LWV Charleston Area Newsletter | January 2026 | | |
IN THIS ISSUE
January: A Fast Start!
Program Planning for Members
Documentary Discussion Group
January Photo Gallery
LWVUS Action: Immigration
2025 Local Impact
Grassroots Ideas
| | Winter Social Meeting. Facing from left: LWVCA members Kathleen Rodgers, Barbara Griffin, Jeri Cabot, Kate Peralta, Jane Ovenden | | |
L to R : LWVCA's Jeri Cabot and Carolyn Lecque host IAAM table.
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January: A Fast Start!
On January 5, voters filled the room at Dorchester Road Library to hear from candidates for North Charleston City Council Dist 1's special election. Forums Director Karen Gallagher organized the event, and Live5News' Raphael James moderated. We'd like to report that voter turnout soared (it didn't) but we will continue doing our part to inform voters and urge them to use their vote.
On January 11, we held a lively Member Winter Social Meeting at Paradiso. We were nourished by attorney Susan Dunn's talk, a discussion of upcoming programs, the artful food spread, the silent auction (organized by fundraising Director Donna Englander), AND the energy of nearly 50 attendees, including 10 of our newest members!
On January 15th, we convened an excellent talk onThe Broken US Immigration System by Dr. Melissa Siegel, Head of Migration Studies, UN University - MERIT (The Netherlands). Thanks to Shayna Howell for arranging her appearance while she was teaching at the College. If you missed it, check out our new webpage on Immigration, which includes her fact-filled slides.
On MLK Jr weekend, we were in two places: on Sunday, in Summerville as a co-sponsor of the NAACP-organized Dream In Action education town hall. On MLK Jr Day in Charleston, we staffed a LWV table (and kids' coloring station) at International African American Museum's IAAM King Day. We appreciated the LWVCA and AKA volunteer partnership at our tables.
Finally, Voter Services Co-Director Kathy Bennett led voter registration training in Summerville and North Charleston last week. Jeri Cabot will hold another Zoom training session on February 9 at 6pm. Sign up here!
Enjoy the photo gallery below, but read the next two articles first!
(Note: photo and caption layouts look different on desktop and mobile).
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Member Program Planning on February 22!
(Read on to find out more - it's important!)
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The League of Women Voters is set up as a true grassroots organization, with over 700 local leagues across the United States. Those leagues will come together this summer in Ohio to agree on our priorities for the coming year BUT FIRST we have to hear from our members (we call this annual meeting 'Program Planning'.)
The stakes are high right now, and we are asking all of our members to attend our annual program planning meeting where we set our priorities for the coming year and create strategies to have impact on them.
In its call for member input, LWV United States reiterates that our democracy is under coordinated attack from multiple fronts—and the League of Women Voters is uniquely positioned to fight back by engaging and mobilizing voters nationwide. To that end, the LWVUS board recommends adoption of a campaign entitled "Women Defend Democracy: Democracy Under Siege", to empower the organization to act decisively to protect and defend our democracy. The proposed campaign would focus on:
- Voting Rights
- Election Protection
- Redistricting
- Individual Liberties
- Immigration
- The Presidency
At the meeting, we will discuss these proposed issue priorities and any additional local priorities we want to consider, and build a framework for how to take action locally.
👉🏼 Hearing from a wide range of members with different perspectives, ideas, and experiences makes this effort more meaningful. This is an important moment for us to come together, and we urge both new and veteran members to participate.
👉🏼Please join us on Sunday, February 22 in the auditorium at the Main Library at 68 Calhoun Street. Doors open at 2 pm. We'll get started at 2:15, and finish by 4:30 pm. (Refreshments provided! ) Please contact VP of Issues and Action Shayna Howell with questions or to say you plan to attend.
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We're eager to find new ways to get members together. When one member suggested a documentary discussion group about Ken Burns' heralded six-part documentary on The American Revolution, we decided to do it!
LWVCA's Susan McHugh and Karen Gallagher (both former educators) will be our discussion group facilitators for an informal session where we share thoughts and reactions to the program. One topic we'll consider: how to connect 'the idea of America' during the Revolution to what we are experiencing today.
Date: Sunday, March 8
Venue: Downtown member's home (details following RSVP)
Time: 3pm - 4:30 pm
The documentary is available on demand and streaming on PBS platforms. If you watched it in November, or have been waiting for a reason to tune in, this is it!
Signup is limited to 25 members. Please save your place!
| | Photos: Top from left, LWVCA's Judy Manning with voter at IAAM King Day; Winter Meeting, lawyer Susan Dunn speaking to group; LWVCA's Jeri Cabot, Cara Erickson, Patricia Swinton (AKA), member Carolyn Lecque at IAAM; Below: Eight year old future voter at IAAM; LWVCA's Karen Gallagher, Kathy Bennett and Patricia Swinton at Summerville forum; Dr Melissa Siegel, Shayna Howell introducing Immigration talk. | | |
Stand with the League:
Immigration Enforcement Has Gone Too Far
For months, communities across the country, in Minnesota and beyond, have lived in terror as a result of federal immigration tactics. LWVUS is calling on Congress to:
-Reject additional funding for ICE and Customs and Border Protection, or immigration detention, and impose accountability measures;
-Investigate the use of force by DHS, CBP, and ICE agents;
-Protect civilians' constitutional rights to peacefully protest and assemble.
Please click to review the statement and send an email to demand change.
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We're taking stock of what we accomplished last year, and all-in to make a difference in 2026. Thanks to our Board, Directors, volunteers, and donors, last year's accomplishments include:
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Candidate Forums: Held 7 in-person and 4 virtual candidate forums for regular and special elections. Total attendance and viewership: 4,300.
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Voter Registration: Volunteers registered 1,620 new voters at 131 naturalization ceremonies and 20+ schools and events.
- Our Vote411.org site attracted and informed ~ 8,000 local voters.
- We held 13 civic events on: truth and misinformation, book banning, election reform, public health, hate crime law, energy and climate issues.
- Provided Observer Corps, voter registration, and advocacy training.
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Partnered with 8 nonpartisan community organizations.
- Frequent local media coverage for programs and issue positions.
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Dozens of new members welcome, with notable growth in Summerville.
- LWVCA social media messages were viewed by 130,000+ people!
| | GRASSROOTS IDEAS? Voter Services is interested in new ideas. events, and locations to expand voter registration and education efforts. Have any thoughts based on where you work, shop, play, or know of an unserved need? Please email Jeri Cabot to share with our team. | | | | |
