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President

Justine Sandoval

To Whom It May Concern:

My name is Justine L. Sandoval and I am writing to advise of my intent to run for the position of President of the Denver Young Democrats. Currently I serve as the Vice President and in that time my colleagues and I have worked diligently to make the organization more inclusive of the young democrats we represent.

I am running for the position of President because I feel my previous two years on the board, combined with my knowledge of the Denver community give me a unique perspective on what our organization needs to do to expand our efforts. I have seen this city change in so many ways. Some of it has been positive but there has also been a lot of negative impact on the community. Growing up in Denver and having worked on issues within the community my entire life, I feel I know the people of Denver on a personal level. They are my neighbors, my friends, my family and my peers.

As President I feel that I can be a strong voice to respresent young people in the democratic party. I intend to make sure the Denver Young Dems not only grow as an organization but expand our influence not only in the community but within the party. As Denver changes and the Democratic party changes it is more important than ever that we have people representing us who actually represent the issues we are facing as a community. I have been on the ground doing work in this city my whole life.

I believe finding the solutions to the issues we are facing as a city and as a party starts with bringing as many voices as possible to the table. Now more than ever people want to participate in making meaningful and impactful change that helps everyone in the city. I want to be able to lift up your ideas and solutions to making Denver an inclusive place for all of us to live and have a place.

I feel my years of experience and work in the Denver community qualifies me for this position and I hope to earn your vote. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Justine L. Sandoval

Vice President

Kate Sneed 

Dear Denver Young Democrats,

I would like to express my interest in the Vice President officer of Denver Young
Democrats. I am a Denver native with over 10 years of experience in education, non­profit,
and policy in Denver. I want to contribute my passion for educating and encouraging young
people to use their voice, to DYD.

I began my career in education non­profit developing and managing job readiness
programs and working in education policy. I then became, a licensed teacher in the State of
Colorado and taught high school math for over 5 years. After completing my masters in
Public Administration, I began work in state government. My passion for providing
opportunities and experiences where young people can find interests, develop skills and
learn to use their voices has been the cornerstone of my work. Serving as the VP of DYD
will provide me an opportunity to continue educating young adults on the importance of their
voices and the many ways in which they can be involved in their communities. I will build
relationships with other organizations and communities that serve young people to provide
opportunities for individuals to learn, participate, and activate on the issues that matter to
them.

I look forward to the opportunity to serve as the Vice President of Denver Young Dems.

Sincerely,

Katherine “Kate” Sneed

Event Coordinator

Lance Hostetter

Denver Young Dems:

I’m Lance Hostetter, and I’m excited to ask for your vote for Event Coordinator.

I’m a seven-year resident of Denver, and lifelong Coloradan. For the past seven years, I’ve
worked to ensure that smart education policies are enacted, teacher voice is elevated, and
students are prepared to succeed in future college and career endeavors.

But, I want to do more.

As your Event Coordinator I will work with the DYD team to ensure that we maximize our
outreach and visibility to all Denver Young Dems. It’s imperative that we work as a team to
ensure that young dems are being prepared to engage in the democratic process, learning how
to run for office, and elevating young voices in today’s politics.

With you, we will continue to host events, raise money, and make connections that will help
create a pipeline for future leaders.

Thank you,

Lance Hostetter

Finance Coordinator 

Curt Baker

To the voting members of the Denver Young Democrats,

For an idealist, there is hardly anything more invigorating than politics. Each phone called, door knocked, paper filed, email sent, campaign enacted, policy debated, and speech given is a strike on the anvil of our collective as we — together, — forge the laws governing our lives. This has never been more apparent, as young people across the nation voted in record numbers in 2018. As you know, the work of the Denver Young Democrats is integral to this process and our influence should only grow. Thus, it is with the utmost respect and optimism that I submit this letter of intent for consideration of the role as Finance Coordinator.

