#jocoyoungdems

[jocoyoungdems-blog]

JCYD Member Spotlight: Lauren Martin

How did you find JCYD? I actually helped start the group. A friend of mine invited me to join some other young progressives who were looking to make a difference in the post-President Trump world. We went to brunch, and the next thing I knew we were forming JCYD. Are you on a team and if so, what is your role? I’m the Vice Chair for JCYD so I’m somewhat involved in just about everything that we do. You probably recognize me from the sign-in table though I am passing that duty on to our new Secretary, Lindsay Vaughn. What else do you do to be active (either politically or through volunteer opportunities)? This question makes me realize that politics are a huge part of my life. I’m a Democratic Precinct Committeewoman, and I’m normally involved in someone’s political campaign in some capacity. What issue are you most passionate about and why? Voting rights! I strongly believe that voting should be as simple as possible since citizen participation is a fundamental principle of democracy. I’ve decided that the universe is playing a cruel joke on me since I live in the state that takes Kris Kobach and his voter fraud claims seriously. Tell us about yourself in two to three sentences. I’m a huge bookworm. In fact, I almost went to grad school for Library Science. If you ever want to talk about libraries being awesome, why people need to respect genre fiction (especially romance), or how Nicholas Sparks is an arrogant jerk, please come find me! I also love going to the movies. What is your go-to shower song? Oh dear God. I refuse to sing in the shower; no one needs to listen to me caterwauling.

[jocoyoungdems-blog]

JCYD Member Spotlight: Brandon Woodard, Chair

In an effort to connect JCYD members with one another, the Communications Committee will be sharing bios of active, passionate Young Dems! We are starting with the Executive Board-- the hardworking leaders functioning behind the scenes. If you are interested in being interviewed (or if you have a recommendation for a future subject of the spotlight!), please email [email protected].  We hope this helps you get to know your fellow progressives! Everyone deserves to have their moment in the JCYD spotlight.

Brandon Woodard is the Chair of the Johnson County Young Democrats. Woodard works with the Executive Board, the Steering Committee, and all of the individual teams focused on social functions, endorsements, communications, and fundraising. Woodard helped form JCYD when, after the 2016 election, he kept meeting young progressives who needed a place to turn their post-election energy into action. Over brunch (and a few mimosas), JCYD was formed with the hope of offering just that.

Woodard is a proud Democratic Precinct Committeeman, one of the most important roles in the Democratic Party. He is also the Acting Vice-Chair for the Johnson County Democratic Party, and the Treasurer for Kansas Young Democrats. Beyond politics, he is very involved with the University of Kansas as a proud alumnus and employee.

When asked what issue he is most passionate about, Woodard responded: “Access to affordable, quality education beyond high school […]Higher education not only gives us the skills we need to be successful in the workplace, but it teaches us to live meaningful lives, personally and professionally. I’ve been thrilled to work with the Johnson County Young Democrats to advocate for support for higher education on the local, state, and federal levels.”

Outside of the political world, Woodard loves spending time with his friends and family. He says he is “constantly curious, always wanting to try new things and explore new places. Oh, and you can usually count on me to order a red wine or Boulevard Tank 7 with dinner, and to work a Beyoncé reference into any conversation.” Clearly, the Queen B reigns.

Appropriately, Woodard’s go-to shower song is Schoolin’ Life by Beyoncé.

[jocoyoungdems-blog]

Official Election Results

We want to share the official election results with you!

As a reminder, Johnson County Young Democrats made over 1,392 calls in 7 cities and knocked hundreds of doors for these municipal elections. 34 Advance-Ballot applications were sent, and 75 people signed up for our mailing list. It is clear that everyone’s hard work made a significant impact, so thank you all!                                                 

JCCC Board of Trustees

JCYD-endorsed candidate Angeliina Lawson was elected with 33,204 votes at 17.97% JCYD-endorsed candidate Lee Cross was elected with 30,190 votes at 16.34% JCYD-endorsed candidate Chris Roesel earned 16,697 votes at 9.04%

Merriam Ward 4

JCYD-endorsed candidate David Neal won with 313 votes at 53.78%

Olathe At-Large

Karin Brownlee won with 4960 votes at 53.10% JCYD-endorsed candidate Deann Mitchell came in a close second with 4361 votes at 46.69%

