(Crossposted at http://www.blogforamerica.com)

Last Friday, Secretary of State Debra Bowen took a major step forward in restoring election integrity by decertifying electronic voting machines with the “potential for serious security breaches”. Our DFA-List endorsed candidate followed through on her campaign promise to require a top-to-bottom review of election procedures and take action on the results.

Now Sacramento lobbyists and media pundits are trying to stop reform and influence the county officials charged with implementing the changes. Yesterday and today, DFA members in California placed hundreds of calls in support of Debra Brown and verifiable elections and delivered this message:

“I support Secretary of State Debra Bowen’s decision to restore election integrity and ban unsafe voting machines. I’m counting on you to support the ban and protect our votes.”

Here is a some of the feedback we received:

Deanna in Los Angeles County:

Phone was very busy. Aide who finally answered said they were swamped with calls, all in favor of Debra Bowen's decision. Told her I served on the Election Board and was very concerned. She took my phone number and thanked me.

Gerry in Ventura County:

He was very polite and cordial and appreciated my call and comments. He said he supported Debra Bowen's work and efforts and mentioned that Ventura Co uses paper ballots in almost all instances. He also gave me his phone number and email address. Very pleased with his response!

More feedback below the fold:

Kayleen in Yolo County:

One of Oakley's office people answered. When I said that I wanted to urge the Clerk to support Debra Bowen in banning unsafe voting machines, she put me on the phone with the Clerk. Freddie Oakley the clerk said that she whole heartedly supported Bowen in this action. She also relayed that she thought she was the only clerk that did so…

Response to Leslie in El Dorado County:

"I support Ms. Bowen's decision, our county uses paper ballot optical scan as the primary method of voting at polling places already, we will comply with her additional security procedures. Thank you for your interest……Bill" William E. Schultz Recorder-Clerk-Registrar of Voters El Dorado

Sarah in Santa Cruz County:

I reached a staffer named Crystal, who said enthusiastically that "We are implementing the changes"–and took advantage of my call to sign me up to be a poll worker. I asked whether they were getting a lot of calls about the voting machine ban; she said yes.

Keep the calls coming today!

Find your county official and phone number:

http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/elections_d.htm

After you make the call, please report how it went here:

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/reportcall

Debra Bowen has come through for California. Now it is up to you to stand by her and make sure every vote counts. Keep up the pressure by calling today!

(Cross-posted at The Liberal OC)

The USC extension campus in Irvine is back to normal now. All the Priuses with the gnarly bumper stickers left the parking lot long ago. Life in Orange County has returned to normal, now that DFA Training Academy has moved on to the next location…

Or has it? Now, we have some 110 people who have gone through this training, and know how to make a difference. We have four Congressional candidates who have endured the training, and are ready to rumble (and take down some sleazy Republican incumbents). Ron Shepston in the 42nd District, Bill Hedrick in the 44th District, Hoyt Hilsman in the 26th District, and Michael Wray in the 50th District have now gone through the training, and so have their future teams of activists in their respective areas. Local grassroots groups for Barack Obama, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, and Bill Richardson (OK, and some Nevada staffers for Richardson also trekked down for this!) now know what they need to do to grow and put their grassroots energy to use. And now, local advovacy groups know how to get their message out more effectively.

Follow me after the flip for more on all the great things we learned, and how we all intend to put them into practice…

So where do we go from here? We can begin putting our plans into action. OK, so some of us may still be working on our plans. One thing that I’ve learned over the weekend is that we’ll never get anywhere if we don’t begin with a well-thought-out plan. We need to work on attainable goals, and on a good plan to move us to our goals.

OK, so our goals are in place and our plan is set. Where do we go next? Well, I used to be so afraid of recruiting volunteers. Now I can see how to do it. Fundraising used to scare me. Now I see how this can be done. I just shouldn’t be afraid to ask. And I should be more shameless.

OK, I think I need some practice. May I start with you? OK, then. Would you please check out DFA Night School? The night school covers many of the same topics that were covered during last weekend’s training. Go over and view the archives if you missed the training, and sign up for the Fall Semester!

