LWV Charleston Area Newsletter | March 2026

Glimpses: LWVCA in February

We held our annual Program Planning meeting on February 22 at Charleston Main Library. At this session, led by VP Issues and Actions Shayna Howell, members reviewed and reacted to the proposed LWVUS campaign and six issue priorities for 2026 and 2027. We then considered the local Voter Services, Advocacy, and Committee priorities proposed by our local leadership, and began to discuss how to take action on those. Local program priorities will be presented to all LWVCA members for vote at our annual meeting in June.

Thirty members convened for this meeting, with the majority engaging in this grassroots process for the first time! Leagues across the country are generating feedback to submit to LWVUS for debate and vote at the national Convention.

Delegates from state and local leagues nationwide will convene in June in Ohio.

Shayna Howell (l) and Lynn Teague (r), who serve respectively as VP Issues and Actions for LWV Charleston and for LWVSC, joined other partners at the State House last week for Energy Affordability Advocacy Day. They spoke up on the League's behalf for SC ratepayers, calling for policies that prioritize affordability and accountability.

LWVCA has an active Environmental Studies Group, led by Judith Kramer. Among other issues, they are following SC energy policy and potential economic and environmental impacts of the proposed gas plant, pipeline and data center project in the Ace Basin. To participate, email her here.

Much thought goes into determining the primary and general election forums we will produce in an election season, and with which partners. That planning is underway. With local, municipal, school board, and statewide races to be decided, we're pleased to have Candidate Forums Director Karen Gallagher and co-President Jeri Cabot taking the lead.

In 2025, we held 4 virtual forums and 7 in-person forums for 27 races, working with eight nonprofit partners and informing 4,300 voters in person and online. LWV's forums fill a critical information gap for many local communities. To volunteer with the behind-the-scenes or on-site work associated for forums OR to suggest a specific race for consideration, please contact Karen Gallagher.

Voter Registration efforts are active. Our team has trained 24 people on voter registration practices already this year! In February, LWVCA fielded registration teams at Cross High School and also at Fort Dorchester, where Nina Hoffman, Connie Hayes, and Kathy Bennett registered 29 students at the senior Valentine's Day Breakfast! Pictured at recent event: Jeri Cabot (L), Kathy Bennett (R).

Upcoming Volunteer Dates: Voter Services co-Director Kathy Bennett has issued calls for member volunteers to register students at Hanahan High School on Wednesday, March 4 at noon, and on Saturday March 14 at the Dream Girls Conference for students and parents at Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in North Charleston. For more info or to get on the Signup Genius volunteer email list, please contact Kathy Bennett.

Get Out the Vote will be a league-wide priority this year. Stay tuned as we frame a coordinated program to enable our League and volunteers to make a difference locally.

GRASSROOTS IDEAS? We are 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.

Welcome to LWV Charleston!

This month we launched an email Welcome Letter that each new member will receive once, within a month of their joining date. It provides information for what a new member might want to know about LWV Charleston and our Board and volunteer opportunities, and explains LWVSC and LWVUS resources. This email also includes a volunteer interest survey to help plug new members into our work. The inaugural mailing went to the 75 members who have joined since July 1! We appreciate all of you. To read it, click here. Watch for a companion section on our website.

Connie Deerin collaborated with Cara Erickson on this member communications project. Thanks to Kathy Squires who tracks and updates our new member email lists!

Upcoming Events

SAT MARCH 7: 'FROM SEEDLINGS TO SHORELINE' VOLUNTEER PROJECT : The LWV Environmental Study Group has been invited to collaborate with other Charleston nonprofits in the effort to stem Charleston's flooding threat and the degradation of our protective salt marshes due to development and water pollution. Thanks to Nicki Turano for arranging our participation! Help with salt marsh restoration by planting seedlings in the From Seedlings to Shoreline volunteer program on Saturday, March 7 from 10 am - noon at the College of Charleston Greenhouse (off River's Green).

Click here for details and to sign up.

SUN MARCH 8: DOCUMENTARY DISCUSSION GROUP: Space is still available for members who'd like to meet informally to discuss the recent Ken Burns The American Revolution documentary series! Our discussion will consider how the lessons of the Revolutionary War era can inform our civic work today. Date and time: 3pm - 4:30 pm on Sunday, March 8 at the home of a member, downtown near the Battery.

Our discussion will be facilitated by members Susan McHugh and Karen Gallagher. The 6-part series is streaming on PBS platforms. Signup limited to 25 participants! Click below to RSVP and receive details.

THURS APRIL 9 and APRIL 23: BEHIND THE BALLOT, a 2-part workshop on how our our local elections work, presented by Charleston County Board of Voter Registration and Elections at the Keith Sumney Library in North Charleston, from 6-7pm. This new program has been developed as a direct result of discussions with LWV Charleston, and is open to the public.

April 9 will cover Preparing for Election Day, going behind the scenes in the weeks prior to an election in Charleston County. On April 23, Election Night and Certification explores what happens after polls close, from results reporting to certification. Please save these dates to attend one or both!

Members: Watch your inbox next week for a BRIEF 5-question 'Power in Members' survey. We want to hear about members' expertise and affiliations with other nonpartisan organizations, so that we can better use our combined powers and knowledge! LWVCA VP Kathleen Rodgers is helping to organize this effort.

Our next Board meeting will be held in person on Sunday, March 15 at 3pm. If interested in observing please email Cara Erickson for details.

EMPOWERING VOTERS. DEFENDING DEMOCRACY.

Click here to join or donate to LWV Charleston.

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Newsletter Editor: Cara Erickson, co-President