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The Democratic ticket for Clear Lake area residents in Harris County

The shortcut option to vote a straight ticket no longer exists. When you get to the polls, please vote individually for the Democrats all the way down your ballot. The county positions listed below are for Harris County.

President / Vice President - Kamala D. Harris / Tim Walz

United States Senator - Colin Allred

United States Representative , District 36 - Dayna Steele

Railroad Commissioner - Katherine Culbert

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 2 - Dasean Jones

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 4 - Christine Vinh Weems

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 6 - Bonnie Lee Goldstein

Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals - Holly Taylor

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 7 - Nancy Mulder

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8 - Chika Anyiam

State Representative, District 129 - Doug Peterson

Justice, 1st Court of Appeals District, Place 2 - Brendetta Scott

Justice, 1st Court of Appeals District, Place 6 - Sarah Beth Landau

Justice, 1st Court of Appeals District, Place 7 - Julie Counties

Justice, 1st Court of Appeals District, Place 8 - Richard Hightower

Justice, 1st Court of Appeals District, Place 9 - Amber Boyd-Cora

Justice 14th Court of Appeals District, Place 3 - Velda Renita Faulkner

Justice 14th Court of Appeals District, Place 4 - Charles Spain

Justice 14th Court of Appeals District, Place 5 - Frances Bourliot

Justice 14th Court of Appeals District, Place 6 - Meagan Hassan

Justice, 14th Court of Appeals District, Place 8 - Margaret “Meg” Poissant

District Judge, 11th Judicial District - Kristen Hawkins

District Judge, 61st Judicial District - Fredericka Phillips

District Judge, 80th Judicial District - Jerilyn Manor

District Judge, 125th Judicial District - Kyle Carter

District Judge, 127th Judicial District - Denise Brown

District Judge, 129th Judicial District - Michael Gomez

District Judge, 133rd Judicial District - Nicole Perdue

District Judge, 151st Judicial District - Erica Hughes

District Judge, 152nd Judicial District - Takasha Francis

District Judge, 164th Judicial District - Cheryl Elliott Thornton

District Judge, 165th Judicial District - Ursula A. Hall

District Judge, 174th Judicial District - Hazel B. Jones

District Judge, 176th Judicial District - Nikita “Niki” Harmon

District Judge, 177th Judicial District - Robert Johnson

District Judge, 178th Judicial District - Kelli Johnson

District Judge, 179th Judicial District - Ana Martinez

District Judge, 215th Judicial District - Elaine Palmer

District Judge, 333rd Judicial District - Tracy D. Good

District Judge, 334th Judicial District - Dawn Rogers

District Judge, 337th Judicial District - Colleen Gaido

District Judge, 338th Judicial District - Allison Jackson Mathis

District Judge, 339th Judicial District - Te’iva Bell

District Judge, 351st Judicial District - Natalia “Nata” Cornelio

District Judge, 486th Judicial District - Vivian King

District Judge, 487th Judicial District - Stacy Allen Barrow

District Judge, 488th Judicial District - Carvana Cloud

District Judge, 507th Judicial District - Lillian Henny Alexander

District Attorney - Sean Teare

Judge, County Criminal Court No. 16 - Ashley Mayes Guice

Judge, County Probate Court No. 5 - Franshenka “Fran” Watson

County Attorney - Christian D. Menefee

Sheriff - Ed Gonzalez

County Tax Assessor-Collector - Annette Ramirez

County School Trustee, Position 3, At Large - Richard Cantu

Justice of the Peace, Precinct 8, Place 1 - Carissa Grady

Constable, Precinct 8 - no Democrat running

Harris County Flood Control District Election to Approve Tax Rate - Vote for or against:

“Approving the ad valorem tax rate of $0.04897 per $100 valuation in Harris County Flood Control District for the current year, a rate that is $0.01581 higher per $100 valuation than the voter approval tax rate of Harris County Flood Control District, for the purpose of operating and maintaining the district’s flood risk reduction infrastructure. Last year, the ad valorem tax rate in Harris County Flood Control District was $0.03105 per $100 valuation.”



Air quality and VP Harris' nomination to be topics at next BAND meeting 

Our guest speaker, environmental activist Leticia Gutierrez, will talk about air quality regulation, or the lack thereof, and its effect on underserved communities at the August BAND meeting. The meeting will be on Tuesday, Aug. 20, the same night that Democrats at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago are scheduled to formalize the nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris for President. If the timing is compatible with our meeting, we plan to watch the roll call vote at our meeting as well.


The BAND meeting begins with social time at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7 p.m. at Bay Area Community Center, 5002 E. NASA Pkwy. in Seabrook.



Former Olympian to be guest speaker at July BAND meeting, now on Zoom

The Summer Olympic Games 2024 begin July 26, and Tommy Z. Haynes, U.S. Olympic track and field team captain in 1976, will be the guest speaker at the Tuesday, July 16 Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) meeting. The retired Army major and author of Lead, Love and Laugh, will discuss patriotism. The meeting begins with social time at 6:30 p.m., followed by the meeting at 7, now on Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84322798079?pwd=kbyuOV1xMKB0WojXZDdWdeVWydB64u.1. The Bay Area Community Center is unavailable for the meeting, because it is serving temporarily as a cooling and charging center.


BAND to discuss Deep in the Pockets of Texas documentary at June meeting

 

Jon Haire and David Jones, Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) members, will present a discussion of the July 30, 2022 CNN documentary Deep in the Pockets of Texas at the next club meeting on Tuesday, June 18. The documentary traces the recent history of the transformation of the state government through donations from the super wealthy. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. with social time, followed by the meeting at 7 p.m. on Zoom.



Candidate Annette Ramirez to speak at April BAND meeting

Tax attorney Annette Ramirez, endorsed by BAND and the Houston Chronicle, is in a runoff against Desiree Broadnax for the Democratic nomination for Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector. She will be our guest speaker at the next Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) meeting on Tuesday, April 16.


The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. with social time at the Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park, 5002 E. NASA Pkwy. in Seabrook. The program begins at 7 p.m.


Judge Richard Hightower to speak at Feb. 20 BAND meeting

Judge Richard Hightower, the BAND-endorsed candidate for re-election as Justice at the Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas, Place 8, will be our guest speaker at the Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 20. His court serves Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Colorado, Fort Bend, Galveston, Grimes, Harris, Waller and Washington Counties. A fifth-generation attorney, Judge Hightower has been licensed for 40 years and worked in small and large counties.


Another BAND-endorsed candidate, Doug Peterson, will also speak briefly. He is the sole Democratic candidate running for state representative from House District 129.


The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. with social time, followed by the program at 7 p.m. Join us at the Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park, 5002 E. NASA Parkway in Seabrook.


BAND votes to endorse 2024 Democratic Primary candidates

 

Bay Area New Democrats met Tuesday, Jan. 30 to vote to endorse candidates in the 2024 Democratic Primary, listed below. While state rules prohibit our PAC from endorsing formally a candidate for federal office, many of our members individually support President Joe Biden.


