Election security, dangerous women and more!

Serving the people of San Jose, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Morgan Hill & Gilroy

August 2023

The VOTER

Message from the Co-Presidents

Excited to be starting a busy year

We are honored to serve as your Co-Presidents for the League's 2023-2024 year and excited about the possibilities to expand the impact of the League in our community.

High on our priority list is getting our League well organized and prepared for the 2024 election. We have rented space in a storage facility so that League materials are in one central location rather than at member homes. This is an opportunity to clean out old files and bring all the organizational details up to date.

Concurrently, the Membership Committee is working on a new action plan designed to add new members and encourage more participation from existing members. Watch for news on in-person and Zoom activities in future issues of The VOTER.

Annual Meeting Recap

At the Annual Meeting in June, the membership adopted these program priorities for 2023-2024: Voter Education and Participation, Climate and the Environment, Housing, Homelessness, Mental Health. Members also approved an increase in League dues (from $75 to $85 annually for individual members and from $105 to $125 annually for household memberships) and adopted the budget for the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The final report on the 2022-2023 budget can be viewed HERE.

Special thanks to California State Assemblymember Gail Pellerin for her keynote talk at the start of the Annual Meeting. We especially enjoyed hearing about pending legislation that reflects her experience as the Elections Officer in Santa Cruz County. Watch her presentation HERE.

A new leadership team of officers and Board members was also elected at the Annual Meeting, and we as the new Co-Presidents are thrilled to have these talented and dedicated individuals commit to working together in the coming year: Carol Watts as Vice President, Linda Marquez as secretary and Anita Romero as treasurer, and Board members Vicki Alexander, Martha Beattie, Roma Dawson, Gloria Chun Hoo, Gloria Loventhal, Sandy Mory, Julie Pollitt, Charlene Siddens and Rosaleen Zisch.

Please contact us with questions, suggestions or concerns. We look forware to talking with you.

Martha Butzier

Co-President

Martha.Butzier@lwvsjsc.org

Diane McNutt

Co-President

Diane.McNutt@lwvsjsc.org

Virtual Lunch with League

Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters

Shannon Bushey

"Ensuring Election Administration

Security and Integrity"

Thursday, Aug. 17, 12 noon-1 p.m.

Shannon Bushey has worked in the Registrar of Voters Office for more than 27 years. She has been instrumental in implementing the state's first satellite voting locations using Ballot on Demand technology and Remote Accessible Vote-by-Mail technology. She has also expanded language assistance and voting opportunities and runs the office according to best practices in elections and security.

Sign up for this free webinar HERE. You can submit questions for the speaker when you register or during the event using the chat function on Zoom.

Lunch with League is open to the public. Please pass along this information to others who might be interested in this topic.

Regional Issues Forum Aug. 25: Affordable Housing

Kate Hartley, Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) Director, will be the speaker at the LWV Bay Area Regional Issues Forum on Friday, Aug. 25, 11:30 a.m-1 p.m. on Zoom.

BAHFA was established by the California Legislature in 2019 with the mandate to create regional solutions that meet the Bay Area's affordable housing needs by producing and preserving more affordable housing and protecting our most vulnerable residents. She will discuss progress made to date and the next steps for a potential regional housing bond measure. For information on registration, contact Roma Dawson at roma.dawson@lwvsjsc.org.

Off With Her Head author is Sept. 21 speaker

Author Eleanor Herman explores the patterns that have been operating for more than three thousand years—and are still operating today—against powerful women across the globe, including Cleopatra, Anne Boleyn, Marie Antoinette, Catherine the Great, Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris, and more.

Each chapter analyzes misogynistic methods to keep women down, including: Her Overweening Ambition, Why Doesn’t She Do Something About Her Hair?, The Dangers of Female Hormones, The Alarming Shrillness of Her Voice, The Mysterious Unlikability of Female Candidates, She’s a Bitch and Other Animals and She’s a Witch and Other Monsters.

Ms. Herman will be the Sept. 21 Lunch with League speaker. You can register now HERE and submit your questions for the author in advance or during the talk using the chat function.

This event is free and open to the public so please share this information with others.

California Redistricting Evaluated

The League of Women Voters of California and California Common Cause has announced the release of "Fair Maps in the State of California: The 2020 California Citizens Redistricting Commission’s Successes and Challenges," a comprehensive study of the 2020 CA Citizens Redistricting Commission, highlighting successes, challenges, and opportunities for growth heading into the 2030 cycle. Professor Christian Grose of USC served as the primary author.

Our local League continues to encourage local jurisdictions to use an independent redistricting commission to redraw district lines after the next U.S. Census in 2030.

Voter Service, Climate Change Committees gearing up

Voter Service meeting Aug. 9

League members who would like to be involved in Voter Service activities this fall and in 2024 are invited to attend an online planning meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 9, 10:30 a.m. via Zoom. Topics will include activities on National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 19, a Candidates Forum for the San Jose Evergreen Community College District Governing Board special election on Nov. 11, and the March 5, 2024 Presidential Primary. Email Voter Service Chair Sandy Mory for Zoom link details.

Climate Change Committee

The Climate Change Committee also welcomes all members to attend a planning session in late August, date and time to be determined. The committee will discuss its action plan for the coming year. Email Co-chair Virginia Holtz or Co-chair Judy Chamberlain to receive details.

Congratulations to Virginia Holtz

Long-time League member Virginia Holtz has been selected to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Santa Clara County League of Conservation Voters. She will be honored at the 30th Annual Environmental Awards event on Oct. 19. We are so proud of Virginia for this well-deserved recognition!

Presidential Primary Election is March 6

Quicker than we realize, the Presidential Primary Election in California will be upon us -- Tuesday, March 6, 2024. Mailing of Vote-By-Mail ballots begins on Monday, Feb. 5. The last day to register to vote for the March 6 election is Monday, Feb. 19.

Voters who are registered as having no party preference (also known as nonpartisan, independent, and declined to state) are allowed to "crossover" into a political party in order to vote for one of the presidential candidates. If a non party preference voter does not request a crossover ballot, they will receive a Primary Election ballot without presidential candidates. Some political parties allow a one-time crossover voting for their candidates without a change in registration. Other parties require voters to re-register in that party in order to participate.

Check your voter registration status HERE.

For more information about the Primary Election and voter registration, visit the Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters at sccvote.sccgov.org.

The LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

QUICK LINKS

League of Women Voters of the U.S.

League of Women Voters of California

League of Women Voters of the Bay Area

League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara

Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters

Join the League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara HERE

Donate to the League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara HERE