Living cross-culturally for ten years and in four different states for the last eleven while
developing effective communication in two languages prepares me to support the diverse
and expansive ethos of the Denver Young Democrats. Furthermore, I have substantial
financial management experience, having served as Treasurer for various collegiate
organizations with a combined budget of over $30,000. I look forward to expanding and
leveraging the resources of our organization in pursuit of a more just, more inclusive, and
more virtuous future.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Curt Baker
(417) 576-7115
[email protected]

Secretary

Macarena Villagomez

Dear Denver Young Democrats,

It has been an honor to serve you this past year and it is my pleasure to submit my letter
of intent in hopes of continuing my time on the board as Secretary. Serving as the DYD
Secretary I have aspired to create a bigger social media presence for DYD and although I
do feel I have made some progress I do believe there is much more I can do.

For this upcoming year I would like to focus on trying to encourage new members to
participate and provide feedback to DYD. As a first time member this past year I quickly
realized DYD events tended to bring out the same members. To be clear I encourage
returning members to continue to participate but I would like to see more new faces that
are not as politically involved and are intrigued to learn and meet people involved. I
would like to have DYD— especially via social media platforms—work as a resource for
the community. DYD is something bigger than another party affiliated group it serves as
a place to connect younger community members who are passionate and want to stand
and work together for what we believe is just and not just follow what the party says.

I must admit I am not the most tech savvy, don’t personally have a Twitter account, and I
might have learned how to use Facebook live just a few months ago, the difference is I
recognize my weaknesses and I am open and willing to learn. Being a part of DYD has
been such a privilege and I thank you for providing me with such opportunity.

Thank you for your time and full consideration. I hope to have your vote to serve as your
Secretary for 2019.

-Macarena

Community Liaison

Vanessa Harmoush

Dear Board of the Denver Young Democrats,

My name is Vanessa Harmoush and I am submitting this letter to express my intent to run for the Community Liaison position with the Denver Young Democrats Board. I currently work for the Colorado House Democrats and have been part of the DYD board since October 2018 as the Community Liaison.

I was first drawn to this position because I wanted to expand the voter involvement among young people in the Denver area. Working in the political world, I constantly see the lack of young people that are either involved during election time or involved in the political process throughout the year. We are at a point in our lives when are daily lives are affected by what is happening in Washington, DC. Since we do not have much control at the federal level, we can affect change on the state level.

Last election, Colorado had some of the highest young voter turnout in the country, which means that the passion is there. What I aim to do through this position is to make those resources more available for young people that want to be more involved but do not know where to look. I want to expand and increase the presence of the DYD so that we attract young people that want to be involved but aren’t working in the industry.

I recall as a young person that I was intimidated at the beginning to get into this field, I didn’t know where to turn. I want to utilize this position to make presence of DYD more known through events like brewery tours, museum visits, and even more canvassing. I also would like to increase the marketing presence of the DYD. Even something as simple as placing flyers and stickers around the city just ensure more people know the name of the DYD can help greatly with increasing the membership.

My experience going through similar events and my passion to ensure other young people have the resources to get more involved in state and local politics are why I am officially running as the Community Liaison for the Denver Young Democrats.

Thank you so much for your time and I hope I can count on your vote and support.

Sincerely,

Vanessa Harmoush

College and High School Organizer 

Michael Templeton

To the Board of Directors and members of the Denver Young Democrats,

I would like to be considered for the position of Board Member with the organization, specifically organizing the high school and college efforts. I am very much aligned with the goals and focuses of this organization and I would like to use the skills gained in my time spent as a board member of other entities, working on campaigns, and working at the State Capitol to help community projects and initiatives such as yours reach their objectives.
I have been a Board Member for multiple organizations for the past four years. I have experience in chairing meetings and strategizing solutions. My administrative experience and proven leadership skills will prove useful to this group of select Denver individuals.

While I hope to be a great addition to the Board, I am most excited and hopeful to work closely with the high school and college groups. I get along well with others and thrive on bettering who I am as a person as well as others respectively. I am confident that these qualities together with my commitment to work will be an asset to your organization.

I look forward to working with the Denver Young Democrats and hope this letter has been received well by you.

Michael B. Templeton

Are you looking to get involved in local politics? Running for a position on the Denver Young Dems Board is a great way to help engage your fellow young voters in the city.