Texas Railroad Commissioner - Bill Burch

 

Texas Supreme Court, Place 2 - Dasean Jones

 

Texas Supreme Court, Place 4 – Christine Vinh Weems

 

Texas Supreme Court, Place 6 - Bonnie Lee Goldstein

 

Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals –-Holly Taylor

 

Court of Criminal Appeals, Pl. 7 Nancy Mulder

 

Court of Criminal Appeals, Pl. 8 – Chika Anyiam

 

Texas State Rep. District 129 - Doug Peterson

 

1st Court of Appeals, Place 2 - Gordon Goodman

 

1st Court of Appeals, Place 6 – Sarah Beth Landau

 

1st Court of Appeals, Place 7 – Julie Countiss

 

1st Court of Appeals, Place 8 - Richard Hightower

 

1st Court of Appeals, Place 9 - Peter Kelly

 

14th Court of Appeals, Place 3 - Jerry Zimmerer and Chuck Silverman

 

14h Court of Appeals, Place 4 - Charles Spain

 

14h Court of Appeals, Place 5 – Francis Bourliot

 

14h Court of Appeals, Place 6 - Meagan Hassan

 

14h Court of Appeals, Place 8 – Margaret “Meg” Poissant

 

11th Civil District Court – Kristen Hawkins

 

61st Civil District Court – Fredericka Phillips

 

80th Civil District Court - Jeralynn Manor

 

125th Civil District Court - Kyle Carter

 

127th Civil District Court - R.K. Sandill

 

129th Civil District Court - Michael Gomez

 

133rd Civil District Court - Nicole Perdue

 

151st Civil District Court - Mike Engelhart

 

152nd Civil District Court - Robert K. Schaffer

 

164th Civil District Court - Cheryl Elliott Thornton

 

165th Civil District Court - Jill Yaziji

 

174th Criminal District Court Hazel B. Jones

 

176th Civil District Court – Nikita “Niki” Harmon

 

177th Criminal District Court – Robert Johnson

 

178th Criminal District Court - Kelli Johnson

 

179th Criminal District Court - Ana Martinez

 

215th Civil District Court - Elaine Palmer

 

333rd Civil District Court – no endorsement

 

334th Civil District Court – Dawn Rogers

 

337th Criminal District Court - Colleen Gaido

 

338th Criminal District Court - Allison Jackson Mathis

 

339th Criminal District Court – Te’iva Bell

 

351st Criminal District Court – Natalia “Nata” Cornelio

 

486th Criminal District Court - Gemeyal G. Haynes

 

487th Criminal District Court – Stacy Allen Barrow

 

488th Criminal District Court – Carvana Cloud

 

507th Family District Court - Lillian Henny Alexander

 

Harris County District Attorney - Sean Teare

 

Harris County Criminal Court #16 – open seat - Juan J. Aguirre

 

Harris County Probate Court 5 - Franshenka “Fran” Watson

 

Harris County Attorney - Christian D. Menefee

 

Harris County Sheriff - Ed Gonzalez

 

Harris County Tax Assessor Collector open seat - Annette Ramirez

 

Harris County Department of Education, Place 3 - Richard Cantu

 

Harris County Constable, Pct. 2 - Jerry Garcia


Local endorsements available for pre-voting research

The Bay Area Democratic Movement (BADM), a local Democratic club, has screened candidates for the upcoming Nov. 7 election and endorsed in most races in Houston, Harris County and Clear Creek Independent School District. Although BAND has not endorsed candidates in this election, the BADM endorsements are printed below to assist in your pre-voting research. Early voting begins Oct. 23.

Mayor - Sheila Jackson Lee


City Controller - Chris Hollins 


City Council at Large 1 - Conchita Reyes


City Council at Large 2 - Nick Hellyar


City Council at Large 3 - Donnell Cooper


City Council at Large 4 - Letitia Plummer


City Council at Large 5 - Sallie Alcorn


City Council, District E -  no endorsement

The two candidates are Republicans, but some believe Martina Lemond Dixon is less extreme than the other.  


14 Texas Constitutional Amendments

Prop 1   no 

Prop 2  yes

Prop 3  no

Prop 4  no

Prop 5  yes

Prop 6  yes

Prop 7  no 

Prop 8  yes

Prop 9  yes

Prop 10 no

Prop 11 yes 

Prop 12 neutral   

Prop 13 neutral (Note:  All Democratic legislators voted for this one.)

Prop 14 yes


CCISD Propositions

Prop 1   for 

Prop 2  for

Prop 3  for


Houston City Propositions

Prop 1  yes

Prop 2  yes


Harris County Health Bond

yes



Kimberley Yancy of NAACP to speak at October BAND meeting

Kimberley Yancy, NAACP Texas Education chairwoman and a City Council member in La Marque, will be BAND's guest speaker at the Oct. 17 meeting. Her presentation will be "The Time Is Now; Speak Up or Shut Up."

BAND meets on the third Tuesday of each month at Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park, 5002 E. NASA Pkwy. in Seabrook. This month, we will gather for a home-cooked dinner at 6:30 p.m., and the program will follow at 7 p.m.



Let's have a crowd at the Bay Area Community Center!

At the August Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) meeting, our guest speakers will be two candidates in this fall's City of Houston election. U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, candidate for mayor, and Donnell Cooper, candidate for City Council at-large position 3, will join us on Tuesday, Aug. 15 at the Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park at 5002 NASA Pkwy. in Seabrook. BAND meets the third Tuesday of each month, with social time beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7 p.m.


Join us for discussions on 2 Million Texans and the CCISD board election
Bay Area New Democrats' guest speaker Sri Kulkarni, two-time Congressional candidate and now chief strategist for 2 Million Texan Voters, will provide training on his voter outreach program at the March meeting. (Bring your cell phones!) Jamieson Mackay, a candidate for Clear Creek Independent School District (CCISD) board trustee in District 2, will also join us. (The three authors previously scheduled for the March BAND meeting had to cancel, because one of them contracted COVID.) The event starts with social time at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 21 at the Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park, 5002 NASA Pkwy. in Seabrook. The program begins at 7 p.m.


BAND to welcome guest speaker Jon Haire

At our February BAND meeting, Jon Haire, former candidate for the 36th Congressional District, will give us a summary of his 2022 campaign experience. Sherrie Matula will update us on the current legislative session, and Clear Creek school district board member Arturo Sanchez will talk about his campaign for re-election. The meeting begins with social time at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21, followed by the program at 7 p.m. As usual, the meeting place is the Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park, 5002 E. NASA Pkwy. in Seabrook.



Celebrating the holidays in a new way, Tuesday, Dec. 20!

BAND members often celebrate the holidays each year at a restaurant, but this year, we might start a new tradition by asking members to bring a dish to share for a potluck event at Bay Area Community Center at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20.


Please let us know if you plan to join us so we can set up enough tables and coordinate to have just the right quantity and variety of food. Contact BAND secretary Melissa Courteau at mcourteau@live.com with the number of people from your household attending and what kind of dish you plan to bring. The dish may be purchased or one you prepare yourself.


We'll see you at our regular meeting spot in the Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park, 5002 NASA Pkwy. in Seabrook. Attire will be holiday festive.


As is our custom, we will honor a charity with donations from members. We will have baskets available for this year's chosen charity, Bay Area Turning Point, which provides services to survivors of family and sexual violence. Please bring cash or your checkbook and look for the baskets. See you there!



