Thanking all of my supporters for last night's victory

The morning after winning the Democratic primary for the district judge race for the 285th, I want to thank all of my volunteers for their hard work and support.
The many volunteers who helped me in this four-candidate primary helped me to put my name as the leading candidate for the November election. To me, their work was one of the biggest differences in our victory.
With their help, I was able to get 19,000 people to gave me a 52.45 majority. I want to commend Lawrence Morales, Paul Talamanetez and Milton Fagin for running a spirited race against me. However, I will need their voters' help in November.
While I and my team will take a little rest now, we can't stop. We have to build upon the momentum of last night's election. With your help and support, I know we can reach that goal.

Don't forget to cast your ballot as the election day draws to a close

With only two hours and a few minutes left, it's important that everyone who supports me take the time tonight to cast their Democratic primary ballot for me.
If you have observed elections, the difference between moving on in the primary and not doing so can be as little as one or two votes.
So, I am asking you as my friends and loved ones to make the effort to cast a ballot for me. You should know that if you are in line at your polling station by 7 p.m. that you can still vote. The key is to get in line by that time.
Again, thank you for your support. I look forward to seeing you all tonight at my celebration party at El Torero Restaurant located at 3407 South Presa.

Thank you volunteers for your support of my campaign

The clock is ticking. There's less than 72 hours until the voting for the March 2 Democratic primary begins. According to the Bexar County voting office, there has been over 20,000 voters who have cast their ballots. That's a 2000 increase in voters from the last primary.

I am hoping that all of my volunteers will reach out to their friends and loved ones. If you use Facebook or Twitter, please try to send out messages to your friends and be sure to mention the "@Rosieforjudge" tag in all of your messages. That will direct your friends to my official Twitter site and also links my campaign site.

Again, thank you for your support. With your help, we can capture the Democratic nomination.

Campaign tourney allows my supporters to show off their poker skills

As Kenny Rogers once sang in the Gambler, you got to know when to hold them and know when to fold them. If poker is your game and you're a supporter of my campaign, please add my Texas Hold 'Em Tournament to your weekend's plans. Entry is $100 per person
The tourney begins with cocktails at 6:30 p.m. with poker slated to start at 7:30 p.m. at the Drury Inn at 15806 IH-10 West. If you want to reserve your spot, please go to my Facebook page to add your name. The winner will get a trip to Las Vegas and there will be other raffle items.

Early voting ends Friday...

Early voting ends Friday, and it's a good time for everyone who wants to avoid the long lines on March 2 to cast their ballot. If you hate standing in line before you go to work or after a long day on the job, the early voting opportunities allows everyone to cast their vote early.
I am hoping that you schedule some time to go to one of the local voting sites to cast your vote. Here's a list of early sites for those who need them.

Early weekend voting allows the elderly to vote with the help of their loved ones

With early voting from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday, this is a great opportunity to help the elderly get out to vote. As this is the only weekend to help your favorite relative or elderly neighbor to vote, here's my official encouragement to donate an hour to help them get to the polling places.
My blog has done a great job of listing all of the locations, but here's a link to the Bexar County voting site so you can also find the nearest location.
In any election, every vote counts. If you support my campaign, please take the time to reach out to your elderly loved ones to get them to vote. The extra hours for voting on Saturday and Sunday provide the opportunity to help them get to the polling locations without long waits and large crowds.

Maury Maverick's legacy is an inspiration to my first campaign

As I looked at the list of early voting sites, the Maury Maverick library stood out. Like me, Maverick is a graduate of the St. Mary's University Law School. And, when you read his bio about his service to our state, it impresses you about his vision and his willingness to serve.
It's my hope that my campaign supporters, especially those of you who attended law school with me, will make sure to get early voters to the Maverick Library, located at 8700 Mystic Park.

Kudos to churches for allowing voters to cast their ballots for the March 2 primary

When churches provide their public space for early voting, I am always impressed by their willingness to serve the community. Yet, their offer of providing a place to cast an early vote allows people to gain a positive impression of their church.
In this year's list of early voting sites, several churches will host voting for the March 2 Democratic primary. Here's the names and locations of churches where you can vote:
St. Benedict Parish Hall, 4535 Lord Rd;
Stone Oak Presybyterian Church, 20024 Crescent Road.

