The Hidalgo County Texas Democratic Women (HCTDW) began with a small group of women who came together to form an organization that promoted the participation and influence of Democratic women in local politics and government. These women had a vision that women in Hidalgo County could participate in the Hidalgo County Democratic party with equal standing, value, and influence. As part of the path to accomplishing this, they knew that they had to develop and increase their campaign skills and learn more about how to run successful campaigns, that they had to be more willing to run for office by recruiting more women to run and really supporting each other when they did and by being willing and able to contribute and raise money for candidates and campaigns.

Since that time, many of these women are now public office holders and are now being mentors to those who follow through their continued participation in the HCTDW. The HDCTW has grown into an influential and respected organization in Hidalgo County. The club now has over 130 members, who as a group, have developed the ability to raise money for Democratic candidates and for GOTV effort, have been successful in their efforts to develop campaign skills by both attending and sponsoring campaign training workshops, and by working tirelessly to support and influence important social and public policy. Because of its success in these areas, the organization now attracts and reaches out to all democrats who share this same vision of equal participation and representation for all - regardless of gender.

The Mission Statement of the HCTDW is to work to promote increased representation of women in party and government institutions. HCTDW will promote legislative, executive, and judicial policies that enhance equitable representation of women in party and government affairs. HCTDW will provide training and other support for Democrats working in party organizations, campaigns and/or seeking public office.

The HCTDW is a chapter of the statewide Texas Democratic Women (TDW) and National Federation of Democratic Women. To learn more about the TDW click here. To learn more about the National Federation of Democratic Women, whose goal is to support women’s voices in the Democratic Party, click here.

As organizations committed to supporting the Democratic platform and electing candidates who do as well, the HCTDW is part of the Texas Democratic Party (TDP) - click here and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) – click here. The other important official Democratic Organization important to the members of the Democratic Party is Organizing for America (OFA) – a branch of the DNC committed to supporting the legislative agenda of President Obama. Click here.

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• If you have your voter registration certificate, you have the right to vote without presenting identification (unless this is your first time voting in a federal election in this county.)

• You have the right to vote without presenting your voter registration certificate.

1. If your name is on the voter registration roll, you must present one form of identification including driver’s license (valid or expired), a picture ID that establishes a person’s identity (e.g., employee identification card), a student ID, a library card, a “store” (e.g., Sam’s club) card, birth certificate, citizenship papers, passport, concealed handgun license, official mail addressed to the voter by a government agency, a current utility bill, government paycheck.


2. If your name is not on the voter registration roll when you arrive at the polls, you have the right to vote a provisional ballot. However, if you’re voting on Election Day, you must cast your ballot in the correct precinct for it to count. To cast a provisional ballot, you must do both of the following:

• If you are inside the polling location or in line at your polling place any time between 7am and 7pm on E-Day, you have the right to vote.

• If you are physically disabled or over 65, you can vote curbside.
  

• You have the right to request assistance from the person of your choice (other than your employer or union representative) if you cannot read, write, see the ballot, or understand the language in which it is written.
  

• You may bring written materials into the voting booth (such as candidate literature or voter guides).
  

• You may receive up to two more ballots if you make a mistake while marking the ballot.

• You have the right to ask the polling place official for instructions on how to cast the ballot (but not for suggestions on how to vote).
  

• You have the right to vote without being intimidated by anyone. No one except an election judge or clerk has the right to talk to you in a polling place or in any way impede your access to a polling place. This restriction applies to poll watchers, law enforcement officers, and state or federal elections inspectors as well as campaign workers.
  

If your right to vote is questioned or you experience a problem at the polls:

• Don’t leave until the problem is resolved.


• Ask for help. Don’t cast your ballot if you are not confident that your vote is being recorded correctly. Once the ballot is cast, it’s too late.
  

• Get information (election workers names, serial number of machine if malfunctioning, anything that might be helpful in identifying the source of the problem.)
  

