LWVMP Voters Voice Friday, March 8 Hello League Members and Friends, We appreciate your dedication to making democracy work! See below for upcoming ways to get involved. Questions? Contact us at [email protected] ! View as Webpage

Focus on Women in March!! Every day and every month in the calendar has been named, it seems, with a specific theme to get people's attention -- there are National "We Love Broccoli Day" and a National "Brush Day", for example, and if you Google just about anything, there's a day for it! In March, the focus for many is on women (as it should be EVERY month, right?). On March 8, International Women's Day was celebrated. That date for celebration began in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland in 1911, when celebrants rallied together in the name of "women's right to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination." The United Nations honored International Women's Day in 1975 and officially adopted it in December 1977. For a more detailed visit the official International Women's Day website! Since the mid 1990s, each year has a theme around the International celebration, and 2019's theme is #BalanceforBetter. The theme continues all year, and stands for establishing a gender-balanced world. LWVMP honors women and believes in #BalanceforBetter. Supporting the passage of the ERA in Arizona is one of the many ways we choose to do so, because it benefits all woman. How are you honoring women and supporting #BalanceforBetter? Drop by our Facebook page to share your experiences. Working together, we'll create a better world! And check out 68 Exquisite Photos of Women Resisting Around the World  to celebrate, motivate, and empower!

Welcome New Members! On February 23 and 24, LWVMP Board members, new members, and interested parties gathered in Phoenix and Scottsdale for our first New Member Orientation of 2019. We talked about the history of LWV, current initiatives, and ways to get involved. If you missed the New Member Orientation, never fear! We will have another one in a few months. Thank you to our fabulous hosts, Linda Bunting-Blake and Martha O'Connor!

LWVMP at Legislative Day 2019 Thanks to the hard work of many great LWV members, LWVAZ pulled off another great Legislative Day. On February 20, members from around the state convened at the Capitol to participate in the legslative process and engage with democracy. Over 70 members participated! We'll see you again at this great event in February 2020!

Calling All Members! Special Event on the Horizon for April + Volunteer Opportunities LWVMP is developing a series of public forums as part of our “Make Democracy Work” campaign, and we have opportunities for current and future League members to get involved. Under the leadership of Pinny Sheoran we are creating and implementing a series of public education events to explore the key pillars of a healthy democracy: voting rights; strong and fair elections, and a citizen's right to know.  The design and implementation of this series will further LWVMP’S efforts to build strong collaborations with leaders of diverse communities as well as help us develop capacity and expertise to plan and host public education events. The first event scheduled for April (date to be determined), can be described as educating citizens on how to “make democracy work” by focusing on providing answers to this question: Are your voting rights under assault? The focus of the forum will help citizens answer questions and address issues as such as: How will your voting rights be impacted at the next election? How does legislation affect your voting rights? Constitutional provisions Suppression of voting rights Voting landscape in 2020 How can you protect your rights? Are you interested in getting involved in either the design or implementation phases of these forums? The design team will develop the format and the details of the content; the implementation team will work on the logistics of organizing the event.  Please contact [email protected] if you would like more information and to lend your expertise to either team.

38 Miles for the ERA Hosted by the ERA Task Force and National Council for Jewish Women, 38 Miles for the Era is a grassroots effort here in Arizona to lobby legislature to pass the ERA here in Arizona. It draws on the history of the 1913 Suffrage Hikers in Newark, NJ , when supporters of women's rights marched to Washington, D.C. to join the National American Women Suffrage Association parade on for March 3. Join supports of the ERA for a 3 day march beginning and ending at the Arizona State Capitol. See information below, or open link . ALSO, if you want to link up with other League members who are marching , contact Rikvo Knox, [email protected] When: March 11-13, 2019 ]March 1: We’ll meet and park at Phoenix First Church UCC 1407 N 2nd St, Phoenix, AZ 85004 at 10:30 a.m. and walk to the Capital for a noon press conference. From the Capital, we’ll hike past sites significant to women’s progress and end the first day at Sandra Day O’Connor House 1250 N College Ave, Tempe, AZ 8528 (13.8 miles). Tuesday, March 12 We’ll begin at 8:30 a.m. at Sandra Day O’Connor House, hike to the Piestewa Peak trail head then continue on to the office of Arizona’s first woman senator, Kyrsten Sinema 2200 East Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85016 (13.5 miles). Wednesday, March 13  We’ll start 8:30 a.m. at Senator Sinema’s office and conclude at the State Capitol. This is not an LWVMP event.

