Hello Nelson Democrats,

Tuesday night’s “debate” may have been the most painful experience I’ve had since surgery, and I was asleep for that. While I think it was the death knell for 45, I’m left praying it’s not the last gasp of our democracy. One thing that came out of the insanity on Tuesday that’s quite relevant to us was the call by 45 for his people to show up at the polls and keep watch.

Unfortunately, that means in the midst of a pandemic we will need observers at all the polling locations.  Since I absolutely do not want to ask people to sit inside polling locations for hours while dozens of people troop through, I’m going to ask all our precinct captains to recruit outside observers.  Each one of these outside observers will have a letter from me giving permission to enter the polling location as an observer.  Thus, whatever situation may arise, we will be able to have eyes and ears on it.

In terms of security, I have spoken to Sheriff Hill extensively as well as to one of the state troopers assigned to Nelson. I expressed to them as clearly as possible our concerns that there will be armed individuals at the polls with unhelpful intentions. Believe it or not, at every polling location in Nelson except Faber, individuals are allowed to carry firearms with them when they vote. While the sheriff assured me that all will be well in Nelson, I continued to express my concern and urged him to have a deputy at all our polling locations. If you would like to join me in expressing to him our need for security at the polls, here’s his email address: sheriff@nelsoncounty.org.

YARD SIGNS ARE HERE!  We have received our 217 yard signs from the Biden campaign and another shipment from Webb. I’ll be at the RVCC parking lot from 10 a.m. – 12 noon on Sunday, October 4 to meet anyone who wants a sign. I’ll be available at the Nelson Heritage Center food bank on Tuesday, Oct. 6 from 9 – 11 a.m..  If you can’t make those times, let me know and I’ll arrange to meet you and get a sign. We have plenty now, so if your sign was stolen (as well over a hundred have been) come get more. Please don’t yank theirs down in frustration when yours is taken. Our opponents are generally aware they are going to lose in VA, and that makes them very angry. 

Finally, I’d like to share another story from the highway sign drama. I hope you’ve noticed the hand painted HARRIS next to BIDEN on many of our signs. The hand painting is being done by another of our extraordinary sign workers, Susan Greene. Last Sunday afternoon Susan was painting Harris on the sign at the junction of Rt. 6 and Rt. 29 while I sat and watched. Out of nowhere a sheriff’s deputy pulls up with lights flashing. He’s very amiable, but tells us he’s checking because they received a complaint that someone was defacing our sign. The absurdity is that this particular sign has been ripped down and sliced up 3 separate times, but the only ones they caught were Susan and me.  Oh well.

Please stay safe, healthy and VOTE EARLY!

 Larry Stopper, Chairman