July 2026 Newsletter

July Newsletter Volume 18 Number 6

Calendar

Find out more about these and other events by visiting the Calendar on our website.

July 4 – Celebrate 250 Years by Walking With Us in the Parkville Parade

Meet behind the Price Chopper on 45 Highway between 9:00 am and 9:30 am. Look for our three decorated trucks in position 18 and let our parade queen, Sharen Hunt, know you’re there. Our candidates will be walking with us. We’ll have bubbles and banners and signs. Come dressed for the weather and bring water.

July 8 – Last day to register for August Primary

Any unregistered people in your household who are 18+ years? See details in our Voter Guide.

July 13 – Platte County Democratic Women

6:30 pm, Green Hills Library, 8581 N Green Hills Rd. Guest speakers: Shereka Barnes, candidate for Missouri State Senate District 34; Tracey Steele, candidate for Missouri State Representative District 12; and Scott Pondelick, candidate for U. S. Congressional District 6.

July 14 – WDC (Women’s Democratic Coalition for Northern Platte County)

7:00 pm, American Bowman, 500 Welk Street, Weston.

July 16 – Platte County Democratic Central Committee

7:00 pm, Green Hills Library, 8581 N Green Hills Rd.

July 19 – PCDCC Headquarters Open House (tentative)

Time TBD. Watch your email for details.

July 21 – No-Excuse Early Voting Begins

8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. Platte County Board of Elections, 2600 Prairie View Road, Platte City, MO. 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday, and 8:00 am to noon on Saturday, August 1. See details in our Voter Guide.

July 21 – The Northland Democratic Club

6:30 pm, Clay County Democratic Headquarters, 5226 N Antioch Rd.

July 22 – Last day to request an absentee ballot by mail

See details in our Voter Guide.

July 23 – Community Town Hall Forum

6:00 pm, The Parkville Living Center, 819 Main St., Parkville. Hear from candidates of contested primary races, including those running for Senate District 34, Platte County Presiding Commissioner, Platte County Clerk, and Platte County Recorder. Will also include Q&A about MO ballot measures.

A Note from the Editor

The 4th of July is many things to many people. It is food and fireworks, picnics and vacations, parades, speeches and community gatherings. But what does the 4th of July really mean? What are we celebrating? Can we really speak of “We the People” as the Supreme Court continues to hand unfettered power to our current leader?

What happened 250 years ago that we need to remember? The final words of the Declaration of Independence say it eloquently “And for the support of this Declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes and our Sacred Honor.”

The words that echo through the years are:

  • “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events…” (Declaration of Independence)
  • “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among them are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” (Declaration of Independence)
  • “…that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” (Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address)
  • “One Nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” (Pledge of Allegiance original language)
  • “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” (Preamble to the US Constitution)

The future belongs to those who can unite people with a shared sense of purpose. The Declaration was a promise. The Constitution tells us how that promise is to be fulfilled as stated by Chief Justice John Marshall: “…a constitution intended to endure for ages to come, and consequently, to be adapted to the various crisis of human affairs.”

The 4th of July is a reminder of all that has been, of the creativity, the sacrifices, the hopes and hard work that has made this nation the extraordinary nation it is.

United We Stand

Alice Wadsworth

Don’t Skip the August 4 Primary

On the ballot:

