F o r s y t h C o u n t y R e p u b l i c a n W o m e n TRUNKLINE V o l u m e 2 3, I s s u e 3 M a r c h 1 4, 2 0 1 0 Absentee Ballots There Is No Excuse to Not Vote in the Primary Absentee ballots may be requested for any election and do not require an excuse. Absentee ballot requests for the 2010 Primary Election will be accepted March 15th through April 27th at 5:00 PM. Requests may be mailed or faxed to the Board of Elections. See page 7 for an Absentee Ballot request template. Visit www.fcvotes.com for additional information or call 703-2800 with questions. One-Stop Early Voting I n s i d e t h i s i s s u e : Message from the President Legislative Update Important Dates & Info More Dates and Info. 2 3 4 5 Early, no-excuse absentee voting will begin at 8:00 AM on Thurs., April 15th and end at 1:00 PM on Sat., May 1st for the 2010 Primary Election. Early voting will only be held on the second floor of the Forsyth County Government Center at 201 N. Chestnut Street. Parking is free in the Government Center Parking deck during elections. Democrats out voted Republicans in past early elections by 4 to 1, so they get a jumpstart on us. Below are dates and times for early voting. Thursday & Friday April 15-16..8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Saturday April 17....10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Sunday April 18.1:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Monday Wednesday April 19-21 8:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. Thursday Friday April 22-23.. 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Saturday April 24....10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Sunday April 25.1:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Monday Wednesday April 26-28 8:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. Thursday Friday April 29-30...8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Saturday May 1...10:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. List of Candidates Absentee Ballot Request Template Monthly Meeting Info 6 7 8 Non-Partisan Races The republican candidates in the non-partisan races need your help. Please educate your friends and family on who the candidates are and how important it is to vote in these races. The non-partisan races are for Court of Appeals Judge and the School Board. See page 6 for a list of these candidates. FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES IN THE PRIMARY SEE PAGE 6
P a g e 2 President Elizabeth Seymour CLUB OFFICERS President -Elizabeth Seymour Immediate Past President Cornelia Groce Vice President Programs Linda Depew & Linda Weaver Asst. Vice President Membership Jordan Tabor & Shirilee Little Asst. Vice President Public Relations Pat Bryan Publications Editor Karen Gordon & Sandy Foreman Asst. Recording Secretary Sara Blackburn Treasurer Donna Averitt & Wendy Jackson Asst. Webmaster Message from the President Dear Fellow Republicans, Every election is the most important election. Every election, whether primary or runoff, is the most important election. Every race, whether partisan or nonpartisan, is critical. Never underestimate the value of your vote or your influence. Democrats don t. 2010 is the year of opportunity for Republicans. The Tea Party movement arose from our conservative grassroots because of voter dissatisfaction with our elected officials in Washington and Raleigh. Conservatives across the country are speaking up. Democrats across the country are feeling the heat and retiring from office. The President is pushing his agenda hard, before he completely loses control of Congress. This momentum continues, and now is the time for voters to fulfill their roles. Few registered voters actually cast a vote, and fewer vote in every election. Take a pledge to vote in every election and encourage every conservative to vote. Take a pledge to be educated about candidates so you can identify and support the Republicans. Approximately one-third of voters in Forsyth County and North Carolina are registered as Republicans. About 20 percent register unaffiliated, affording them the opportunity to request either a Republican or Democrat ballot in the Primary. This gives voters who won t or can t associate with our Party influence over our elections. Causing additional confusion, as the Conservative voices become louder and more Conservatives are elected to office, more North Carolina races have become non-partisan. Without the benefit of party affiliation on the ballot, many voters succumb to ballot fatigue and stop voting altogether. In 2010, Judges and Forsyth County School Board candidates are in nonpartisan races, and we must help every one of them advance to the general election in November, and then win again. (Gerrymandering in Forsyth County assures Democrat seats for County Commissioners (District A) and School Board members (District 1). Don t allow them to win additional seats.) Do not underestimate the value of your vote or your influence. Democrats don t. Know our Republican candidates and vote in every race on your ballot. Republicans like to vote in their precinct on Election Day. (Democrats vote early.) Election Day voting is great if you are not volunteering or working as a poll watcher or judge. Schedule time to vote somehow. You can cast your vote at the Board of Elections from mid-april until May 1, or request an absentee ballot to assure your vote is counted. Then vote in every race on the ballot. Encourage your friends, neighbors, family and co-workers who are conservative to do the same. Ensure you know your Republicans by reading your Trunkline. Then share it with like-minded voters so they can do the same. Take opportunities to meet the candidates and learn how you can help. Elections are won and lost by one vote. Don t let that vote be yours! FCRW s Board has voted to mail a postcard listing Republican candidates to every voter requesting the Republican absentee ballot. Many elected officials and former candidates speak of the importance of contacting every absentee voter to ask for their vote. Our goal is to help our candidates advance. If you can volunteer to address a few postcards every night as absentee ballots are requested, please call or email Donna Averitt at donnaaveritt@clear.net or 336-575-9492. Raising more money for FCRW will allow us to increase our funding for this project or other events to support our candidates. Pay your 2010 dues of $30 now or make an additional contribution to FCRW. Invite other Republicans to become members or associate members. Our opportunity to take back America is now. Make every day count. Elizabeth T R U N K L I N E
P a g e 3 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE by Dinah Shore Myers Health Care Update President Obama has set a deadline of March 18 for House Democrats to pass the Senate's version of health care. The vote will be followed by changes that House members want in the form of amendments. The House needs 216 votes to pass the Senate bill. Twelve House Democrats who voted for the House bill in November are unhappy about abortion provisions in the Senate's version. Democrats voting against the House bill in November included 38 members (previously 39 but Rep Parker Griffith became a Republican because of health care). Also consider that Rep Massa (D-NY) resigned last week so the real number to watch is 37. "Reconciliation" SusanAnne Hiller has written that the "Reconciliation" or a 51 vote majority in the Senate is a Democrat/White House diversionary tactic and the vote that really matters is the House vote scheduled for March 18th. Hiller's evidence is that Senate Majority Leader Reid took an existing House bill H.R. 3950 entitled the Service Members Home Ownership Tax Act of 2009 and changed the language in it to include the Senate's Health Care bill. Reid did this according to Hiller because "all legislation that raises taxes MUST originate in the House of Representatives and H.R. 3590 satisfies that requirement." Republicans were defeated in opposing the amendment substitution. Mark Penn, a prominent Democrat advisor has said that historically the "Reconciliation Process" has been used only when the bills have been "popular with the public," clearly showing a majority. A February 2010 CNN poll indicated that only 25% of the voters support the current bill, falling far short of a majority. Public Ire Counts Concerning the Trial of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) Investor's Business Daily has reported that the White House has reversed course and now says that KSM will be tried in a military tribunal instead of a federal court in New York City. That is a win for national security and all Americans, and it is a loss for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Amnesty International.
