Following our panel discussion on Sunday evening, PDCC voted strongly in favor of endorsing a “No on A” position on the June 13th ballot.  

(Draft minutes can be found HERE)

Thank you to all who attended, and thanks especially to our panelists! The discussion was lively, and it was fantastic to see the way our members turned out to have this important conversation. I am grateful for the spirit of democracy that inspires us to grapple, as individuals and as an organization, with complicated (and even divisive) issues, and to work through them to take a stance as a group.

If you attended Sunday’s meeting and got something out of it, we would love to encourage you to attend an upcoming meeting and continue engaging with the Portland Dems! Our next General Meeting will be Sunday, July 9th – and stay tuned for other events that may pop up throughout the summer.

Thank you again for your time, your thoughtfulness, and for showing up for democracy!

VOTING INFORMATION:

– A reminder that TUESDAY, JUNE 13th is Election Day. Polls open at 7:00a and close at 8:00p. Find your polling location HERE!

– Early and Absentee Voting Options:

   a) Early In-Person Voting at City Hall: Hours are Monday, through Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. On Thursday, June 8th only, the Clerk’s Office will remain open until 7:00 PM. This is the last day to absentee vote, unless you have an allowed special circumstance.

   b) Voting by Absentee Ballot:

• You can request an absentee ballot online.
• You can call the City Clerk’s office M-F from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at 207-874-8677.
• You can complete a June 13, 2023 absentee ballot application and submit it by
  • Mailing it to City Clerk’s Office 389 Congress Street, Portland ME 04101
  • Fax it to 207-874-8612
  • Email it to elections@portlandmaine.gov
• Ways to return your ballot:
  • Mail your ballot back to City Hall 389 Congress Street
  • Return to one of our 24-hour secure external drop boxes located at City Hall next to the Myrtle Street entrance or at the Public Works Building at 212 Canco Road.
  • Ballots are NOT to be returned to your polling location. Absentee ballots must be returned to City Hall by 8:00 PM on election day to be processed and counted. If you have any questions or need assistance with voting, please let us know!

COMING UP:

– We’ll be tabling and marching at Pride, on Saturday, June 17th.  We’d love for you to join us and get involved with the celebration, so reach out if you are interested!

– Our next General Meeting will be Sunday, July 9th.

Though we may still be digging out from a fresh round of snow, I am reflecting on the seeds just under the soil that are getting ready to push their way up to the sun. I am excited and hopeful that, here at PDCC, we are busy planting some seeds this season and gaining energy for a productive springtime ahead!

Our March General Meeting will be next Sunday, March 12th from 7:00p – 8:30p on Zoom (register HERE). We have a great meeting planned; please join us as we:

• Discuss the end of the COVID national emergency with Maine Equal Justice representative Alex Carter
• Get our monthly Legislative Update, this month with guest presenter Rep. Grayson Lookner
• Elect a new PDCC Secretary

Lastly, I’m pleased to announce that we are re-instating a lovely PDCC tradition of monthly “Dems Drinks”! This is a casual, drop-in event, an opportunity to socialize and catch up with your fellow Dems.

Join us for Dems Drinks!

Thursday, 3/16, 5:00p-7:00p

Urban Farm Fermentory, 200 Anderson St in Portland

(parking and non-alcoholic beverages available)

I really hope you can join us this month – we look forward to seeing you there!

Best wishes,

Meg Harned (she/her)

Chair, PDCC

As you know by now, we have a lot to celebrate! This election was a prime example of the ways in which getting out and doing the work – knocking doors, making calls, writing postcards, and getting out the vote – can have a real impact on election outcomes. Thank you for all YOU have done as Portland Democrats to make sure we “Won’t Go Back!”

While we here at PDCC have spent the last week celebrating and catching our breath a bit, it is also important to recognize that this work is ongoing – and requires leadership to make it all happen! We would like to invite you to join our general meeting this TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22nd from 6:30p – 7:40p on Zoom to elect officers, in accordance with our bylaws. (Register here)

We will be holding elections for all elected positions, including:

• – Chair
• – Vice Chair
• – Secretary
• – Treasurer

We would love for you to attend and have a voice in selecting PDCC’s leadership for the next two years! What’s more, if you have ever considered getting involved with PDCC in a more hands-on way, now is the perfect chance. We urge you to consider running for any of these positions, or to alert your friends if there is someone you can think of who would be a great fit!

The full agenda is HERE; we hope to see you there!

PDCC November Meeting

Officer Elections

Tuesday, Nov. 22, 6:30-7:40pm, over Zoom

(Register here) (Agenda here)