Category: Voting - PACG - Progressive Action for the Common Good

People's Forum - After Action Report

10/16/2022

People's Forum - Iowa House of Representatives - After Action Report

PACG Board of Directors, Forums and AAUW and ISEA

PACG cosponsored this event with the AAUW (American Association of University Women) and ISEA (Iowa State Education Association).

Seven of the twelve candidates for the Iowa House participated in a candidate forum on Saturday morning, October 15th, at the Bettendorf Library. About 30 citizens attended this event, which was moderated by Daniel Salazar, a Senior at St. Ambrose University and a member of the Muscatine LULAC and Latinos Unidos.

Thank you to all who helped coordinate this event.

Lori McCollum

Make Temporary Visitor's Driver's License (TVDL) a valid ID! - Of Interest to PACG Forum Members

9/8/2022

Let's make the Temporary Visitor's Driver's License (TVDL) a valid ID!

PACG received this letter from our progressive friends at Quad Cities Interfaith.

Dear Ally,

The Temporary Visitor's Driver’s License in Illinois came into effect on July 1, 2014. This allows non-visa status individuals or undocumented immigrants the opportunity to obtain a temporary Visitor's Driver's License. Nonetheless, this temporary driver's license is not a valid form of identification in the State of Illinois.

Leaders from Quad Cities Interfaith, along with affiliates of the Gamaliel Network, have started a campaign to demand a regular driver's license for undocumented immigrants that can be also a valid form of identification. This is because many have faced obstacles using it as a form of ID when accessing their bank accounts, when returning items at stores, and even facing stigmas because the TVDL states: "Not Valid for Identification". Federal limits would still apply with this new ID, but community members would no longer face obstacles in accessing basic aspects of everyday life and would feel more comfortable when interacting with law enforcement.

One of the first steps of this campaign is to invite both candidates running for the Secretary of State, to the Gamaliel of Illinois & Iowa Public Meeting, to be hosted on October 13, 2022 at 6:00 p.m. on Monroe Street Christian Church, Springfield, IL.

If you are interested in learning more about TVDL please click HERE or email Mayra@qcinterfaith.org

In Solidarity,
Quad Cities Interfaith

Decision delayed on Iowa's top caucus spot - Of Interest to PACG Forum Members

8/16/2022

Decision delayed on Iowa's top caucus spot

Civil Rights Forum and The Real MainStream

Iowa will have to wait until after the mid-term elections to learn whether it will keep its spot as the first political caucus of the presidential season, reports the Nebraska Examiner. Iowa is vying to keep its early spot along with New Hampshire, and challengers Nevada, Maryland and South Carolina. Critics say Iowa should not hold such an influential spot because it lacks diversity (emphasis added).

Read more in the link above.

The Real MainStream is the only blatantly LGBTQ-affirming, intersectional, progressive publication serving Illinois and Iowa. Subscribe to the Real Mainstream here.

PACG Webmaster

Vote Today in the Illinois Primary - Action Alert

6/28/2022

Vote Today in the Illinois Primary! - Action Alert
Tuesday, June 28th from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm

A Message to Our Members

Have you voted by early by mail or in person in Illinois? If not, go to your polling place today!

We are all aware of the numerous challenges facing our democracy. Your vote matters more than ever and it is the path forward for change.

Here are a few resources if you need more information today:

For voting instructions and assistance: https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/VotingInstructions.aspx

Find your vote by mail drop box here: https://www.elections.il.gov/VotingAndRegistrationSystems/VoteByMailBallotDropBoxLocations.aspx?T=637915089565405758

Polls are open to vote in person from 6:00 am to 7:00 pm.

Glenda Guster

Voting Primary Dates - A Message to Our Membership

5/17/2022

Iowa and Illinois Primary Voting Information
Various Dates

A Message to Our Membership

Know the dates for voting in the upcoming primary elections!

