Lake Dunlap Election Update
October 20, 2020
It's Countdown Tuesday! Just 14 days till November 3rd ... we have had 382 early voters!
Dear Neighbors.
It is hard to believe we have just fourteen days to go! There is a lot going on, and if you have not already voted, we encourage you to take advantage of in-person early voting if you can. (If you do, please post a selfie of you and your "I voted" sticker on social media.)
Now, let's get into it!
New Campaign Video!
This week we look forward to what winning on November 3 will mean to the residents of this lake. It's a race in many ways, and has been from the very beginning. A race to understand what issues we faced, a race to find a path forward, and then a race to create the WCID and qualify for the May 2 election. When COVID moved the election to November, it became a race to get the bid process built (now underway), and then for funding (in place).
Now we are in the ultimate race of all of them to win both counties independently so that we can rebuild our dam and our lake. We're so close. Every step of the way has brought unexpected challenges, and this election is no different.
That is the story that underlies this video which we call November 3rd, and I think it is an important one. We have been pulling together hard to win this, and it shows in this story about why we are making this journey. We can see the finish line.
Take a few moments to watch the new video — you'll be glad! Please also comment on YouTube or Facebook, and share it and our other videos broadly!! All of them are already on the main FB groups, so you can add your comments and share the video from there if you like, or post using the links below. More videos will be coming each week till we win this!
Video: "November 3rd"
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIyRd6v3mQnUDNuROWSkCiQ
The first week of Early Voting is now behind us!
We've had a great turnout for early voting overall, and ten more days remain! As of the close of polls yesterday, we had 382 of our 1162 registered voters vote early — that is 32.9% turnout so far!
Looking just a bit deeper, the county results are more in line with our demographics in the two counties, however, and the trend of seniors to vote early in greater numbers. In Guadalupe County, our turnout has been a whopping 43%, while in Comal County, we are at just a 21% turnout after the first week.
Any registered voter (including children of voting age and tenants) that is registered at an address within the new WCID will be able to vote on the approval of the District, the associated propositions, and the board of directors. (The rule of thumb is that if the property touches the lake it is in the District; if it doesn't, it is not).
Campaign Update
Since the last email just a week ago, we have made a lot of progress working to reach voters in Comal County. Our strategy all along with the apartments was to go strong from mid-October to Election Day, and that is what we are doing. A lot is going on. We have contacted every voter in Comal County with a personal letter this week, and it's working! Yesterday we had the biggest single-day turnout of residential voters yet — these are the homeowners on Kuehler and Rio Drive, as well as Lake Front Ave, among others. If you are part of that group that voted recently, thank you! Encourage all your neighbors to do the same!
Each apartment dweller in the district has also gotten a couple of letters in the last 10 days, one focused on the community development aspects of this plan, and its environmental and safety benefits — and another that focused on what having our own WCID will mean for local control of lake issues. It's become clear that for these voters, those are the major positives of this campaign. They are less focused restoring the lake and more about making the lake safer and healthier, especially for their kids. They love the idea of stocking it with more fish. The more of them I and others on the campaign meet, the more we see each other as neighbors. I am convinced that that is how we can win this — as neighbors.
We had a very nice and well-attended music event at Westshore Colony Apartments last week, and about 10 of the Captains and other project leaders were able to listen and dialog with residents there in a very productive way. One of our Captains, Alli Ramsey, entertained us with some very nice music. We will be back at Westshore on Thursday with a Food Truck, passing out free Chicago-Style gourmet hotdogs and cold beverages, and talking with residents again. The management has been very supportive there, and has been very helpful in promoting both events directly to residents.
On Saturday, we plan to do a similar event poolside at the Hawthorne Riverside apartments, this time with a NYC-style hot dog cart that will give away 100 hot dogs and a lot of campaign materials. We also have strong management support there, and we look forward to it being fun and productive.
We are also planning a big event for Wednesday, Oct 28th that will be open to all the apartments that we plan to hold almost next door to them at the River's Edge. By the end of these four major outreach events, I think we will have a pretty good handle on where we stand with those voters. I am increasingly optimistic, but also really focused on making sure we do every single thing we can to rach and listen to them, and of course, to win this! As that baseball icon, Yogi Berra, put it, "IT AIN'T OVER TILL IT'S OVER!" We're keeping this thing in play to the end.
We'll keep you posted on both what we learn this week, what more we can do, and how you can help as we round that final turn.
If you have already voted, please snap a selfie and post it (or get your kids to post it :) to one of the Lake Dunlap Facebook groups!
Voting for the WCID Propositions
Unless you have been vacationing off the grid for the last few weeks, we hope you already know we need each of the three propositions to pass — Vote FOR A, B, and C! All three. Now you just need to know where they are on the ballots! The WCID Propositions and Board elections are at the very end of the ballot.
You will need to scroll down or keep pressing next to see them.
Voting for the Board of Directors
The five original members of the temporary WCID board are all running for the official board this election, with no opposition or write-ins. A common misconception is that you must vote for just one board candidate. That is incorrect. As the ballot notes, you can vote for none, one, two, three, four, or all five of the candidates. The Board of Directors election is the very last item on the ballot.
(Full disclosure: I am a candidate for the WCID Board, running under my full name, Laurence F Johnson)
Bottom Line: Please go vote, and vote early if you can! Let's win this!! When you do, post a picture of your "I Voted "sticker online!
Hey there! We need your videos and pictures, all over Facebook!!!
We'd love to keep a steady stream of these memories out there, so please help us and post as many as you can all this coming week and right up to Nov 3rd. One thing we can say for sure, these kinds of posts are working for us!
That's it for now! Stay tuned — please go vote, and vote early if you can!
Sincerely,
Dr. Larry Johnson
VoteABC! VotetheSlate!
Vote Early!
Five clear benefits of restoring our lake
Clean, safe, and fun year-round recreation opportunities for everyone.
Restored economic vitality for property owners and local businesses
A safe, affordable, modern dam that will last for generations to come.
Ecologically sound habitats for all our lake residents, including our fish and wildlife
Enough clean, renewable hydroelectric energy to supply over 1,500 homes