About 15 miles northeast of Knoxville, the county seat of Marion County, is Pella, Iowa, a community famous for everything Dutch--letters, tulips, windmills, buildings, and people to name a few. Pictured above is the Vermeer Mill, an authentic, working mill patterned after a similar 1850's grain mill in the province of Groenengen, Netherlands. Parts of the mill were built in Holland and assembled in Pella by skilled Dutch craftsmen in 2002.  The Vermeer Mill grinds wheat into flour using only wind power and is the tallest working windmill in the United States. 

NEXT MARION COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEETING

WEDNESDAY, MAY 21, 2008, SWAMP FOX RESTAURANT, KNOXVILLE

Business Meeting 6:30-7:15 p.m.

Program 7:15 - "Buy Fresh - Buy Local" 

GUEST SPEAKER, MATT RUSSELL, organic farmer and State Food Policy Project Coordinator at the Drake University Agricultural Law Center where he is responsible for projects relating to improving the opportunities in Iowa's food system and rural economy.  He also operates Coyote Run Farm in Lacona, Iowa. 

PLEASE JOIN US FOR THIS ENLIGHTENING DISCUSSION.  SUPPORT LOCAL AGRICULTURE.

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STATE CONVENTION - JUNE 14, 2008 - Des Moines

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SUMMER FUN:  Marion County Democrats Gather at the Gazebo again on

Saturday, June 21, 1 - 3 p.m. for their annual Barbecue Extravaganza by Marty Duffy

Music...Entertainment...Speakers

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DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION - AUGUST 25-28, 2008 - Denver, CO 

THE MARION COUNTY DEMOCRATS, serving the people in South Central Iowa, welcome you to our on line home.  We are a party of progressive ideas from ordinary people who are determined to make an extraordinary difference in our world by bringing about change through our political system.  We are grassroots people at their best -- EMBOLDENED, EMPOWERED, and ON THE MOVE...WORKING for the common good of all people in our communities, our state, our country, and our world.  Thank you for visiting us. 

The next Central Committee meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2008.  Place:  Swamp Fox Restaurant, 116 N. Second St., Knoxville.  Some of us meet for dinner at 5:30--join us if you can.  Business meeting:   6:30 p.m.

Contributions to "The Marion County Democrats,"  can be sent to Treasurer Carolyn Jones, 1005 W. Madison,  Knoxville, IA 50138.   We need your support to promote Democratic principles in Marion County and Democratic candidates in local, state, and congressional elections.  No amount is too small!  

GOVERNOR SIGNS BILL ENSURING INTEGRITY OF VOTING -

 Governor Chet Culver signed into law SF 2347, a bill that will ensure the integrity of Iowa's voting systems, on Tuesday, April 1.  As enacted, the bill provides $4.6 million for optical scan voting systems in all counties in Iowa.  An optical scan voting system is a system that uses a paper ballot.  Twenty-one counties already use the optical scan voting systems, while 59 counties currently use both optical scan and touch-screen voting machines.  Under SF 2347, counties will no longer use the touch screen voting machines.

The new law requires that for elections held on or after November 4, 2008, counties must use an optical scan voting system.  The requirements of the federal Help America Vote Act relating to disabled voters must be met by a county through the use of electronic ballot marking devices that are compatible with an optical scan voting system.

Touch screen voting systems have been a concern to many individuals and groups who felt that they do not provide an accurate voting record in the event of a recount.

Secretary of State Michael Mauro worked with the Governor and legislators to ensure voters that one statewide voting system using a paper ballot will ensure that all votes cast in Iowa will count in the November 2008 general election.

Our Marion County Auditor, Jake Grandia, announces that the new paper ballot/optical scan system will be ready to go for the School Board Election in September 2008.

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This is the official website of the Marion County (Iowa) Democratic Party, designed to provide information about local and national candidates, issues, and upcoming events in our area.

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