Chris Hollins to be our guest at August meeting

Invite your Democratic friends from the other clubs and those who are not members anywhere else for our special guest at the next BAND meeting. Chris Hollins, who revolutionized voter turnout in Harris County in 2020, is a candidate for Houston mayor in 2023. He will be our guest speaker at the Tuesday, Aug. 16 BAND meeting.


Hollins served temporarily as Harris County Clerk when the elected clerk resigned for health reasons, and he helped citizens dealing with a pandemic find innovative ways to cast their votes with drive-through voting, 24-hour voting and increased numbers of voting centers, among other things. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Morehouse College and completed a joint program with Yale Law School and Harvard Business School, earning a J.D. and Master of Business Administration degrees.


The meeting will begin with social time at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7 p.m. BAND meets the third Tuesday of each month at the Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park, 5002 E. NASA Pkwy. in Seabrook. 



Join us at the fall campaign headquarters 

The three local Democratic clubs, Bay Area New Democrats (BAND), Bay Area Association of Democratic (BAAD) Women and Bay Area Democratic Movement (BADM), are working together to open our fall campaign headquarters in the shopping center at 1215 Bay Area Blvd. at Diana Lane, the same second-floor facility used in the 2020 campaign.

The headquarters opens on Monday, Aug. 1 and will celebrate a grand opening on Sunday, Aug. 21. In the first month, the campaign headquarters is open, the hours will be 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays; 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and closed on Sunday. We will need staff that can work half-day or full-day shifts, one day a week or more.



Johnny Peden to speak at Tuesday BAND meeting

Longtime Democratic activist Johnny Peden will be the guest speaker for the Tuesday, June 21 meeting of Bay Area New Democrats (BAND). His topic will be Gay Pride Month and issues affecting the LGBTQ community, including teen suicide, counseling, marriage, self awareness and political targeting.

A former Southern Baptist minister, Peden was a church staff member when he was outed. Soon afterward, he was elected to the board of directors of the Houston Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus. He has volunteered in election campaigns for Gov. Ann Richards and Houston Mayors Kathy Whitmire and Annise Parker, among others. Now a wedding officiator, he also fills in for pastors at the Bay Area Unitarian Universalist Church and other Unitarian churches.

The hybrid in-person and virtual meeting begins with social time at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7 p.m. The in-person meeting will be at the Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park at 5002 E. NASA Pkwy. in Seabrook. See the BAND Facebook page for the Zoom link to the meeting.



Beto O'Rourke to appear locally at Multicultural Center
You are invited to see gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke at a "Beto Townhall" at 5:30 p.m. Friday, June 17 at the Multicultural Center (MCC), 951 Tristar Dr., Webster 77598. The event will include five food trucks, so if you'd like to buy dinner there too, come no later than 5:30 p.m. Please use this link to register for the event: mobilize.us/betofortexas/event/463420/.


BAND endorses nine runoff candidates

At the April 19 BAND meeting, members voted to endorse the following candidates in the Democratic Primary runoff election on Tuesday, May 24:

Lieutenant Governor - Mike Collier
Attorney General - Joe Jaworski
Comptroller - Janet T. Dudding
General Land Office Commissioner - Jay Kleburg
District Judge, 185th Criminal Court- Jason Luong
District Judge, 208th Criminal Court - Beverly Armstrong
District Judge, 312th Family Court - Teresa D. Waldrop
Judge, Harris County Civil Court #4 - M.K. Monica Singh
State Board of Education, District 4 - Coretta Mallet-Fontenot


Runoff candidates and school board candidate to speak at April 19 BAND meeting

At this month's
 BAND meeting, the club will host a Democratic Primary Runoff candidates forum ahead of the May 24 Democratic Primary Runoff Election. Also appearing at the meeting will be Clear Creek ISD
school board candidate Kyrsten Garcia, running for At-Large Position B in the school district election on Saturday, May 7.

A majority of candidates in the nine runoff races appearing on local ballots have confirmed they are attending. After the candidates speak briefly, they will depart so that the club can deliberate and vote on the candidate screening committee's recommendations for Runoff endorsements.


The Tuesday, April 19 meeting will be on Zoom only, because our meeting place, the Bay Area Community Center, will not be available that evening. See BAND Notes or the BAND Facebook page for the link. As usual, social time begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7 p.m.




Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) to gather in person for the first time in two years at community center
After two years of meeting on Zoom, Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) members will at long last meet in person at our previous gathering spot, the Bay Area Community Center, on Tuesday, March 15. Mike Collier, candidate for Texas lieutenant governor, will also appear in person as one of our guest speakers. Lindsey Murff, who has recently returned from Ukraine and teaches students there remotely, will talk to us about the crisis in Ukraine. On the agenda will be new endorsements for the Democratic Primary runoff election.

Because our regular meeting date is no longer available, we are now meeting on the third Tuesday of the month at the community center in Clear Lake Park, 5002 E. NASA Pkwy. in Seabrook. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m., and we'll have refreshments and a door prize drawing. The program begins at 7 p.m. 



BAND endorses 39 Democratic Primary candidates by acclamation

At a specially called meeting on Jan. 26, Bay Area New Democrats voted by acclamation to endorse 39 candidates in the March 1 Democratic Primary. All endorsed candidates appeared for recent screening interviews and are in contested races. To see a full sample of your ballot, visit harrisvotes.com.


Governor
Beto O’Rourke

Lieutenant Governor
Mike Collier

Attorney General
Joe Jaworski

Comptroller of Public Accounts
Janet T. Dudding

Commissioner of the General Land Office
Jay Kleberg

Commissioner of Agriculture
Susan Hays

Justice 14th Court of Appeals, Place 2
Kyle Carter

Justice, 14th Court of Appeals, Place 9
William Demond


District Judge, 183rd Criminal
 Court
Chuck Silverman
 
District Judge, 184th CriminalCourt

Abigail Anastasio
 

District Judge, 185th Criminal Court
Jason Luong

District Judge,189th, Civil Court
Scot “Dolli” Dollinger

District Judge, 208th, Criminal Court
Greg Glass

District Judge, 228th Criminal Court
Samuel “Sam” Milledge II

District Judge, 230th, Criminal Court
Chris Morton

District Judge, 245th, Family Court
Tristan Harris Longino

District Judge, 248th, Criminal Court
Hilary Unger

District Judge, 263rd Criminal Court
Amy Martin

District Judge, 270th, Civil Court
Denise Brown

District Judge, 280th, Family Violence Court
Barbara “Babs” Stalder

District Judge, 312th, Family Court
Paul Antonio Calzada

District Judge, 313th, Juvenile Court
Natalia Oakes

District Judge, 315th, Juvenile Court
Leah Shapiro

District Judge, 482nd, Criminal Court
Alycia Beth Harvey

Judge, Harris County Criminal Court #2
Ronnisha Bowman

Judge, Harris County Criminal Court #3
Staci Biggar

Judge, Harris County Criminal Court #5
David Fleischer

Judge, Harris County Criminal Court #6
Kelley Andrews

Judge, Harris County Criminal Court #7
Andrew Wright

Judge, Harris County Criminal Court #8
Franklin Bynum

Judge, Harris County Criminal Court #10
Thuy Le

Judge, Harris County Criminal Court #14
David L. Singer

Judge, Harris County Civil Court #4
David Patronella
 

Judge, Probate Court 2
Michael Newman

Harris County Judge
Lina Hidalgo

Harris County Commissioner, Pct. 2 
Adrian Garcia

Harris County District Clerk
Marilyn Burgess

Harris County Treasurer
Dylan Osbourne

State Board of Education, District 4
Coretta Mallet-Fontenot



Judge Scot Dollinger to be guest speaker at first BAND meeting of the year


Judge Scot Dollinger of the Harris County 189th Civil District Court will be the guest speaker at the Wednesday, Jan. 12 meeting of Bay Area New Democrats (BAND). The judge, who goes by "Dolli" and makes pies for his juries, will tell us about what civil court judges do.