Process for Application for Ballot by Mail

(We will handle getting the Application for Ballot by Mail to anyone that you identify as needing a Ballot by Mail. The VAN – State Democratic Party Voter Data File will automatically print out an Application with the Voter’s Information already printed on the Application. I am enclosing a sample of the one that the VAN prepares. I also included the generic one that is available on the Hidalgo County Elections Department Webpage.)

All you need to tell a voter who wants a Ballot by Mail is that we will send them the application to their home address (CONFIRM THEIR ADDRESS) and that they need to be looking for it in the mail, then sign it and return it to the Courthouse in the enclosed Return Envelop).

You may vote early by mail if you are:

• going to be away from your county on Election Day and during early voting;
• sick or disabled;
• 65 years of age or older on Election Day;
• or confined in jail, but eligible to vote.

Applications for a ballot by mail must be submitted to the early voting clerk on or after the 60th day before Election Day and before the close of business on the 7th day before Election Day. If the 7th day is a weekend, the last day to submit an application is the preceding Friday.

If you are voting early by mail, you must send your application by:

• regular mail;
• common or contract carrier;
• or FAX (if a FAX machine is available to the early voting clerk and if you are submitting your application from outside the county).

Exception:
If you are voting early because of expected absence, you may apply in person for a ballot by mail before the first day of early voting in person. The early voting clerk must receive your marked ballot by 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Exception:
If you are mailing your ballot from outside the United States, the early voting clerk must receive your ballot by the fifth day after Election Day. (You must mail it no later than 7 p.m. on Election Day.)

Early voting timeline:

• 60 days before Election Day-first day to submit an early voting by mail application;
• 7 days before Election Day-last day to submit an application for ballot by mail;
• Election Day-marked early ballots by mail must be returned by 7 p.m., unless mailed from outside the United States.

To apply for a ballot by mail, please download and print out the Application for Ballot by Mail. Once application is completed, please mail (only Postal mail can be accepted unless requesting application from out of Hidalgo County) to:

Yvonne Ramon
Elections Administration
PO Box 659
Edinburg, TX 78540

As the 2010 elections rapidly approach, we all become aware of how important they are and how much is at stake. Hidalgo County plays a very significant part in how the story unfolds for both the State and the Nation. Our organization, the HCTDW, can be a very important part in determining what happens in Hidalgo County. Because of this, it is important to get clear on what role our club wants to play and to prepare for that in the best ways that we can as an organization and as individuals.

Rosalie Weisfeld and Leslie Gower have been working very closely with Dolly Elizondo (Chair of the Demo Party). Rosalie is also State Democratic Executive Committee (SDEC) woman for the 4 counties in South Texas and is Vice Chair of the Hidalgo County Demo Party (HCDP). Leslie is on the HCDP Executive Board and is chair of the HCDP Elections Committee. In these capacities, Rosalie, Dolly, and Leslie have been doing a great deal of training in preparation of the March Primaries.

Leslie Gower, Boyd Richie (Texas State Democratic Party Chair), Rosalie Weisfeld, Dolly Elizondo

Dolly Elizondo, Bob Schieffer - Democratic Candidate for Gov of Texas, Rosalie Weisfeld, Leslie Gower, Ms. Schieffer (Bob's wife)

Rosalie Weisfeld, Bill White – Candidate for US Senate, Leslie Gower, Gary Mauro – former Land Commissioner of Texas

We went to San Antonio last weekend for training on how to prepare for a Primary. This year, the Democratic Party is going to do more of the conduction and oversight of the Democratic Primary (instead of contracting it out to the Hidalgo County Elections Administration.) This is our party's primary and we want to make sure that its done right and done fair.