March Team Meetings Phoenix Community Meeting (Day) Wednesday, March 13, 9:30 AM Location: The Terraces, 7550 N. 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85020 Topic: As a follow up to the January program about the Human Services Campus, presented by Amy Schwabenlender, Executive Director, we will tour the Campus. We will meet in the lobby of the Terraces at 9:30 a.m.; organize into car pools; arrive at the Campus about 10:150 a.m. for a 90 minutes tour of the facilities, followed by lunch at a nearby location (paid for by each individual).  Contact info: Rivko Knox at [email protected], 602-942-6436, or 602-430-5287 Phoenix Community Team (Evening) Wednesday, March 13, 7:00 PM Location: Burton Barr Library, 1221 N Central Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85004. Topic: This meeting will include a “Book Club” discussion of Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Rage by author Rebecca Traister. Contact info: Linda Bunting-Blake at 480-201-0780 or Linda Holman Bentley at [email protected] Scottsdale Community Team (Day) Thursday, March 14, 9:30 AM Location: Scottsdale Congregational Church, 4425 N Granite Reef Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Topic: Bring a brown bag lunch for social time after the program. We will have a guest speaker from the Arizona Advocacy Network, Alison Marciniak. She will be talking about their Clean Elections initiative. Contact info: Ethel DeMarr at [email protected] East Valley Community Team (Evening) Tuesday, March 19, 6:00 PM Location: Dayspring United Methodist Church, 1365 E. Elliot Road, Tempe, AZ, 85284 Topic: We will discuss team focus, and current political issues. Contact info: Laura Hudson at [email protected] East Valley Community Team (Day) Thursday, March 21, 11:30am Location: 400 E Alameda Drive, Tempe, AZ 85282 Topic: Bring a brown bag lunch and discuss 3 important LWV issues: voting rights, education, and women's issues. We will explore insights on each subject as well as actions we can take as individuals. Contact: Marjorie Thornton at [email protected]

This is the second forum hosted by the ERA Task Force. When: Friday, March 15, 10:00-11:00 a.m. Where: Arizona State Capital Executive Tower, 3rd Floor, 1700 W. Washington St., Phoenix, 85007 Current confirmed speakers include: Rep. Steve Andersson (R-IL), a co-sponsor and pro-life Republican who was instrumental in getting the ERA passed in 2018 making Illinois the 37th state to ratify. He has since retired but is supporting the efforts of other states to ratify. Pastor Matt Rundio, Scottsdale First Church of the Nazarene Roxana Bacon, Former President of the State Bar of Arizona The ERA Task Force will update their Facebook page as more information is added. This is not a LWVMP event.

Support Passage of the ERA in Arizona by Becoming an ERA Sentinel These sentinels will stand outside the capitol every day of the legislative session wearing an ERA sash. This keeps the issue in our legislators' faces and seeing the variety of people there will remind them that it's not just a few women who want to see this passed. We want at least two volunteers for each shift from 8-12 in the morning and 12-4 in the afternoon, Monday - Thursday, January 15- the end of April. Instructions: If you are the first person at the Capitol for the day, you’ll pick up the bags for that day’s sentinels along with 2 ERA rounds from Senator Steele’s assistant on the 3rd floor. Go up the elevator of the Senate building and have the security officer there call her assistant – tell her (or him) that you’re there to pick up ERA bags from Senator Steele’s assistant. Morning sentinels will hand off the rounds and bags to the afternoon sentinels. If you’re the last sentinel shift you’ll return the ERA rounds to Senator Steele’s office. You may need to leave them with the security guard in the lobby – no signs are allowed in the building. Inside of the bag you’ll find a sash, a water bottle, a post card & some fliers. The sash is yours to keep and we hope you'll wear it whenever you're at the Capitol for whatever reason. Please keep yourself hydrated and protected from the sun. Thank you so much for standing up for women’s equality! If you have any questions, please contact Rebecca McHood at  [email protected] . To sign up for volunteer shifts, please click here . Location: AZ State Capitol

Have you attended a Morning Scoop yet? LWVMP loves this program, and you'll often find members in attendance. The upcoming program is on March 26 at 7am, and covers the topic of health. As described on the website, the program will cover opioids, Medicaid, and health plans. You will join policymakers and experts to explore these issues and how they effect Arizona today. When: Tuesday, March 26 at 7:00 a.m. Where: 3550 N Central Avenue, Phoenix AZ 85012 Register for free by visiting the webpage. Although some Morning scoops do require a payment of $25, the March 26 program is free. This is not a LWVMP event.