At the meeting, the club will also discuss plans for the upcoming election year, including how we will decide on club endorsements and distribution of voter information in time for early voting. The meeting begins with social time at 6:30 p.m. on Zoom, followed by the program at 7 p.m. See your BAND Notes for the link.



No November BAND meeting

We don't yet have enough statistics from last week's election to have a meaningful discussion about local election outcomes, so we will not have a monthly meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Because of COVID-19, our usual holiday gathering will not take place, but we hope to celebrate our President-elect, Vice President-elect and newly elected Harris County office holders at a monthly meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 9. Meanwhile, get some rest and be ready to lend a hand in the Georgia Senate race runoffs in early 2021.



How to shorten your time at the polls
Because we are in the middle of a pandemic, you want to be at the polls for the shortest time possible to minimize any possible exposure. You should bring your photo ID and wear a mask, but also:

1. Choose a time of day, preferably during early voting, when lines are the shortest, usually mid-morning or mid-afternoon, or the extended hours offered this week.

2. If you live in Harris County, print out a sample ballot for your precinct at harrisvotes.com. Other counties have comparable websites. Mark your choices on the sample ballot. If you are not voting a straight ticket and wish to study the individual candidates, see lwvhouston.org/voters-guide/#access for guidance about the individual candidates. Those in line behind you will be grateful when you vacate the voting machine long before that person who did not come prepared. Please pass this on to your first-time voting friends.

3. If you vote a straight ticket in the partisan races, you can get through the ballot in less than five minutes. Just look for the word "Democrat" after the candidate's name.

4. Make your decision about the nonpartisan races at the bottom of the ballot ahead of time.



Don't go to the library to vote!

If you visit Freeman Library on Diana Lane in the near future, don't go there to vote. For years, Clear Lake area voters have flocked to the Freeman Branch Library to vote early and sometimes mistakenly to vote on Election Day. Because of COVID-19, Harris County election officials are choosing voting locations with enough space to socially distance voters and voting machines. The small room where early voting usually occurs at the library did not qualify. Clear Lake area early voting sites include:


Multicultural Center, 951 Tristar Dr., Webster 77598 (near the former DPS site)

Pipers Meadow Community Center, 15920 Pipers View Dr., Webster 77598

University of Houston - Clear Lake, 2700 Bay Area Blvd., Houston 77058

Clear Lake Islamic Center, 17511 El Camino Real, Houston 77058


Visit harrisvotes.com to see your sample ballot, print it out and mark it up to bring with you to the polls. Also on the Harris County site, search for the many other early voting locations in Harris County. Early voting continues until Friday, Oct. 30. See our website calendar to the left for dates and times.


Black Lives Matter Is Topic for October Meeting

The next BAND meeting will feature Ashton Woods, organizer of the Black Lives Matter Houston chapter. The club is again gathering on Zoom for the event at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14. Register to obtain the meeting link here.


Straight ticket voting not really gone
You may have heard that you can no longer vote a straight ticket. What that really means is that the shortcut to vote a straight ticket is gone. You will have to mark all the Ds all the way down the ballot in order to cast a straight ticket vote.

Recent big defeats by Democrats in large Texas counties had a lot to do with the move by Republicans to delete the shortcut from your ballot. This makes voting by mail even more attractive. Ballots in Presidential years are long and include not just the exciting races at the top. They include races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of 
Representatives, the Texas Senate, the Texas House of Representatives and a host of judges at the state and local level, as well as some other county positions such as constable and district attorney. Clear Lake area ballots include nonpartisan races for the Clear Creek ISD school board and Clear Lake City Water Authority directors. Often, those local races have more of a profound effect on your life than those at the top of the ballot.

In-person voters who wait until Election Day will be waiting longer than usual for a booth to open up because of the missing straight ticket shortcut. To save time, you can print out your sample ballot from harrisvotes.com and carry your marked up ballot to the polls where you can easily copy your choices on the eSlate.


Timely video interview with John Dean to be shown at BAND September meeting

The Wednesday, Sept. 9 BAND meeting on Zoom will include Barbara Radnofsky's taped interview with John Dean, of Watergate fame, on authoritarianism. The video is from the Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association. The meeting, which requires registration at bandtexas@gmail.com, begins at 7 p.m.



BAND continues with virtual meetings this election year

Join Bay Area New Democrats as they continue to meet on Zoom during the pandemic. Our next monthly meeting will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12. We will talk about how we will reach voters in the era of COVID-19 and an upcoming all-important election. Send an email to bandtexas@gmail.com to request a link for the meeting. 



BAND votes to endorse runoff candidates at Zoom meeting
At a specially called Zoom meeting on June 3, Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) members voted to endorse seven candidates appearing on area ballots in the upcoming Democratic Primary Runoff Election. Some voters already have mail-in ballots, and early voting begins June 29 for the July 14 election. The candidates endorsed by BAND are:
U.S. Senate - Royce West
Texas 14th Court of Appeals - Cheri Thomas
Texas Railroad Commissioner - Chrysta Castañeda
State Board of Education, Position 6 - Michelle Palmer
Harris County 164th Civil Judicial District Court - Cheryl Elliott Thornton
Harris County 339th Criminal Judicial District Court - Te'iva Bell
Constable, Precinct 2
- Lt. Jerry Garcia


Bay Area New Democrats to meet on Zoom on Wednesday, June 10
Bay Area New Democrats' next monthly meeting will again be virtual. Join our Zoom meeting a little before 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10 so we can honor our guest speakers' time constraints.

City Council member Letitia Plummer will discuss her proposal for reforms in the Houston Police Department. Olivia Stitillis, Texas Democratic Party organizing director, and Sam Zuniga, Harris County Democratic Party organizer and data director, will talk about Coordinated Campaigns and big plans for turning Texas blue.

Email bandtexas@gmail.com for a link to the meeting.



In-person attendance not encouraged at Senate District 11 convention


The Senate District 11 Harris County convention is set for Saurday, March 21 at the IBEW Local 66 union hall at 4345 Allen Genoa in Pasadena, but attendance is no longer required for those who wish to become delegates at conventions at the state or national level. In fact, it is better if you stay home, especially if you are immuno-compromised in any way, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Following the Democratic Primary, Texas Democrats who wish to continue their involvement would ordinarily have to attend the Senate District convention in their area. Local planners have decided that they will hold only an abbreviated meeting of the Harris County Senate District 11 Convention at 9 a.m. Those who do attend will be there for one to two hours or less. Planners intend a small meeting of just the people needed to conduct essential business.

