DRC Statement Regarding Systemic Racism, Police Reform, and Black Lives Matter

Drawing on the tradition and history of rural New York’s role as a source of many movements for reform and equality in America, the Democratic Rural Conference of New York State affirms that Black Lives Matter. Recent events have all too painfully demonstrated yet again that racism is systemic and pervasive, especially in our policing and criminal justice. We urge all communities in the rural counties to enter into the State Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative with the seriousness and openness to change it deserves.

We note with approval the countless peaceful demonstrations occurring all over rural New York calling for reform and racial justice. For so many of these small communities to turn out in such numbers shows how important this moment is. We commend the many Democratic candidates who have added their voices to this movement. And we will redouble our efforts to welcome, recruit, and encourage people of color to participate in every level of the political system.

Bulletin #37 (July, 2020) is now available

Please see the latest bulletin here.

It includes the following message from the DRC Chair, Judith Hunter:

Dear Friends of the DRC:

2020 has been a year when customary practices and traditions have had to give way to the realities of a pandemic that has upended just about everything. When it became obvious that it would be unsafe to meet in April, the DRC Board and Officers postponed our annual conference until September. Since then New York has done extraordinary work in controlling the spread of COVID-19, but that is not true of the rest of the country. No one knows what the next few months will bring, and, as things currently stand, a gathering as large as the DRC would not be permitted. There’s no way we can be confident it will be possible to meet in person this fall. Given the large financial commitment to the venue our conference requires, the Officers and Board have decided that this year’s DRC will be a virtual, online one.

The main business we have to conduct virtually is to hold our 2020 elections. Besides half of the Board members, each region will be electing someone to the new positions of regional Vice Chairs. Please expect to be hearing from Chair Phil Jones and the rest of the Nominating Committee about how this year’s elections will be conducted. The intention is that votes will be cast by regular mail both for security and to accommodate the DRC’s weighted voting system. However, candidates will make their presentations prior to the voting by email and Zoom sessions (Zoom sessions can be done like a conference call, in case your computer or internet won’t support video).

Because we need to reach the correct potential voters for each county (Chairs and all State Committee members), it is essential that we have the most current names, email addresses, and mailing addresses for them. We have found that the State Committee’s information is all too often out of date, so we need the current information as soon as possible. Please note that new State Committee terms do not begin until county reorganizations occur, so even if your county has new incoming State Committee members the information we need is for members whose terms will soon be expiring. Please send to the DRC Secretary John Hurley (jfhurley@rochester.rr.com) or the DRC Communication and Outreach Chair Bill Thickstun (wthickstun@gmail.com).

For those of you who have already registered for the 2020 DRC, please know that we will be happy to count your payment as your registration for the 2021 DRC. If you would prefer to get a refund for your registration fee, please contact DRC Treasurer Frank Puglisi at fvp9900@yahoo.com or 716-861-9749.

Taking the DRC virtual for 2020 was a difficult but unavoidable decision. Please know that we have every intention of bringing you a fantastic DRC in 2021, and we look forward to the time when we can all gather in person again.

Sincerely,
Judith Hunter
Chair, Democratic Rural Conference of NY State

Bulletin #36 (February, 2020) of the DRC is now available

Please see the latest bulletin here.

It includes the following message from the DRC Chair, Judith Hunter:

Dear Friends,

Please plan to join us in Liverpool on April 17-18 for 2020 Vision! The presidential straw poll should be especially exciting, and all conference registrants will be able to vote. See the details below, and feel free to contact me with any questions.

In other news, several DRC officers/Board Members and two additional county chairs went to Albany in late January to lobby for DRC priorities: improving broadband access in rural New York and getting relief on signature requirements for our nominating petitions. We had uniformly positive and supportive meetings with Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul, Senate Leader Andrea Stewart Cousins, and several other State Senators and Assembly Members. With unified Democratic control of the Legislature, we need to build and strengthen our relationships there. We plan to lobby each January going forward. We were warned that getting the petition signature requirement lowered by 25% would probably not be supported by downstate Assembly members, who don’t understand how difficult it is to circulate petitions in winter weather in rural counties, where voters are few and far between. But we continue to push (the one-year reduction passed last year wasn’t finalized until well into the petition window). So any calls you can make to Albany could help. Please ask for support for S7326, being carried by Senator Rachel May, and A9703, being carried by Assembly member Billy Jones. We are also resending the letter from DRC members to Senate and Assembly members.

In October I testified before the Public Campaign Financing Commission hearing in Buffalo. My testimony emphasized that rural counties are generally not as wealthy as suburban ones, so a one-size-fits-all approach would disadvantage candidates in rural New York. Fortunately, that view prevailed in the final Commission plan, which sets lower fundraising thresholds for candidates to get matching funds in counties with lower incomes. I also spoke to how important it was in local elections to retain the option of creating independent (small-i) ballot lines, which will be unaffected by the new plan.

Please keep the DRC in mind when you’re planning events for this coming spring and summer. I have spoken at 3 counties’ dinners in the last few months (Wyoming, Cattaraugus, and Yates), and I will be happy to give brief remarks about the DRC in as many other counties as I can. There are other Officers and Board Members who would also be willing to speak.

Feel free to contact me about issues pertaining to the DRC or Rural New York. You can email me at Judith.hunter@gmail.com or call me at 585-615-2986. See you in Liverpool!

Judith Hunter, Chair
Democratic Rural Conference of New York