Gardner At-Large

Randy Gregorcyk won with 1200 votes at 28.89% Michael Blanchard was the JCYD-endorsed candidate and he came in third with 952 votes at 22.92%

Overland Park Ward 1

JCYD-endorsed candidate Logan Heley won with 2596 votes at 71.34%

Prairie Village Ward 3

JCYD-endorsed candidate Tucker Poling was unopposed and won with 416 votes at 98.11%

Westwood Hills Mayor

JCYD-endorsed candidate Paula Schwach was unopposed and won with 94 votes at 100%

Shawnee Mission School Board Position 4

JCYD-endorsed candidate Laura Guy won with 3258 votes at 60.20%

Water One Board Position 3

JCYD-endorsed candidate Kay Heley won with 25,527 votes at 54.65%

Roeland Park Ward 2

JCYD-endorsed candidate Jen Hill won with 220 votes at 52.26%

[jocoyoungdems-blog]

Endorsement: Tucker Poling for Prairie Village City Council

Tucker Poling Prairie Village City Council, Ward Three

Tucker Poling is running unopposed for the position of City Council Member in Prairie Village Ward Three, but that hasn’t stopped him from knocking doors for other candidates and introducing himself along the way. He has been dedicating at least five hours per week to his campaign and using his social media outlets to provide informative content to his constituents in order to help build his connection with them for the future. Poling will be filling the seat vacated by first-time Councilman Eric Mikkelson who decided not to seek a second term.

Directly from his campaign website, Poling states: “I’m a father, husband, and attorney. I’m running for Prairie Village City Council, Ward 3, because I want to help make Prairie Village a leader in government transparency, sustainable and locally focused growth, walkability/bikeability, and advocating for the return of local control”. Poling would like the Prairie Village city council to livestream all of their meetings and to make the city council agenda clear and fully accessible to the public. Additionally, Poling believes that walkability and bikeability will help promote healthier and happier Prairie Village families with a greater sense of community while also promoting the local economy.

Here are some links that demonstrate the action Poling has already taken as an engaged citizen and shed light on his future actions as Councilman:

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/community/joco-913/northeast-joco/article150756652.html

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/community/joco-913/article150110402.html

http://kcur.org/post/search-formally-new-shawnee-mission-school-superintendent#stream/0

Here’s how you can connect with Tucker Poling:

http://www.tuckerforpv.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TuckerforPV/

@TuckerPoling on Twitter

Candidate bio provided by Kaitlin Vaughn, Communications Team Co-Chair

[jocoyoungdems-blog]

Endorsement: David Neal for Merriam City Council

David Neal is running for the Merriam City Council in Ward 4. Neal has lived in Merriam for the past 13 years and has a background in engineering and construction. He is also the founder of a successful software company. Neal was inspired to run for the city council when he saw a need for someone with a background in construction and engineering to serve. Currently, none of the members of the council have those skills and experience. 

One issue that’s important to Neal is restoring the balance of the city council. Currently, Neal sees the council as leaning towards the interests of commercial real estate developers at the expense of tax paying residents. Neal is also concerned about the Irene B. French center, which was built in 1911 and was one of the first schools in the Shawnee Mission School District. There is a possibility that it will be torn down to be replaced by an outdoor amphitheater, and Neal thinks that this historic building should be preserved and repurposed. Neal also believes that some of the current municipal codes in Merriam need to be updated due to the changing needs of residents.  Neal thinks local government has the most direct impact on your daily life, and that it is essential to elect competent representatives to act in the best interest of the city’s stakeholders - all of them.  Neal has built a website with tons of information on the issues facing Merriam as well as how he plans to address them: http://www.nealformerriam.com/

Candidate bio provided by Cole Johnson, Communications Team member

[jocoyoungdems-blog]

Endorsement: Paula Schwach for Mayor of Westwood Hills

Paula Schwach is running unopposed for reelection to the position of Mayor of Westwood Hills. She currently works as a freelance attorney. She has served as mayor since the spring of 2013. Despite running unopposed, Schwach has remained dedicated to interacting with her constituents, allocating at least four hours per week to the campaign and pledging to see her constituents face-to- face in community venues or to knock on most doors in her district at least once. Prior to serving as mayor, Schwach was a three term City Councilwoman and worked in local, state, and federal government.

