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Thanks to all the KCYD's that were about to attend convention this last weekend (especially those that came to General Session), and special congratulations to our own: Chiho Lai, the new President of YDWA, and Forrest Smith, VP of Finance.

We have several events scheduled for this month, so make sure to check the "Events" tab for details!

Just a quick update about YDWA Convention this weekend. You don't want to miss this event with special guests like Congressman Inslee and Tony Ventrella!

You can register or find out more detailed information here: http://convention.ydwa.org/

Here's a sampling of the trainings that will take place on Saturday:

Effective Public Speaking with Seattle's sportscasting legend Tony Ventrella

Understanding Elections in Washington with Northwest Passages strategist Christian Sinderman and the Progressive Majority's Political Director, Noel Frame

Breaking into Democratic Politics lead by Nathe Lawver (one of the state's youngest party chairs, currently leading the Pierce County Democrats), Michael King (principal at WinPower strategies, former Statewide Director of the Washington Democratic Coordinated Campaign), Sam Ross (former candidate for the Lakewood City Council) and Amy Ockerlander (Duvall City Council member)

YDWA State Convention is taking place in Seattle (super-convenient for us King County folk!) March 5th-7th and we want as many KCYD to attend as possible. There will be caucuses, trainings and opportunities to network during Convention, our annual Awards Banquet on Saturday night, and of course elections for this years state officers. Visit the Facebook page for Convention for all the details: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=168093752707

We had a great meeting tonight. The official minutes will be available later, but here is a list of the newly elected 2010 KCYD officers:

Chair - Andrew Peabody
Finance Director - Chiho Lai
Communications Director - Greg Haffner
Ploy/Leg Director - Rob Dolin

East Regional Board
Vice Chair - Brandon Adams
Membership Director - Cyrus Habib
Communication Director - Ian Jacobson

West Regional Board
Vice Chair - Robin Ledbetter
Membership Director - Vacant
Communication Director - Greg Haffner (Interim)

South Regional Board - Vacant

I am also accepting applications for our two KCDCC positions. If you are interested please send me an email detailing in a paragraph why you would be a good fit for the position, any KCYD member is eligible. A record of attendance (official position not required) at KCDCC meetings is strongly favored. It's my intention to make this appointment at our eboard meeting on March 2nd, so please make sure I receive your application by March 1st at: andrew.peabody@kcyd.org

KCYD ELECTIONS MEETING FEBRUARY 9TH!

Our annual chapter elections are going to be held next Tuesday, February 9th. Since this is a business meeting, it won't be our usual happy hour format...although we will still likely be going out afterward for anyone interested. The meeting will be held in the Community Room at Newmark Tower (1415 2nd Ave. @ Pike St.) at 6:30 pm. The offices up for election are as follows:

KCYD Officers
Chair
Finance Director
Communications Director
Ploy/Leg Director
Regional Boards (West, East, & South)
Vice Chair
Membership Director
Communication Director

The regions are loosely defined as West: City of Seattle and immediately adjacent areas to the north and south, East: The Eastside centered on Bellevue, South: South of I-405/I-5 centered on the I-5 Corridor (Federal Way, etc). The regional boards are responsible for conducting monthly events in their region unless preempted by a county-wide event.

Eligibility to vote: Must live in King County, be less than 36 years of age, and have attended at least one KCYD function in the last year.

If you want to get more involved, please consider running for one of these offices. If you have any questions about the respective responsibilities of each post, shoot me an email and I'll enumerate them.

At our upcoming meeting, we'll also be discussing details about Lobby day, the Democratic Party Crab Feed, and State Convention. Don't miss it!

For more information on our upcoming events around the state for the Young Democrats, take a look at the February edition of our KCYD newsletter. If you are not currently receiving the newsletter, make sure to go join our mailing list here:http://groups.google.com/group/kingcountyyd.

See you at the meeting!

Hey guys,

Our next KCYD meeting is this upcoming Tuesday from 6 to 7:30 pm. We will have a brief business meeting that will include a vote on the constitution changes proposed in November, a resolution written by the Snohomish County Young Democrats, and details on the health care rally coming up December 12th. Come join us at the RAM in University Village for food, drinks, and networking with Young Democrats in the region.

