February 2025 Voter

This issue is printable, clickable and will be available at LWVCDC.ORG

The Federal Judiciary Study is Almost Here: Come to the Information Town Hall

The League of Women Voters of the United States is conducting a study of the Federal Judiciary System to develop an LWV position on the Federal Judiciary as an essential component of American democracy. On Friday, Feb. 21, at Noon via Zoom, the LWV of Central Delaware County will share with our members an overview of the study and tell you how you can participate in reaching consensus on the issues raised by the study.

The study will address judicial accountability, transparency, independence, and ethics. The scope includes the Supreme Court, the federal trial and appeals courts.

The League of Women Voters national study process involves all levels of LWV - national, state and local. All of us will participate in the consensus study process, which formulates positions and prescribes action at all levels.

The virtual town hall is being coordinated through our Civic Education Committee and will be led by Jodine Mayberry, our Legislative Advocacy Chair.

This is a FREE event but to receive the Zoom link registration is required. To register CLICK HERE.

President's Message

On February 14, 2025 the League of Women Voters (LWV) will celebrate 105 years of its founding. The LWV was born out of resistance when our founding mothers fought to get women the right to vote. This political movement led to a campaign to establish the mission of the League of Women Voters to Empower Voters and Defend Democracy. Based on this mission and as President of our local League I am sharing with you, our members, that our next campaign has begun.

Currently the League of Women Voters of the United States has launched the Women Defend Democracy campaign. Sign up for the campaign HERE.

Through the “Women Defend Democracy” campaign, the League will work to:

Provide Democracy Education & Election Administration Support
Restore & Defend Voting Rights Protections
Abolish the Electoral College
Protect Democracy Organizations & Institutions
Fight for Reproductive Freedoms

“This campaign kicks off for the first 100 days of the new administration and beyond. The League of Women Voters is well positioned to defend attacks on democracy in the coming months and years. Together, we believe in the power of women to create a more perfect democracy."

It is also important to state that this campaign is grounded in the policies and positions of the League of Women Voters that can be found in our Impact on Issues: A Guide to Public Policy Positions (2024-2026). These Public Policy Positions can be used by local Leagues to “Take Action.”

We are grateful for your membership as we build on the strength of our founding mothers and as we move forward as we defend democracy now and in the future.

In League,

~Anne Mosakowski, President, LWVCDC

LWVCDC Remembers Black Suffragists and Civil Rights Leaders who Enabled Black Women to Vote

American women fought 70 years for the right to vote. Black women, like Ida B. Wells and Mary Church Terrell, were part of that fight and won the legal right to vote along with white women in 1920. But black women didn't win the actual right to vote in the South until the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, led by women like Fannie Lou Hamer. and Ella Baker. At a time when civil rights and minority rights are again under assault at the highest levels of government, we remember and honor those who came before and aspire to follow their example during Black History Month and year round.

We have the CEO of National Geographic Explorer for the Jeanette Ross Lecture!

We are thrilled to announce that we have recruited Rachael Miller, the CEO of National Geographic Explorer, to speak to us via Zoom on March 13 at 7 p.m. for our annual Jeanette Ross Lecture. She'll focus on keeping macro and microplastic out of our public waterways, off our plates and out of our bodies.

Our member, Debbie Bergen, who heard Rachael speak on the same subject at Chautauqua last summer and recruited her for this event, says her presentation is dynamic. She won't just discuss the problem but will talk about actions and solutions we can all pursue.

We'll tell you more in the March Voter newsletter.

Rachael Miller

Scenes from Our Jan. 4 Gathering

A lively table at the Jan. 4 gathering

Trolling for committee members

Our speaker Brett Dolente with CDC President Anne Mosakowski

Linda Carpenter made the beautiful centerpieces at the Jan. 4 gathering

Carol Butler seeks volunteers for the county LWV environmental committee

Check out Vice President Cathy Yungmann's video of LWVCDC's activities and accomplishments in 2024

The men get together at the gathering

The check-in table was busy

Here Is Where You'll Find the Membership Renewal Portal on the LWVCDC Website

Here is What You Need to Know to Renew Your Membership at the LWVUS Portal

LWVUS now requires us to renew our memberships on its online portal, starting Feb. 3. As your annual membership expires, you will receive an email asking you to rejoin through the portal. For a fuller explanation please read THIS.

Video of the Month: What the New Subscription Portal Looks Like:

Messages of Hope and Defiance

LWVUS President Dianna Wynn

Women Defend Democracy

As we watched our new president, take an oath to uphold, protect and defend the Constitution, LWVUS President Dianna Wynn issued an "oath to democracy" to all Leagues calling on them to defend democracy.

“We do solemnly swear that we will empower voters and defend our democracy; that we will faithfully execute our civic responsibility as nonpartisan advocates. We do this fearlessly, reflectively, and collectively. We act from a place of hope and collective power.”

As democracy turns another corner, we are launching our new Women Defend Democracy campaign. KEEP READING.

Stephanie Doute

A Plea to Resist

From outgoing California LWV Executive Director Stephanie Doute's farewell message:

I was recently reading through the LWVC Facebook page and someone commented on one of our posts, "I don't want to resist - find better language!" And I was reflecting on whether this was actually a matter of semantics and finding better language.

Because, really, do any of us WANT to have to resist? Do we want to live in a world that calls upon us again and again to have to dig in and fight for a future that includes everyone?

KEEP READING

Legislative Advocacy: We Begin Again: Lobby Corps and Meet and Greet

By Jodine Mayberry, Legislative Advocate

Things are humming in the state capital. The PA legislature is back in session and already about 500 bills have been introduced.

PALWV’s energetic new executive director, Amy Widestrom, is also working hard, organizing a new “lobby corps” to monitor legislation, keep our local Leagues informed and have a show of force on Lobby Day, May 5.

We will also “meet and greet” our local legislators in their district offices. Everything we do is guided by these priorities. Please read and save them for future reference.

KEEP READING

What Can Executive Orders Do and Not Do?

The League of Women Voters educates our members. Given the breadth and depth of the President’s directives issued as EOs, it is useful to understand what EOs can and cannot do.

The following information may help you in conversations with your own family or community.

What an Executive Order Cannot Do:

1. Create New Laws: EOs cannot create new laws; they can only direct the enforcement of existing laws or manage federal operations within the scope of the President's authority.

KEEP READING

Don't Save the SAVE Act: Tell Our Members of Congress to Vote 'No'

The House and Senate introduced the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would require citizenship documentation to register to vote even though voters in every state are already required to affirm or verify their citizenship status when registering. Our congress member is Mary Gay Scanlon. Our senators are John Fetterman and Dave McCormick, who does not seem to have an email address. You can call him at 202-224-6324 or his district office at 717-231-7540.

International Study Committee

The International Relations Study Group of LWVCDC will meet Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 12:30 pm at Joan Hazbun's home. Call her at 610-353-2177 for address and directions. She will distribute the 2025 Great Decisions Briefing Book put out by the Foreign Policy Association. For a list of topics to be discussed, click HERE.

Joan chairs the committee. For information email her at jchazbun6@gmail.com.

Thinking about Running for Office? Check out Our Resources Page

If you missed our programs in January telling you the nuts and bolts of running for office, check out our running for office toolbox resources page. It's packed with information, including video recordings of two of our sessions, Toss Your Hat in the Ring and How to Run for School Board. Click HERE.

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