If you wish to attend the state Democratic convention in San Antonio June 4-6 (if it is not postponed), register for the convention at 2020texasdemocrats.org and state a presidential preference. Those who registered before a presidential preference could be indicated, or who chose someone who is no longer running, will be counted as uncommitted unless they update their preference by signing up again.

The Senate District is the district from which voters elect their state senator to represent them in the legislature. Senate District 11 includes parts of southeast Harris County, as well as parts of Galveston and Brazoria County, and the other counties in the Senate District hold their own conventions.




Infectious diseases specialist, to speak on COVID-19 at the March 11 BAND meeting

What is actually known about COVID-19?  What can you do to protect yourself? What is happening in Harris County to prevent the spread? Come join us to hear Dr. Michelle Onorato, infectious diseases specialist at the BAND meeting at Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park, 5002 E. NASA Pkwy. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m.

Plans for headquarters, Harris County judicial system to be topics at February BAND Meeting

Judge Tanya Garrison will be the guest speaker at the Feb. 12 BAND meeting. Her topic will be the Harris County judicial system. Also on the agenda is a discussion of plans for our 2020 Democratic campaign headquarters. The club meets on the second Wednesday of each month at the Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park, 5002 E. NASA Parkway in Seabrook. Join us as we gather at 6:30 p.m. for social time, followed by the program at 7.


Club endorses 2020 Democratic Primary candidates

On Jan. 22, Bay Area New Democrats voted to endorse the following candidates for the upcoming March 3 Primary:

Railroad Commissioner - Chrysta Castañeda

Chief Justice, Supreme Court - Amy Clark Meachum

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 6 - Kathy Cheng

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7- Brandy Voss

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 8 - Gisela D. Triana

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3 - William Pieratt Demond

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 4 - Tina Clinton

Member, State Board of Education, District 6 - Debra Kerner

State Sen., District 11 - Susan Criss

State Sen., District 13 - Borris L. Miles

State Rep., District 128 - Josh Markle

State Rep. District 129 - Kayla Alix

State Rep., District 131- Alma A. Allen

State Rep., District 134 - Ann Johnson

State Rep., District 138 - Josh Wallenstein

State Rep., District 139 - Jarvis D. Johnson

State Rep., District 147 - Garnet F. Coleman

Chief Justice, 14th Court of Appeals District - Jim Evans

Justice, 1st Court of Appeals District, Place 3 - Dinesh Singhal

Justice, 1st Court of Appeals District, Place 5 - Amparo Monique Guerra

Justice, 14th Court of Appeals District, Place 7 - Wally Kronzer

District Judge, 80th Judicial District - Larry Weiman

District Judge, 164th Judicial District - Grant J. Harvey

District Judge, 164th Judicial District - Cheryl Elliott Thornton

District Judge, 165th Judicial District - Ursula A. Hall

District Judge, 176th Judicial District - Nikita "Niki" Harmon

District Judge, 179th Judicial District - Ana Martinez

District Judge, 333rd Judicial District - Daryl Moore

District Judge, 334th Judicial District - Steven Kirkland

District Judge, 337th Judicial District - Colleen Gaido

District Judge, 339th Judicial District - Te'iva Bell

District Judge, 351st Judicial District - Natalia Cornelio

Harris County District Attorney - Kim Ogg

County Civil Court at Law No. 4 - Lesley Briones

County Attorney - Christian Dashaun Menefee  

Sheriff - Ed Gonzalez

County Tax Assessor-Collector -  Ann Harris Bennett

County Commissioner Precinct 1  - Rodney Ellis

County Commissioner Precinct 3 - Michael Moore and

Kristi Thibaut (dual endorsement)

Justice of the Peace Precinct 6, Place 1 - Eva Loredo

County Constable Precinct 1 - Alan Rosen

County Constable Precinct 2 - Jerry Garcia (Harris County Lt.)  (note: There are two candidates with the same name; BAND has endorsed Lt. Garcia.)

County Constable Precinct 3 - Sherman Eagleton


BAND calls special meeting to vote on endorsements Jan. 22


BAND is holding a special meeting to vote on Democratic Primary candidate endorsements on Wednesday, Jan. 22. The club members were unable to vote on endorsements at our regular monthly meeting in January, because the endorsement committee had not yet concluded its interviews with the candidates. Soon, the committee will meet to agree on endorsement recommendations for the Jan. 22 meeting.

The special meeting this month will allow time for distribution of the recommendations before early voting begins. Super Tuesday is March 3, and early voting begins in mid-February.

The meeting will be at our former site for monthly gatherings at 7 p.m. at the Freeman Branch Library, 16616 Diana Ln., Houston 77062 this time only.

Members from last year must have paid their 2020 dues before the start of the meeting in order to qualify to vote. Visit bayareanewdemocrats.org and click on "member signup" to renew your membership. New members joining for the first time will not be eligible to vote this month.



Happy New Year! It's time to renew your membership!


Don't forget that BAND memberships expire at the end of each calendar year, no matter what month you first joined the club. To participate in upcoming club votes, such as decisions to endorse Democratic Primary candidates, you must have joined BAND or renewed your membership for 2020 prior to the meeting. You can renew easily online by clicking on "member signup."

BAND Holiday Party is December 11
Join us at El Tiempo Cantina, 16608 Gulf Freeway, Webster, at 6:30 p.m. for an evening of good food and fellowship.

Mike Collier, past (and, we hope future) candidate for lieutenant governor is our featured speaker. He's funny and knowledgeable -- come and enjoy.

Tickets are $28, and can be purchased at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/holiday20191211. Or, you can reserve by emailing bandtexas@gmail.com by Dec. 7 and pay at the door.

Meet and Greet Houston City Council Run-Off Election Candidates

Come meet and mingle with Raj Salhotra, Janaeya Carmouche, Letitia Plummer and Sallie Alcorn. Mayor Sylvester Turner has been invited.   

Saturday, December 1, 3-5 p.m., Sawa Grill and Restaurant, 16608 El Camino Real -- complimentary appetizers and drinks will be provided.

Hosted by Kim and Scott Krist, Ruth and Mohammed Nasrullah, Dr. and Mrs. Tarek Hussein, Suzy Allison and Rosie Flannigan.

Sign up for October Roadshow - HD 129 on Oct. 12 in nearby Scarsdale

Harris County Democratic Party (HCDP) will hold the October RoadShow - HD 129 to announce plans for 2020 and House District 129 in the Bay Area. This planning and training session will be held at the Parker Williams Library, adjacent to the Scarsdale Courthouse Annex at 10851 Scarsdale Blvd., Houston 77089, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12. Sign up at:
mobilize.us/hcdp/event/109800/?force_banner=true.


Nov. 5 election information posted

Under the Links menu, there's an Elections tab with dates, and links to resources and the Harris, Galveston and Brazoria county election offices.

This election has 10 proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot. For each one, there are links to the League of Women Voters and Ballotpedia information for that proposal, as well as a list of the legislators that sponsored it.

Email us at bandtexas@gmail.com if there's something else you'd like to see added to it. 


