I began volunteering in March of this year, and I’m in my observation stage at this point. We get a lot of questions from people in Pima County. If I were to pinpoint the task I enjoy best, it would be dealing with the public and coming to the plate for them along with making and implementing changes in the office for a smooth running crew. There’s lot’s to learn and I am really fortunate to be working with great team-orientated volunteers, and of course my main girl Miranda Lopez.
I was inspired to start volunteering when the shots rang out at Safeway on Oracle and Ina. I was loading my car up and planning to stop by the Gabby meet and greet on my way to see a new client. They were just across the street from my house, and my friend Gabe Zimmerman was going to be there. We had worked on a few things together as I have a soft spot for the elderly and he was great at pushing my causes forward. Gabe died that day, and in many ways so did the community around us. My family had a front row seat to the protests and the media as they parked along my drive. The ask was simple and the reaction was hard to process. This is when I decided to move from voting to action. It took me some time to find my way to the Pima County Democratic Party headquarters. Civics was not my strong suit. When I got the call, I found a place I could sink my talent into. I guess I have Gabe to thank for that.
Thank you so much for all your hard work, Mary Ellen! We’re glad to have you.
I have been volunteering in the office since April of 2019. By the time the office closed for COVID, I was working all day on Fridays as the Friday volunteer coordinator.
When we closed, I continued to volunteer from home by checking voicemail messages and responding to callers. Those days, in the summer before the 2020 election, we had many callers with a variety of urgent needs, and that was a very rewarding time for me, as I would do my best to find solutions to problems such as registering newcomers who could not get an AZ license (which meant they could not register to vote) to just being an empathetic person on the other end of the line. I still enjoy trying to solve problems of voters who either call or come to the office.
I am a lifelong Democrat, and I joined the second Obama campaign in 2012 because a friend of mine recruited me to work in Headquarters as a shift manager. In those days we didn’t have MiniVan so one of my jobs was entering call sheet data. I also greeted and trained new volunteers, some who were too young to even vote. I enjoy being part of an energized team.
Thank you so much for all your hard work, Margaret!
– What are some of your favorite tasks here in the office?
There are times when I really like making phone calls, if it’s something I’m passionate about. I like finding out about what’s going on with the party, and getting to know people who are involved has been really rewarding for me. That’s true whenever I volunteer, because the staffs are always so welcoming, and that gives me hope for politics and our society.
– How long have you been volunteering here?
About nine months, but with various other groups before this.
– What inspired you to start volunteering for the Democratic Party?
What’s happened to this country these past few years. I’ve always believed in Democratic values, and I’ve realized now that I’m retired that I want to be involved with people with the same values who will get things done. I like being present and engaged, and volunteering here helps me do that.
– What are some of your favorite parts of volunteering here in the office?
My favorite would have to be the yard sign room during the 2020 election. An absolute madhouse at times, and so much fun. My second favorite lately would have to be lending an ear to the frustration of Democrats in regards to voting rights and labor legislation on the hill, and having information about how to act on that.
– How long have you been volunteering here?
I have been volunteering in the office only since 2019. Between 2015-2019 I came in for phone banking and canvassing during elections.
– What inspired you to start volunteering for the Democratic Party?
I have been a Democrat all my life. My parents were both good Democrats. I went to high school here in Tucson and Mo Udall used to drop by the school’s cafeteria for little chat sessions, as both of his daughters went to CDO .The first election I worked on was George McGovern’s Presidential campaign when I was 17 and in college in Lawrence, Kansas. After that I continued as a precinct captain, campaign manager for a state election, and basically anywhere I was asked. I lived in Spain between 1988-2014 (ask me about the wonders of National Health!) As soon as we came back to the US, here in Tucson, I contacted the PCDP and here I still am.
– What are some of your favorite parts of volunteering here in the office?
I love interacting with future leaders and getting to talk to the people who come in and call. Every phone call I’ve had has felt important and useful.
– How long have you been volunteering here?
Two months.
– What inspired you to start volunteering for the Democratic Party?
The Republican Party. Plus, a genuine fear that even after Biden was elected, things are not fine. I felt an urgency. And I think there are a lot of people my age out there who feel an urgency. I think there’s a lot we can do to help.
Thank you so much for all your hard work, Kathleen!
I wanted to take a moment here, as we head into the summer of 2021, to give you an update on what’s been going on here at the office. I am planning to write more of these monthly blog posts so you can see how PCDP is working every day to elect Democrats up and down the ballot here in Southern Arizona!
As you may already know, we onboarded a new PCDP administration in January of this year. Since then, there have been a few changes, but we are now fully staffed with a Chair, First Vice Chair, Second Vice Chair, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, Operations Coordinator, Social Media Strategist, Website and Graphic Designer, and Director. In addition, we also have some new interns in the office who are helping with everything from our communications to fundraising.
PCDP is cautiously optimistic that we may soon host an office re-opening event where people can come in to meet our new folks!
In the meantime we have started to open our office again to volunteers, who have dedicated their time to make sure our office operations continue to run smoothly. We’re also planning hybrid events, where people can join either in person or via Zoom.
Of course, we have continued to build our strategy for how we are going to contact the 18,000+ Democrats in Pima County who are now at risk of being removed from the AEVL list. We also monitor #fraudit and redistricting, both of which threaten the integrity of the elections process. Every day as restrictive abortion and voting rights laws continue to pass in the Arizona state legislature we are reminded of what is at stake if we do not act.
The 2022 campaign season has already begun, and we need your help to make sure we are ready to fight for the next 17 months so we can keep Arizona blue.
On election night of 2022, as the results start coming in from all over the state, I do not want to be asking myself if I could have done more; I know I will have done all that I can to ensure that Democrats win up and down the ticket.
If you haven’t already this year, please take a moment to think about all you are doing to help elect Democrats, and ask yourself if there is any room to take on more. Whether it is increasing a donation, committing to volunteer, or writing to your representatives, every act of political engagement will enable PCDP to fight for your Democratic values.
I am incredibly grateful to be working with such a wonderful community, and I’m excited to see where we will take PCDP next!
Patti is a born and raised Tucsonan who, after attending the University of Arizona, became a pharmacist. She always kept up with politics, but the “chaos and insanity of 2016” brought Patti to the PCDP Headquarters, and she’s been volunteering ever since, making calls and answering the office phone. Although she’s learned a lot from working here over the last five years, Patti says that her favorite part about volunteering is really the people she has met while working in the office. Even though it is quiet for the time being, there is still plenty to do. We are so grateful for all the (socially distanced) work Patti has continued to do in preparation for PCDP to re-open!
Maria has been volunteering with the party for a few years now, and has been one of the first to jump back onboard to help out in the office with daily tasks! Her bright smile and organizational skills have helped us tidy up our physical and virtual spaces, and we are excited to continue working with her.
When asked why she volunteers her time, she said, “I volunteer because I love feeling like I’m making a difference and being helpful to my community, and meeting other people who feel the same! And I’m passionate about electing democrats because I want my future kids to be a lot less worried about the future than I am.”
If you are ready to get involved, in person or virtually, fill out this form.