Local community centers providing backdrop for early voting

Bexar County has a lot of great communities who also make up my voting base, so it's important that we reach out to folks from Fair Oak to Universal City. Here are some civic centers where a person can avoid the rush of voting on March 2 for the Democratic Primary:
Fair Oaks Ranch City Hall: 7286 Dietz Elkhorn;
Northside Activity Center, 7001 Culebra;
Shavano Park City Hall, 900 Saddlecreek Ct;
Universal City City Hall, 2150 Universal City Blvd;
Somerset High School, 7650 1604 West, Somerset;
South Park Mall, 2310 SW Military

Four great libraries are an excellent place to get a good read and cast your vote

If you love to read, a visit to our San Antonio libraries is an excellent place to stock up on reading material.
Many of our city's libraries are also home to early voting polling sites for the March 2 Democratic primary.
Here's the remaining list of libraries that will provide voters a chance to cast their ballot:
Henry A. Guerra, Jr. Library, 7978 W. Military Drive;
John Igo Library, 13330 Kyle Seale Parkway;
Johnston Library, 6307 Sun Valley Drive;
Julia Semmes Library at Commanche Lookout, 15060 Judson Road;
Tobin Library, 4134 Harry Wurzbach.

Get your golfers to vote and then play a round

One of the city's best golf courses is the Olmos Basis golf course. The course's club house is also one of the early voting sites for the March 2 primary.
If you have friends who love to play golf during our upcoming warm spell, please tell them to take a few minutes and cast their vote.

Thanks to everyone for your support of my fund raisert

I wanted to thank everyone who turned out to my fund raiser Friday at Budda Rock on the city's north side. We had an excellent time, and I truly appreciate everyone who came out to support me.
Please don't forget my next fund raiser, Feb. 16 at Panchito's Restaurant, 12403 West. Avenue. Patsy Torres, the famed Tejano singer, will be on hand to meet you.

Volunteers needed as poll greeters for early voting

With early voting set to start Tuesday, we need to ask our campaign supporters to volunteer as poll greeters. Volunteers are needed from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. and noon until 5 p.m. for the first week.
If you can help us, please contact Bruce Kates at brucekates@hotmail.com.

Remember the Doobie Brothers as you vote at the East Central ISD Admin office....

If you are a Doobie Brothers fan, you know of the famed "China Grove" located on the city's southeast side. Even if you don't remember the song, I am hoping that if you live on this part of town that you will go to the East Central ISD Administration, 6634 Sulphur Springs Road.

Love Scrabble? Visit Lions Field and cast your vote

Not only is Lions Field a great place to play Scrabble, it's also one of the early voting sites. So, if you are someone who likes to create words from two to seven characters, take part in their next Scrabble tourney every Thursday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. There, you can meet Matt DeWaelsche, who is enshrined in the Texas Scrabble Hall of Fame. For those who don't know that Lions Field is located next to McAllister Park, you can find it at 2809 Broadway.

Crossroads Mall: an early voting location where you can catch a movie afterwards

Of all the early voting sites, the Crossroads Mall is one of the only places where you can catch dinner and a movie after voting. Here's hoping that you will consider the voting/movie option as early voting starts Tuesday.

Get your children some great stories at Collins Garden and also get your early vote completed....

As the mother of two daughters, I know how they love to have someone to read to them. If you are a parent who lives near the Collins Garden Library near downtown, you should take your darlings to the library to get them some new books. And, with the library as an early voting site for the March 2 election, please be sure to take the time to cast your vote there.

Claude Black Center: another inspiration for early voting

If you live on the east side of San Antonio, you are probably familiar with the Claude Black Center, located at 2805 E. Commerce Center. It's also one of the early voting sites for the March 2 primary.

After reading Reverand Black's bio, I am amazed at his many accomplishments. His story should serve as an inspiration to us all.

If you have friends or loved ones who reside on the east side, please take the time to get them to this early voting site.

Elvira Cisneros community center, an early voting site and an inspiration to me....

