Democratic Club

By Mary Larson

LW contributor

Leisure World Democrats and their supporters are reminded that the District 2 election to replace outgoing board member Michelle Steel on the Orange County Board of Supervisors will take place on March 9. Vote-bymail will begin on Feb. 8, with vote centers opening on Feb. 27.

On Jan. 9, Democratic supporters, volunteers and friends from around the county participated via Zoom in the official kickoff of the campaign to elect Costa Mesa Mayor Katrina Foley to represent District 2 on this county wide Board.

The gathering, led by California Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris, featured presentations by California senators Josh Newman and Tom Umberg as well as newly elected Sen. Dave Min, who had unseated Republican John Moorlach in the Nov. 3 election.

Petrie-Norris pointed out the incredibly high stakes involved in this special election, given what she called the current board’s “deep failure” during the coronavirus pandemic. During the meeting, Foley described her priorities in office as overseeing COVID-19 vaccine distribution, getting businesses back up and running, and protecting public employees and essential workers, in part, by continuing to support mask wearing in public. She also said she would side with teachers on education and mental health issues, work with cities to reduce homelessnesss, and focus on creating a climate action plan to reduce greenhouse emissions.

During its Jan. 6 meeting, the Leisure World Democratic Club board unanimously voted to endorse Mayor Foley for election to the Board of Supervisors. She will be the speaker at the club’s next membership meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 27. All Leisure World Democrats are invited to participate in this meeting. However, non-club members will need to register in advance by calling (562) 296-8521.

For more information about this upcoming special election, readers are invited to email lwsbdemocraticclub@gmail.com. •••• Democrats are also reminded to vote in the California Democratic Party run election for the state party leadership body known as the California State Central Committee. All Democrats who had registered with the party for a mail-in ballot before Jan. 11 are eligible to vote in this election. Potential voters are once again invited to email lwsbdemocraticclub@gmail.com for more information about candidates running in this election. •••• If you are a Democrat or a supporter of Democratic principles and want to know more about the club, subscribe to the free electronic newsletter by emailing the editor, Mary Larson, at mlarson.telfords@gmail.com or calling (562) 296-8521. Remember to include your full contact information.

The Leisure Democratic Club always welcomes new members and friends. LW voters who are registered as Democrats are eligible for full voting membership. Those registered as No Preferred Party voters may join as “associate” members. All Club memberships are now calculated on a calendar basis. Join or renew your membership before the end of January if possible. Both new and renewal 2021 membership forms are available by calling (562) 431-7275 or at https://sblwdems.wordpress.com/democratic-club-membership-2/.