We have the "back room" near the rear of the restaurant, so make sure you come an join us for a good time and the last KCYD meeting of the decade!

As a final note we are collecting food for Hopelink, it has been a difficult year for many in our area and good food can go a long way towards helping others in need. For a list of most items most needed for donation, please check their website at: http://www.hope-link.org/takeaction/inkind

Hope to see you all out to our last meeting of the year!

-Robin Ledbetter (written on Andrew's account due to computer issues)

Our next meeting is going to be this coming Tuesday, Nov. 10th, at the Twist restaurant and lounge in Seattle. The address is 2313 First Ave ( near Bell Street), Seattle, WA 98121. We'll be starting at 5:30 pm and running until about 7 pm. If you can't make it right at 5:30, please still try to come for part of the meeting.

We will be considering changes to the KCYD Constitution, which the general membership will then vote on at the first December meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 8th, in Seattle.

NEW STYLE, you say?

In an effort to increase the accessibility of our chapter for people who live in one part of King County or another, we're starting to hold meetings both on the westside in the Seattle area, and on the eastside each month. The King County Young Democrats executive board recognizes that King County is so much more than just Seattle or just Bellevue, and we want to make sure everyone is able to participate no matter which side of the water you're on. Therefore, there will be a meeting/Happy Hour in Bellevue on November 17th, also at 5:30 pm, at the Rock Bottom Bar and Grill. The address there is 550 106th Ave. NE, Suite 103 in Bellevue where the Galleria is. So if it's easier for your to get to a KCYD meeting in Bellevue, or the Seattle area, both options will be available. That way, you can stay connected and involved without necessarily having to commute to a potentially inconvenient locale.

Hope to see you at one of the upcoming meetings.

I also just want to take a small paragraph to say that the results of this year's state election have warmed my heart. Voters in Washington state, in part because of the work of young people knocking on doors, making phone calls, donating and spreading the word to their professional and personal networks, made the right choices on a great number of votes. The shining examples of Referendum 71, which passed and means that equal rights for all families will be maintained in our state, and Initiative 1033, which rightfully went down in flames and sent a message to Tim Eyman that voters do support fundamental social services and are onto his game, are only two instances where my faith in the liberal fair-mindedness of Washington voters has been renewed. We the Democrats may not have won every race, but the votes that we did win on were ideologically important in many cases.

So, Young Democrats, give yourselves a pat on the back for the work you have done and the victories we achieved...and get ready for the next fight. Our work is never finished.

Hope you all have your Halloween costume all planned out, because the day is nearing when we'll break those outfits out and hit the town. I'm sure most of you are going to be attending a variety of fancy parties around town and with friends and family. But in case you haven't heard or you haven't signed up yet, I ask you to consider spending at least part of your day at another incredible party on the day of Halloween.

Trick or Vote 2009 is the giant costumed canvass event being put on by the Washington Bus on October 31st. The event starts at 2 pm, so you can come out for a few hours and still have plenty of time to hit your other awesome parties later in the day. The purpose of the event is to put a fun, festive twist on a massive canvass to support Ref. 71 and reject I-1033. The event is all-ages and everyone is invited. There's even a dance party!

Here are the details:
Trick or Vote 2009!
Saturday, October 31st from 2-9 pm (canvassing will be from 3-7)
The Old Rainier Cold Storage at
5840 Airport Way in Georgetown

If you'd like to RSVP, you can contact Mollie at mol...@washingtonbus.org, or go to the site: http://www.washingtonbus.org/

So get your costumes, bring a friend, and come trick or treat for a equal rights, social services and the kind of Washington we all want to live in!

The King County Young Democrats will be having a Social Mixer at the Taphouse Grill in Bellevue (550 106th Ave NE, Bellevue) this Tuesday Sept. 8th, instead of holding their regular meeting at the Renton Carpenter's Hall. The mixer will start at approximately 5 pm so we can capitalize on happy hour prices. It will be a fun, relaxed evening and a great opportunity to reconnect with old friends and make new ones.