  • Democratic Primary for MO US Congressional District 6: Vote for Matthew Levine OR Scot Pondelick OR Josh Smead. (PCDCC does not endorse candidates in contested primaries.)
  • Democratic Primary for MO Senate District 34: Vote for Shereka Barnes OR Pam May. (PCDCC does not endorse candidates in contested primaries.)
  • Amendment 1 – Renews the one-tenth-cent sales tax that funds state parks, historic sites, and soil conservation. This is not a new tax. VOTE YES
  • Amendment 2 – Direct election of county assessors. Requires counties to elect their assessor instead of allowing charter counties to appoint a trained professional. Platte County is not a Charter County. This amendment would have no effect in Platte County. VOTE YES
  • Amendment 4 would change the citizen initiative process in a way that would make it nearly impossible for citizens to successfully use the 100-year-old initiative process. In recent years, initiative petitions have allowed voters to overturn an abortion ban, raise the minimum wage, legalize marijuana, limit tax increases, expand Medicaid and legalize sports betting. None of these would have been possible if Amendment 4 had been in place. VOTE NO
  • Amendment 5 – Eliminating the income tax sounds good until you realize that relying on sales taxes is the most regressive tax system available. Most of income taxes are paid by high income residents. Sales taxes are paid by everyone. To make up for lost revenue, sales taxes would have to be applied to many things that are currently exempt: groceries, day care, legal services, dentists, doctor visits, prescriptions, barber shops and beauty parlors. The reduction in revenue would starve essential services like public education and health care, putting urban as well as rural hospitals at risk and eliminating Medicare Expansion because funding would not be available. VOTE NO

Amendment 3 – which would make abortion illegal again – will be on the November Ballot.

Kansas City residents will have an additional five ballot measures to consider. For details about voting in the primary or the November election, visit https://plattedems.org/voter-guide/.

Platte County Democratic Central Committee

The June 18 meeting opened with remarks and Q&A with independent candidates and former Republicans Chris Kendall, running for Platte County Treasurer, and Kevin Robinson, running for County Auditor.

The Committee approved expenditures for a Platte County Democratic Headquarters beginning in July and running through December 2026. The Headquarters will be located at 6447 Cosby Avenue, Kansas City, Missouri. Plans for a July 19th Open House are in progress.

Discussion of constitutional amendments slated to appear on the August and November ballots resulted in the following endorsement and recommendations from the Committee. August Amendments:

  • Amendment 1 – Extension of the Soil and Water Tax initially approved in the 1980’s 1/10th of 1% of a penny. Recommend: Vote YES.
  • Amendment 2 – Elected Assessor. The Amendment would require that County Assessors be approved by election. Recommend: Vote YES
  • Amendment 3 – Ban Abortion. (November ballot). Recommend: Vote NO
  • Amendment 4 – Changes to the Initiative Petition Process. Recommend: Vote NO
  • Amendment 5 – Sales/Use Tax Increase. Recommend: Vote NO

The Committee accepted the resignation from the Committee of former PCDCC Chair Meredith Peace 13-1 and approved appointment of Lisa Parks to fill seat 13-1.

Platte County Democratic Women

Guest speakers at the June 8 meeting in Platte City were Pam May, candidate for Missouri Senate District 34; Josh Smead, candidate for the 6th U. S. Congressional District; and Jacoby Wynkoop, candidate for Missouri House District 13.

June 11 Trivia Night at the Platte Woods Pizza Shoppe: The room was packed, and the event was a great success.

June 24th Community Talk on Amendments 4 and 5: Rep. Ashley Aune, MO House Minority Leader, emphasized the importance of knowing your position on the amendments before voting. She warned that the August 4 Primary ballot will be longer than usual, and even longer for Kansas City residents. To see what’s on your ballot go to https://voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov/portal.

WDC (Women’s Democratic Coalition for Northern Platte County)

The June 23 meeting focused on the group’s food pantry.

Northland Democratic Club

The Northland Democratic Club met at Clay County Democratic Headquarters on June 16. Guest speakers were Dan Kinate candidate doe Missouri House District 16 and Dr. Susan Hoisington candidate for Missouri House District 17. The Club introduced slogans “Together, we can defend Democracy and build a better Missouri.”

Candidates Corner

Platte County: These candidates will be on the November 3 ballot.

Missouri House of Representatives: These candidates will be on the November 3 ballot.

Missouri Senate District 34: These candidates will be on the August 4 Primary ballot.

U.S. Congressional District 6: These candidates will be on the August 4 Primary ballot.

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