JACKSON (WNE) — Bipartisan celebrations are a rare find, but not come 6 p.m. Monday, June 10 at Snake River Brewing. Free beer, soft drinks and a band may help bring together political parties.

Co-hosted by the Teton County GOP, Teton Dems and housing advocacy nonprofit Shelter JH, the “block party” will include candidate meet-and-greets and information on new election rules. Remarks will be brief and translated to Spanish.

Clare Stumpf, advocacy director for Shelter JH, organized the event.

“It is really nice to be able to have an event where everyone can come together,” Stumpf said, “if even for a brief moment.”

Attendees can prepare voter registration forms, particularly pertinent for new residents and those who did not vote in the 2022 general election and were purged from voter rolls.

Stumpf said she also wanted people to know about how this year’s election will be different.

In two major changes, the absentee voting period has been shortened from 45 to 28 days and the August primary more restricted according to party registration.

“It’s unusual for these groups to get together like this,” said Muromcew, a former Teton GOP chairman. “At the end of the day we’re a community.”

“We want to keep it a nonpartisan event,” Teton Dems Chair Maggie Hunt said. “I think that the increasing vitriol and disinformation that has been present is a good reason to show people that we all want participation by as many people as possible.”

All said they hoped the event spurred high voter turnout.

Shelter JH is a political and advocacy group classified as a 501(c)(4) which has been endorsing candidates since its 2016 founding. The member-based nonprofit is not associated with any specific party, Stumpf said, but aims to endorse “housing champions” who want to tackle housing insecurity.