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Bonnie Cox, LWVIL President
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 From the President
Dear LWVIL Members,
Celebrating our Past, Investing in our Future: 100th Anniversary Fundraising Campaign
The campaign was officially launched at the October 11th State of the State.
2017 State of the State attendees found "Celebrating our Past, investing in our Future" scrolls tied with ribbon and chocolate kisses in suffragists' colors at their table settings at the Stateof the State luncheon.
For those of you who couldn't make it to the SOS Event, here are the scroll's contents:
A Letter from President Bonnie Cox: "Why we need to find and invest the resources to reaffirm the organizing principles of our first 100 years and ensure that the LWV grows in strength and reliability to meet the challenges to our democracy in the next 100." Full text.
Options for 100th Anniversary Giving:
In League,
President
League of Women Voters of Illinois
League of Women Voters of Illinois Education Fund
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Issues Committee
Hilary Denk / He
ather Cunningham, Co-chairs, Issues Committee
SAVE THE DATE: The Issues Briefing is Saturday, February 10th at University Center, 525 State Street, Chicago.
The working theme is "Bridging the Divide: Making Democracy Work for Voters and Social Justice."
We will have our usual line-up of excellent speakers. In addition, an advocacy training will be offered as well as a Membership/Leadership Development (MLD) presentation. Make plans to attend and share this information with your friends.
The Graduated Rate Income Tax Is Back! Join the Effort to Pass A "Fair Tax" Amendment
LWVIL will partner with the Responsible Budget Coalition through the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law Shriver Poverty Law Center to persuade legislators to add a constitutional amendment to the ballot in 2018 to abolish the flat income tax in Illinois and allow a graduated rate instead.
Please join these cluster group meetings to learn more and become LWV advocates in your region. The following meetings are currently planned:
- Monday, October 30th at 1:00 p.m. Springfield/Sangamon County: Illinois Network of Centers of Independent Living, 1 W Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 501, Springfield
- Thursday, November 2nd at 10:00 a.m. Chicago - Literacenter, 642 W Lake St, Chicago.
- Tuesday, November 7th at 6:00 p.m. Kane and DeKalb Counties - - Family Focus Aurora, 550 2nd Ave, Aurora, IL 60505, USA
- Wednesday, November 8th at 6:00 p.m. Metro East - - Sheet Metal Workers Hall, 2701 N. 89th, Caseyville, IL
- Meetings are also being planned in Champaign, Peoria or Bloomington and if you want to be part of a local cluster or plan to attend any of the meetings already scheduled, please let Hilary Denk at [email protected] know and also RSVP to Alex Tindal Wiesendanger at [email protected]. See LWVIL website for the latest on this issue at http://www.lwvil.org/grit-project.html
ERA Advocacy Continues
Please follow the directions on our last TFA to persuade your legislator to vote yes for ERA. The Senate will likely vote today and the House may also vote this week or next week. NOW is the time to call and make your voice heard.
Read the Issue Specialists Monthly Reports
HERE.
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Voter Service: BallotReady
Sharon Alter, Vice President, Voter Service
Jan Dorner, Co-Chair
The League of Women Voters of Illinois Education Fund is in the process of signing a contract with BallotReady, who will host the Illinois League's online voter guide for the primary election, to be held March 20, 2018. LWVIL and BallotReady will produce a website that will be accessible from the lwvil.org website.
The LWVIL Board felt that BallotReady would best serve the voters of Illinois. BallotReady aggregates information from candidates' websites, social media, press, endorsers and board of elections. Everything on the site is linked back to the original source.
Although BallotReady will do the lion's share of procuring detailed information, local Leagues have the ability to send questionnaires to specific candidates, all of which would be included in the umbrella of LWVIL's contract, unless an individual League would like their own website from BallotReady. The online voter guide shows a candidate's stances, biography and endorsements, and could have a tab for any questionnaire.
Users will be able to save the candidate of their choice and take it to the ballot with them. Voter choices can be printed out. BallotReady also is mobile-friendly, so choices can be pulled up on a phone's browser, if allowed.*
Besides its online voter guide, Ballot Ready offers a "Make a Plan to Vote." Voters will be matched with their polling place and can choose whether to vote early, on Election Day or by mail. BallotReady sends text messages and email reminders to make sure all turn out to vote.
Early voting starts 2/8/2018, and this website is targeted to be online by 2/1/2018, although it may not be completely populated. Remember to check with your local election authority about the actual dates when early voting will take place.
If you have any questions about this online voting guide, let us know and we can help!
*Currently, some Illinois election authorities do not allow cell phones in the voting area.
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Moderator Training Workshop in Chicago: Saturday, November 4
LWVIL-trained moderators moderate LWVIL-sponsored candidate forums and other events. For prospective moderators, this workshop is an opportunity to learn the nuts and bolts of moderating. For seasoned moderators, this is an opportunity to review moderating best practices.
Missey Wilhelm, right, former LWVIL Voter Service Chair and seasoned trainer, will conduct this workshop form 9:30 am to 1:30 pm at
332 South Michigan Avenue, Room 430
,
Building Conference Room, Chicago.
Monday, October 30 is the deadline to register. To register, please send your (1) name, (2) the name of your local league, (3) your email address, and (4) phone number to
[email protected]
An email confirmation of your registration will be sent on October 30.
While space is limited, there must be a minimum of 10 Leaguers registered for the workshop. Lunch will be provided.
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2018 LWVUS Convention
First Call
LWVUS has sent its first call to the League of Women Voters 53
rd National Convention:
Thursday, June 28
th - Sunday, July 1
st
Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
Save the dates and plan to join hundreds of passionate and engaged leaders for our biennial national gathering.
Volunteers Needed
Since the 2018 Convention is taking place in
Chicago, we are the Local Arrangements Committee tasked with a number of convention-related responsibilities. We need lots of volunteers to make sure Illinois' part in the Convention goes well and showcases our effectiveness.
So, please consider becoming part of the Local Arrangements team. To indicate your interest, please e-mail Mary Schaafsma at
[email protected].
Volunteer incentives will be offered!
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Photos from the 2017 State of the State Luncheon
Check out photos from our recent luncheon on the
LWVIL website!
If you have any additional photos you'd like to share with us, please send them to
[email protected].
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