Here's the facebook link in case you want to RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=137814792272&ref=ts

The event will run from 5-7 pm...roughly. If you can't be there right at 5, please feel free to still come by and drop in as long as we're still there. Suggested donation is $5 toward the KCYDs. If you can, bring a friend; we'll be talking King County politics as we approach the November general election. See you all there!

Hello everyone,

Because of a variety of logistical issues, the Mariner's game that we had originally been planning to attend en masse was not put together. Many of the members of the King County Executive board just returned yesterday and today from the Young Democrats National Convention in Chicago, and most of us are exhausted and busy catching up. It was fun and inspiring and we heard from a variety of brilliant and well-known speakers, but with no internet access for close to a week, it has been difficult to plan or disseminate information. For that, I apologize.

Although we will not be having a meeting this month, I encourage you all to take this opportunity to attend your legislative district meetings and to invite your friends to the next King County Young Democrats meeting scheduled for September 8th. And although I will not be attending the game, I hope that any of you who are heading to the Mariner's game tomorrow as they square off against the White Sox have a fantastic time.

I'll see you in September,

-- Robin C. Ledbetter
Chair, KCYDs

The King County Democrats are having their annual barbecue/picnic July 12th starting at 12 pm. The picnic will take place at Alki Beach. Here's the address: 1702 Alki Ave SW Seattle, WA 98116. There will be hotdogs, hamburgers, buns, condiments, vegetarian options and lots of other snacks as well. Anyone who would like to is invited to bring a dish, but it's by no means required.



The picnic will be a fun opportunity to meet people, renew acquaintances, and just hang out with candidates, local leaders, and like-minded people. Everyone who wants to come is welcome, and we encourage people to bring a friend.

See you there!

-Robin

Hey everyone,

Our May meeting will be this Tuesday, May 12th, at 7 pm in the Renton Carpenter's Hall. For the address, see previous posts. We will be hearing from a few candidates for the local races, including Larry Phillips from the heated King County Executive race and Bailey Stober, who is running for Kent City Council. We will also discuss our own endorsements process and go over some of the details for our upcoming events such as the KCYD picnic and the YDWA Straw Poll scheduled for June 17th.

Hope to see you all there!

-Robin

There has been a change of plans: our monthly meeting next Tuesday, April 14th, will NOT take place at the Renton Carpenter's Hall. We'll be going to the movies instead!

The KCYDs have been offered a great opportunity to participate in an exclusive advanced movie screening. We'll be seeing the movie "State of Play" on April 14th at 7 pm at the AMC Southcenter (The new theater at the top of Southcenter Mall). Here's the address: 3600 Southcenter Mall, Tukwila, WA 98188

We've been issued complimentary tickets which I will be glad to hand out at the door before hand. Please, if you're interested in coming, arrive a few minutes before 7 pm so that you can get inside and settled before the showing starts. This is a politically-themed movie about the interaction between a prominent politician (Ben Affleck) and an investigative journalist (Russell Crowe) during the course of a murder investigation that threatens to shake the nation's power structure to its foundations.

There will be a Q&A session afterward during which we can discuss the movie's themes and give feedback.

There's room for 40 young Democrats to attend, so feel free to bring a friend. But get there early because once the tickets are gone, that's it! If you have any questions or if you would like to carpool, give me a call at 360-440-1686 or email me at robi...@kcyd.org. See you all there!


Robin Ledbetter
Chair, KCYDs

Hello everyone. Just a brief update:

At the February meeting elections were held. These are your new officers for the next year:

Robin Ledbetter: Chair
Tillie Gallagher: Vice Chair
Aaron Belenky: Finance Director
Lance Bishop: Communications Director
Andrew Peabody: Membership Director
Jessica Tweedy: Political/Legislative Director
Sean Barrett: King County Democratic Central Committee (KCDCC) Representative
Chiho Lai: Former Chair

The minutes for the February meeting are posted in the Info section. At the meeting in March we covered the details of the upcoming YDWA State Convention, which was held March 13th-15th. More information on convention in the newsletter, coming soon.