And now, here’s my next request for you. Can you help our local campaigns and grassroots groups? If you’re supporting a candidate and/or cause, the best way to see it happen is to actually get out and make it happen! If you’re anywhere near the 42nd District, sign up to help Ron Shepston. If you’re anywhere near the 44th District, sign up to help Bill Hedrick. If you’re supporting Barack Obama for President in Orange County, join us at Obama OC. If you’re supporting John Edwards in San Diego, join San Diego for Edwards. If you’re supporting Hillary Clinton in LA, join Angelenos for Hillary. Just get involved in your neighborhood, no matter what specific campaign you’re joining. After all, what good is all this information that we just learned if we never use it?

So are you with me here? Can I count on YOU to get active, and practive what you learn? Let’s start making our hopes and dreams come true by making a plan of action, and then executing it. : )

(Cross-posted at The Liberal OC and Daily Kos)

Something amazing is happening tomorrow. DFA Campaign Academy is coming to Southern California! Tomorrow, progressive activists from all over Southern California will be coming to Orange County to learn how to win next year and in future elections. And guess what? All of us activists will be learning from the experts who know a thing or two on how to win.

Oh, and here's some more good news. Even though registration for attendance is already at 160 people, DFA is still accepting sign-ups for tomorrow! That's right, even if you haven't signed up yet, you can still come to DFA Training! So what's happening at DFA Training? Follow me after the flip for more…

So what’s in store for this weekend? Well, why not look at the curriculum to find out?! Learn how to fundraise! Learn how to target voters in your neighborhood with new and imporved online tools ready for you to start using! Learn how to use communicate your message better in your local area! Take advantage of this opportunity to learn all this and more this weekend!

OK, so why exactly is this important? Why should we learn all these campaign stuff, especially if we’re not in an area where progressives can win? Actually, that’s why we need to all go to the training this weekend! For far too long, many Democrats have written off areas like Orange County and the Inland Empire as “hopelessly Republican”. But you know what? We can change this!

Ron Shepston may already be doing this as he’s getting his campaign started in the 42nd Congressional District. Now what could possibly be a better way for all of us in Southern California to help Ron out than to go to DFA Campaign Academy and learn how we can convince our neighbors in CA-42 to support Ron? Ron will need people to can take a progressive message, and communicate it in a way that catches the attention of people who may not know much about politics. Ron will need people to help him raise money. Ron will need plenty of help from us if we want to see him win next year, so let’s learn how we can make that happen this weekend!

OK, so you’re nowhere near Orange County? And you don’t live near the 42nd District? That’s fine. Please come anyways, as it’s also important that you learn how to get Democrats elected and promote the progressive agenda in your neighborhood! Perhaps if you sign up now, you can also still catch a hotel room available if you need one. It’s important that we build up Democratic infrastructure everywhere, so let’s get started this weekend! Let’s go to the training and learn what we need to know to gegin building that infrastructure we need to win!

So who’s with me on this? I’ve already signed up for the training. Have you? Well then, you can still sign up! The training’s only $70… That includes lunch for both days and all the workshops you want inside! Oh yes, and this is your chance to meet some of the finest progressive Democrats in the entire region. So what are you waiting for? Sign up to come tomorrow and join the fun!

(Cross-posted at Trash Dirty Gary, Ditch Crazy Dana, and Obama OC)

What are you looking to do over the next year or so? Want to organize for universal health care? Want to campaign for your favorite Democratic Presidential Candidate? Want to manage your best friend’s campaign for Congress? Want to just know what all your friends at DFA are talking about whenever election time approaches? Whatever you plan to do in politics, you need to learn how to be better at it by joining us at DFA Training Academy on July 21-22 in Irvine!

Oh yes, and I should say this. If you haven’t registered yet, this is your last chance to sign up to attend! We’re nearing our maximum attendance limit of 150, and the actual training is barely more than a week away. If you’re in Southern California and you haven’t yet signed up, take this last opportunity to learn how progressives can win, and how YOU can be a part of it!

