Changing America one election at a time.

It doesn’t seem like it could be September already, but here it is: Chicago Public Schools start next week, some schools are already back in session, and the fall petition season is about to begin. Candidates may start gathering petitions on September 6, the day after Labor Day, so we’re gearing up to help out (not the 3rd, as I mistakenly wrote in my last email). Labor Day parades are happening in several locations on September 5: these annual events mark the contribution of Labor to our society, and in a year where Labor has been under sustained attack, it is perhaps even more important to show up and show our elected officials just how important Labor is to our communities.

Petitions: Debra Shore needs a LOT of signatures to get on the ballot for the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, and needs all the help she can get to gather signatures from people living all over Cook County. I’ll have more details on how to help her in my next post, and at the next meeting.

Meanwhile, we have an Action Day planned on Saturday, September 17th to go and help Ilya Sheyman’s campaign in the 10th: once again, we’ll be car pooling up to the 10th Congressional District. The focus will be to help with petition signatures, but there will be office work to do as well. We’ll have a sign-up sheet for this event at our next meeting. The next Action Day will be on October 15; also keep an eye out for more information about a fundraising event in October in which Ilya will be playing in a game of basketball against the farm team for the Harlem Globetrotters …

There are two parades to march in, if you have time and are so inclined – both worth voting membership credit. Ilya Sheyman’s campaign is looking for people to march in the Buffalo Grove Labor Day parade on Sunday, September 4. Line up is at 12:15 pm in zone B, spot 41A, at Indian Hill just north of Bernard Drive. The parade starts at Bernard and Regent Drives and continues east along Bernard to Raupp Blvd., turning north to St. Mary’s Parkway. (No, it’s not terribly public transportation-friendly) Also, Ilya’s campaign will be marching in the Zion Jubilee Days Parade on September 5 (Labor Day) – “Line up is at 12:00 pm in spot 73, just west of the Shiloh Park Circle. Enter the staging area from the west on Salem Blvd. Bring your friends and family for a great time!” If you are interested in participating, you can either send an email to info@ilyasheyman.com (or call 224-572-9291) for more information or to sign up, or you can email our NDFA liaison, Mary Koczorowski, at minidiva121@aol.com. Email Mary as well if you can’t make either of the Action Days but want to help out, or if you want to help out with office work: she’ll be more than happy to help you figure out how to volunteer for Ilya on a schedule that works for you!

Our next meeting at the Lincoln is on Tuesday, September 13 – looking forward to it already. Three great candidates, plus steering committee elections – what more could you want? I’ll have more info on the meeting, and on the steering committee elections, in the next post.

Enjoy the last weekend of summer – and then prepare for full campaign mode.