The next big project is finding precinct chairs for the precincts that do not have one - there are many which don't. The Precinct chair is the primary organizer for the precinct. Our goal is to both canvas and GOTV in an almost 'surgical' manner - much like what Obama and Hillary did and much like the highly technological methods of the very successful Annie's List and Emily's List. We have done a great deal of training on the VAN - the State Democratic Party Voter Data base. This is an amazing data base. The first goal between now and Jan, is to canvas voters in a precinct that are not identified as 'hard democrats' - those that are either unknown or 'soft'. The VAN identifies exactly who these people are in each precinct and can arrange it by walk lists - names of people by house next to house or by phone lists.

In December, it switches to just pulling out the strong Democrats in each precinct - what is called the 'Double D's' – targeting all persons who voted in the last three democratic primaries or in the last 4 General elections - whatever criteria you define. This is what the precinct chair does - with the help of the VAN. The plan of the Democratic party and the grassroots democratic organizations is to do it very differently this time. And the HCTDW play a big part in this.

In the near future, we will be sending out a list of all the precincts that do not have a precinct chair in an effort to find precinct chairs to fill those vacancies. It is recommended that the Precinct chairs NOT serve as Election Judge as they will need to be overseeing and leading the GOTV efforts in their precincts.

We will be doing a lot of training on this and will help each precinct chair find a team in their precinct to organize and implement their GOTV efforts and make sure these VERY solid democratic voters identified by the VAN make it to the polls.

The 2010 Elections are very important. The turnout of each Senatorial District determines how many delegates each District gets for candidates to the State Convention. Last year, though we had a very high turnout out for Hillary, we did not have the same delegate strength per vote because we did not turn out in very high numbers in the previous gubernatorial election.

This election also affects redistricting and where the lines are drawn - so its VERY important to get Democrats in the Legislature. In reference to that, we currently have one House District that is open and two Democrats have already announced their candidacy. This is District 36 - which is a big part of Pharr and then runs up the Southern edge of the County over to La Joya and then north past Monte Cristo Rd. The two candidates that have announced are Sandra Rodriguez – who ran two years ago against Kino Flores – a 20 year incumbent, and only lost by 900 votes and Sergio Munoz, Jr – an attorney from Palmview with who has many years of professional and community service in his district.

We also have our members Rose Reyna running for District Judge, Justice Linda Yanez is up again for Court of Appeals, Alma Garza and Rene Guerra are running for District Attorney, Juan Partida for District Judge, Laura Hinojosa for District Clerk, and Norma Garcia for County Treasurer - so our members are already out there. There is also a possible contested race for County Judge – JD Salinas and Ramon Garcia. We want to look more closely at the other Judicial races coming up and start looking for good women candidates to run - there are several new courts opening next year.

So as you can see, we have LOTS to do. The HCTDW budget that was approved earmarks $10,000 for GOTV efforts next year. Instead of giving to candidates, we are going to really focus on the above described GOTV plan - the surgical, highly technological grassroot method of turning out the solid Democratic voters. Its about time that Hidalgo County caught up with the rest of the state and the nation.

So come to the meetings, do as much of the training as you can, and help us get organized for the upcoming elections. We are trying to get an office to share with the other Grassroots Democratic Clubs so that we have a place to train and strategize and get out the vote with tables, chairs, white boards, projector for power point trainings, etc. We are also just unveiling an amazing web page redesign with the other Demo Clubs that is very 'cutting edge' and easy to use - to have as a tool to help communicate and activate all the members of these democratic organizations quickly as part of the technological approach to the upcoming elections. Many many exciting things already happening and yet to come.

We have been diligently working to increase our membership throughout this past year. As of today, we have 130 members. We want to build our membership base up now so that we can be trained and organized and 'in the groove' for the campaigns. Therefore, if you or someone you know are interested in joining, there is a link to an application on this website. We now are set up with ActBlue so you can join directly through the website application or you can download it and mail your membership dues to our PO Box: P.O. Box 2543 McAllen, Tx 78502

Join us and be a part of something really exciting. Get ready to TURN TEXAS BLUE in 2010!