Follow me after the flip to find out why you shouldn’t pass up on this last chance to learn how to be a force for change in your community…

So what will we be learning about at DFA Training Academy? Take a look at the curriculum! Learn how to fund raise! Learn how to target voters! Learn how to use the media to your advantage! Find out all the new organizing tools available that are easier than ever to use! And find it all at the training academy!

OK, so there’s plenty of serious stuff to learn. How much fun can one have here? Well, plenty! We have a very special social night ready for you on Saturday, the 21st. What do we have planned? Well, sign up for the training and get ready for a pleasant surprise! And oh yes, don’t forget how much fun you’ll have in meeting new progressive pals from all over Southern California! Who knows? Maybe you’ll meet some neighbors who you never thought were also Democrats. ; )

So we have a great curriculum and a great chance to meet fellow local activists. Where the heck can one stay for the night? And what about food? Don’t worry. If you’re coming in from some far away location like Santa Barbara or San Bernardino or San Diego, there’s a hotel room reserved just for you. And lunch is provided for Saturday AND Sunday. But again, this is only available for a limited time!

So what more can you ask for? You have a hotel room (if you need one). You have lunch plans. You have trainers ready to help you become a campaign rock star. And you have a whole lot of progressive activists who want to meet you. What more can you ask for? Take this last chance to sign up for DFA Training!

Trust me, you won’t regret it. ; )

Have you always wondered what you can do to run a more effective campaign? Are you planning to run for office soon? Do you just want to be a better informed activist? Well, then come to the Orange County DFA Training next month! There is still room available, and we’re preparing a great program for all of you Southern California progressive activists coming!

So what exactly do we have in store for you? Follow me after the flip for more…

So what exactly can you expect at DFA Training? Take a look at this:

Staffers, professionals, and volunteers researched and developed a curriculum for winning local elections and for organizing between elections. We reached out to campaign professionals who shared DFA’s vision for grassroots-led democracy. By themselves, none of DFA activists or local candidates would be able to afford this level of professional expertise. With the training we can connect activists and campaigns with professionals to build a sustaining and politically savvy organization.

We’ll have workshops on field campaigning, organization building, communications, keeping voter files, and fundraising. Want to figure out how to use the precinct captain program to turn out all the Democratic voters in town? Want to learn the secrets to effective fundraising? Want to know how to use earned media to your advantage? Well, then you need to come to DFA Training and learn from the experts!

Come on, now! Don’t you want to come and join us? Don’t you want to learn to to build a winning organization?

So will you be coming to Orange County? And will you be coming from some far away location like San Bernardino or San Buenaventura or Beaumont or Del Mar? Need a place to stay during the weekend? Well, you’re in luck now! DFA-Orange County has reserved a hotel room just for you!

Take your pick on these hotels where we’ve reserved an affordable yet comfortable room for you:

1. Comfort Inn, 2620 Hotel Terrace Dr., Santa Ana; 714/966-5200 (front desk)
Rate: $79.99 a night single or double on reservations made before July 4; 30 rooms are blocked
Internet: wireless throughout the facility
Each room has a refrigerator & a microwave
Breakfast: complementary with some hot items
Amenities: hot tub, heated pool,
When calling request ‘Democracy For America blocked rooms’

2. Best Western, 2700 Hotel Terrace Dr., Santa Ana; 714/432-8888
Rate: $84 a night single (one king) or double (two queens); 7 day cancellation
Internet: DSL in room and wifi
Breakfast: complementary included
Confirmation #: 306900; request DFA Training Academy block

OK, so we have a hotel room ready for you. We have a space at class waiting for you. We’ll have yummy meals ready for you. Oh yes, and we have fun after-school activities that we’re planning for you. What else could you possibly want? Go to the Orange County DFA Training Academy page and reserve your spot today! It’s $60 for the two-day event, and only $30 for students and low-income attendees.