When I read the story about the creation of the Elvira Cisneros community center, I had to share this with everyone as I am focusing on early voting sites for the March 2 primary. WellMed honored this Hispanic leader for her many civic contributions. In a news release from WellMed, the medical company noted:

"Elvira Munguia Cisneros has been a leader in the San Antonio community for decades. She has distinguished herself through her devotion to community service on behalf of groups such as: Avendia Guadalupe Association, the Texas Diabetes Institute, Girl Scouts, Project Learn to Read, the Institute of Texan Cultures, and the National Shrine of the Little Flower. Mrs. Cisneros has received numerous honors and awards including the AVANCE Mother of the Year and the Ford Salute to Education Community Service Award. In 1991, she was inducted into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame for Civic Leadership. Because of all her dedication and contributions to the City of San Antonio, Dr. Rapier, WellMed Chairman and CEO, honored Mrs. Cisneros with the naming of WellMed's first comprehensive senior center. The Elvira Cisneros Senior Center is a shining example of a public-partnership between WellMed and the City of San Antonio. The center is the first privately run comprehensive Senior Community Center in Bexar County and is the largest of its kind. WellMed created this new model to be all inclusive to enhance the social, psychological, and physiological well-being of older persons and their caregivers. Since its opening, the center has enrolled over 1,200 people and continues to enroll new members daily. It also hosts one of the largest congregate nutrition sites in the city, providing lunches for over 150 people daily.

I am hoping that my campaign supports can engage elderly votes near 517 SW Military by driving them to vote starting Tuesday.

Cody Library: another early voting site

Here's the map location for Code Library. I am hoping that my friends who live near this library will stop by and vote, while taking their children to get some new reading material.

Brook Hollow Library, one of the early voting sites

With early voting set to begin Tuesday, I wanted to share each early voting site in the hopes that my voters will cast their vote before the March 3 primary.

Using Google Earth (a free download online), you can easily find these locations.

However, I want to take it one step further by showing the physical features of each voting site.

I am going to start with a place close to my current home, the Brook Hollow library. It's located at 530 Heimer on the north side.

For those who missed my first invitation, here's a backup invite to my fund raiser Friday. I hope to see you there......

Councilwoman Jennifer Ramos endorses my campaign

I picked up another key endorsement from Councilwoman Jennifer Ramos this week, and I thankful for her support in my ongoing campaign.

“Rosie Alvarado has been in several neighborhoods in my District and all across the county knocking on doors and personally asking for votes,” says Ramos in a press release sent out this week. “Her grassroots campaign has enabled her to meet and understand the needs of San Antonians first-hand and to me that eye contact and personal connection is critical for someone who might be on the bench deciding the fate of people’s lives.”

To Jennifer, thanks for your confidence and faith in me.

Please join me and Patsy Torres for my fund raiser

Patsy Torres, my friend and award winning singer, will headline a "Get Out the Vote and Fundraiser" for my campaign, Tuesday, Feb. 16 at Pancito's Restaurant, 12403 West. Avenue.

I truly appreciate Patsy's help in this event as she is one of our community's leaders. And, with early voting starting Monday, having this event will help generate the effort needed to get a good start on the March 2 primary.

Please let me know if you can make it. I hope to see you there.

Thanking the Express-News for their endorsement

My campaign got a major boost Monday with this endorsement from the San Antonio Express-News in today's newspaper. Here's what the editorial team wrote about my campaign in today's newspaper:
Four candidates are running for the 285th District Court, a civil bench being vacated by Republican Michael Peden, who was appointed to the post in 1989 by then Gov. Bill Clements.
We recommend Rosie Alvarado, 33, in that race.
Alvarado's record of experience — seven years practicing law — isn't as long as other contenders for the post, but in that time she has demonstrated a superior ability to tackle a variety of tough cases in court.
The majority of the work in the Bexar County district courts is family law, but judges elected to those benches must also have the ability to handle complex legal cases. In addition to family law, Alvarado's résumé includes arguments before the 4th Court of Appeals and a civil jury trial during her first six months in practice.
Her work over the years on whistle blower and False Claim Act cases will serve her well if she is elected to the 285th civil court bench.

Thank you Stonewall Democrats for your endorsement

I am pleased to announce that the Stonewall Democrats have given me their endorsment for the 285th District Court! Thank you to the Stonewall Democrats for your support, endorsement, and for hosting the candidate forum. I urge my supporters to learn more about this organization at this link.

Thank you Leticia Van De Putte for your endorsement

Ever since I first started helping my father, Leo, with his campaigns, I have become a big admirer of State Senator Leticia Van De Putte.

As a leader of both the Democratic Party and as the chairperson of The Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, Leticia represents the party's efforts to serve everyone. That's one of the reasons that I decided to run for this judicial position. Leticia's efforts as both a state representative and as a state senator were an inspiration to me.

When I got her endorsement for my campaign last week, I was thrilled because Leticia represents what motivated me to run for this office. As a mother of six, she understands the demands of raising children. As a parent of two young daughters, I am beginning to understand the demands of a family while trying to run my first campaign. Thankfully, like Leticia, I have a husband and other family members who support my campaign.

