Mid-Month Voter Newsletters | |
Because there is so much going on this election season, there will be two monthly Voter publications through October, delivered to your inbox on the first and third Mondays of each month. We highly encourage members to read each edition as there are important updates on League matters, upcoming events, and volunteer opportunities.
Miriam Tellechea & Carol Weissert, LWVT Co-Presidents
| Upcoming Events Highlights | |
***Today*** July 20: Last day to register or change party for the Aug. 18 primary. Check your registration status here. Please share this info with your friends and networks!
Positive Posse: Thursday, July 23, 5:30–7:30 p.m. at Miccosukee Rd. & Capital Cir.
Big Bend Environmental Forum: Tuesday, Aug. 4, 5:15–8:00 p.m. at the LeRoy Collins Main Library. Candidates will answer questions about energy, the environment, and sustainable growth and development. Visit the BBEF website.
Voting Rights Act National Day of Action: Saturday, Aug. 8, 4:30–7:00 p.m. at Jack McLean Community Center.
Member Orientation: Sunday, Aug. 9, 2:00-4:00 p.m. at the LeRoy Collins Main Library. Click here to register for this free event.
September Hot Topic: Thursday, Sep. 3, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the American Legion Hall. Topic: Leon County Schools- Vouchers, Cutbacks, Taxes and More featuring Sally Butzin and Rosanne Wood. Get tickets here.
Check out our full calendar here.
| Council of Leaders Update | | |
I had the opportunity to attend the Council of Leaders in Winter Park last week. Co-President Dr. Carol Weissert, Kathy Winn, and Katie Bohnett also attended. The workshops held on the Rollins College campus were on a variety of interesting and timely topics in this election year, with an emphasis on election protection and bridging divides.
The presentation on the proposed Constitutional amendments explained the fiscal impact on our State and its citizens if they are passed. It was very interesting to learn that these proposed amendments have mostly widespread opposition by many groups, including the League of Women Voters of Florida, and none that actively support them. Also, the biggest impact will be on local, not state governments, should they pass. (Photo L-R: Kathy Winn, LWVT Board Director; Jessica Lowe-Minor, LWV FL President & LWVT member; Janet McPherson, LWVT First Vice President; Carol Weissert, LWVT Co-President)
Other workshops addressed fundraising, as well as a presentation by the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition on the process of restoring voting rights to returning citizens. Of the 29 leagues in Florida, 20 attended the Council. I enjoyed meeting Leaguers from around the state, and encourage fellow members to attend these meetings.
Janet McPherson, First Vice President, LWVT
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VOTE411.org has been updated with information on our local races. Please check it out and share with your networks.
Though VOTE411 is an initiative of the League of Women Voters of the US, state and local leagues are responsible for their respective races. Our Voter Services committee developed questions for all candidates to answer. Through VOTE411, you can compare each candidate's response.
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Worried about voter intimidation at the polls? Sign up to be a poll monitor! The League is a member of the Florida Election Protection Coalition established by Common Cause to assist voters and mitigate any voter intimidation that might occur during our elections this year. Poll monitors* answer questions posed by voters entering and leaving polling places and observe and report any issues in accessing the polls to a command center of voting rights experts.
Leon is one of the counties prioritized by the Coalition and training is available to prepare you to be a poll monitor. You can access this training here. After you take online training and an easy quiz, you will have an opportunity to sign up for a shift at a polling place during early voting and on election day.
League membership is not required to participate as a poll monitor so recruit your friends to join you! A limited number of bright yellow T-shirts are available to identify you. League members with expertise in voting rights are available to help you feel comfortable in your monitoring role. For further information, contact Kathy Winn at kathywinn980@gmail.com.
*Poll monitors differ from poll watchers who must be linked to a political party and recognized by the county supervisor of elections. They are allowed inside polling places. Poll monitors must remain outside the 150-foot exclusion zone established at each polling location.
| Canvassing Board Monitoring | |
Volunteer Opportunity: Monitoring the County Canvassing Board
Want to see what goes on behind the scenes of an election? Here’s an opportunity to monitor the Leon County Canvassing Board which is made up of the county supervisor of elections, a county judge, and chair of the county commission.
The Canvassing Board:
--certifies the testing of voting and audit machines,
--reviews and accepts signatures on vote-by-mail ballot envelopes,
--reviews damaged and poorly marked ballots,
--reviews provisional ballots,
--certifies the results of the election, and
--conducts post-election audits.
The canvassing board meets before and after the election and on election night. The League of Women Voters chapters across the state will be monitoring both the primary and general elections.
If you are interested in serving as a canvassing board monitor, please contact Carol Weissert at cweissert@fsu.edu.
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As we complete our primary candidate forums and plan for the general election forums, it is appropriate to recognize the League’s long history in forums and other events featuring local officials.
Even during our provisional stage as a league in the first two years, we sponsored the first town hall meeting with local officials in January 1958.
Here’s a picture highlighting the 1958 town hall questioning city officials. It features Mrs. Odell Waldby, president of the League of Women Voters of Tallahassee (left) and Mrs. Elston Roady, who was chair of the LWVT committee surveying city government. City Manager Arvah Hopkins is also in the picture which appeared in the Tallahassee Democrat Jan. 26, 1958.
The first League forum for city commission candidates was on Feb. 12, 1959, and featured six male candidates for two new city commission seats. As the Tallahassee Democrat put it, “this forum is a fine public service by the ladies of our city.” Dr. Juanita Gibson, League President, introduced the candidates who dealt with issues including a new civic center, new airport, and how to attract industry to Tallahassee. The Democrat in an editorial urged its readers to prepare themselves to go to the polls and “cast an intelligent vote for two of the five men who will run your multi-million dollar municipal corporation for the next five years.”
It is intelligent votes that the League continues to pursue, although not only for male candidates.
Carol Weissert, LWVT Co-President
| | Local government calendars | | | | |
