04 Dec 2020 Southport Municipal Democratic Committee’s 2020 Activities
Submitted by: Bill Messmer, Jane Lunt, and Vernon and Mary Rail
March 8 Democratic Caucus
The Caucus was co-chaired and organized by Mary and Vernon Rail, and held at the Boothbay High School gymnasium. (Other area municipal caucuses were also held at the same time and place.) Twenty Southport Democrats attended. The caucus elected Municipal Committee Officers: Bill Messmer-Chair; Jane Lunt-Vice Chair; Vernon Rail-Treasurer; Leigh Sherrill-Secretary.
General Election and Campaign Activities
The following General Election campaign activities were scheduled and organized by the Southport Municipal Democratic Committee.
a) Letters to the editor committee: chaired by Leigh Sherrill, assisted by Jane Lunt, Helen Meserve, & Elaine Goodwin. Primary purpose was to monitor and react to local letters in local newspapers. Also encouraged Southport Democrats in writing letters.
b) Lawn signs (for all Dem candidates) were encouraged and provided to approximately 30 homeowners on Southport and in West Boothbay. An additional 80 signs were placed at various major public road intersections on Southport. Stolen and damaged lawn signs were replaced or repaired on regular basis. (Lawn signs are seen as especially valuable in helping voters to learn names of down-ballot candidates, and thought also to keep up Democratic voter morale as other party candidates put up their signs.)
c) “Candidates On The Lawn” was a successful event organized by the Southport town officers in the backyard of the Harris family home on Southport (the old Lawnmeer Hotel), on Wed. Sept. 9. Given the COVID situation, we informed those invited that we required masks, and chairs would be placed six feet apart (couples and families could sit together). We invited a total of 90 Southport Dems for whom we have email addresses. An audience of 50 people showed up to hear candidates Holly Stover and Chloe Maxmin, and ask questions. Very good interaction. Given COVID limitations we thought it got everyone off to a successful campaign start. The work was managed by both Southport committee officers and by several volunteer Southport Democrats, and by the generous Harris family efforts.
d) Southport Committee “letter, email, and phone activities”: these occurred on the importance of voting (absentee and normal town hall voting) and how to do it in this time of COVID seemed helpful to many voters. These communications to Southport Democrats and independents were a major effort by the Southport committee officers. Jane Lunt was the primary organizer of this effort and kept it going and up to date with its information. LCDC helped us with up-to-date lists of both Southport democrats and independents. Donna Climo, the town clerk was also especially helpful in this effort.
e) “Canvassing” was a prominent Southport activity carried out by Matt Elder and Bill Messmer. A total of 100+ Democratic and independent doors were knocked on with lit-drops. Masks were worn and social distancing observed after knocking on the door.
f) The “Obstacles to Voting” Committee: The Southport Committee worked with the LCDC to identify Southport problems (signs, drop boxes, election day volunteers, etc). Jane Lunt managed this set of issues working with the ever-helpful Donna Climo at Town Hall.
g) Southport Committee members also participated in other LCDC-sponsored activities like the Defend Democracy roadside rallies in Wiscasset, Damariscotta (twice), Waldoboro, and Boothbay Center and the Drive in for Democracy at the Wiscasset Speedway on August 30.
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