Page 4 IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER FCRW Membership Fees are due for 2010 NC 5th Dist. Lunch w/pat McCrory, Golden Corral, Hanes Mall - March 19th at noon We the People Dinner - Saturday, March 20th Forsyth GOP Luncheon w/speaker Valerie White - Monday, March 22nd FCRW March Membership Meeting - March 25 (see pg 8 for location change) NC 12th District Convention at Rowan County Library - April 12th Lincoln/Reagan Day Dinner - Saturday, April 17th NC 5th District Convention in North Wilkesboro - April 17th NCFRW Spring Board Meeting in Charlotte - April 30 - May 1 NCGOP Convention - June 4-6 (Winston-Salem) FCRW Monthly Board Meetings are planned for the 2nd Tuesday of each month at Linda Weaver s Studio at 5:30 pm. FCRW Monthly Membership Meetings are planned for the 4th Thursday of each month at Big Shotz Tavern (109 South Stratford Rd) at 6:00 pm. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED The FCRW does not endorse candidates in the primaries, but would like to help educate the public on who are conservative candidates (registered as Republican) in the non-partisan races. We are planning to mail palm cards to all Republican and Unaffiliated voters who request an absentee ballot. This will require mailing out cards each day as the absentee ballots are requested. If we can get several volunteers, this should be a task that takes each person very little time. It is a way that you can volunteer in the comfort of your own home. To help, email donnaaveritt@clear.net or call her at 575-9492.
P a g e 5 We the People Dinner Saturday, March 20th Forsyth Country Club Host and Sponsor Reception at 6 pm Dinner at 6:30 Speakers - Congressman Tom Price (GA) & Congresswoman Virginia Foxx RSVP by March 16 to: chairman@forsythcountygop.com or call 724-6000 Forsyth County Lincoln/Reagan Day Dinner Saturday, April 17th Forsyth Country Club Sponsor Reception at 6 pm Dinner at 6:30 Speaker - US Senator Richard Burr RSVP by April 12th to: chairman@forsythcountygop.com or call 724-6000 Come to hear Valerie White Immediate Past President of the NC Federation of Republican Women Speak at the Forsyth County GOP Luncheon Monday, March 22nd at noon at the Golden Corral, Hanes Mall
List of Republican Candidates On the Ballot in the Primary P a g e 6 US Senate US House District 5 Larry Linney Brad Jones Eddie Burks Richard Burr Keith Gardner Virginia Foxx US House District 12 NC Senate District 32 William (Doc) Gillenwater Greg Dority Scott Cumbie (Forsyth Co.) Brian C. Miller Nathan Jones County Commissioner - At Large Bill Whiteheart Jonathan Mark Corts Mark Baker Frederick (Fred) Benson Sheriff William T. (Bill) Schatzman Dave Griffith Court of Appeals (Calabria Seat) Ann Marie Calabria Court of Appeals (Elmore Seat) Rick Elmore School Board - At Large School Board - District 2 Lori Goins Clark Stan Hill Donny C Lambeth Jeannie A Metcalf William H Roberts A. L. (Buddy) Collins Jane D Goins Marilyn A Parker Jill Tackabery Stacey Walker McElveen
ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUEST TEMPLATE Must be HANDWRITTEN by voter and include all information below! P a g e 7 [Date] Forsyth County Board of Elections FAX: (336) 727-2893 Forsyth County Government Center 201 N. Chestnut Street Winston-Salem, NC 27101-4120 Dear Sir or Madam: I hereby request an absentee ballot for the upcoming Primary election on Tuesday, May 3, 2010. Voter Name: Residence Address: Mailing Address: If unaffiliated, state Party preference: Republican Date of Birth: Daytime Phone: ( ) Thank you for your assistance. Sincerely, Signature Voters s Name If ballot is requested by near relative or verifiable legal guardian on behalf of voter, requestor must include his/her name, address, relationship to voter, and signature. Beginning Date to Request an Absentee Ballot by Mail or FAX: Monday, March 15, 2010 Late Date to Request Mailed Out Absentee Ballot: Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Forsyth County Republican Women P.O. Box 30160 Winston-Salem, NC 27130-0160 The Heart of the Party www.fcrwonline.org YOU ARE INVITED Forsyth County Republican Women Membership Meeting Thursday, March 25th, 6:00 p.m. Big Shotz Tavern (Clemmons)* School Board candidates (registered as Republican) have been invited to speak *location change this month only due to scheduling conflict RSVP to: Linda DePew at lsdepew@triad.rr.com or 924-8494