The next meeting will be held in the Renton Carpenter's Hall at 231 Burnett Ave N, Hall 1B. It will be Tuesday, April 14th at 7 pm. We will be discussing the upcoming local elections and our endorsement process as well as some events we have coming up in the next few months. Hope to see everyone there! Robin Ledbetter Chair, KCYDs

Dear Democrat!

It has been an honor for me this last month, to witness a historic campaign season and victories for our party! I want to thank each and everyone of you for making our party stronger, and working hard to win back this country. The year has gone by fast, and at our next meeting, Feburary 10th at the Renton Carpenter's Hall, we will be holding our annual officer elections.

I have been with this organization, Young Democrats, for over 6 years now, and every year I am amazed at the great people that I meet and work with. I strongly encourage everyone, regardless of your experience or involvement thus far, to consider running for a position with KCYD. It is a terrific experience to make some new friends, learn about politics a little more, and have a great time with other dedicated Democrats!

The positions will be as follows:

Chair
i. Chief administrative officer of KCYD
ii. Encourage & coordinate participation of members in local and statewide senior Democratic Party activities
iii. Direct the implementation of policies adopted and authorized by the KCYD Executive Board
iv. Represent KCYD on the Young Democrats of Washington (YDWA) Executive Board
v. Represent KCYD at KCDCC meetings, in conjunction with the Vice Chair and KCDCC Representative
vi. Represent the KCYD organization in public and report on his/her activities at each KCYD meeting
vii. Other duties as assigned through vote by the KCYD membership or by the YDWA President

Vice Chair
i. Assist the Chair in the performance of the Chair’s duties in the event of his/her absence
iii. Perform other duties as assigned by the Chair, KCYD Executive Board, YDWA President, or as assigned through vote by the KCYD membership

Finance Director
i. Maintain records of all receipts and disbursements of funds of the organization in accordance with all KCYD, local, state and federal laws and regulations
ii. Report financial activity at each KCYD meeting
iii. Keep all organizational financial records in order
iv. Shall be responsible for the presentation of new revenue enhancement projects
v. Coordinate fundraising events
vi. Perform other duties as assigned by the Chair, KCYD Executive Board, YDWA President, or as assigned through vote by the KCYD membership.

Communications Director
i. Record and distribute minutes of all regular and executive board meetings
ii. Send notification of regular and special general membership and executive board meetings
iii. Maintain all organizational files and records in a safe and orderly manner
iv. Issue press releases prior to KCYD events
v. Serve as Editor-in-Chief for the KCYD newsletter
vi. Perform other duties as assigned by the Chair, KCYD Executive Board, YDWA President, or as assigned through vote by the KCYD membership

Membership Director
i. Target and acquire new diverse members for the organization
ii. Keep current members active
iii. Coordinate social functions for members
iv. Coordinate outreach events for KCYD to grow members of the community
v. Perform other duties as assigned by the Chair, KCYD Executive Board, YDWA President, or as assigned through vote by the KCYD Membership

Political/Legislative Director
i. Keep members informed of issues facing federal, state, and county elected officials
ii. Plan the political program of the meetings
iii. Organize the Endorsements process for meetings for KCYD
iv. Coordinate with YDWA for the annual Lobby Day
v. Perform other duties as assigned by the Chair, KCYD Executive Board, YDWA President, or as assigned through vote by the KCYD Membership

King County Democratic Central Committee (KCDCC) Representative
i. Attend all meetings of the KCDCC and represent the interests of KCYD in voice and vote
ii. Pursuant to KCDCC representation rules, the Rep must be of opposite sex of the KCYD Vice Chair
iii. Report back to the KCYD general membership and executive board the activities of the KCDCC in a concise fashion
iv. Perform other duties as assigned by the Chair, KCYD Executive Board, YDWA President, or as assigned through vote by the KCYD membership.

See you then! Please feel free to email us should you have any questions or want more information! -Chiho H. Lai KCYD Chair