August 15th is the deadline for mail-in voter registration for the September 13th Municipal Primary Election. After August 15th, citizens who are not already registered to vote will need to register in person at the Utah County Clerk's office (100 E Center St, Rm. 3100, Provo), or at http://vote.utah.gov using a current Utah Driver's License or state ID, by August 29th.

For more information about the 2011 Municipal Elections, including candiates and voting places, visit http://www.utahcountyonline.org/Dept/ClerkAud/Elections/.

My wife and I had the unique opportunity to attend a wonderful event yesterday, August 5th.  We were part of a group of Democrat leaders and legislators that were put together on a "fun bus" bound for Iron County to participate in a fundraiser for the Democrats of Iron County and attend the Shakespeare Festival.  After the bus made its small but ever so appreciated detour to American Fork to pick up its Utah County contingent (my wife and I) we began our adventure to the enchanting city of Cedar.  

As we traveled I immediately noticed many familiar faces, those of our State Legislators and many of the leaders from different counties and the state party.  The Legislators consisted of, Patrice Arent, Rebecca Chavez-Houck, Joel Briscoe, new arrival Brian Doughty, Marie Poulsen, House Minority Whip Jennifer Seelig, and House Minority Leader David Litvack, also not on the bus but participating at the events were Rep. Brian King and Senator Karen Morgan.  Among the leaders were newly elected State Chair Jim Dabakis, and many representatives from Summit County, Salt Lake County, Utah County, and many others attending from Iron County, and Kane County.  The bus was full of discussion and optimism, along with your typical Democrat humor, but what I found most interesting was the excitement and topics of conversation.  I have heard most recently a lot of discussion about this new found interest in the Democratic Party of Utah, what has been more commonly referred to as a reenergizing of the party, and this is not solely coming from the left, I have heard this from moderates to right wing conservatives and it is exhilarating to hear this kind of discussion.  This bus dialog was no different, other than maybe being a more emblazoned and energetic nature, but the common thread heard throughout the 4 ½ hour jaunt down to Cedar City was, how do we keep this momentum and excitement and turn it into great candidates and elected officials.  

This buzz in the air is not just in Utah County, it is state wide and we as Utah County Democrats should be excited about this interest and excitement and become involved at all levels to utilize these great sources that are being made available to us as a party.  This Democratic Party tent can and is big enough for all to find a place within.  There are a wide variety of interests and concerns such that all can find something to stand behind, a cause or reason to fight for everyday.  I only ask that if you are concerned with the road our county, state, and country are headed down that you make the effort to find that cause or desire that forces you to rise from your bed every morning and say, "Today I will fight for and defend this issue."

Congressman Chaffetz will be holding a town hall meeting in American Fork on Thursday, August 11 at 7pm, at the Holiday Inn Express (712 S. Utah Valley Dr). This will be an important time to come out and make your voice and common-sense issues heard by one of your Washington representatives. 

Please find the time to attend this event and express your questions and concerns. This will help Rep. Chaffetz realize that he represents more than just a majority of Republicans.

Thursday, August 10, 2011
7:00pm

Holiday Inn Express Conference Room
712 S. Utah Valley Drive
American Fork, UT

I spent every hour of every day on Capitol Hill during the 2011 legislative session.  It began as a class requirement, I was selected as one of five interns for Utah Valley University, but I found that it quickly grew into a ritualistic obsession that would significantly form and enlighten my path in life.  Although I was assigned to two Republicans, one who is considered very conservative on the scale of right to left, and the other considered conservative but in my mind not as much as he may have hoped to be, I came away from that 6+ weeks knowing I had learned many important things from working so closely with these groups of Republicans.   

Since being appointed the Vice-Chair of the Utah County Democratic Party I have felt a deep desire to reopen and keep better communication lines with the party at the county level, the state level, and most importantly the activist, volunteer, donation, and constituent level.  I want all who are, and desire to be involved at whatever level to feel they are informed, or at the least feel comfortable in knowing where to go to get the most correct and timely information to better ourselves and our party.  

Having said that I wanted to briefly address this most current 2nd Special Session called by the Governor.  Most of the issues addressed in this session carried the fitting tag line of, “It took a special session to do this?  Couldn’t this have been done in regular session or be put into the next session?”  Yes all of the issues discussed and debated were either dealt with in the previous session.  Below is a list with short title of what was discussed and put out on the table.

Pizza or Donuts?

You decide! Please take our 2-Minute Utah Redistricting Survey at:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/RedistrictUtah

Magna resident Sarge Froehle reiterated the sentiment of community identity and not dividing those with similar interests. "It's time for the citizens to be heard and not herded like cows to the slaughter."
Deseret News June 15, 2011 Waddoups presents doughnut district, voters want more.
Every effort should be made to respect existing city and county boundaries. Drawing lines to protect incumbents may be technically legal, but when it benefits only one party or divides communities of interest, it is ugly. Public servants, as the moniker implies, should certainly be capable of putting aside selfish motives in the interest of the communities they are elected to serve...To borrow a phrase from the advocacy group representmeutah.org, we urge legislators to keep the focus on people choosing leaders rather than leaders choosing people.
Deseret News June 21, 2011 Redistricting Right
Voters should choose their leaders, not the other way around.
www.RepresentMeUtah.org