Read more about the positions here.

What do you need to know if you’re running?

Qualifications:

All eligible DYD members (Democrats registered in the City & County of Denver under 36- DOB 2/21/1983 or later and current DYD members) may run for and vote for the DYD Board.

All candidates must be a current, eligible DYD member at the time of the election in order to submit a Letter of Intent

Timeline:

Letters of Intent open February 2, 2019

Letters of Intent are due February 18, 2019

DYD Membership closes 5:00pm February 28, 2019

Election Day is 6:00pm February 28, 2019

Election Rules

What to Do:

Write Letter of Intent (between 250 and 500 words)

Submit LOI to [email protected]

Prepare remarks for election night.

Campaign

Give speech on Election Night (3 minutes)

DYD Election Bylaws

Adopted with a unanimous vote of the 2017-2018 DYD Board.

1. Election Committee-
   1. Denver Young Democrats (DYD) Elections will be held every year in February.

1. 1. All election matters will be the responsibility of the Election Committee.
      1. The Election Committee will be made up of the outgoing DYD board members. In addition, the Chair of DPOD may appoint at least one additional member to the election committee so long as the total number of appointments shall be 1 less than the total number of outgoing board members, resulting in an odd number of members on the Election Committee.

1. 1. Roles/Actions- one member of the Election Committee will be responsible for each role.
      1. Validate online votes on an ongoing basis beginning the day ballots are released to the membership, with the advice and consent of the Election Committee.
      2. Create the online and in-person voting forms, with the advice and consent of the Election Committee.
      3. Responsible for all Facebook posts and email blasts relating to the election, with the advice and consent of the Election Committee.
      4. Introduce each candidate on the night of in-person voting and shall announce the results for each race if the results can be determined in the allotted time.
      5. Vote counting shall commence on the night of in-person voting until 9:00 p.m. and will be completed the following day as necessary. The Election Committee will be responsible for vote counting. The rules for monitoring of the count are listed in Section 5.7.
      6. All other activities related to the DYD election shall be the responsibility of the Election Committee.

1. Voter Eligibility
   1. All eligible DYD members (Democrats registered in the City & County of Denver under 36- DOB 2/21/1982) may vote in the election if they are current dues-paying members by 8:00 p.m. on the night of the election.
   2. Online memberships will be accepted until 5:00 pm the night of the election.
   3. In-person memberships will be accepted until 8:00 pm on the night of the election.

1. Candidate Eligibility
   1. All candidates must be a current, eligible DYD member at the time of the election in order to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI).
   2. Candidates must submit a LOI by 5:00 p.m. 10 days before the election.
   3. All eligible candidates who have submitted a Letter of Intent by the deadline will be listed on both the printed and online versions of the ballot.
   4. The ballot shall not be altered after being finalized by the Election Committee and released 7 days before the election.
   5. No known declared candidates shall be excluded from being publicized when all other candidates are being publicized.

1. Voting Process
   1. Online voting will open 7 days before the election and will close at 5:00 p.m. the night of the election.
      1. All online voters shall provide the following information on their ballot.
         1. Full Voting Name
         2. Nickname/Preferred Name (Optional)
         3. Date of Birth
         4. Full Voting Address
         5. Preferred Email Address
         6. Preferred Phone Number (Optional)
         7. A checkbox affirming that the voter is a current DYD member who is younger than 36 years old at the time of the election.

1. 1. 1. A date/time stamp shall be included with each recorded vote.
      2. Under-voting shall be permitted on the online voting form and the paper ballot.
      3. A confirmation notice shall be automatically generated notifying the voter that their vote was submitted and informing them about the process by which their vote shall be validated and when they will notified of the need to cure their ballot.
      4. The Elections Committee shall monitor online votes as they are submitted to ensure they were cast by eligible voters, as defined in Section 2.
      5. If a voter has been found to be ineligible or cannot be validated by a check with the Secretary of State website, they will receive an email within 24 hours of their vote being submitted with instructions for curing their ballot.
         1. A ballot may be cured by submission of a screenshot of the proper SOS voter profile sent via email to any Election Committee member or through the DYD Facebook page.
         2. Curing of a ballot shall not include changing any vote that has been cast, including any undervote.
      6. The online voting form shall become inactive at 5:00 p.m. on the night of the election. Any vote cast online after that deadline shall not be counted, and the voter shall be instructed to vote in-person.

