17th Annual FDR Dinner Featuring County Executive Russ Pry, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, and Congressman Tim Ryan
We've got some amazing and important events coming up that we wanted to make sure you heard about!
The 17th Annual FDR Dinner featuring Russ Pry, Marcia Fudge, and Tim Ryan is fast approaching!
Also coming up...
Also coming up this spring are a whole host of events to support Democratic Candidates and Organizations! Be sure to check out The Summit County Progressive Democrats Annual Fundraiser featuring Cecile Richards (this Thursday), The Tri-County Regional Labor Council Community Awards Banquet featuring Russ Pry (next Thursday), and fundraisers to support all of our other amazing Democratic Candidates! For a full list of events coming up this year, please head on over to our calendar at www.SummitDems.org/Calendar!!!
Sincerely,
Jeff Fusco
Chair
Summit County Democratic Party
Onward into 2016!
I wanted to take an opportunity to thank and congratulate each of you for an amazing 2015 here in Summit County.
Together, you fought hard and laid some amazing groundwork for 2016. You defeated a Republican attempt to gerrymander our County Council districts, you came together with us to fund a county-wide sample ballot program, and you made it possible for our Party to contribute meaningfully to some of our most important races.
Congratulations, especially, go out to Akron's new Mayor, Daniel M. Horrigan, the Akron Municipal Court's new Judge, Jon Oldham, the Stow Municipal Court's new Clerk, Diana Colavecchio, and all of the other great Democrats who fought hard for the privilege of serving our communities with integrity and Democratic values.
We also owe much thanks to the amazing team of officers, interns, and volunteers here at the Summit County Democratic Party who continued working hard to put this organization on a stronger footing in my absence. Special thanks go out to Sandra Kurt, Chris Grimm, Russ Balthis, Bill Rich, and Pete Nischt for their dedication to that cause. I especially appreciate all of the hard work that Sandra Kurt dedicated to our Party as Acting Chair. "Thanks, Sandra!"
Democrats all over Summit County rose to new and unexpected challenges last year, and we accomplished some amazing things together. I am thrilled about the opportunity to continue our good work in 2016, and I can't wait to put another Democrat in the White House.
Sincerely,

Summit County Democratic Party
Thank you for 2015!
Two Great Chances to Catch the Next Presidential Debate!
First of all, we'd like to send a special thank you to all who were able to attend our Annual Holiday Party. The Holidays have a unique and special way of bringing people together who normally don't get the chance to see each other, and our Holiday Party is no exception to this!
Secondly, we wanted to let you know about two great chances to check out the next Democratic Presidential Debate on Saturday, December 19th.
Both opportunities sound amazing!
We look forward to seeing you there!
- Pete
Join us this Friday for our Annual Holiday Celebration!
Come one, come all! The Summit County Democratic Party's Annual Holiday Celebration is fast approaching! Join us this Friday, December 4th, at 4:30 PM at the Tangier in Akron to take part in the festivities! We certainly have a lot to celebrate this season!
Appetizers and drinks will be served!
Donation levels are as follows:
$25 - Young Dems, PCs, and Seniors
$50 - Snowflake
$100 - Snowball
$500 - Snowdrift
$1,000 - Blizzard
You can RSVP and donate in advance at https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/summitcountydems!
Join us for the 16th Annual FDR Dinner featuring Congressman Joaquin Castro
The Summit County Democratic Party is thrilled to announce Congressman Joaquin Castro as the keynote speaker of the 16th Annual FDR Dinner to be held on Sunday, October 25th, at Todaro's Party Center in Akron.
Named by Politico.com as one of the top 50 politicos to watch in the nation, Joaquin skyrocketed as a leading national Democratic voice after his appearance with his twin brother Julian at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. A member of the House Armed Services Committee, the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and an advocate for immigration reform, we look forward to hearing Congressman Castro’s motivating message to the battleground – Ohio!
You may purchase tickets online at the link above or by clicking HERE!
You may also purchase tickets by making checks payable to the "Summit County Democratic Party" and sending them to 438 Grant Street, Akron, OH 44311. Please be sure to put "FDR" in the memo line if sending a check!
Todaro's is located at 1820 Akron Peninsula Rd, Akron, OH 44313. The VIP reception will be from 4:30 - 6:00 PM and the dinner program will start at 6:00 PM.
Thank you all for your continued support of our local Democratic Party, and we look forward to seeing you there! Please contact us at 330-434-1311 with questions!
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Sponsorship levels for the FDR Dinner are as follows:
Table Sponsorship: $2,500.00
Includes 8 Dinner Tickets, 4 VIP tickets, 1 Full Page ad
Table Patron: $1,500.00
Includes 8 Dinner tickets, 1 VIP ticket, 1 Half-Page ad
Individual Sponsor: $500.00
Includes 1 Dinner ticket, 1 VIP ticket, 1/4 Page ad
Dinner Patron: $150.00
Stand-alone ads may be purchased at the following rates:
Full Page Ad: $500.00
Half Page Ad: $250.00
1/4 Page Ad: $150.00
All funds solicited in connection with this event are by the Summit County Democratic Party and not by Congressman Castro.
