State and Local Politics

Most progressives realize that our electoral system needs restructuring, from campaign finance reform to ending voter suppression tactics like photo ID laws and aggressive registration purges.  But there’s an equally important national electoral reform movement that gets under-discussed, and Memphis happens to be the current ground zero for it:  Instant Runoff Voting (IRV).

Health matters. Making sure our community has access to quality and affordable health care should be a high priority for all of our residents and particularly those in office representing the best interests of we the people.

One hot summer day two years ago, my neighbor Robert Donati and I sat on my front porch, talking politics. With so many local, state and Congressional elections coming up in 2018 and 2019, we agreed it was important to start to gather a group of politically like minded people and work to recruit, support and elect strong candidates with progressive values in these upcoming local elections. 

Voter suppression is a real issue for our community. The State Legislature has already made it more difficult to vote by requiring a state or federal issue ID be presented in order to vote.  Now, the Shelby County Election Commission is piling on by only opening early voting sites at three sites for the first four days of early voting.  Two of those three sites are in the district in which I am running – TN House District 83.

Katrina Robinson is a 37 year old single mother, entrepreneur, nurse and advocate who's stepping up to the plate in State Senate District 33, running against 12-year incumbent and conservative "Democrat" Reginald Tate. Robinson got in the race to bring her voice to Nashville and represent working people, and working women especially, in a political climate that often ignores them.

The Shelby County Democratic Party ceased to exist in the summer of 2016.  Despite intense efforts, it had become dysfunctional and no longer served the needs of Democrats in Shelby County.  At the request of many, Mary Mancini (chair of the Tennessee Democratic Party) pulled the charter and dissolved the SCDP.  It fell to individual Democrats and Democratic organizations (such as Democratic Women, Germantown Democratic Club, and Young Democrats) to step up and ensure Democrats had a presence during the 2016 election. 

Voting is one of the most important tools to our democracy. It enables all of us regardless of gender or race to participate in choosing who we want to represent us in government. Therefore, it is paramount that we utilize our voices through our voting so we can ensure we are electing qualified men and women who truly care about the needs of us all.

Long neglected by the national parties and misunderstood as an “unwinnable red state,” Tennessee now finds itself as an important battleground for the 2018 elections, including the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by the retirement of Senator Bob Corker. Crucial to winning in Tennessee will be the ability of progressives to rebuild a grassroots infrastructure and get out the vote effort in Shelby County.  If we succeed, progressives will be able to regain the Governorship and a U.S. Senate seat.  However, of equal importance, we will have positioned ourselves to reverse some of the nation’s worst gerrymandering and begin to return the Democratic party to parity in state politics for the coming decade. 

Danielle moved to Memphis as a child when her father took a position at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His example instilled in her a greater sense of community service. Danielle is a product of Memphis City Schools having graduated from Craigmont High School, and is a proud graduate of the University of Memphis (Go Tigers Go!).