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100 Years of Suffrage in Michigan
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The 19th Amendment was passed by Congress and sent to the States on June 4, 1919. Michigan became one of the first three states (IL, WI, MI) to ratify the Amendment on June 10, 1919.
Nine states had ratified the amendment by the end of June, and 22 by the end of 1919. It took until August 1920 to reach the requirement of 36 states - Tennessee being the 36th. The Amendment was official on August 18, 1920.
The Michigan League of Women Voters formed April 4, 1919 out of the Michigan Equal Suffrage Association. Florence Belle Brotherton of Detroit was elected the first president.
The slogan for the biennial State Convention in May is "Building on the First 100 Years". Six voting delegates will attend. All members may attend as they will. Registration for the Convention is available on the
LWVMI website.
The League is proud to be nonpartisan, neither supporting nor opposing candidates or political parties at any level of government, but always working on vital issues of concern to members and the public.
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Panel on Midland County Housing Analysis - Where are we and Where are we going
Speakers:
- Grant Murschel, Midland Director of Planning and Community Development
- Sharon Mortensen, President and CEO of Midland Community Action Foundation
- Jill Sutton, Exec. Director of MidMichigan Community Action Agency
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Your Elected Officials
Every 2 years, after the General Election, a new version of Your Elected Officials is prepared. The 2019-2020 edition of
Your Elected Officials is now available. Members should have received one in the mail. Print copies are available at the Grace A. Dow Library. Online access is on the
LWV-Midland web page and here:
YEO p.1
YEO p.2
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Local Program Meeting
Thursday, March 14, 1:30-3:30
Creative 360
We will be discussing Local Program and Positions. |
Gerrymandering - A Question
The federal lawsuit filed by the League of Women Voters of Michigan and 11 individual voters
was heard in February. The lawsuit covers gerrymandering of Michigan's Congressional, state senate and state house districts.Why does this matter now?
Didn't we pass Proposition 2, doing away with gerrymandering? Alas Prop 2 will not take effect
until after the 2020 election. If the state LWV wins the suit, gerrymandering will have to be addressed immediately
, ending the practice before
2020. This lawsuit matters! The latest update:
here. (Thanks, Terry)
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From LWVMI - Voting Rights
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is working to ensure implementation of the Promote the Vote Constitutional Amendment on voting rights. Many changes have taken place--such as a new no-reason absentee ballot and changes in the requirements for registering to vote. More changes will be coming. On February 20th, she established
the
Election Modernization Advisory Committee
to advise her administration and the Department of State's Bureau of Elections on the implementation of Proposal 3 and further election reforms.
Members of the committee include county, city and township clerks from across the state, Michigan-based voting rights advocates, and local and national election experts.
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Michigan's Talent Crisis - Report
The Education Trust- Midwest, a nonpartisan research and advocacy organization, has published their 2016 Michigan State of Education Report. The report deals with steps to reach the goal of becoming a top ten education state. Today, Michigan's K-12 system is among the weakest in the country and getting worse. In a little more than a decade, Michigan has gone from being a fairly average state in elementary reading and math achievement to the bottom 10 states. This is a devastating fall.
Read the report here.
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Wed, 3/27 - Midland County Housing Panel - Creative 360 7-8:30pm
5/15 - Annual Meeting - Midland Country Club.
Sally Williams, Michigan's Director of Elections will be the keynote speaker. She will speak about
what went well in 2018 elections, what went badly, and what was learned and plans for the 2020 election season. Details to be announced.
5/27 - Memorial Day Parade - Downtown Midland
6/18 - Pontoon boat ride and dinner at Sanford Lake bar and grill
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Board Members
The board meets the First Thursday of each month at Creative360, 9:30-11:30. No meeting in June or July. All members are welcome.
VP Membership - Carol McPherson
VP Program - Judy Donahue
Director, Voter Service - Sue McCollister
Director, Voter Service - Kim Steinke
Director, Natural Resources - Carole Swinehart
Director, Natural Resources - Sandy Collinson
Director, Sandy Haughton
Director, Webpage - Julie Schmidt
Director, Print Media - Cathy Heng
Director, Sharron Such
Director, Terry Townley
Director, Bay County Convener - Pam Saddler
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| LWV-Bay County (geographical unit of LWV Midland Area) |
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When you visit our sponsors, please identify yourself as a LWV Member
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