1. 1. In-person registration and voting will open at 6:00 p.m. on the night of the election.
      1. All in-person voters shall sign-in before receiving a ballot.
         1. The sign-in sheet shall include:
            1. Full Voting Name
            2. Date of Birth
            3. Affirmation of DYD Membership
            4. Checkbox for having voted online
            5. Checkbox for having received an in-person ballot

1. 1. 1. All in-person ballots shall include and require the same information as the online ballot form.
      2. Under-voting shall be permitted on the in-person ballot.

1. 1. The first vote cast by each eligible voter shall be the only vote that is counted.
      1. A change in voting preference shall not be permitted, including an undervote.
      2. No person who voted online before the deadline shall be permitted to vote in-person even if they under-voted.

1. 1. In the event of a 2-way tie for first place after all ballots have been counted and cured, as detailed in Section 5, Subsection F, there shall be a coin toss to determine the winner. This shall take place at the post-election ballot curing meeting the day after the election and both candidates will be given the opportunity to attend that portion.
      1. In the event of a tie for first place between 3 or more candidates, the same process shall be completed by a drawing of lots in place of a coin toss.

1. 1. Membership List
      1. The Election Committee shall do an initial validation check of the current membership list before ballots are distributed.
      2. The initial validation check will be done with VAN.
      3. All votes shall be validated via Secretary of State website using the Date of Birth provided with each vote.
      4. The list, as checked by the committee, shall be viewable to all candidates who have submitted a Letter of Intent by the deadline beginning 7 days before the night of the election.
         1. Email addresses shall not be included per Democratic Party rules.
         2. A list of voters found to be ineligible shall also be provided in the same format.

1. Election Timeline
   1. Notification of Election Timeline/Rules: At least 12 days before the election.
   2. Deadline for Candidate Letters of Intent: 10 days before the election.
   3. Current DYD Membership List Provided to Candidates: 7 days before the election.
   4. Online Voting Begins: 7 days before the night of the election.
   5. Online Voting Ends: At 5:00pm on the date of the election.
   6. Election Day Procedures:
      1. In-Person Registration/Voting: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
      2. Each eligible candidate who has submitted a Letter of Intent by the deadline listed in Section 5, subsection b, shall be be permitted time to address all those present for in-person voting.
      3. The results of the election shall be announced the same night if the winner can be determined in the allotted time. If the results are unclear after 9:00 p.m., the results will be announced via email and Facebook post after the Election Committee has met to cure and count remaining ballots the day after the election.
      4. Deadline for Curing Ballots: 5:00 p.m. the day after the election.
      5. Election Committee shall meet at Democratic Party of Denver Headquarters to finalize election results (as needed).
      6. A representative of each candidate shall be permitted to monitor the process for any count/recount of votes or curing of  ballots on the night of in-person voting and the night of post-election ballot curing, if necessary. All campaigns shall be notified of such opportunities before they occur.
      7. No candidate may be present for either process and no candidate shall see how any voter cast their ballot for any DYD board position until the winner has been declared.  

1. Communications
   1. The Election Committee shall provide the following notices through the election:
      1. An email announcing the election date, deadline for Letters of Intent, and election rules.
      2. A Facebook event created announcing the election date and deadline for Letters of Intent.
      3. All election rules and procedures will be posted on the DYD facebook page, DYD election event page, and DYD website.
      4. An email/facebook post reminding potential candidates of the deadline for Letters of Intent at least 10 days before the in-person election and on the day of the deadline.
      5. An email and facebook post providing the link to the online voting form.
      6. An email and facebook post with election reminders/details and any relevant updates as needed throughout the election process.

1. 1. All current DYD board members seeking re-election shall be removed from admin access to all communications platforms associated with the Denver Young Democrats upon announcement of the election.