So don’t wait! Don’t hesitate! Reserve your spot for Orange County DFA Training Academy today! We can’t keep a spot reserved for you forever. ; )

(There are actually 2 DFA Training Sessions, in OC July 21-22 as mentioned in this post and also in Sacramento on July 14-15. – promoted by Brian Leubitz)

In case you forgot, DFA is doing its training academy this July. And this year, we’re having it here in Orange County! Yes, we have some great campaign training planned for you in Irvine. And yes, we’re already planning to show all of you fantastic Democratic activists who will be coming from throughout Southern California (from Oxnard to Palm Springs to Imperial Beach) how we REALLY do it in the OC! : )

So have you signed up for this yet? Do you still need to be signed up for this? Do you still need to learn more about this? Follow me after the flip for more on this great opportunity to learn how YOU can be a part of the big Democratic victory of 2008…

I’m sure you know about what happened last year. Now do you want to learn to make the magic happen again next year? Perhaps this is what you’re looking for:

The 2008 Presidential race is already beginning to take shape. You and I both know that the grassroots are more than just a passive audience in this race. The DFA Training Academy will prepare you to become an asset to whichever candidate you end up supporting.

But this is more than just a presidential race. This past November Democrats across the country were successful in races from the U.S. Senate to local city councils. In addition to the standard campaign curriculum, we also will focus on strategies geared toward retaining the seats won last year and building Democratic majorities in 2008 and beyond.

Wow! Doesn’t that sound great? Well, there’s more! Only $60 (or $30 for low income people and students) can get you all of this:

At the DFA Training Academy, experienced campaign professionals will cover practical strategies and tactics including communications, fundraising, voter targeting, online organizing, and building a sustainable grassroots movement. We design the program so you can go out and use the skills you learn right away. Then, we follow up with you to make sure you have the support you need to organize your community.

Maybe you want to learn how to be more effective activist. Maybe you want to prepare yourself for the Presidential Election next year. Maybe you want to learn how to begin changing things for the better at the local level. Or maybe you just want to network with fellow activists. This will be the place for all of that and more!

Now my friends at DFA-Orange County have been working their fannies off organizing this for the past several months. They’ve been scouring all over the county for the perfect location, just for you. They’ve been working so hard on arranging for sleeping accommodations for those of you that will making quite a long drive to join us for the weekend. They are busy planning some fun social activities for after class, just for you. Basically, we’ve been making this an absolutely fantastic event just for you!

Don’t you want to show my friends how much you appreciate their hard work by signing up for DFA training academy?

Event Date: Saturday, July 21, and Sunday, July 22, 2007
Event Time: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Venue Name: USC Orange County Center
Address: 2300 Michelson Drive 
City: Irvine
State: CA
Zip Code: 92612
Handicapped Accessible: Yes
Google Maps

This email just hit my inbox, from Democracy for America:

If you’re like me, on November 8 you were left both overjoyed with the successes nationwide and wondering what happened in California.  Or I should say, what DIDN’T happen in California.

And then came the news of the CDP’s November 7 donation of $4,000,000 to Fabian Nunez.  Which left many wondering, why the CDP had that much of cash left over after such a hard fought election? And since they did, why the weren’t immediately plowing it into field organizing on the ground in preparation for 2008, which is decending on us with a vengence?

If you’re like me, you’re more than a bit annoyed with the CDP right now, you’re looking for ways to set a new agenda and map out a new direction for the CDP in time for the 2008 campaign season. Look no further!

DSCC delegates within the Democrats of Greater Riverside are advancing the resolutuon below, and we are seeking compatriots around California to join in co-sponsoring and endorsing this resolution.

The April CDP convention is going to have some major issues that will send a clear signal as to the direction the CDP wants to go. So far we have this reform and the common sense support for net neutrality. Reso after the jump for people to introduce in local Democratic Party clubs.

RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF A PERMANENT 58 COUNTY STRATEGY

  NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, in order to expand and strengthen the California Democratic Party at all levels and protect its crucial electoral votes, the California Democratic State Central Committee hereby embraces the Democratic National Committee's approach and adopts the concept of a 58 County Strategy that treats every community throughout the state with equal respect; invests time and resources on the ground in every community across the state; provides training and logistical support to build and strengthen the Democratic infrastructure in every community; develops a permanent statewide campaign field organization coordinated in each region by trained, paid staff; develops and supports qualified candidates at all levels; and commits, unequivocally, to getting out the vote of every Democrat in every precinct in every election every time.