Political Action Committee

Brittany Reed
2021-2022
Community Service Co-Chairs		 Ronald Sholes, Jr.
2021-2022
Community Service Co-Chairs

The purpose of the Political Action Committee is to hold educational forums relating to judicial candidates; to serve as liaisons between the Society and the judiciary to address such issues as local ad hoc appointments and the nominations of individuals to the federal bench and to keep the Society informed of proposed changes in legislation and to coordinate the Society’s efforts to influence the same. “For more information about the political action committee, please email chairs Brittany Reed or Ronald Sholes, Jr..

Our committee meets monthly via conference call on the third Thursday of the month at 5 p.m. Please join us by dialing (319) 527-9156 and enter access code 580673.

News Affecting Summer 2020 Elections

The Louisiana Senate and Governmental affairs committee recently approved Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin’s Revised Emergency Election Plan for the upcoming summer elections. Though the revised plan outlines a list of Covid-19-related reasons that will enable eligible voters to use absentee ballots, it eliminates other Covid-19-related reasons that could apply to you or to those you love.

Please review the Revised Emergency Election Plan and the Covid-19 Absentee Ballot Application. If you have any questions about the specific categories noted therein, please contact Catherine Meza, Senior Counsel with the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Catherine may be reached via email at cmeza@naacpldf.org or by phone at (202) 216 – 2727.

Upcoming Events

  • August 4, 2020 – Judicial Candidates Forum for First City Court Judge run-off election.  Register here.
  • August 6, 2020 – Legislative recap. Check back for more information.

Past Events

  • July 4-5, 2020 – Martinet distributed election reminder cards to remind residents about the July 11, 2020 election.
  • July 2, 2020 – Martinet held a virtual judicial candidates forum with the five candidates running for First City Court Judge. The event was well attended and received a lot of positive responses.

  • June 19, 2020 – Martinet held at Voice Your Vote: Protest Against Voter Suppression at Duncan Plaza.  This protest culminated a week of activities for Martinet’s Voice Your Vote Campaign.

  • June 17, 2020 – Martinet held a training entitled, Lift Every Voice: Louisiana Voter Education Training.  The virtual seminar provided training on how to register voters and it also educated attendees on common voter suppression tactics and strategies on how to get people to register. See flyer here.

  • June 16, 2020 – Martinet held it’s second Pro Bono Protestor Defense Training to provide attorneys with resources and training necessary to provide pro bono legal services to protestors.  See flyer here.

  • June 13-14, 2020 – Martinet held a Making Groceries with Martinet weekend where it challenged members to register two voters.  Click here for flyer.

  • June 5, 2020 – Martinet members attended a protest organized by local activities and registered 17 new voters.

  • June 10, 2020 – Martinet held its first Pro Bono Protester Defense training in order to equip attorneys in the Greater New Orleans to provide pro bono services to protestors who get arrested or cited while participated in nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd.

  • June 11, 2020 – Martinet held A Town Hall with Chief Judge Nanette Jolivette Brown: In the Aftermath of Covid-19 and the Murder of Mr. George Floyd.  This town hall was an open an intimate discussion about race, covid-19, and the courts.

  • January 20, 2020 – During the City of New Orleans’ Martin Luther King Day Celebration, Martinet had a voter registration booth in front of the Jazz Market on Oretha Castle Haley to register voters to vote. This is part of Martinet’s year-long voter registration campaign.
  • November 16, 2019 – Martinet distributed “Today is Election Day” push cars to remind community members to vote.
  • October 26, 2019 – Martinet hosted three voter education drives throughout the City of New Orleans to register community members to vote in the November 16, 2019 run-off election.
  • October 10 2018 – Martinet held a candidates’ forum at Dillard University
  •  September 19, 2018 –  Election Protection CLE

The right to vote, as well as free and open access to the polls, is the hallmark of democracy. With this in mind, the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, Inc. (“Martinet”) seeks to help safeguard the right to vote for all eligible Louisianans. We will be educating voters on the election process in an effort to thwart voter disenfranchisement and voter irregularities during the mid-term elections. To this end, on September 19, 2018, the Martinet Political Action Committee will host an Election Protection 1 credit hour lunch CLE. This event is free and open to the public. However, space is limited. Please RSVP by September 14th using this form to reserve your spot. Questions may be directed to GNO President

  • August 22, 2018 – The Martinet Society is putting on a “Legislative Recap” for community members and leaders of the Greater New Orleans area. This will allow members of the Greater New Orleans community to ask their elected officials about issues presented within their respective communities, but also an opportunity for officials to share initiatives that they have been working on. The event will be held on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 at 6:30 pm at the Historic St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church (222 North Roman Street, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112). If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to Email us.

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  • On October 4, 2017, the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Society, Inc. co-hosted a Council and Judicial Candidates’ Forum, from 6:30-8:30 P.M., at the Dillard University Georges Auditorium. This forum was co-hosted with the Coalition of 100 Black Women, the New Orleans Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Dillard University, the League of Women Voters, The National Council of Negro Women, The Pan-Hellenic Council, and the Pontchartrain Chapter (LA) of the Links, Inc. Click here for information on the judicial candidates.
  • October 1, 2017, the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, Inc. held voter registration drives at New Home Ministries and Historic St. James A.M.E. Church, and distributed Martinet’s guide to the judicial races.
  • September 30, 2017, the Greater New Orleans Louis A. Martinet Legal Society, Inc. registered and educated voters with the support of Tulane University’s BLSA Chapter, during the African-American Male Wellness Walk held at Joe Brown Park [More Pictures].