Iowa Primary Voting

May 18: First Day of Absentee Voting
May 23: Deadline to Request Absentee Ballots to be mailed
June 7: Primary Election Day

Your ballot must be received at your Iowa County Auditor's office on June 7th. Ballots will not be counted if they are received later, regardless of postmark date. This is a new voter restriction that the Iowa legislature has instituted.Learn more about voting in Scott County here: https://www.scottcountyiowa.gov/auditor

Illinois Primary Voting

May 19: Early in-person voting begins at your county clerk's office
June 12: Last day to register online to vote in Illinois. You can still register to vote in-person, up until and on election day (June 28).
June 7: Primary Election Day
June 23: Last day for election officials to receive your mail-in ballot (so make sure your mail-in ballot is postmarked before this date)
June 28: Illinois statewide primary election. Polls open at 6:00 am and close at 7:00 pm. Learn more about voting in Rock Island here: http://rockislandcountyil.gov/Elections/Home/

Lori McCollum

Action Alert - Petition to Repeal Iowa Voting Restrictions

11/21/2021

Petition to Repeal Iowa's New Restrictive Voting Laws -
Action Alert

petition_to_repeal_new_voter_laws.pdf
File Size:	275 kb
File Type:	pdf

A Message from the President

PACG has joined a coalition of Iowa organizations to support the effort of the League of Women Voters of Johnson County, Iowa (LWVJC) to oppose the changes to Iowa's new voting laws (HF413 and SF568). These laws are restrictive and unnecessary. They make it harder to vote! Per the LWV, the restrictions:

Invalidate some mail-in ballots that, even when mailed promptly, cannot be returned before polls close
Impede voting by medical and other workers with 12-hour shifts by closing the polls earlier on primary and general election days
Obstruct returning absentee ballots by limiting the use of ballot drop boxes to one per county, regardless of population, and by unnecessarily restricting who may return absentee ballots
Drastically shorten the early voting period from 29 days to 20 and needlessly limit ballot request periods
Invite interference in our elections by allowing political parties to challenge Iowa elections in court
Limit county auditors’ abilities to adapt to local conditions and criminalize good-faith errors
Provide less time for voter registration and move voters who miss any general election to an “inactive” list

To get an even better understanding of what changed in these new laws, see this PACG blog post.

The list of voting law changes summarized by the Iowa State Association of County Auditors in the flyer below.

The League of Women Voters (LWV) is collecting signatures to oppose these changes from now until December 15th. The goal is to collect thousands of signatures across the state. These signatures will be delivered in person to the Iowa Senate Majority and Minority Leaders, the Speaker of the House and Minority Leader in January of 2022. LWV will host a press conference at that time.

LWVJC is offering both a paper petition or online signature. Here’s more information about the petition:

For further details about the petition, and to sign in online click this link: https://www.lwvia.org/petitions
To sign the online petition without further details, click this link: https://www.lwvia.org/anti-voter-laws
All signees must be Iowa residents, at least 18 years old and eligible to vote. However, a signee does not have to be registered to vote.
Paper copies of the petition can be printed from pdf we have attached above. Susan Leuthauser will pick up your signed petition or you may mail it to the address below.
Each person can sign only one petition - either online or a paper copy.

If you have visitors from Iowa over the holiday, encourage them to sign the petition. Feel free to forward the online signature link to friends and relatives living across Iowa, and encourage your neighbors and friends to participate in this campaign. Email them this link: https://www.lwvia.org/petitions

Contact Susan Leuthauser (by clicking on her name) with any questions. She will also coordinate the collection of the signed petitions. If you would rather mail your signed petition, send it to:

LWVJC
P.O. Box 5254
Coralville, Iowa 52241

Our growing list of coalition partners for this petition drive includes:

Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
Common Good Iowa
Sierra Club
Delta Sigma Theta
Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
Iowa Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Interfaith Alliance
Des Moines Chapter, The Links, Incorporated
Progressive Action for the Common Good
One Human Family of the QCA
QC Pride, Inc.
Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities

As usual, PACG is proud to be working for the common good in this important way.

Allison Ambrose

iowaelectionlawchanges.pdf
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New Voting Restrictions In Iowa - A Message to Our Members

10/19/2021

Are You Still Registered to Vote in the Election in Iowa?

