Want to get involved? This is a roundup of legislative advocacy events for January 2020. Please note that some have admission fees and all events are subject to change due to changes in the legislative calendar. These events are not hosted by us, but these are all great organizations–please check with them for any changes to the schedule. Check out our events calendar for meetings and events hosted by the Fulton County Democratic Party Committee.

Environmental Issues: Sierra Club GA – To Be announced
The Sierra Club GA is launching 3 campaigns to mobilize around priorities in the GA Legislature; clean energy, transportation & good government. To get involved and sign up to receive notifications about legislation and advocacy events go to https://www.sierraclub.org/georgia/blog/2019/12/help-us-fight-for-environment-georgia-legislature-2020

ACLU of Georgia Community Lobbyist Training – Tues. Jan. 7
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.  Join the ACLU of GA for community lobbyist training. Learn about the state legislature, how a bill becomes a law, and how you can become a community lobbyist.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2447311702061809/

Legislative Advocacy Workshop 2020 – Sat. Jan. 11
11:00 am – 4:30 pm, $15 advance/$20 at door. Learn to be a strong advocate for reproductive rights. Open to the public, hosted by Feminist Women’s Health Center – Atlanta
https://www.facebook.com/events/2691512824248848/

58th Annual Wild Hog Supper – Sun. Jan. 12
5:30 pm – 7:30pm, $35. Eat BBQ and rub shoulders with state leaders, hosted by Georgia Food Bank Association
https://www.facebook.com/events/479505169313465/ 

Class is Back in Session & Pink Out the Halls: Mon. Jan 13
Planned Parenthood Southeast Advocates has regular advocacy education events on Wednesday mornings during the session; to kick off this year they’re wrapping the Capitol to show the state legislature that they won’t back down. To find out more go to:
https://www.facebook.com/events/831024440704309/
https://www.facebook.com/events/446711266260403/

The Ratification of the ERA and what it Means for Georgia: Mon. Jan 13
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm. Join National ERA Advocate Sharon J Hill to discuss the current state of the Equal RIghts Amendment in Georgia and where we go from here.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2396816670568524/

Georgia Healthcare Unscrambled – Tues. Jan 14
7:30 am –11:30 am, The Freight Depot, $50. Georgians for a Healthy Future hosts this annual event to discuss health care issues coming up in the GA legislature.
https://healthyfuturega.org/ghf_event/health-care-unscrambled-2020/

2020 Common Cause Legislative Kickoff – Thurs. Jan. 16
9:00 am –12:00 pm.  First lobby day with Advocacy 101 training for those who haven’t “worked the rope line” before. Common Cause is a non-partisan watchdog against corruption, abuse of power & advocate for voting integrity. Common cause hosts biweekly lobby days on Thursdays: Thursdays, 1/30, 2/6, 3/12 at 9am.  Hosted by Common Cause Georgia
https://www.facebook.com/events/537491276797006/

Talk Justice Tuesday – Tues. Jan. 21
8:00 am – 12:00 pm, Coverdell Legislative Office Building. Learn about issues in the criminal justice system, from local governments’ reliance on money from fines and fees to the privatization of prisons driving mass incarceration (and more).
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/talk-justice-tuesday-follow-the-money-the-dollars-and-sense-of-criminal-justice-reform-tickets-81751245175

Georgia Budget Policy Institute/ Insights 2020 – Fri. Jan. 24
$75 tickets required. Annual policy conference giving up to date budget and fiscal policy information. Keynote speaker Nikole Hannah Jones, architect of NY Magazines 1619 project.
https://ow.ly/vqyi50xJYhp

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention GA State Capitol Day – Date To be Announced
Advocate to pass HB580 Youth Mental Protection Act prohibiting conversion therapy. For more information go to https://afsp.org/chapter/afsp-georgia/

Georgia Equality Advocacy Training 2020 – Sat. Jan. 25
1:00 pm- 4:00 pm.  Legislative update and advocacy training on LGBTQ issues. Hosted by Georgia Equality
https://www.facebook.com/events/811849119266227/

2020 Maternal and Infant Health Policy Breakfast – Wed. Jan. 29
7:30-2:30 $50+ Policymakers and GA legislators will discuss what maternal and health issues will be addressed in 2020. Hosted by Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Georgia
https://www.facebook.com/events/2559676384130816/

Fair Districts Lobby Days – Wed. Jan. 29
8:00 am – 1:00 pm Free, but space limited so RSVP. Advocate for fairness in districting. https://www.facebook.com/FairDistrictsGA/posts/2499023517023299

Want your group’s event featured here? Email communications@fultondems.org.

