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The questions were prepared by the the Leagues of Women Voters of Santa Clara County and asked of all candidates for this office.
See below for questions on
Experience,
Campaigns,
Membership
Click on a name for candidate information. See also more information about this contest.
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1. What would you do to increase the number of voters registered in your party?
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Answer from Anna E. Song:
Active, year-round outreach through community presence as well as reaching out to voters who turn 18, to new citizens and to those who move into the community.
Answer from Frederik M. "Fred" Fowler:
We need to lead people on a step by step path towards ever greater involvement. We need to go out and proactively register new voters. After that we must find ways of keeping in touch with those new voters, so that they can keep informed about party activites. Sooner or later they will choose opportunities to get involved and become active in the party, if we keep them in the loop properly. When they do, we need to offer them education and training in the skills and techniques of involvement and activism. Finally, we need to encourage them to complete the circle by helping others become Democrats and become active.
Answer from Alyson L. Abramowitz:
I managed the single most effective voter registration effort in the history of Santa Clara County. Under my direction, we registered voters at movie theatres showing Fahrenheit 9/11 for almost a month. I will continue to innovate ways to reach out to new voters, particularly the underrepresented younger and professional voters, whether at bookstores, events, movie theatres, or on the Internet. I've been invited to share my techniques with the California Democratic Party and nationally. I look forward to continuing to work with you to bring in new ways and invigorate traditional methods to achieve success.
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2. What would you do to help the campaigns of candidates of your party?
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Answer from Frederik M. "Fred" Fowler:
Part of the job is to look for good people and encourage them to run for office. After that, the most important task is to make sure candidates know the "nuts and bolts" of how to run a campaign. There should be a kind of candidate "boot camp" that interested Democrats can attend in order to learn how to run for office. I will take the lead in organizing such a program.
Answer from Anna E. Song:
Precinct walking, mailings to Democrats and opportunities for community forums.
Answer from Alyson L. Abramowitz:
I've worked on campaigns since I was a teenager. I've called voters on the phone, walked precincts, ran phone banks, and effectively solicited volunteers to work on campaigns. I've innovated small donation fundraising events which allow all of us to participate in the process, using the Internet to combine entertainment and politics to support candidates. The result of my efforts has been to bring campaigns to both the traditional volunteers and to hundreds who have never been involved before. I was recognized nationally for my efforts to do this by the Kerry campaign.
I will continue to work every election cycle to help our local candidates and propositions and to ensure that the Democratic Party takes back Congress.
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3. Why did you become a member of this political party?
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Answer from Frederik M. "Fred" Fowler:
I became a Democrat because I believe strongly that government should be the tool of the community to serve the common good. In order to do so, it has to be efficient and effective, and its decision making processes have to be open, public, and transparent. Government has a central role to play in making our community safe, secure, and comfortable. We must make sure our government works, so that it can play this role effectivley for the benefit of all of us.
Answer from Alyson L. Abramowitz:
I am a lifelong Democrat because the Democratic Party represents my values of community, responsibility, accountability, openness, and opportunity. I have seen firsthand that the Democratic values of striving for personal and community opportunity and success have and continue to benefit all of us.
Answer from Anna E. Song:
The Democratic Party is a strong advocate for working people and for opportunity. As an immigrant who came from Korea at age 14 and who worked hard to learn English and to become an active community leader, I know that Democratic policies reward people who invest time and heart into this country.
Responses to questions asked of each candidate
are reproduced as submitted to the League.
Candidates' responses are not edited or corrected by the League.
The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.
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League of Women Voters of California Education Fund