When asked about the main issue important specifically to her candidacy, Schwach focused on this: “The support for infrastructure reinvestment is a challenge that every first-ring suburb in the metro area faces and the issue which has been the focus of my mayoral term. It will continue to be my focus once re-elected. I obtained a KDOT geometric grant in the amount of $300,000 to fix the storm water problems on Rainbow Blvd and this work is now scheduled for spring construction in 2018, This will be followed by a second construction project to remedy faults in the balance of the existing storm water system. Then I will begin a master planning process for the Green so that our parks infrastructure is also updated and made fully accessible.”

She also provided insight into how her policies help better the lives of young constituents: “Westwood Hills is a community for all ages. We are rapidly ‘re-greening’ and have seen an influx of young families. We are a walkable neighborhood leading to healthier people of all ages... We are sustaining the Green as a community space for gatherings… I have championed systematic code enforcement to assure that even in a mature city that property values are maintained given that this is often the largest investment of younger homeowners.” Once reelected, Schwach will serve a two-year term as mayor.

Below are some links to stories about Schwach’s successes while serving as mayor.

https://shawneemissionpost.com/2015/05/21/westwood-hills-takes-steps-to-preserve-historic-structures-that-helped-land-it-on-national-register- \39472 https://shawneemissionpost.com/2014/09/16/dark-decades-westwood-hills-lamppost-shines-entry-beautiful-little-city-kansas-31664

https://shawneemissionpost.com/2013/09/05/westwood-hills-turns-90-and-throws-a-party-20892

Candidate bio provided by Kaitlin Vaughn, Communications Team Co-Chair

[jocoyoungdems-blog]

Endorsement: Chris Roesel for JCCC Board of Trustees

Chris Roesel JCCC Board of Trustees

“Talking with students who work 60 hours a week and take 18 semester hours at the same time convinced me that I should bring different perspectives to the Board—not my perspectives, but rather those of students, faculty, and the community.”

Chris Roesel’s twin commitments to democracy and higher education are clear through his campaign for the Johnson County Community College Board of Trustees. Roesel advocates for these values primarily through social media and face-to-face contact with voters at various organizational meetings across Johnson County. Roesel’s wide-ranging professional history has taken him to four continents, where he has worked as an international development worker, a nutrition program manager, a Peace Corps volunteer, and a teacher. A current student at JCCC (and the only candidate who has recently taken classes at the College), Roesel is active with the JCCC Democrats, the Johnson County Democrats, the League of Women Voters, and many other groups. He advocates for easier registration and voting processes, along with voter engagement and civic participation.

Roesel is committed to engaging young voters, improving stakeholder group representation and inclusion, and identifying future-oriented action plans for the College.

https://www.facebook.com/RoeselforJCCC/

https://www.amazon.com/Development-Experiences-Asia-Africa-Americas-ebook/dp/B01IFC9S66/

Candidate bio provided by Angela Clem, Communications Team Co-Chair

[jocoyoungdems-blog]

Endorsement: Jen Hill for Roeland Park City Council

Jen Hill for Roeland Park City Council, Ward Two:

Jen Hill is a candidate for the position of City Council Member in Roeland Park Ward Two. Hill is a veteran teacher of 23 years so she has worked extensively in the education sector of government. She is currently working aggressively on her campaign by knocking doors and making phone calls nightly, devoting at least 15 to 30 hours per week to her efforts. She plans to contact all potential voters in her ward at least three times prior to Election Day. Hill states that “Equal Rights for All” is a top priority, citing the non-discrimination ordinance currently in place in Roeland Park; she says she will “work to keep precautions in place to ensure equal rights for all citizens”.

“If elected, my positions on the issues will better the lives of constituents through positive changes in new leadership for all ages in Roeland Park. I will assure fiscally responsible stewardship of business development, streets, public safety, parks, sidewalks and bike lanes, city services and city budget. I hope to create modern technological ways of keeping the community involved and informed of the happenings in Roeland Park.”

Here’s how you can connect with Jen Hill:

https://www.jenhillforroelandpark.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JenHillforRoelandPark/

Bio provided by Kaitlin Vaughn, Communications Team Co-Chair