When is the Presidential Primary? When is the registration date cutoff? You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. Bottom line: expect to head to the polls a lot in 2020.

Presidential Primary Date: June 9, 2020.
General Primary Date: June 9, 2020
**Voter Registration Cutoff: May 11**
This is when you’ll go to vote for who you want to represent the Democrats for federal and state offices (ie: who you want to challenge Senator David Perdue, who you want to represent you in Georgia’s state house and senate, etc)

General Primary Runoff: August 11, 2020
**Voter Registration Cutoff (federal offices only): June 22**
If someone doesn’t get 50% + 1 of the popular vote in the June 9 primary, the election will go to a runoff of the top two candidates.

 General Election: November 3, 2020
**Voter Registration Cutoff: October 5**
This is it. The Big Day. Get out and vote like your rights depend on it (they do).

General Election Runoff for State and Local Offices: December 1, 2020
**Voter Registration Cutoff: October 5**
If someone doesn’t get 50% + 1 of the popular vote in the November 3 election, the election will go to a runoff of the top two candidates.

General Election Runoff for Federal Offices: January 5, 2021
**Voter Registration Cutoff: December 7, 2020**
Basically, this is going to be the runoff for Isakson’s seat. Since his election is a special jungle election, there may be more than two candidates running for one party. And if someone doesn’t get 50% + 1 of the popular vote on November 3, this will be the date of the runoff.

What about early voting? That will be decided about 2 months before each election. Stay tuned!

We’re going to be busy in 2020, knocking doors and explaining all these elections to people. Can you spare $5 a month for a recurring donation so we can print canvassing handouts and run Facebook ads?

Source: Georgia secretary of state

When you look at your ballot for the November 6th election, you’ll see five constitutional amendment options, two statewide referenda, a Fulton county referendum, and possibly a city referendum or two. Below, you can find plain-language explanations, plus recommended voting suggestions. This information is meant to be used as an informational guide; we encourage all voters to make informed decisions and vote how they individually choose.

Click here for a printable pdf of in-depth recommendations and explanations from Stacey Abrams and the Democratic Party of Georgia.

See below for a shorter version that includes Fulton County initiatives.

Amendment 1: Create Georgia Outdoor Stewardship to Protect Water, Wildlife, and Parks

Amendment 2: Creates a State-wide Business Court

Amendment 3:  Encourages Conservation and Sustainability for Georgia Working Forests

How it will look on your ballot: Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to revise provisions related to the subclassification for tax purposes of and the prescribed methodology for establishing the value of forest land conservation use property and related assistance grants, to provide that assistance grants related to forest land conservation use property may be increased by general law for a five-year period and that up to 5 percent of assistance grants may be deducted and retained by the state revenue commissioner to provide for certain state administrative costs, and to provide for the subclassification of qualified timberland property for ad valorem taxation purposes?

Recommendation from Stacey Abrams and the Democratic Party of Georgia: Vote Yes.
Additional note from the Fulton County Dems: Georgia’s forestry economy depends on the ability to sustain the ‘growing season’ for these ‘farmers’.

Amendment 4: Marsy’s Law Rights to Victims for ‘allegedly’ been perpetrated

How it will look on your ballot: Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to provide certain rights to victims against whom a crime has allegedly been perpetrated and allow victims to assert such rights?

Recommendation from Stacey Abrams and the Democratic Party of Georgia: Vote Yes.
Additional note from the Fulton County Dems: The criticism for those voting no is that this is already in the laws of Georgia and it infringes on the rights of those accused. The justification is mainly to protect women whose rights are often ignored vs. a ‘known’ abuser who will not be denied.

Amendment 5: Authorizes the Fair Allocation of Tax Proceeds To County and City School Systems

How it will look on your ballot: Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize a referendum for a sales and use tax for education by a county school district or an independent school district or districts within the county having a majority of the students enrolled within the county and to provide that the proceeds are distributed on a per student basis among all the school systems unless an agreement is reached among such school systems for a different distribution?

You might also see city questions about taxes or Sunday Alcohol Sales. The Fulton County Dems recommend voting yes on all Sunday Alcohol Sales referenda.

Ready to vote? Click here to find your nearest early voting location and times of operation.