Record numbers of Iowans turned out to vote in the June primary election, picking their favorites for Governor, Congress, Secretary of State, and more. The winners of this primary election will be on the November 6 General Election ballot, when Iowans will vote for the following offices:
U.S. OFFICES
U.S. Representative (all districts)
STATE OFFICES
Governor/Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor of State, Treasurer of State, Secretary of Agriculture, Attorney General, State Senator (odd-numbered districts 1-49), State Representative (districts 1-100)
COUNTY OFFICES
Some County Supervisors, County Treasurer, County Recorder, County Attorney
NON-PARTISAN OFFICES
Some township officers, county public hospital trustees, soil and water conservation district commissioners, county agricultural extension council members, and any judges that are up for retention.
With the primary fresh in our minds, it's a great time to make sure you are ready for November! The Secretary of State has an excellent Vote Ready website (voterreadyiowa.org) with dates, information, videos and more. It's a great resource to answer all your voting questions - if you have time and access to the Internet, start there.
If you are not able to get online, here are a few quick steps you can take to make sure you are ready to vote in November:
You can now register for ID Action's annual Make Your Mark! self-advocacy conference for Iowans with disabilities, which will return to Honey Creek Resort on September 27-28, 2018. Don't miss this fun and informative conference, which will focus this year on Living Your Best Independent Life with session topics such as managing your money, cooking, employment, and much more.
With the general election happening just a little over a month after the conference, Friday (Sept. 28) will be dedicated to civic and political education and will welcome back one of our favorite political correspondents, Dave Price.
And this year, thanks to a one-time anonymous sponsor, ID Action is able to offer FREE* conference registration for up to 150 individuals with disabilities, family members and direct support professionals accompanying a participant! Click here to register!
If you would like to attend this year, book your room now. Call Honey Creek Resort at 641.724.1450 and let them know you are with the ID Action Make Your Mark! Conference to make your reservation at the discounted rate of $92.00 + tax and fees. Room rates are guaranteed through Saturday, August 11, 2018.
*We are not able to cover other conference expenses such as travel and hotel. You must register in advance; walk-ins/day-of registration will not be accepted. Attendance will be limited to 150. If you are no longer able to attend after you register, please contact our office immediately to notify us so we can adjust our numbers or offer the spot to someone who may be waitlisted. Registration rates still apply for professionals not providing direct care support.
National Disability Voter Registration Week is coming up July 16-20. This is a national effort to make the disability vote more influential. This effort, known as the REV UP Campaign, has designated this week as National Disability Voter Registration Week in advance of the November elections. REV UP stands for Register! Educate! Vote! Use your Power!
This is a big year for the Iowa elections. The November general election will determine our governor, executive officers, all four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, 25 of our state Senators and all 100 of our state Representatives.
Get involved with the REV UP Campaign by hosting a disability voter registration drive in your community. We are here to help you. We will provide you with information, training and materials to help you prepare to register and educate as many people as you can. Contact ID Action by clicking here or calling 866.432.2846 to start planning a voter registration event in your community.
As a part of ID Action, we do not tell our network what to say to elected officials, candidates, and other community leaders. We simply want to connect our advocates with the information resources they need to develop their own messages and provide opportunities to tell their stories. For those of you that have asked us for "talking points," we have a resource for you!
The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) has a new resource to help you talk to the candidates running for office this year. The REV UP! Issues Guide has something for everyone. It provides a comprehensive overview of the issues, legislation, and regulations that have a significant impact on the disability community, without getting too wordy. The Guide is meant to serve as a tool for voters, advocates, candidates, and the media to be better informed on the issues that matter to people with disabilities.
The disability community represents an important and potentially influential voting bloc. To make the disability vote influential, people with disabilities need to be actively involved in the election process and push candidates for their positions on issues like these that are important to them. Candidates that support the equality and full inclusion of individuals with disabilities will benefit from the power of the disability vote.
As AAPD founder and "father of the ADA" Justin Dart said, “Vote as if your life depends on it – because it does.” If you have any questions, please contact AAPD’s REV UP Campaign at programs@aapd.com. Note: A Spanish translation of the Issues Guide will be available soon at www.aapd.com.
Thanks to the advocacy of Iowans with disabilities and the groups that were a part of the Complex Needs Work Group, legislative leaders have approved an interim committee to review the funding for the state's regional mental health and disability services (MH/DS) system.
As you know, the Legislature has done a lot over the last decade to strengthen Iowa's local services system. Our regional MH/DS system continues to evolve, with new services added this year to address the needs of Iowans in crisis. But the one thing that has been overlooked, set-aside, and never confronted head on is long term, sustainable funding. This year, the Legislature asked for an interim committee to look at funding for the system, and make recommendations to make sure that the resources are adequate to pay for these services that so many Iowans depend upon. On June 25, the Legislative Council (which makes decisions on interim committees) decided to move forward with the study. A few things to note:
Iowa's regional MH/DS system picks up the costs of services for persons who are not eligible for Medicaid, or who need services that Medicaid does not cover. It is a safety net for many Iowans, so this is a very important interim. We'll have action alerts coming out in the Fall on this, once we know the members and their timeline for meeting.
The Legislative Council approved the continuation of the Health Policy Oversight Committee, which is the legislative watchdog on Medicaid managed care. That committee will likely meet a few times late summer/fall to review ongoing issues with Medicaid managed care. Committee membership & meeting materials can be found here.
In addition, there will be a review of small city clean water compliance this interim. Another ten-member legislative committee will assess how Iowa's smaller cities are doing in meeting various state and federal regulations, and recommend changes that can help overcome challenges identified.
A full list of interims can be found in PDF form here.
"Advocacy" doesn't have to be boring. It can be more than a call or email. Your county supervisors, legislators, and those representing you in Congress have more time now to listen and learn.
Last week, a group of legislators toured a substance use treatment facility in Northwest Iowa, and earlier this month a group visited the Eldora State Training School. Legislators and candidates appreciate these types of visits - a chance to see first-hand how the policies they make impact real Iowans, and how the funding they pass each year is used.
Invite your elected officials and the candidates running for those offices to sit down with you where you work or live, or where you get services. Take them on a tour, meet them for coffee at a local restaurant or invite them to special events you have in your community. Send us pictures of visits, share pictures of these vists on social media or with your local news, and let us know how we can help!