.
https://www.michigan.gov/documents/AbsentVoterBallot_105377_7.pdf
Jocelyn Benson is the 2018 Democratic candidate for Michigan Secretary of State
HOLLAND — From her beginnings at the Southern Poverty Law Center, Jocelyn Benson has always been committed to addressing voting rights issues and protecting democracy.
Benson, the 2018 Democratic candidate for Michigan Secretary of State, spoke at an event hosted by the Ottawa County Democratic Party at City Vu in downtown Holland on Monday evening, May 21.
“I was instilled with this deep commitment to address voting rights and democracy work in our country,” Benson said. “There has been so much work done to protect the vote and there is still so much work to be done.”
From Benson’s perspective, the secretary of state oversees two very important issues for Michigan residents: voting and driving.
Her campaign is based on increasing efficiency at secretary of state offices to ensure no Michigan resident has to wait more than 30 minutes to get their driver’s license, register their vehicle, cast a ballot or get other services.
The first step in cutting down wait times will be to collect data to see which branches are struggling, then implementing best practices across the state.
Employees from efficient branches could be used to train less efficient branches and there are ways to decrease the frequency residents have to come to secretary of state offices, Benson said.
Banning driver fee increases, ensuring secure elections, protecting the right to vote for all citizens and increasing ethics and transparency in the state are the four other pillars of Benson’s campaign.
In 2008, Benson traveled around the country talking to secretaries of state and documenting best practices. Then she authored a book called “State Secretaries of State: Guardians of the Democratic Process” with her findings.
The Ottawa County Democratic Party is planning our 2018 fundraiser - Brews 2.0!! This “political speakeasy” event will provide local Democrats and progressives an opportunity to listen and engage with our two featured speakers:
Jocelyn Benson, the 2018 Democratic candidate for MI’s Secretary of State; and - a popular repeat from last year’s event - Brandon Dillon, the Michigan Democratic Party State Chairman.
We are gratified to provide local Democrats and progressive activists the opportunity get to know our candidates and state chair in a casual setting for Q&A and brainstorming.
This fundraiser will help provide the resources necessary for our County party to succeed. We will help our candidates - up and down the slate - wage winning campaigns this fall! We are hoping for a repeat of last year’s "Brews With Brandon” event with a sellout crowd!
May we count on you to attend this event, becoming a key player in helping make sure that the West Michigan Lakeshore joins the 2018 BLUE WAVE - and ensuring change in our current political climate? Please go to www.actblue.com/donate/brews2 to purchase your tickets or consider a sponsorship, today!
Thank you again, and we hope to see you at CityVu Events on May 21!
BREWS 2.0
Monday May 21, 2018 6:30pm
City Vu - Holland
Hors D'ouvres & Cash Bar
Confirmed Speakers:
---Jocelyn Benson, Secretary of State Candidate
---Brandon Dillon, Chair - Michigan Democratic Party
Tickets will be available for purchase via Act Blue online and in person at the Ottawa Dems May meeting.
https://secure.actblue.com/donate/brews2
Will you dare to commit to donate at least $10 a month to the Ottawa Dems starting today? Ottawa Dems are more committed than ever to supporting quality democratic candidates in Ottawa County, but we need your help to do so. Please consider making a reoccurring donation via our actblue link. Thank you! https://secure.actblue.com/donate/ottawadems
Letter: No sunshine in Michigan
Posted Mar 20, 2018 at 2:01 AM
I celebrated national Sunshine Week (March 11-17) by attending office hours with my State Rep. Roger Victory, R-Hudsonville. I asked Victory if he had supported the Open Records Act (House bills 4148-4157); he said he had supported these bills, but did have some concerns.
The package of bills allowing Michiganders to make Freedom of Information Act requests of our legislators is stalled in the Senate because Majority Leader Arlan Meekhof, R-West Olive, will not move them out of committee or up for a vote. In a recent Sentinel guest column (“Sunshine Week would be brighter in Michigan with stronger FOIA laws,” March 14), author Jane Briggs-Bunting of the Michigan Coalition for Open Government states that Meekhof “told a group of journalists last year that they are the only ones who care about FOIA.” Our state government has exempted itself from FOIA. The Center for Public Integrity gives Michigan an F grade for transparency.
I find deep irony in Meekhof’s statement that only journalists care about FOIA. I was the Democratic candidate for state representative in the 88th District in 2016. I am a public school teacher with 20 years of service in my current district. The GOP executed a FOIA request for ALL of my work emails when I was a candidate. Apparently, Meekhof’s party cares enough about FOIA to use it against a political opponent, but does not want the public to have the ability to find out about actions taken regarding the Flint water crisis or the Larry Nassar case.
Victory states that his campaign did not file the request; I believe him. On the issue of transparency, Victory and I agree. Let us hope that with new leadership in the Senate after the 2018 elections, Michiganders can finally get behind the curtain and find out what our public servants and employees are up to.
Kim Nagy
Chair, Ottawa County Democratic Party
