Fellow Young Democrats –

November 4th brought historic change to our country, and President-Elect Obama came within 3 points of winning Georgia – largely thanks to your efforts.  However, we have a little extra work to do. On November 4th, several candidates did not top the state-required 50% of the vote. Tuesday, December 2nd, there will be a Runoff Election that includes several statewide races as well as dozens of local and county runoffs from around the state.

You may think that the only race on the ballot Dec 2 is the US Senate race between Jim Martin and Saxby Shameless. You'd be wrong.

The Public Service Commission is a little known but extremely important entity that regulates and sets our utility rates. The Republican in the race used to be a Democrat until he was defeated in 2002, partially because of his corrupt ties to industries he regulated. Jim Powell is one of the most qualified people to ever run for PSC, and he has fought the GOP machine in the form of Karen Handel since the primary when she tried to remove him from the ballot. The GA Supreme Court stopped her. Jim Powell needs our support to win. Your utility bills depend on Jim Powell winning this race.

The GA Court of Appeals is technically non-partisan, and the two people running have long records of voting in GOP primaries. However, Mike Sheffield of Gwinnett County is the darling of the “Christian” Taliban in this state. Unless you happen to be ultra conservative, "Christian", married, with children – you can expect a deaf ear if Sheffield is elected. Sara Doyle, while a voting Republican, is endorsed by Georgia Equality. If she promises to fairly apply justice to gay people in Georgia, she is certainly better than Sheffield.

Turnout will be KEY in this run-off to get Democrats elected rather than obstructionist Republicans trying to stop the change we voted for on November 4th.  Once again, it is going to be the Youth Vote that makes the difference in which candidate will win. Nationwide, on November 4th, Young Voters came out in record numbers to support Democrats, we need to do it one more time. YOU have the power to change this election for Democrats. Here's what we, as Young Democrats, can do over the next 2 weeks.

1. Pledge-to-Vote Online at www.georgiayds.org. After you have pledged, use the forward option to send an invitation to Pledge-to-Vote Democratic on December 2nd to at least 5 of your friends. You might be the ONLY person who can talk to your friends about voting for Democrats on December 2nd. Take this opportunity now! Pledge-to-Vote and then ask your friends to pledge to vote. You can also use MySpace bulletins, Facebook status and wall messages and personal text messaging as well. Use the tell-a-friend option to send your friends to www.georgiayds.org to pledge to vote today. You'll be able to track which of your friends that you have forwarded the invite to have taken the pledge as well as provide them with links to information about voting.

2.  Hold a phone bank of your own, either with friends, or at your chapter, to call other Young Voters in Georgia. YDG will take care of the materials and numbers, we just need you and at least 3 or 4 other volunteers. Contact Tim at tim@georgiayds.org or 404-584-5855 to setup a date/time for your phone bank today anywhere in the state.

3. Volunteer some of your time with campaigns - you can signup online with the Democratic Party at www.georgiademocrat.org/volunteer

4. Still have questions about what to do? Go back to #1 above :-)
So take the pledge to vote Democratic on Dec 2! The nation is watching...

Jason Cecil
President, Young Democrats of Georgia

Support the work of Young Democrats by making a contribution online today at www.georgiayds.org/contribute.