Terry’s touring the Commonwealth over the next few days to lay out his vision for Virginia’s future. He’ll roll out the important policy pillars for his campaign, and also talk about how you can get more involved between now and November. Join Terry and supporters for his official campaign launch this Thursday. Can’t wait to see you.

• Time: Thursday, May 9, 2013 10:45-11:45 am
• Location: George Mason University – Arlington Campus (3551 Fairfax Drive, Room #126, Arlington, VA 22201)
• Google Map: click here
• RSVP: click here

See Terry McAuliffe’s first ad out now, published April 30th: Terry talks about his childhood, business experience, and why he’s running for Governor of Virginia.

Share it on Facebook, post to Twitter. See the ad below or click here.

• Virginia primary election is June 11 - polls open 6:00 am – 7:00 pm at regular poll locations
• Absentee voting begins April 26

• May 20, Monday – last day to register to vote 

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  June 4, Tuesday – deadline to apply for absentee ballot (by mail) 

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  June 8, Saturday – deadline to apply for absentee ballot (in person)

• Voting for the primary is open to all registered voters

Any person who will be age 18 by the November 5th general election may register to vote for the June 11 primary.

Absentee voting begins Friday, April 26 for the June 11 Virginia primary. Voting for the primary is open to all registered voters. The ballot includes Democratic candidates for lieutenant governor, attorney general, and in the 86th District, for a member of the House of Delegates. The Republican candidates will be chosen at a state convention held May 17 and 18 in Richmond. The Virginia general election is November 5th, and will include elections for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and the House of Delegates.

There are a number of qualifications to vote absentee, including having a disability or being the primary caretaker of a family member who is disabled or ill, working and commuting more than 11 hours on Election Day, or working or vacationing outside of Fairfax County on Election Day. Full list of qualifications to vote absentee.

Qualified residents may vote in-person at the Fairfax County Government Center until June 8:

• Weekdays: 8 am to 4:30 pm
• Extended Thursday hours: until 7 pm
• Saturdays, June 1 and 8: 9 am to 5 pm (Note – Celebrate Fairfax! will also be taking place on June 8, so voters may experience traffic congestion or delays.)

Or, qualified residents can apply to vote absentee by mail until June 4:

• Use the Fillable Online Absentee Ballot Application Form (PDF), then print, sign and return.
• Or, print a blank Absentee Ballot Application Form (PDF) to enter information by hand, sign and return.
• Absentee ballot applications can be returned by mail to the Office of Elections, P.O. Box 10161, Fairfax, VA 22038, or email to absenteeballot@fairfaxcounty.gov.
• Once the completed application is received by the Office of Elections, qualified voters will be mailed an absentee ballot. It is CRUCIAL that the directions are followed carefully for completing the ballot and that it is mailed back to the Office of Elections and received by or before June 11 at 7 p.m..

Additional Resources:

• More information on absentee voting
• More Information on June 11 primary
• Virginia State Board of Elections

Richmond, VA – Virginia Senator Louise Lucas and DPVA Executive Director Lauren Harmon released the statements below today on Ken Cuccinelli’s record of threatening Virginia’s mainstream budget process with his extreme ideological agenda and how dangerous it would be for him to have the budgetary power of Virginia’s Governor.

Today the Democratic Party of Virginia also released a new web video highlighting Cuccinelli’s flattering remarks about the state budget at last week’s Shad Planking, and casting them against news accounts of how he nearly killed the Virginia budget by attempting to defund women’s health care.

See the video below or click here.

“In 2008 I served with Ken Cuccinelli in the Senate when, instead of focusing on jobs, education or transportation, he very nearly derailed the entire budget with an amendment aimed at defunding women’s health provider Planned Parenthood,” said Lucas.

“Never mind that Planned Parenthood provides birth control, cancer screenings, HIV prevention, and other health care services to Virginia women, or that none of the money Cuccinelli tried to strip out of the budget went to abortions. Ken Cuccinelli could not help himself when he had the opportunity to inject his extreme ideological agenda into the budget. And as a result he very nearly divided us to the point where we failed to meet our obligation to the people of this Commonwealth to spend their tax dollars wisely in a state budget.”

Harmon continued, “Last week at the Shad Planking Cuccinelli said, ‘We want to keep the Virginia budget balanced. It’s one of the things we do better than the federal government.’

“He’s right that Virginians have historically enjoyed balanced budgets that protect their priorities, but he failed to mention that one of the times the General Assembly nearly failed to pass the budget on time was due to his extreme agenda.

