The Vote By Mail for Tennessee campaign got two big boosts today!

The first came from the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR), which recommended that the state "consider making early voting and voting by mail more accessible" and that the state "consider a Vote By Mail pilot program."

The second came from Brook Thompson, director of the Tennessee Division of Elections, who told us after the meeting that he would be open to setting up a trial of the program. Thompson's support and the TACIR report were two big steps toward bringing Vote By Mail to Tennessee, but there's still lots of work to be done yet.

We're hoping to get legislation yet this session that would enable the trials. If we're unsuccessful, it goes on the agenda for next session.

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Democracy for Tennessee officially launched its Vote By Mail for Tennessee campaign this weekend when Democracy for Cumberland County sponsored the first Vote By Mail Town Hall Meeting on Saturday, January 20, in Crossville. Carol Kemp, Chair of DFCC, and DFCC members warmly welcomed the approximately 50 attendees from across the community who braved Saturday’s cold to attend the group's first meeting of the new year.

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On a beautiful, sunny March 18, close to 100 citizens from across Tennessee gathered at the Palace Theater in Crossville to attend our Healthcare Town Hall Meeting.

The goals of this Town Hall were to provide education, to hear from healthcare professionals and political candidates, and most importantly to give citizens a voice to express their concerns about America's healthcare crisis.

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Democracy for Cumberland County was formed in March 2005 after Mark Naccarato visited us at the Democratic Breakfast Club meeting in Crossville to talk about DFA in Tennessee. We spent the first few months getting organized, passing our bylaws, and working on how to “frame” the issue of Social Security. From there, the rest of 2005 was a whirlwind of activity...

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Thanks to the members of Democracy for Cumberland County who donated money for the 278th Christmas party.

I presented the check for $355.00 to April Jones, President of the Family Readiness Group, while Sergeant Lonnie Kilby looked on. April says that the check will certainly help with the party, which will be held on December 3 for members of the 278th and their families. They plan to give presents to all the children and will honor the service of the troops with appreciation plaques.

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On Thursday, October 13, Democracy for Cumberland County hosted a meeting with Bernie Ellis, Organizer for the grassroots organization "Gathering to Save Our Democracy", who spoke on the integrity of our election process.

Mr. Ellis told his personal story about becoming involved with this issue and talked about his statewide organization that is devoted to election reform in Tennessee.

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Democracy for Cumberland County volunteers staffed a booth at the Cumberland County Fair, held from August 18 – 27. Topping the canopy was the beautiful new DFCC banner donated by Democracy for Tennessee for our winning attendance numbers at the DFT Convention in July.

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We reviewed the survey that DFCC conducted during Depot Days (see results below). We also talked about the DFT Convention in Nashville (see separate posting).

We discussed the possibility of a health care forum later this year or early spring, along the lines of the Social Security Forum we held in May. And we talked about having a booth at the Fair in August...

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On June 10, Mary Ann Crowe, Jim Kemp, and I traveled to Murfreesboro to meet with David Pennington, Director of the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System. We were there to present the phone cards and reading glasses that we had purchased from our recent "Support Our Veterans Day" DFA Corps campaign.

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Democracy for Cumberland County made front-page news in this Friday's Crossville Chronicle for the public forum they hosted on Social Security with U.S. Congressman Lincoln Davis!

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