Walker County Democratic party active in 2018
Since 2013 a group of Walker County citizens has been meeting to have meaningful conversations about important local and national issues. The original group then became a local democratic party so that local people would have a safe place to express their political opinions without fear of retribution. Some stated that they would be persecuted at their work places or churches if they expressed their opinion. The group has been meeting monthly with invited speakers and discussions of important issues over these years.
In 2018, the monthly meetings focused on health care, supporting public education, voting rights, and increasing voter turnout. In February, Walker Democrats met with the staff of Primary Healthcare in Rossville to support their use of a county building as the only providers in the Rossville area. In March the party looked at primary candidates for state offices. During the spring and summer, the group supported the McLemore Cove Preservation Society in opposing the location of a poultry processing plant in the Kensington area.
They also elected the following officers: Chair, David Boyle; 1st Vice Chair, Rev. Donald White; 2nd Vice Chair, Richard Chadburn; Secretary, temporarily vacant; Treasurer, Julia Sexton; Technology officer, temporarily vacant. The group also chose State Commit- tee Representatives, Mike Rasbury and Nathan Gibson.
In the fall, meetings included visits by democratic candidates and information from candidates for state and federal offices. Several days of voter canvassing were organized in an effort to support democratic candidates for governor and other statewide offices, in particular, Stacey Evans for governor. Members of the party placed campaign signs throughout the county for the November general election. Unfortunately, many of the signs were taken down in the north end of the county, apparently by opponents.
In October, the county committee passed a resolution requesting the Commissioner and Board of Elections to work to provide a polling place for every precinct, as does Catoosa County, thus removing the need to use church buildings as polling places. Also, in October, the committee worked with Walker County Republicans to support the multicommissioner board form of government ballot referendum in Walker County.