“Virginia women can’t afford to let Ken Cuccinelli make decisions about their health care.”

Join your friends and bring a friend to the exciting grand opening of the Fairfax County 2013 Campaign Headquarters with special guest Terry McAuliffe. RSVP, click here. Share on Facebook, click here.

Saturday, April 27th at 10:00 am
Fairfax Station Square – 5618 Ox Rd, Fairfax Station, VA 22039; map, click here

Richmond – Today, the Virginia Board of Health approved proposed regulations that will limit Virginian women’s access to reproductive health care by imposing regulations on women’s health care centers. Democratic Party of Virginia Chair, Delegate Charniele Herring releases the following statement condemning the vote … read more

Source: Democratic Party of Virginia 4/12/2013

For Immediate Release, April 12^th, 2013

Senator Saslaw Named Legislator Of The Year By Virginia Educators
VEA honors Saslaw’s legislative work with award

Springfield, VA – Earlier today the Virginia Education Association (VEA) named state Senate Democratic Leader Dick Saslaw (35^th District) Legislator of the Year. The VEA is made up of more than 60,000 teachers and school support professionals across Virginia and recognized Saslaw today at the annual VEA convention.

Saslaw received the award because of his record in the state Senate on issues related to education and his advocacy on behalf of parents, students, and teachers. He has used his leadership role to promote educational opportunities for all Virginians and has led the fight for smaller class sizes, state-of-the-art classroom technology, and more funding for school construction.

“It is an honor to be recognized by the VEA,” said Senator Saslaw. “There is no denying the link between a vibrant economy and first-rate public schools. That’s why I will continue my efforts to make sure that our schools have the resources and the support that they need to thrive. Virginia’s educators are on the front lines every day building a brighter future for our Commonwealth. I am proud to call our teachers allies, and I look forward to continuing our collaborative partnership in the future.”

In 2013, Education Week ranked Virginia’s schools the 4^th best in the United States. Dick Saslaw believes that adequate funding for Virginia schools is a core responsibility of state government. The Senator has fought to protect the General Fund, which provides money for Virginia’s schools, from being raided and money for education being siphoned off elsewhere.

“Senator Saslaw has earned the Legislator of the Year award because of his effective and tireless advocacy on behalf of Virginia’s teachers, parents, and children,” said VEA President Meg Gruber. “His leadership in the Senate is unmatched when it comes to public education. The VEA wishes to honor Dick Saslaw’s commitment to improving our schools and his outstanding work in the General Assembly that has helped move Virginia forward.”

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Lee District School Board Member, Tammy Derenak Kaufax, keeps you up to date with her newsletter via the “Keep in Touch” system with Fairfax County Public Schools. To receive her newsletter you only need to login in to the Keep in Touch and add / edit your notifications, click here.

Tammy’s current April newsletter covers:

• selection of the new FCPS Superintendent, Dr. Karen Garza
• a week in the life of an FCPS School Board Member
• upcoming Kaufax Coffee
• FREE tickets to 2 local high school drama events
• and, of course her contact information

Check it out, subscribe, keep in touch.

Whether your concerns are about the economy, gun safety, education, women’s rights, LGBT, environment, transportation, healthcare, or a host of many other issues electing Democrats to state offices is very important.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, which tracks party representation in the country’s 50 state governments, control of all three bases of power — the governorship and both houses of the state legislature — exists for Republicans in 23 states, and for Democrats in 14 states, with only 12 states sharing power.

Currently, in Virginia all three, the Governor and both the House of Delegates and State Senate, are controlled by the GOP, which is why it has been so challenging to make advances in legislation and issues important to Democrats.

scan to volunteer

Volunteering to help this year can truly make a difference. Just get in touch with us, let us know what you’d like to do, or even if you’re not sure what that may be.

CLICK HERE to volunteer, join the fun. 

BY MARKUS SCHMIDT Richmond Times-Dispatch   Updated: 10:47 am, Fri Apr 12, 2013

Virginia elections official has issues with law signed by governor last month.

The vice chairwoman of the State Board of Elections says she has “some glaring issues” with the practicality and cost of Virginia’s new photo ID legislation for voting that Gov. Bob McDonnell signed into law last month.

Kimberly T. Bowers, a Democrat, was appointed to a four-year term as one of the state’s leading elections officials in 2011 by Gov. Bob McDonnell. She said in an interview that the process for obtaining a free government-issued photo ID “leaves a lot to be desired” and that the decision to implement a new law after Virginia has spent nearly $2 million on election reform a year ago is “mind-boggling.”

Read the article, click here.