New District Maps: What You Need to Know
New Districts
The NY State legislature approved the new Congressional districts Wednesday, and the Senate and Assembly districts yesterday, and they now go to Gov. Hochul for her approval or veto. To review the new maps (congressional, state senate, or state assembly), you can click on "Proposed Congress, Senate or Assembly" under 2022 maps here: https://www.latfor.state.ny.us/maps/
What else can we tell you?
We have heard from Rachel May (Senator for the new 55) and Congressman Antonio Delgado (new 19th) that they are both thrilled to be able to represent more of the Mohawk Valley. In both cases that includes the city of Utica and the town of New Hartford. It's too cold now to meet with them, but there will be some events scheduled in the future.
IMV now has a lot more members in the super safe red district represented by Elise Stefanik. According to IMV Steering Committee member and Roman Jennifer Geiger, that just means that more time can be spent concentrating on local elections where there is greater potential for impacting results.
Claudia Tenney has declared her candidacy in #NY23 (western NY and southern Tier), where she doesn't live, and will need to take on Republicans rooted in their communities. Check out the awesome Twitter thread from @JonLipe if you missed it, covering the many details of Claudia Tenney's serial under-performance in four elections for Congress. "She has run four times in a district that Donald Trump carried by 16 points but has never won a majority of the vote. She has lost 2 of the 4 elections." That's just the start. The point is, she can be defeated, and it is worth the effort to do it, because she is simply a terrible representative. Good riddance.
NY Republicans probably will challenge the redistricting in the courts. However, the fact remains that the state legislature has the authority to draw lines, and Democrats in a few states like NY where they hold state control can't stop drawing lines to their advantage unilaterally--not when Republican legislatures are extreme in their gerrymandering in ways that are intended to take away power from Black and brown voters.
Most importantly, when you look at new maps keep this in mind:
Indivisible Mohawk Valley members, regardless of where we live, will work together as we always have to elect the best candidates, hold our elected officials accountable, and build coalitions with groups that share our values.
Invest in Our New York 2022 Campaign Teach-In
Please reserve Sunday, Feb. 6th from 3:00-4:15 pm on your calendar. IMV is joining CNY Solidarity Coalition (our Syracuse friends to the west) for a Presentation from the statewide Invest in Our New York coalition. Last year IMV supported the statewide IONY campaign through a letter writing campaign in its successful effort to raise taxes on the wealthiest New Yorkers and increase school funding. The meeting on Sunday will focus on IONY’s 2022 efforts to increase transparency, accountability, and responsiveness in NYS spending. We look forward to participating in this campaign. Please join us! Representatives from the statewide IONY coalition will discuss this year's campaign, and we will talk about our next steps in supporting it. Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82772887393?pwd=OGpvV09iR1ozMys2bDFDaTEweWxXUT09
Oneida County Clerk Candidate Needed
Are you a good people manager? Do you know someone who is? Oneida County is losing its experienced county Clerk, Sandy DePerno, who has decided to retire and will not be running for re-election this year, The County Clerk oversees a total staff of 45 people in the Office of the Registrar for land and court records, the Department of Naturalization, the Regional Records Center, and the county Department of Motor Vehicles. The Clerk's position is paid between $85,000 and $90,000 a year.
Interested candidates should send a letter of interest and resume as soon as possible to Bill Thickstun, wthickstun@gmail.com, or Mitch Ford, MFord75281@aol.com. Please consider whether the position may be right for you, and search your networks for possible candidates. It's absolutely critical that Democrats have a candidate, as Dave Gordon (yes, the Dave Gordon who blames his victim for his own domestic violence and was ordered by a judge to pay nearly $400K for defamation) is likely to win the Republican primary. YIKES! IMV and the Democratic party will put everything we have in energy and financial support behind our candidate; we just need one person to step forward to run! Please ask your friends NOW. Time is running short for a candidate to come forward.
Citizen Action News
Citizen Action CNY has some critical events coming up next week. Please take note:
On February 9th, CA is holding a press conference highlighting the urgent need for universal childcare here in Central New York at the Thea Bowman House on 309 Genessee St, Utica at 4:30 pm. All children need quality care, our childcare providers need compensation equal to the work they are doing, and we all need our legislators to pay attention to us- particularly parents struggling to give their children the care they deserve. Email sbekui@citizenactionny.org if you are interested in participating!