Thursday candidate forum cancelled due to weather

Because the tropical disturbance that was once Imelda is lingering, the three clubs planning to host a forum for Houston City Council at-large candidates have decided to cancel the event. Bay Area Association of Democratic (BAAD) Women, Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) and Bay Area Democratic Movement (BADM) were set to sponsor a second candidate forum this election season on Thursday night at the Bay Area Community Center. It would be risky or difficult for many candidates and audience members to attend. No information is yet available about possibly rescheduling at a later date.


Conditions at the Border


 

Daniela Dwyer, managing attorney for the Farmworker Project of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, in Weslaco.

TRLA's website is https://www.trla.org, and Angry Tias and Abuelas is at https://www.angrytiasandabuelas.com/press.



 

  
 





Upcoming Events
Upcoming Event

Join us as BAND celebrates the holidays on Wednesday, Dec. 8

We finally get to meet in person with our Democratic friends! Join us as we celebrate the holidays with a Mexican buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 8 until closing at La Brisa Mexican Grill. A vegetarian option will be available upon request.

Tickets are $30 each. You can buy tickets at the door with cash or a check or pay with a credit card in advance on secure.actblue.com/donate/bayareanewdemocrats. If you plan to purchase tickets later, please notify treasurer Dianne Menard by Friday, Dec. 3 that you are coming. The restaurant needs to know how many people to prepare for with food and adequate seating.

As is our custom, the club will honor a charity at our holiday party. This year, we are again hoping attendees will donate to Bay Area Turning Point, which provides service to survivors of family and sexual violence. Bring cash or your checkbook and look for the donation basket.

The restaurant, at 501 N. Wesley Drive in League City, is set back from the northbound frontage road behind a restaurant that is now closed, just north of the Gulf Freeway's intersection with FM 518. Attire is holiday festive. 

The holiday party takes the 
place of a club meeting this month.

Barbara Radnofsky to speak at November meeting

Barbara Radnofsky, attorney, author, peer mediation teacher and former Senatorial and state attorney general candidate, will present a discussion on "Peaceful Problem Solving: Teaching Critical Thinking" at our November BAND meeting. The Houston native is the author of A Citizen's Guide to Impeachment and Listening Space: A Barbershop Guide to Problem-Solving. The latter book features astronaut and war stories from the Webster Barbershop of Carlos Villagomez, who will also speak at the meeting.

Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) will meet on Zoom again this month, starting with social time at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov.10. The program begins at 7.


Historical politics will be part of timely discussion this Wednesday

These days, Americans are re-examining what we thought was our proud history and finding that in some cases, it was not really so worthy of our pride.

On Wednesday, Oct. 13, Bay Area New Democrats, in partnership with the Society of Professional Journalists Houston Pro Chapter, will host a discussion with two of the three authors of Forget the Alamo: The Rise and Fall of an American Myth, Jason Stanford and Bryan Burrough. The bestselling book, also authored by Houston Chronicle columnist Chris Tomlinson, urges readers to reconsider stories about the Alamo they learned in school, and it critiques U.S. imperialism and colonialism.

BAND meets on the second Wednesday of the month, but we are for now meeting virtually. Social time begins online at 6:30 p.m., and the program is at 7 p.m. To acquire the Zoom link, see your BAND Notes email or the BAND Facebook group page.


BAND reverting to Zoom meetings for at least the September meeting

Bay Area New Democrats were looking forward to meeting in person again, but now the coronavirus has surged again and large in-person gatherings are discouraged. For the time being, the club will return to meeting on Zoom. At the meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 8, BAND will welcome Harris County Constable Jerry Garcia of Precinct 2 as the guest speaker. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7 p.m.


Redistricting and gerrymandering on the agenda for August meeting
Lydia Ozuna, president of Texans Against Gerrymandering, will be at the Aug. 11 BAND meeting to discuss "2021: Critical Factors in Texas Redistricting." The meeting, as of now still scheduled on Zoom, starts with social time at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7 p.m.



Spread the word about BAND's special guest, Beto O'Rourke
Tell all your Democratic friends that former U.S. Congressman Beto O'Rourke will be Bay Area New Democrats' special guest at our July meeting. The meeting begins with social time at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 14, and the program begins at 7 p.m. on Zoom.

The Zoom link will be available in BAND Notes and on the BAND Facebook page. Encourage your friends to sign up for BAND Notes (top left corner of this home page). To request to join the Facebook page, be sure to provide the required information.

We hope to resume in-person meetings soon. Watch this space!


Mike Collier is guest speaker at June BAND meeting
Join us as we welcome guest speaker Mike Collier, who previously came close to defeating Dan Patrick and is running again for Texas lieutenant governor. Collier will be the guest speaker at our meeting on Wednesday, June 9, and the topic will be his perspective on the 2022 election. We will get together on Zoom beginning at 6:30 p.m., and the program begins at 7 p.m.

You can obtain the Zoom link by joining BAND's Facebook page (be sure to answer the questions first), or you can sign up for BAND Notes, emailed on Tuesdays, on this website. Click "add me to your mailing list" at the top of the page.


Coming attractions at BAND meetings!

Bay Area New Democrats have quite the lineup set for the next four monthly meetings, with some great guests on tap:

Teneshia Hudspeth, Harris County Clerk - May 12
Mike Collier, candidate for lieutenant governor - June 9

Beto O'Rourke, possible candidate for governor - July 14

Lydia Ozuna, president of Texans Against Gerrymandering


We do not yet know when the club will meet in person again, but until then, see your BAND Notes and join us on Zoom!


State legislature and board elections on the agenda for April BAND meeting
Come join us as Odus Evbagharu, chief of staff for State Rep. Jon E. Rosenthal, District 135, talks about "The 87th Legislative Session and Keeping Harris County Progressive!" at the April meeting of Bay Area New Democrats.


Also on the agenda is the election of club board members. At last report, the nominating committee had not named a nominee for president. Joe Khan has agreed to run for vice president. Current officeholders for secretary (Melissa Courteau), treasurer (Dianne Menard) and communications director (Vicki Cherewaty) have agreed to run again. BAND members may also nominate a candidate from the floor.


Only those who are BAND members prior to the April club meeting are eligible to vote in the board elections. Don't forget to join the club as a new member or renew your annual BAND membership, which expired at the end of 2020. Click on "member signup" on this website to pay your dues.


The gathering begins with social time at 6:30 p.m., followed by the meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 14 on Zoom. See BAND Notes or BAND's Facebook page for the link to join the meeting.


State Sen. Alvarado to speak at February BAND meeting

State Sen. Carol Alvarado, who represents Texas Senate District 6, will be the guest speaker at the next Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) meeting on Zoom. Her topic will be the goings on in the state legislature during the current session.


The meeting begins at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 10. Here is the link to register for the February meeting on Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register.


Let's celebrate the inauguration!

Local Democrats won't be able to celebrate the Jan. 20 inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris the way we have celebrated the inaugurations of Democrats in the past. We hope you will participate in virtual celebrations, put out your Biden-Harris signs in the yard, display the U.S. flag and stay safe!


Presentation on recycling available online
If you missed the Jan. 13 BAND meeting on Zoom, you can still catch the presentation by Sarah Mason, recycling division manager for the City of Houston Solid Waste Management Department, on the City's Long-Range Solid Waste Management Plan. The long-range plan covers recommendations on how to plan for adequate infrastructure, increase waste reduction,
reuse and recycling, and improving the level of service provided to residents. The link to a previous presentation of the material appears at 

http://houstontx.gov/solidwaste/longrange/01video.html.