A Message to Our Members

The Iowa legislature recently passed sweeping new voting laws that actually make it harder to vote in our state. If you did not vote in the 2020 election, your voting status becomes inactive. But because we now have to show an ID to vote, once you go to the polls and to vote again, your status moves to active. However, if you do not vote in two general elections, then your voter status is canceled. If you wish to vote in any subsequent election you must re-register to vote.

PACG supported the efforts of Iowa Women United to create an informational flyer about these changes. The second page (shown below) summarizes some of these restrictive measures. Please download and print off the flyer to hand out to your family and friends.

The right to vote is critical to our democracy. We will continue to fight any laws that restrict that right.

Allison Ambrose

iowa_women_united_vote_flyer.pdf
File Size:	27 kb
File Type:	pdf

What You Can Do Now - Help Scott County Vote

5/26/2021

Help Scott County Vote
Tuesday, May 25th to Tuesday, June 8th

Non-Partisan Coaliton

On April 23rd the Scott County Auditor resigned after having just been reelected in November 2020. As per law, the Scott County Board of Supervisors had to convene and decide whether to nominate an individual to the position or hold a special election. The Board opted to nominate a new auditor. They also indicated to the media that they know the candidate, and that only one person was under consideration - a blatant disregard of Iowa's open meeting laws.

There is recourse. The Board can be petitioned for a special election!

The Board of Supervisors plan to named their appointment on Tuesday, May 25th. But from May 26th to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 8th, just under 10,000 petition signatures will need to be collected.

A large, non-partisan collaboration of various organizations - including labor groups, the Davenport NAACP, and many concerned citizens - believe that the voters of Scott County should be able to elect the individual who is responsible for running our fair and free elections. These groups are coordinating efforts to collect signatures in Scott County. A small army is needed to do this work!

If interested in helping, please fill out the Non-Partisan Coaliton google form.

Read more from the Quad City Times: Scott County Democrats launch petition for special election to fill auditor vacancy.

Allison Ambrose

Contact Iowa State Legislators Regarding Progressive Values - What You Can Do Now

2/23/2021

Contact your Iowa State Legislators
Iowa State House

Voting Rights and Civil Rights

Legislation has been introduced in the Iowa Legislature that affects progressive values.

House File 590 impacts the ability of Iowans to vote:
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/publications/search/document?fq=id:1213531&q=HF+590

House File 222 proposes that information found in the “1619 Project” regarding the history of slavery in America be banished from public school's curriculum:
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/publications/search/document?fq=id:1210570&q=HF+222

Contact your Iowa State Legislators to express your views on both of these bills by visiting the links above. Legislators have indicated that contact by email is the most effective way to reach them.

Allison Ambrose

UPDATED - Count Every Vote Rally and Prayer Vigil

11/3/2020

Update: Count Every Vote Rally and Prayer Vigil
is now on Zoom!
Saturday, November 7th at 1:00 pm

A Message from the President

Due to the high numbers of Covid-19 in Iowa, this event will be virtual.

The link information for this Zoom event is:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86210124966?pwd=ekZ1dGJVeWpzRi9qbkdjYnF3NENaUT09
Meeting ID: 862 1012 4966
Passcode: 773903
Meeting ID: 862 1012 4966
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbMzsjGVM

Our original post from this week's WEU is as follows:

The US has held elections even during times of great strife like the Civil War, the Great Depression and both World Wars. The peaceful transfer of power has never been in question.

The efforts of our forebears gave African Americans and women the right to vote. Today Americans agree that every citizen should vote and that every vote should be counted.

PACG is working with local groups and clergy to organize a rally and prayer vigil on Saturday, November 7th at 1:00 pm. We will meet at the Stone Fountain on the south side of Vander Veer Park.

We support the dedication and efforts of our local election officials to ensure that every vote is counted. Join us for this peaceful rally and prayer vigil to bring people together in support of the values and ideals we share as participants in our democracy.

Allison Ambrose