The first chapter meeting of the new year is coming up, and all are welcome! We’ll be holding a hybrid meeting on Zoom, as well as in our office on 500 Plant Street in Utica at 6:30 pm on Friday, February 11. Register to join us online by clicking here!
Climate Crisis To-Dos
IMV's Climate Crisis Work Group held a productive meeting on Monday, and reports that it is still critical to keep calling about the CCIA. Here is the calling info and script:
Call the New York State leadership to tell them that Climate Can't Wait is the name for 12 climate bills that NYS should pass this year to help ensure a healthy future for all.)
Governor Kathy Hochul at 518 474-8390
Senate Majority Stewart-Cousins at 518- 455-2585
Assembly Speaker Heastie at 518-455-3791
“Hi, my name is ____ and I live in ____, zip code ____. I’m calling to urge you to pass all 12 bills in the Climate Can’t Wait policy package for a livable future, with a renewable, green jobs economy that works for all. New York State must take sweeping, meaningful climate action NOW, dedicating $15 Billion in funding to implement the CLCPA. Please, be the climate champion that history needs and urge NYSDEC to uphold the air permit denial of Danskammer."
In addition, the group encourages everyone to learn more about heat pumps from John and Maggie Reilly through the virtual tour of the whole house system they have installed in their home. The tour is Feb. 27th at 2 pm. You can register here.
Sock Donation Update
Remember our "Democrats, Don't Get Cold Feet" demonstration in January? IMV members were very generous with sock purchases and donations, and we have some exciting results to report. The woman-owned company we worked through, which has ties to our region, SoledierSocks, donated 68 pairs of socks (our members bought 58 pairs, and the company kicked in extra) that we have donated to The Morrow Warming Center for their homeless guests. Then for every pair that were purchased, a pair was donated to active duty troops. Thanks to everyone who contributed by purchasing socks, and to SoledierSocks, and to Kathy Wojo for all her work organizing this effort!
Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Meetings
Sarah Reeske has organized another excellent NYS Indivisible event to be held Thursday, Feb. 17th, 7-8:30 pm. It's an Indivisible NY Statewide Legislative Conference, featuring a conversation with Senate Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a short teach-in from our Invest in Our New York Coalition on the 2022 IONY campaign, and a strategy session on winning state legislative priorities (CCIA, NY Health Act, housing, and much more). Be sure to save the date on your calendar.
Also please mark your calendar for our next IMV monthly (Zoom) meeting on Sunday, Feb. 20th, 3-5 pm. We have a very full agenda, and will hear from several guest speakers including representatives of Restore Forward/ Black Woman's Blueprint. It will be an important meeting on Zoom, including some time to process the new district maps and how they affect our next steps on election projects and candidates.
Sum Up: What Actions Will You Take This Week?
1) Make Your CCIA Climate Calls to the elected leaders listed above. You can do this anytime you want, but why not check it off your list right now?
2) If you're paying attention to Biden's SCOTUS nomination, you may also want to be ready to push back on the right's messaging, and the tools you need are here.
3) Stop by CAFE Friday this morning at 10:30 am and talk redistricting and postcard projects with fellow IMVers.
4) Register voters tonight and tomorrow night at the Utica Comets game. If you want seats at the game, we have an IMVer donating tickets. Email IndivisibleMV@gmail.com if interested.
5) Join Citizen Action in the press conference Wednesday, or the member meeting on Friday evening. If you are not yet a sustaining member of Citizen Action, join here.
6) Do you live in a rural area? Join rural New Yorkers on Tuesday at 7 pm on Zoom to build power in rural communities.
7) Finally, THINK HARD: Who do you know who would make an awesome Oneida County Clerk? Email IndivisibleMV@gmal.com if you or your friend are ready to run!
No matter what congressional or state leg districts you're in now, take a deep breath. We are in a much better place than we were five years ago. Back then we were not organized politically in the Mohawk Valley except in small areas or on single issues. Now we have a huge network of activists, experience working on elections, access to regional, state, and national coalitions, and we have each other. We are committed to racial, economic, and social justice and to the struggle for inclusive and engaged democracy, and we are not going anywhere, unless it's door to door to talk to voters and build progressive power. Stay warm and stay safe, activist friends!
Follow us on Twitter using @indivisiblemv and of course our Facebook page and IMV Activism Group.