Annual membership expired Dec. 31
Don't forget to renew your annual BAND membership which expired at the end of 2020. Visit "member signup" to pay your dues on this website.



No November BAND meeting

We don't yet have enough statistics from last week's election to have a meaningful discussion about local election outcomes, so we will not have a monthly meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Because of COVID-19, our usual holiday gathering will not take place, but we hope to celebrate our President-elect, Vice President-elect and newly elected Harris County office holders at a monthly meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 9. Meanwhile, get some rest and be ready to lend a hand in the Georgia Senate race runoffs in early 2021.



How to shorten your time at the polls
Because we are in the middle of a pandemic, you want to be at the polls for the shortest time possible to minimize any possible exposure. You should bring your photo ID and wear a mask, but also:

1. Choose a time of day, preferably during early voting, when lines are the shortest, usually mid-morning or mid-afternoon, or the extended hours offered this week.

2. If you live in Harris County, print out a sample ballot for your precinct at harrisvotes.com. Other counties have comparable websites. Mark your choices on the sample ballot. If you are not voting a straight ticket and wish to study the individual candidates, see lwvhouston.org/voters-guide/#access for guidance about the individual candidates. Those in line behind you will be grateful when you vacate the voting machine long before that person who did not come prepared. Please pass this on to your first-time voting friends.

3. If you vote a straight ticket in the partisan races, you can get through the ballot in less than five minutes. Just look for the word "Democrat" after the candidate's name.

4. Make your decision about the nonpartisan races at the bottom of the ballot ahead of time.



Don't go to the library to vote!

If you visit Freeman Library on Diana Lane in the near future, don't go there to vote. For years, Clear Lake area voters have flocked to the Freeman Branch Library to vote early and sometimes mistakenly to vote on Election Day. Because of COVID-19, Harris County election officials are choosing voting locations with enough space to socially distance voters and voting machines. The small room where early voting usually occurs at the library did not qualify. Clear Lake area early voting sites include:


Multicultural Center, 951 Tristar Dr., Webster 77598 (near the former DPS site)

Pipers Meadow Community Center, 15920 Pipers View Dr., Webster 77598

University of Houston - Clear Lake, 2700 Bay Area Blvd., Houston 77058

Clear Lake Islamic Center, 17511 El Camino Real, Houston 77058


Visit harrisvotes.com to see your sample ballot, print it out and mark it up to bring with you to the polls. Also on the Harris County site, search for the many other early voting locations in Harris County. Early voting continues until Friday, Oct. 30. See our website calendar to the left for dates and times.


Black Lives Matter Is Topic for October Meeting

The next BAND meeting will feature Ashton Woods, organizer of the Black Lives Matter Houston chapter. The club is again gathering on Zoom for the event at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14. Register to obtain the meeting link here.


Straight ticket voting not really gone
You may have heard that you can no longer vote a straight ticket. What that really means is that the shortcut to vote a straight ticket is gone. You will have to mark all the Ds all the way down the ballot in order to cast a straight ticket vote.

Recent big defeats by Democrats in large Texas counties had a lot to do with the move by Republicans to delete the shortcut from your ballot. This makes voting by mail even more attractive. Ballots in Presidential years are long and include not just the exciting races at the top. They include races for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of 
Representatives, the Texas Senate, the Texas House of Representatives and a host of judges at the state and local level, as well as some other county positions such as constable and district attorney. Clear Lake area ballots include nonpartisan races for the Clear Creek ISD school board and Clear Lake City Water Authority directors. Often, those local races have more of a profound effect on your life than those at the top of the ballot.

In-person voters who wait until Election Day will be waiting longer than usual for a booth to open up because of the missing straight ticket shortcut. To save time, you can print out your sample ballot from harrisvotes.com and carry your marked up ballot to the polls where you can easily copy your choices on the eSlate.


Timely video interview with John Dean to be shown at BAND September meeting

The Wednesday, Sept. 9 BAND meeting on Zoom will include Barbara Radnofsky's taped interview with John Dean, of Watergate fame, on authoritarianism. The video is from the Harris County Democratic Lawyers Association. The meeting, which requires registration at bandtexas@gmail.com, begins at 7 p.m.



BAND continues with virtual meetings this election year

Join Bay Area New Democrats as they continue to meet on Zoom during the pandemic. Our next monthly meeting will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12. We will talk about how we will reach voters in the era of COVID-19 and an upcoming all-important election. Send an email to bandtexas@gmail.com to request a link for the meeting. 



BAND votes to endorse runoff candidates at Zoom meeting

At a specially called Zoom meeting on June 3, Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) members voted to endorse seven candidates appearing on area ballots in the upcoming Democratic Primary Runoff Election. Some voters already have mail-in ballots, and early voting begins June 29 for the July 14 election. The candidates endorsed by BAND are:
U.S. Senate - Royce West
Texas 14th Court of Appeals - Cheri Thomas
Texas Railroad Commissioner - Chrysta Castañeda
State Board of Education, Position 6 - Michelle Palmer
Harris County 164th Civil Judicial District Court - Cheryl Elliott Thornton
Harris County 339th Criminal Judicial District Court - Te'iva Bell
Constable, Precinct 2
- Lt. Jerry Garcia


Bay Area New Democrats to meet on Zoom on Wednesday, June 10
Bay Area New Democrats' next monthly meeting will again be virtual. Join our Zoom meeting a little before 7 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10 so we can honor our guest speakers' time constraints.

City Council member Letitia Plummer will discuss her proposal for reforms in the Houston Police Department. Olivia Stitillis, Texas Democratic Party organizing director, and Sam Zuniga, Harris County Democratic Party organizer and data director, will talk about Coordinated Campaigns and big plans for turning Texas blue.

Email bandtexas@gmail.com for a link to the meeting.



In-person attendance not encouraged at Senate District 11 convention


The Senate District 11 Harris County convention is set for Saurday, March 21 at the IBEW Local 66 union hall at 4345 Allen Genoa in Pasadena, but attendance is no longer required for those who wish to become delegates at conventions at the state or national level. In fact, it is better if you stay home, especially if you are immuno-compromised in any way, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Following the Democratic Primary, Texas Democrats who wish to continue their involvement would ordinarily have to attend the Senate District convention in their area. Local planners have decided that they will hold only an abbreviated meeting of the Harris County Senate District 11 Convention at 9 a.m. Those who do attend will be there for one to two hours or less. Planners intend a small meeting of just the people needed to conduct essential business.

If you wish to attend the state Democratic convention in San Antonio June 4-6 (if it is not postponed), register for the convention at 2020texasdemocrats.org and state a presidential preference. Those who registered before a presidential preference could be indicated, or who chose someone who is no longer running, will be counted as uncommitted unless they update their preference by signing up again.

The Senate District is the district from which voters elect their state senator to represent them in the legislature. Senate District 11 includes parts of southeast Harris County, as well as parts of Galveston and Brazoria County, and the other counties in the Senate District hold their own conventions.




Infectious diseases specialist, to speak on COVID-19 at the March 11 BAND meeting

What is actually known about COVID-19?  What can you do to protect yourself? What is happening in Harris County to prevent the spread? Come join us to hear Dr. Michelle Onorato, infectious diseases specialist at the BAND meeting at Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park, 5002 E. NASA Pkwy. Social time begins at 6:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m.

