President's Message

Attention all League members!

It's time to turn the talk

into the walk!

The next few weeks are critically important in registering, educating and engaging voters before the November election. The League has many opportunities to carry out this core function of our organization, but we can only do it with your help. Please closely review the information about upcoming events in this newsletter and choose at least one to support with your time and talents. Contact Sandy Mory or Michelle Fernandez at VoterService@lwvsjsc.org.

In addition to helping with League events, consider how you can encourage people you know to vote in this election. Ask if they have any questions about the voting process. Emphasis that every vote counts. Make voting fun, not just a duty. A.J. Jacobs told us at last month's Lunch with League that some communities have election cake competitions. Think outside the box for ideas on how to educate and engage individuals in your network of friends, family, neighbors and colleagues.

We all need to take responsibility for empowering voters and defending democracy. Now is the time.

Diane

Diane McNutt, President

League of Women Voters of San Jose/Santa Clara

Diane.McNutt@lwvsjsc.org

P.S. The final financial report on fiscal year 2023-2024 was approved by the Board of Directors in August and is now posted on our website. Click HERE to view it.

IN PERSON Lunch with League

KQED Journalists Panel

"Covering Elections

from the Ground Up"

Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024

12 noon-1:30 p.m.

Silicon Valley Capital Club

50 W. San Fernando St., 17th floor, San Jose

$40 per person includes buffet lunch

How will our local journalists cover the upcoming elections?

This panel of KQED journalists will discuss the craft

and responsibilities of journalists during another

extraordinary election year.

Parking: Enter the underground parking garage

at 50 W. San Fernando St. next to the San Jose Museum of Art.

Register HERE by Sept. 16

Video of A.J. Jacobs event

now available for viewing

Author A.J. Jacobs thoroughly entertained and informed a record-breaking number of webinar viewers at the August Lunch with League. His presentation about his book The Year of Living Constitutionally got rave reviews and the video is now available for anyone who missed it -- or wants to watch it again. Click HERE to access.

San Jose City Council District 2

Thursday, Sept. 5, 7-8 p.m.

Southside Community Center, 5585 Cottle Rd., San Jose

Presented in partnership with the District 2 Leadership Council

No registration needed.

Santa Clara County Supervisor District 5

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 5-5:50 p.m.

Mission College Gillmor Center, 3000 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara

Presented by Silicon Valley Chamber Coalition and moderated by League of Women Voters

Register HERE

California State Assemblymember District 26

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 6-6:50 p.m.

Mission College Gillmor Center, 3000 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara

Presented by Silicon Valley Chamber Coalition and moderated by League of Women Voters

Register HERE

Santa Clara County Supervisor District 2

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 8-8:50 p.m.

Mission College Gillmor Center, 3000 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara

Presented by Silicon Valley Chamber Coalition and moderated by League of Women Voters

Register HERE



U.S. Congressional District 16

Tuesday, Oct. 8, 7:30-9 p.m. on Zoom

Presented by LWV of Palo Alto

Register HERE

Check the League website for a current list of scheduled Candidates Forum.

Meet Tom Charron

Board Member & Secretary

Like many people, Tom Charron was a lookie-loo when it came politics. He always voted and did his homework before making ballot decisions, but mostly he observed elections from afar. Then he read a book that changed all that.

Politics Is For Power by Eitan Hersh resonated with him, particularly its message on how to move beyond political hobbyism or, to put it more bluntly, “get off your butt and do something.” An early retirement from the tech industry gave Tom more free time to follow that advice and become convinced of the need for election reform.

Attendance at a FairVote Summit in 2018 led him to co-found and serve on the leadership team of the California Ranked Choice Voting Coalition and the California RCV Institute. His involvement with Californians for Electoral Reform introduced him to the League at the state level and his admiration for the League’s effectiveness sparked his interest in joining our local League last year.

“I’m a big believer that we need to make systemic changes to get the kind of behavior we want from our politicians,” he said. “System reform takes a long time because people are afraid of change, but it’s worth the effort to take some risks so we don’t keep doing what doesn’t work.”

Tom is still doing some consulting work, but most of his time and attention are now focused on parenting, his volunteer activities, and travel. He and his family will leave shortly after the November Election for a six-month visit to Southeast Asia.

“I always had a good perception of the League, but I thought it was focused only on women’s issues,” he said. “Now I understand the League is involved in many issues and carries a lot of weight with elected officials. I’m proud to be a League member.”

Pros & Cons Presentations

The League is scheduling Pros & Cons presentations that provide unbiased analysis of state measures that will be on the November ballot. Some will be in-person events and some recorded on Zoom. For information on the current schedule, visit the League website.

Why new members are joining the League

More than a dozen new members have joined our League in the past few weeks. Here is a sampling of the many reasons they decided now was the time to be part of the League of Women Voters.

Engaging Young Voters

Laura Swan was born and raised in Scotland but became a U.S. citizen in 2007. As a counselor at a San Jose high school, she is passionate about encouraging teens to register to vote and participate in elections as soon as they are eligible.

“I tell them that voting is your power as one person to have control of your future,” she said, adding that many students are still experiencing anxiety from their unforgettable pandemic experience. She is eager to be part of the League’s efforts to encourage more people to vote. “It comes down to accountability,” she said. “If you don’t vote you don’t get to whine about the results.”

Re-energized by the League

Tracy MacKenna has always been politically involved and was one of the organizers of the highly-successful Women’s March in downtown San Jose in 2017. But for the past few years she has focused on her career with a prominent architect design firm. She recently re-watched a documentary “The Vote” on the 100^th anniversary of the 19^th amendment and the League’s history, sparking her decision to join the local League.

“I’ve always been an admirer of the League and I feel like it’s time to take my political wings out of storage,” she said. “I see what the League is doing and it has re-energized me to get more involved again.”

Learning new skills

Elizabeth Marquez Bernardino is at the start of her career, using her recently-earned bachelor’s degree in sociology from San Jose State University at her job as a community organizer for a charter school in East San Jose. Joining the League is one way she is using to learn and help her grow professionally.

“My family was not politically active, but now I work closely with parents to support them as they learn how to advocate for their families and community,” she said. “Someone recommended the League as an organization where I could learn a lot.” Elizabeth is already signed up to work on Pros & Cons presentations, Candidates Forums and voter outreach activities this fall and is excited by the opportunities.

League reflects personal values

Alison Cingolani first became interested in public policy as a parent monitoring actions by her local school district. She became increasingly aware that housing is the root cause of many issues that need to be addressed in the community, and she now works as Policy Manager at SV@Home.

“The League’s positions align with what’s important to me,” she said. “Like the League, I want to help people learn how to plug into democracy and help to hold government accountable to meeting the most urgent needs of the community. Joining the League is a no-brainer. I just don’t know why I didn’t do it sooner.”