Thank you, Leticia for your endorsement. It gives me the confidence to follow in your footsteps to serve my community.

Mark your calendar for my next fund raiser.....

Please mark down Feb. 12 on your calendar so you can join me for a fund raiser at the Budda Rok Restaurant, 18630 Blanco Road from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. A suggested donation of $20 is requested. Complimentary appetizers and soft drinks will be served.

This will be a wonderful opportunity to also focus on early voting as Feb. 12 is in the middle of the two-week period where people can cast their votes before the March 2 primary.

As such, I would like this event to serve as a focal point to gather the names of potential voters for the primary. If you can bring at least five if not 10 names of friends or associates to this event, we can program them into our "Get Out The Vote For Rosie" phone banks.

I am hoping that I can count on your contributions as well as the names of people who would vote for me. Every little bit helps, especially having the help of more volunteers.

With football season over, now is the time to help me with block walking

Now that football season is almost over, I am hoping that I can volunteers to help me with block walking Saturday and Sunday.
If you can give a couple of hours, please contact me directly so that I can put you in touch with my campaign staff. As early voting is almost two weeks away, it's important that we engage our voting base so that I can win the March 2 primary.
And, hey, walking is a good form of exercise. With those Super Bowl parties coming up, everyone needs a little extra exercise to work off those nachos and pizza.

I want to thank my enthusiastic supporters who marched with me during Monday's Martin Luther King parade on the city's east side.

Needed: drivers to help transport voters during the early primary voting phase of the upcoming primary

With early voting set to start in just over three weeks, I am asking my campaign volunteers to step up and help get their elderly friends and loved ones to cast their ballots during early voting, Feb. 16 through Feb. 26.

My hopes are to build a base of volunteers who will help drive people to the 27 early voting sites. I am especially targeting Feb. 20, a Saturday, as the best day to get early voters. According to the Bexar County elections office, that Saturday provides early voting from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. In my mind, the extra hours will help get more of our voters out to cast ballots.

Please contact me through this blog if you can help contribute some time to drive elderly campaign supporters during early voting.

Thank you Bexar County Young Democrats for your endorsement

With 33 days until early voting begins for the March 2 Democratic primary, I got a major endorsement from the Bexar County Young Democrats. Having worked with my father, Leo, on his election efforts for the state legislature, I am well aware of the importance of this endorsement.
Again, I want to thank them for their confidence in me as a candidate for the 285th. And, if you are a friend of the campaign who has ties to other political action groups, please reach out to me or to Bruce Kates, my campaign manager so that we can meet with them as well.

Please help my campaign by block walking with me this weekend

With only 35 days left for early voting, I am asking my friends and colleagues to help me block walk this this weekend. We will block walk Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m.

Volunteers can meet me in my office at 9:15 a.m. Saturday and 11:45 a.m. Sunday at my law office, located at 115 Camaron. If you need directions or more information, please call me at 210-365-1998.

As our campaign is now in the home stretch, your efforts will help my electon efforts.

Now that Bexar County has announced its early election dates, now is the time to get the early vote out

Early voting is just a little over a month away, but the Bexar County Elections office has released its early voting locations for those who want to avoid the rush of voting in the joint primary March 2.
Voters can cast their vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary from Feb. 16 to Feb. 26. Hours vary by these date:
Feb. 16 to Feb. 19, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Feb. 20 (the only Saturday to vote early) 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Feb. 21 (the only Sunday to vote early) noon to 6 p.m.
Feb. 22 to 26: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

I am asking my supporters to take advantage of early voting especially for their elderly relatives, friends and colleagues. If we can make the effort to get my supporters to vote for me in the Democratic primary, it can truly help my election efforts.

With the campaign only weeks away, now is the time to add my classic blue and white T-shirt to your regular wardrobe....

As our primary election is only about eight weeks away, I am asking all of my supporters to wear my campaign T-shirt in public. It doesn't matter where you take your shirt. Gyms, weekend shopping or taking the dog for a walk are all good reasons for wearing that distinctive blue and white shirt.

And, if you have friends who could use one of our custom blue and white t-shirts, please let me know.

Note: If you are traveling out of town like my friend, Matt Scherer, please send me a picture to this blog. You can reach out to Matt, my blogger in chief, by sending him those pixes to him at rosieforjudge285@gmail.com. His "Rosie For Judge" picture came from San Juan where he was attending a friend's wedding.