Plans for headquarters, Harris County judicial system to be topics at February BAND Meeting

Judge Tanya Garrison will be the guest speaker at the Feb. 12 BAND meeting. Her topic will be the Harris County judicial system. Also on the agenda is a discussion of plans for our 2020 Democratic campaign headquarters. The club meets on the second Wednesday of each month at the Bay Area Community Center in Clear Lake Park, 5002 E. NASA Parkway in Seabrook. Join us as we gather at 6:30 p.m. for social time, followed by the program at 7.


Club endorses 2020 Democratic Primary candidates

On Jan. 22, Bay Area New Democrats voted to endorse the following candidates for the upcoming March 3 Primary:

Railroad Commissioner - Chrysta Castañeda

Chief Justice, Supreme Court - Amy Clark Meachum

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 6 - Kathy Cheng

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 7- Brandy Voss

Justice, Supreme Court, Place 8 - Gisela D. Triana

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3 - William Pieratt Demond

Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 4 - Tina Clinton

Member, State Board of Education, District 6 - Debra Kerner

State Sen., District 11 - Susan Criss

State Sen., District 13 - Borris L. Miles

State Rep., District 128 - Josh Markle

State Rep. District 129 - Kayla Alix

State Rep., District 131- Alma A. Allen

State Rep., District 134 - Ann Johnson

State Rep., District 138 - Josh Wallenstein

State Rep., District 139 - Jarvis D. Johnson

State Rep., District 147 - Garnet F. Coleman

Chief Justice, 14th Court of Appeals District - Jim Evans

Justice, 1st Court of Appeals District, Place 3 - Dinesh Singhal

Justice, 1st Court of Appeals District, Place 5 - Amparo Monique Guerra

Justice, 14th Court of Appeals District, Place 7 - Wally Kronzer

District Judge, 80th Judicial District - Larry Weiman

District Judge, 164th Judicial District - Grant J. Harvey

District Judge, 164th Judicial District - Cheryl Elliott Thornton

District Judge, 165th Judicial District - Ursula A. Hall

District Judge, 176th Judicial District - Nikita "Niki" Harmon

District Judge, 179th Judicial District - Ana Martinez

District Judge, 333rd Judicial District - Daryl Moore

District Judge, 334th Judicial District - Steven Kirkland

District Judge, 337th Judicial District - Colleen Gaido

District Judge, 339th Judicial District - Te'iva Bell

District Judge, 351st Judicial District - Natalia Cornelio

Harris County District Attorney - Kim Ogg

County Civil Court at Law No. 4 - Lesley Briones

County Attorney - Christian Dashaun Menefee  

Sheriff - Ed Gonzalez

County Tax Assessor-Collector -  Ann Harris Bennett

County Commissioner Precinct 1  - Rodney Ellis

County Commissioner Precinct 3 - Michael Moore and

Kristi Thibaut (dual endorsement)

Justice of the Peace Precinct 6, Place 1 - Eva Loredo

County Constable Precinct 1 - Alan Rosen

County Constable Precinct 2 - Jerry Garcia (Harris County Lt.)  (note: There are two candidates with the same name; BAND has endorsed Lt. Garcia.)

County Constable Precinct 3 - Sherman Eagleton


BAND calls special meeting to vote on endorsements Jan. 22

BAND is holding a special meeting to vote on Democratic Primary candidate endorsements on Wednesday, Jan. 22. The club members were unable to vote on endorsements at our regular monthly meeting in January, because the endorsement committee had not yet concluded its interviews with the candidates. Soon, the committee will meet to agree on endorsement recommendations for the Jan. 22 meeting.

The special meeting this month will allow time for distribution of the recommendations before early voting begins. Super Tuesday is March 3, and early voting begins in mid-February.

The meeting will be at our former site for monthly gatherings at 7 p.m. at the Freeman Branch Library, 16616 Diana Ln., Houston 77062 this time only.

Members from last year must have paid their 2020 dues before the start of the meeting in order to qualify to vote. Visit bayareanewdemocrats.org and click on "member signup" to renew your membership. New members joining for the first time will not be eligible to vote this month.



Happy New Year! It's time to renew your membership!


Don't forget that BAND memberships expire at the end of each calendar year, no matter what month you first joined the club. To participate in upcoming club votes, such as decisions to endorse Democratic Primary candidates, you must have joined BAND or renewed your membership for 2020 prior to the meeting. You can renew easily online by clicking on "member signup."

BAND Holiday Party is December 11
Join us at El Tiempo Cantina, 16608 Gulf Freeway, Webster, at 6:30 p.m. for an evening of good food and fellowship.

Mike Collier, past (and, we hope future) candidate for lieutenant governor is our featured speaker. He's funny and knowledgeable -- come and enjoy.

Tickets are $28, and can be purchased at https://secure.actblue.com/donate/holiday20191211. Or, you can reserve by emailing bandtexas@gmail.com by Dec. 7 and pay at the door.

Meet and Greet Houston City Council Run-Off Election Candidates

Come meet and mingle with Raj Salhotra, Janaeya Carmouche, Letitia Plummer and Sallie Alcorn. Mayor Sylvester Turner has been invited.   

Saturday, December 1, 3-5 p.m., Sawa Grill and Restaurant, 16608 El Camino Real -- complimentary appetizers and drinks will be provided.

Hosted by Kim and Scott Krist, Ruth and Mohammed Nasrullah, Dr. and Mrs. Tarek Hussein, Suzy Allison and Rosie Flannigan.

Sign up for October Roadshow - HD 129 on Oct. 12 in nearby Scarsdale

Harris County Democratic Party (HCDP) will hold the October RoadShow - HD 129 to announce plans for 2020 and House District 129 in the Bay Area. This planning and training session will be held at the Parker Williams Library, adjacent to the Scarsdale Courthouse Annex at 10851 Scarsdale Blvd., Houston 77089, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12. Sign up at:
mobilize.us/hcdp/event/109800/?force_banner=true.


Nov. 5 election information posted

Under the Links menu, there's an Elections tab with dates, and links to resources and the Harris, Galveston and Brazoria county election offices.

This election has 10 proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot. For each one, there are links to the League of Women Voters and Ballotpedia information for that proposal, as well as a list of the legislators that sponsored it.

Email us at bandtexas@gmail.com if there's something else you'd like to see added to it. 


Thursday candidate forum cancelled due to weather

Because the tropical disturbance that was once Imelda is lingering, the three clubs planning to host a forum for Houston City Council at-large candidates have decided to cancel the event. Bay Area Association of Democratic (BAAD) Women, Bay Area New Democrats (BAND) and Bay Area Democratic Movement (BADM) were set to sponsor a second candidate forum this election season on Thursday night at the Bay Area Community Center. It would be risky or difficult for many candidates and audience members to attend. No information is yet available about possibly rescheduling at a later date.


Conditions at the Border


 

Daniela Dwyer, managing attorney for the Farmworker Project of Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, in Weslaco.

TRLA's website is https://www.trla.org, and Angry Tias and Abuelas is at https://www.angrytiasandabuelas.com/press.