If you won a million dollars on Monday, would you still...
…vote on Tuesday?
There’s always a possibility that something will distract you from voting, if you wait until Election Day to vote! Voting early is quick and easy, and then you don’t have to remember to rearrange your schedule on Tuesday. Besides, Monday is a holiday, and you might not want to come back to the grind on Tuesday. Am I right?
These are your early voting hours at the Board of Elections, 470 Grant St:
Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 8 AM – 7 PM
Saturday 8 AM – 4 PM
Sunday 1 PM – 5 PM
Monday – Labor Day 8 AM – 2 PM
The other bonus of voting early – you get removed from robo call lists!
If you want to preview your ballot before going to vote, follow this link!
Enter your street number in the first box and your street name in the last box, click Submit
And then under “Links”, click Sample Ballot
Then click View Ballot by Democratic (of course!)
Now, at the Board of Elections, when you return your completed ballot at the counter, remember the most important thing –
Get your “I Voted!” sticker!
Thank you for voting! And please share this email with your voting friends!
Now go enjoy your hard-earned Labor Day weekend with a clear conscience!
Democratically yours,
Sandra
Fair? Looks like stacking the deck to me!
DO NOT BE FOOLED!
If someone asks you to sign a petition for “Fair Districts for Summit County,” they are really doing the Republicans’ dirty work.
The petition will redraw the district lines and kick at least two sitting County Council Democrats out of office.
Republican policies just aren’t working and the voters have said so in Summit County.
The Republicans know that they can’t win on their issues, so they have to redraw the lines and go behind the voters’ backs to take seats on County Council.
Here’s the bottom line: the voters of Summit County last year overwhelmingly elected Republicans for 4 of the 5 state-wide races, and at the same time, they voted for three Democrats for Summit County Council At-Large, booting out the lone At-Large Republican.
That says that even though Summit County voters wanted Republicans at the state level, they wanted Democrats working for them on County Council.
Oh, and by the way, that lone At-Large Republican who lost last year?
He’s one of the folks pushing this petition.
Ask yourself – does signing this petition help the voters, or help the Republicans get seats that they can’t win in a fair election?
In the end, this petition is just another example of partisan politics trumping fair representation.
Please share this post to help keep your friends and family informed!
Go Get Hitched!
We at the Summit County Democratic Party would like to extend our most heartfelt congratulations to our brothers and sisters in the LGBT community, who after a decades-long fight under heavy persecution have finally won the right to be treated equally in the eyes of the law when seeking to participate in the sacred institution of marriage. Equality is the most fundamental of American ideals, enshrined in the very foundations of the American value system and in our founding documents. While we have a long way to go before we can truly say we've achieved it for all, today is a cause for celebration because all of the blood, sweat, and tears invested in this fight have brought us one step closer.
On a personal note, my marriage is absolutely foundational to my sense of self. At the very core of all of my hopes, dreams, and aspirations in life is the love that I share with my wife, who is my best friend. Our marriage will be my life's greatest adventure, and we cannot imagine the recognition of this sacred journey being denied to others. Now, we won't have to. Our marriage is stronger today than it ever has been because the definition of marriage is more complete.
Congratulations! Now, go get hitched!
Pete Nischt
Executive Director
Pete@SummitDems.org
Intern Profile - Bailey Sandin
“Your vote and your voice matter. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong.”
There is a new force behind the Summit County Democratic Party’s social media presence, and that force is Bailey Sandin. Since taking over the party’s web presence this spring, following a sleepless summer and fall canvassing for the Paula Prentice campaign, Bailey has enthusiastically kept followers on Twitter and Facebook informed and engaged as the Party rebuilds for 2016 and beyond. Social media readership is up, and people genuinely like what she has to say, but not too many people know who’s been behind the magic as of late.
Bailey, who is an incoming junior at the University of Akron pursuing majors in both Political Science and Media Studies, along with a minor in Arabic, became passionate about politics working on the debate team in high school, where she says she first discovered what issues she cares about. She was also inspired politically by her father, who is a union member working for General Motors.
Bailey is here fighting for equality, whether that be in the form of marriage rights, freedom of religion, women’s rights, freedom of speech and the press, or the right to organize. She hates the cynical view of politics that has become more and more pervasive amongst people her age and believes that politics is still the best way to affect positive change in the world.
In her free time, Bailey is an avid concert-goer and loves to write and cook. She grew up in Youngstown, but came to Summit County for college. She decided to intern with the Summit County Democratic Party because of the tremendous experience she had working for the Paula Prentice campaign and because she says she was inspired by how passionate our Executive Director is about Akron and Democratic Politics.
If you see Bailey around the office or around the County, make sure you say “hi” to this up and coming journalist! After college, Bailey is planning to pursue a career in political journalism, where she hopes to report on the United States and the Middle East. She is one of the hardest working people we’ve ever met, and we think she’s got what it takes!