PUBLIC COMMENT Help County leaders understand your voting experience in Maricopa County In the last Voters' Voice newsletter, mention was made of a working group formed by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, to study if or how election structure, staffing and technology should be changed to make elections more efficient and the experience better for voters. This working group of 10 is providing you, the voter, with an opportunity to provide your input . What have you liked about your voting experiences, and what have you not liked? Do you like the early voting option? Do you like the idea of voting centers, where you can vote out-of-precinct, several weeks before election day? Did you find it confusing to have some polls on election that were voting centers, along with some that were precinct-based?  Do you like the concept of all-mail elections?  What are your thoughts on emergency voting centers? Here is the website where you can provide your PUBLIC COMMENT, and also learn about the goals of the committee and the Board's guidelines:  https://www.maricopa.gov/4987/2019-Elections-Review-Project The preliminary report is due within 60 days.  Will my comments count? YES!   Comments received are already being provided to committee members at their weekly meetings.

Postelection Mid-term Report from Maricopa County Recorder's Office This mid-term report on election results is full of interesting information regarding our most recent election in Maricopa County. By following the link, you will learn how people voted, how advertising occured, and information on voter                                                                                        satisfaction.  If you have questions regarding the report, please contact the Recorder’s Office at [email protected]

LWVMP Supports Girls on the Run ... Join Our Team!   LWVMP is participating in the 2019 Girls on the Run Maricopa & Pinal County annual 5K. We are putting up a team of racers (run, walk, skip...whatever!) and a cheering team.    More about Girls on the Run: At Girls on the Run (GOTR) we inspire girls to recognize their inner strength and celebrate what makes them one of a kind. Trained coaches lead small teams through our research-base curricula which includes dynamic discussions, activities and running games. Over the course of the 10 week program girls in 3rd-8th grade develop essential skills to help them navigate their worlds and establish a lifetime appreciation for health and fitness. The program culminates with the girls positively impacting their communities through a service project and being physically and emotionally prepare to complete a celebratory 5K event.   In addition to this being a celebration for the girls, the 5K is open to the public and serves as a fund-raiser for scholarships and program support. Our goal is to never turn a girl away due to hardship; and so far, we haven’t had to! Between the girls, their families, sparkle runners and community runners we anticipate over 5000 people on race day-- our biggest turn-out yet! This also marks the 15 th  season for Girls on the Run, Maricopa and Pinal County so expect to have a lot of FUN! League Member Susan Walter s  is our Captain. She kindly set up the teams for us. Please see the instructions below to sign up: LWV-MP is an official ‘team’ for the Girls on the Run 5k . Here’s the link for signing up:   https://www.gotrmc.org/5K   LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS – MP Complete the on-line form:

For those wishing to run the public 5K : Choose REGISTER NOW JOIN AN EXISTING TEAM In the drop down, choose LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS – MP Complete on-line form  For those wishing to volunteer : Scroll down and Choose LEARN MORE ABOUT 5K VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Choose REGISTER AS A VOLUNTEER TODAY! JOIN AN EXISTING TEAM In the drop down, choose LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS – MP Complete on-line form

Articles of Interest In this section of the Voter's Voice, we seek to include links to articles membership may find informative. An end to second-class citizenship? Arizona, don’t let us down Arizona bill to expand diaper-changing tables is popular, but one lawmaker is blocking it Arizona income tax credits are 93,000% larger for companies than individuals Arizona lawmakers can honor Justice O'Connor by passing the Equal Rights Amendment Bill makes getting paid to register voters a crime equal to domestic violence Despite Teachers' Strike Success, Their Schools Are Still Funded Less Than a Decade Ago McSally, Sinema unite on bill to expand federal court access in Arizona Partisan fight over buyback of state Capitol Voting is the cornerstone of our democracy. Why do some legislators want it to be harder to vote?

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