Operation: Turn DuPage Blue

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Operation: Turn DuPage Blue is a volunteer grass roots organization that was formed by several longtime county residents who have supported Democratic candidates and causes for one unsuccessful election too many.

But it is an organization borne out of optimism, not frustration. For as group President Bob Peickert notes: "In recent elections, several Democratic candidates came far closer to winning DuPage County races than ever before, and several state and national Democrats—such as Jesse White and Lisa Madigan last year and even Barack Obama in 2004—carried the county handily. Numbers have clearly shown that DuPage is not the Republican stronghold it was 10 or 20 years ago, especially if we can get more people involved in the voting process".

OTDB represents an ongoing action plan that has been developed -- and will continually evolve -- to turn this upward spike in Democratic potential into real gains.

How This Whole Thing Got Started

Bob Peickert 1st Vice-Chair Addison Township Democrats. Candidate for Addison Township trustee and DuPage County Board. Delegate to the DuPage County Central Committee. Campaign manager for Joe Vosicky.
Seth Arkin Marketing consultant on the Joe Vosicky campaign for Illinois House in 2006, campaign volunteer for Christine Cegelis for U.S. House in 2006, member of DAWN and Voter Advocates.
Bob Babcock PC Downers Grove 48th Precinct; Treasurer, DuPage Chapter of Illinois Ballot Integrity Project; '06 Campaign Manager, Presley for DuPage County Board; former political candidate and nearly 40 year political/social activist on issues including mental health, death penalty opposition, reproductive freedom, environmentalism, criminal "justice", poverty, peace, ending racism, and more.
Dan Bailey Ran for office multiple times as a Democrat and an elected committeeman of Milton 64 since 1992 acting since 88. Former union local president, BLE Division 184 (Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Division 184, founding president.)
Connie Baker
Michelle Barton
Volunteer coordinator for Naperville Township Democratic Organization. Precinct committeeman. Recently attended Camp Wellstone.
Liz Chaplin
Doug Cole Elected PC in York 109 since 1996. Served as YTDO chair from 2002-2006. Democratic Candidate for DuPage County Board of Commissioners, District 2, and County Board President in 2004. Democratic Candidate for York Township Trustee in 1997 and 2001.
Jim Hagerty
Justin Heath Youth Action Committee Chair. Graduated with honors in Political Science from Ohio State in June of 2006. A lifelong resident of DuPage County who focuses mainly on education, environmental issues, and pushing DuPage County into the 21st century.
Gary Kleppe Elected PC in York 87. York Democrats PC of the Year for 2006-7 and member of executive committee. Founding member of PDI. Volunteer/activist for many campaigns, including Kucinich, Cegelis (both times), and Vosicky.
Paul Krefft Ran as a delegate for the Kucinich presidental campaign in 2003; was the elected moderator at the Downers Grove annual township meeting, where we were the only Dupage Township able to get the Withdrawl from Iraq resolution on the ballot in 2006. Was the outreach chairperson for Carol DiCola's campaign for state representative in the 47th district, and was Downers Grove Township's nominee for Dupage County precinct captain of the year for 2006.
Justin Major An attorney in Wheaton who has organized grassroots volunteers for Democratic campaigns across DuPage County. Became a lawyer to make a positive difference in our community and believes that building a broad, well-trained base of precinct volunteers in DuPage County will lead to Democratic victories in 2008 and beyond. Appointed PC in Milton 24.
Lynne Presley Recently ran for DuPage County Board in the 3rd district. Has been involved in the Dem Downers group since 2005. Believes everyone deserves a voice in government, whether rich or poor, white or person of color, or where they live.
Kathy Salzano Appointed PC in Addison 40. Volunteer and social activist on progressive issues in areas such as education, environment, women's issues and promoting diversity and social justice. Most recently worked with ICPGV to promote common-sense gun legislation. Advocates integrity and fairness in politics.
Amy Tauchman PC appt. to Milton 38, co-founder of DuPage Against War Now in October 2002, and on the campaign teams of Christine Cegelis and Joe Vosicky as well as data/coffee support for Rob Bisceglie.
Joe Vosicky