Stay at home with your favorite snacks and watch tonight's Presidential Democratic Debate with us on Greater Palatine Area Democrats' Facebook Group! We'll start the online Watch Party at 6:30 p.m.-- post in the group your request to join so we can invite you to the party! Let your fingers to the talking in the Comments-- we'll watch together and practice social distancing!

Due to rising health concerns over the COVID-19 virus, Greater Palatine Area Democrats will not be participating in Palatine's St. Patrick's Day Parade this Saturday, March 14. The Parade also included a donation drive for Journeys the Road Home nonprofit. Our decision to pull out of the parade follows the news that Chicago, Naperville, and St. Charles all canceled their St. Patrick's Day parades for this weekend.

Instead, we urge our volunteers to help local candidates with Get Out the Vote activities. We also urge our volunteers to donate new cleaning supplies (bleach, buckets, sponges, etc.) to Journeys, located at 1140 E. Northwest Hwy, Palatine. We look forward to marching in the St. Pat's Parade next year.

We hope everyone maintains good health practices during this time and stays healthy. And, of course, the Primary Election is March 17, so don't forget to vote!

Before you go out to vote in the 2020 Primary, make sure you take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the coronavirus. The equipment in the voting place has several points of contact including the plastic voter card inserted in the new voting machine to start the electronic ballot; the touchscreen; and the pens used to sign in. Here are some suggestions voters can take:

• bring your own BLACK ballpoint pen to sign in
• bring a pencil with an eraser or rubber-typed stylus to use on the touchscreen.
• ask a judge to insert the plastic voter card into the voting machine for you to minimize exposure
• wash your hands as soon as you leave the polling place
• vote by mail or vote early.

Stay healthy out there!