POTTER COUNTY —

Led by: Brent Bryant

People Present: Roxanne Sutton, Ann Stultz, Ronnie Schenkein, Brent Bryant, Marlene Wheeler, Abby Wheeler, Barry Hayman, Pat Northeimer, Linda Klingaman, Carl Klingaman

The Potter County Democratic Committee held its most recent county-wide meeting on September 26th with Chair Brent Bryant leading a discussion that covered community service projects, upcoming local events, campaign preparations and volunteer opportunities ahead of the November election.

Committee members reported continued participation in several community-focused initiatives, including Saturday recycling at the Damascus Road recycling center, Tuesday evening technology assistance and donations to local food banks. The committee also approved upcoming donations to the Community Kitchen in October and the Christmas House in November. Members noted that Christmas House distributed 45 pairs of school shoes to children in need this year.

The committee is also preparing for several September events.

On Sept. 13, the committee hosted its “Putt Away Medical Debt” mini-golf fundraiser at Gary’s Family Resort. The event ran from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with no scheduled tee times. Admission was $20 for adults and $10 for youth, with a portion of the proceeds covering golf costs and the remainder going toward medical debt relief for families in Potter County. 

With the November election approaching, committee members also discussed precinct organization, poll-worker recruitment, door-to-door canvassing, phone banking and text messaging. Potter County has been divided into GOTV — Get Out the Vote — districts to coordinate outreach efforts.

The committee reported having 22 Bilger signs ready for distribution and is preparing additional campaign signage. Members also discussed expanding the committee’s digital outreach, including a new mass-email and texting system and a weekly newsletter.

Communications efforts included distribution of a press release concerning the medical-debt fundraiser to local media outlets and publication through social media and other digital platforms. The committee also discussed a first TikTok video featuring Bryant in a donkey costume while promoting the fundraiser.

Members spent considerable time discussing questions raised by voters regarding mail-in voting, including concerns about ballot security, verification procedures, and the handling of mailed ballots. The committee discussed encouraging voters to make use of in-person ballot procedures when possible and plans for contacting mail-in voters as ballots are distributed.

The committee’s headquarters on Main Street continues to serve as a visible community presence, with photographs from recent events displayed throughout the building. Members also discussed ongoing building maintenance following water intrusion during heavy rain.

Several volunteer opportunities remain available, including helping with voter canvassing and registration, and covering recycling-center shifts and staffing the committee headquarters during afternoon hours.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 6:30 p.m.