President's Message

Where is this

election year heading?

I know exactly where the Presidential Election is going. All you have to do is read the signs.

Being a political pundit must be a terrible job this year. Or maybe it's easier than usual because there have been so many twists and turns that no one expects you to accurately forecast what is going to happen. While we each have personal feelings about what the election outcome should be, the League -- as a nonpartisan organization -- is focused on the democratic process between now and the final vote count. Is every eligible voter registered? Does every voter understand when and where to vote? Does every voter have access to information about candidates and measures? Does every voter understand the importance of their individual vote?

We need your volunteer support now! This newsletter is packed with information on how to be involved. There are many types of activities and a variety of time commitments. Find the ones that best match your interests and availability and get signed up today.

Diane

Diane McNutt, President

League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara

Diane.McNutt@lwvsjsc.org

P.S. Are you familiar with the Wix website software? Do you like to post on Instagram, Facebook and/or X (Twitter)? We need additional volunteer support for League website updates and social media. If you are agile with any of these, please contact me for more details. Thanks!

Virtual Lunch with League

Bestselling author

A.J. Jacobs

"The Year of Living Constitutionally"

Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024

12 noon-1:30 p.m. • Live on Zoom

Free • Everyone welcome

Talk followed by Q&A

What does it mean to live by the Constitution? How does the Constitution fit into our democracy today?

"Now more than ever, Americans need to understand the meaning and value of the Constitution. As politicians and Supreme Court Justices wage a high-stakes battle over how literally we should interpret the Constitution, A.J. Jacobs provides an entertaining yet illuminating look into how this storied document fits into our democracy today." [Amazon]

A.J. is the author of four New York Times bestsellers. He is a contributor to NPR and Esquire magazine and a frequent guest on radio and TV programs, including recent interviews on CBS Sunday Morning and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. His latest book has been called "Hilarious and fascinating" by Entertainment Weekly and "A marvelously witty and wise consideration of the Constitution's legacy" by Kirkus Review.

Register HERE for this very special event, presented in partnership with Santa Clara County Library District.

We need your help!

Candidates Forums

Voter Registration

Contact: VoterService@lwvsjsc.org

Pros & Cons Presentations

Contact: Martha Beattie@lwvsjsc.org

VOTE411

Contact: Linda.Marquez@lwvsjsc.org

Volunteer for Candidates Forums

There are dozen of races on the ballots in the communities served by our League this November including city council and county supervisor seats and positions on school boards. How many Candidates Forums we can hold to educate voters depends on how many volunteers are available. We expect that many forums will be virtual on Zoom, but there may also be some in-person forums.

There will be a training session for those interested in being moderators, timers, question sorters and hosts on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 4 p.m. on Zoom. Contact Sandy Mory or Michelle Fernandez at VoterService@lwvsjsc.org for the link.



Meet new LWVUS President Dianne Wynn and new LWVUS CEO Selina Stewart through their addresses to Convention.

National Convention Summary

The 56th National Convention of the League of Women Voters convened in Washington D.C. at the end of June, attended by 958 delegates from 50 states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands. Many others attended as in-person or virtual observers. In addition to electing board members and approving the budget for 2024-2026, delegates approved bylaws amendments and identified program priorities for the next two years. Read a more detailed summary HERE.

Ranked Choice Voting -- A Fairer Way

to Elect Your Representatives

Wednesday, Aug. 7, 7 p.m. on Zoom

Two experts on ranked choice (RCV) voting will present an overview of RCV and answer your questions. Speakers are Jason McDaniel, Associate Professor of Political Science at San Francisco State University, and Steve Chessin, President, Californians for Electoral Reform. Topics include:

• Who currently uses this method and how well has it worked
• The potential of RCV to open the field to more candidates, get more voters to the polls, and get quicker election results
• Will RCV confuse voters?

This program is presented by the Santa Clara County Civil Discourse Committee. Register HERE.