Coming up for Air

Hello Benton Dems!

Apologies for the delay in in getting this post out. Our primary election was five whole days ago, but what a five days it has been. Personally, I've been working longer hours than usual in my "day job" outside of politics as my employer responds and adapts to the ever-evolving situation regarding COVID-19. Like you, I'm also settling in for a long stay at home and trying to help neighbors and friends to the extent that I can.

In these uncertain times, it's good to pause and take stock of what's important, express gratitude for all that we've accomplished together, and resolve to plan and build for brighter days ahead.

First, I want to thank everyone who voted in the primary. Whether you voted early, by mail, or went in person on election day, your vote counted. Your vote made a difference. Your vote will help propel several dedicated, qualified and caring Democratic candidates on to victory in November. And that is SO IMPORTANT... for our families, our communities, our nation.

Yet, we have so much more work to do. As of March 20, total voter turnout across Benton Township was about one-half the rate as in the 2016 primary. Granted, late arriving vote by mail and provisional ballots have not yet been tallied. And it's completely understandable that turnout was low; most races were uncontested and, based on genuine health concerns, many people chose to sit this one out. Given the circumstances, this is a perfectly acceptable result. I'm pleased we had the turnout that we did.

But that won't be good enough in November. We simply cannot afford to let low turnout lead to four more years of the current presidential administration.

Some may accuse me of making this political. Yes; it's political. But politics is all about serving people. And if we can learn any lesson from the disappointing, disorganized and chaotic response to the COVID-19 pandemic orchestrated by the current presidential administration, it's the importance of having competent, caring, service-oriented, science-respecting people representing us at all levels of government.

WHAT CAN WE DO?

1. Encourage vote by mail for November - we need to hear from EVERYONE if we are going to reject Trump and all he stands for, and voting by mail offers a safe alternative no matter what health threats we might be facing in the fall

2. Get everyone to fill out the census - it will determine how much representation we get in Washington DC; let's make our voices LOUD

3. Convince everyone to vote for the Fair Tax Amendment - it's the most important first step in fixing our fiscal crisis in Illinois

4. Get involved in a campaign - We have excellent candidates at all levels and they need your support

If you're interested in working with us on any of these three priorities, speak up. We will be forming committees to organize our efforts and coordinate with other advocacy groups. Email joy@bentondems.org if you'd like to get involved in any or all of these projects.

Finally, I want to acknowledge the challenges we are facing regarding the COVID-19 pandemic. We're all struggling to make sense of our new reality and to stay strong in the face of uncertainty. Personally, I'm finding it helpful to take one day, one moment, at a time... to focus on the now and find the beauty in the moment. Let's also find time to rest and refuel for the fights ahead.

For the latest information and links to lots of helpful resources, please refer to the Lake County Board's pandemic page: https://www.lakecountyil.gov/4377/Coronavirus-Disease-2019-COVID-19

Thank you for all you do. Be safe and stay strong,

Joy Mix, Chair