Letter from the President
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This time of unprecedented change across the globe is also, unexpectedly, a time of
internal transition for the League of Women Voters of Illinois - as we say goodbye to our Executive Director, Audra Wilson. From the time she joined us in October 2018, Audra has believed firmly in the power and possibility of the League. She has been committed to increasing the visibility of the LWVIL and positioning us as leaders in advocacy, voter education and protecting the rights of voters. We are grateful for Audra’s contributions and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.
As we move forward, it is the Board’s priority to maintain the stability and support that you need to continue to lead the way in voter education, protection and advocacy in your communities throughout the state. With this priority in mind, we will begin our search for a new Executive Director over the next few months.
Transitions are, by their very nature, periods of change. As a League, we have been
flexible, adapted, and worked as teams to accomplish our goals while social distancing. Members and staff have excelled in creating opportunities to grow the League. Our newfound fluency in Zoom has given us better connections across the state. Our month of weekly Legislative Hours is bringing legislators right into our living rooms. (More than 500 of us have participated so far!) And on May 18, our Virtual Lobby Day could become the largest LWVIL day of advocacy ever.
During this time of transition and change, we are celebrating our Centennial Year. We stand firmly on the foundation of our first century. This is our moment. Stepping ahead, we enter a new century of opportunities - fueled by the power of change and growth.
Sincerely,
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President
League of Women Voters of Illinois
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Hello Leaguers & Friends,
It is with a heavy heart that I inform you that I am stepping down as Executive Director of the League. I have always been impressed by the passion, enthusiasm and boundless dedication of League members; that is, indeed, the biggest strength of this organization and the reason why it has endured for 100 years. I believe wholeheartedly in our mission and the potential for this organization to be the preeminent authority in protecting and empowering voters.
2020 is still a very special year for the League. Between our centennial and upcoming Presidential election, the spotlight is shining squarely upon our mission and work. Although the pandemic has frustrated some of our plans, it has also been a blessing in that we are reinventing ourselves accordingly. Now more than ever, the League must avail itself of this very narrow window of heightened exposure and continue to make our voice heard widely and presence felt broadly.
The current crisis has rendered any time for departure in the near future inopportune. However, I am confident that the League is on the right track and will continue to thrive as it transitions into new leadership.
I have enjoyed meeting so many of you at your local League meetings and welcoming events over the past several months. Please know that I remain a League member and will continue to support its growth and development even from afar.
I only hope that in my short tenure, I have been able to make a positive impression and lay enough of a foundation upon which the organization can build as it moves into the next century of advocacy.
With hope to see you in the near future,
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Audra Wilson, Esq.
League Member
LWV Chicago
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Lobby Day has a new DATE! LWVIL Virtual Lobby Day 2020 has moved to Monday, May 18 at 1 - 2 PM. During our time together, we will hear from Legislative leaders of both parties to describe their priorities for the Illinois budget including League priorities, like:
- Mail-in-voting
- Programs in the Department of Human Services that protect the people who have been hit hardest by the pandemic
- Equitable funding for education
Our day will end with a Time For Action, asking you to contact your legislators and post on social media about your support for these issues. RSVP today!
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Protecting Access to the Ballot
LWVIL creates a plan to protect the 2020 General Election
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LWVIL developed a position and advocacy plan to ensure that all may exercise their constitutional right to vote in the November 3, 2020 Election. LWVIL leadership, Issues & Advocacy and Voter Service committees are following our LWVUS positions and are actively working with civic partner organizations and members of the General Assembly to ensure that voting for the November Election will be safe, secure and accessible for all registered voters.
LWVIL advocacy will be focused on:
Supporting mailing a ballot to all registered voters;
Supporting those who wish to vote in person with a sufficient number of polling sites;
Expanding early voting opportunities and hours of operation;
Expanding opportunities and/or simplifying procedures to request and cast a vote by mail that are fiscally supported by both state and Federal funding;
Supporting relaxation of deadlines to receive, count and verify provisional and mailed ballots to ensure all ballots are counted;
Supporting the acquisition of needed equipment, software and/or local election commission staff to process, track and count an anticipated increase in mailed and provisional ballots for all 108 election authorities;
Supporting upfront funding to election authorities for increased capacity needs;
Supporting measures to ensure the safety and health of all voters, and poll workers on election day at polling places;
Supporting community education campaigns to increase awareness of options for voting and voting procedures.
If and when the General Assembly is able to reconvene and legislative proposals are filed for consideration, League members throughout the state will be called to action and will speak with one voice to uphold the rights of all voters to cast a ballot in a safe and accessible manner. As always, it is the local leagues who can move mountains when we all push in the same direction.
We will continue to keep you apprised of our progress on this critical issue. In the meantime, we thank you for unflagging dedication to our mission.
For those who would like to get involved in this work, you can join the LWVIL Voter Service Google Group to share comments and suggestions by reaching out to the
LWVIL Office
to have your email added to the conversation.
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LWVIL Legislative Hour Series is a SUCCESS!
Federal and State Legislators talk with League members.
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In early April, LWVIL Issues & Advocacy Committee launched the LWVIL Legislative Hour,
a virtual 60 minute dialogue with Illinois legislators to discuss issues important to the League. Utilizing the online software, Zoom, each session offers invaluable space for legislators from all levels of government, to speak directly with League members about their League's priority issues and more. Past legislative guests have included: US Senator Dick Durbin, IL Senate President Don Harmon, IL State Senator Mattie Hunter, IL State Senator Julie Morrsion, IL State Senator Melinda Bush, IL Representative Terra Costa Howard, and many more.
Each event concludes with a Q&A session led by questions submitted by League members before the event and session attendees during the event. You can access recordings of past events on the LWVIL website.
The next LWVIL Legislative Hour on Monday, May 11 at 11 am, will feature key legislators answering questions about the
needs of populations which have been hardest hit by the pandemic.
Register here to attend.
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2020 Census Changes due to COVID-19
How You Can Help!
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The 2020 Census is making some changes. Due to COVID-19, several adaptions and extensions are being enacted to protect the health and safety of staff and the public, and to ensure a complete and accurate count of all communities. A revised calendar, operational guidelines and restarting status can be found on
the official United States 2020 Census website
.
These new guidelines and timelines will not stop current and future outreach by LWVIL and other organizations; they will just modify the methods that we accomplish them.
Efforts are now shifting to social media, virtual events (like Census couch parties), phone banking and mailing. Over 50% of Illinois households have already self responded, which is excellent, however many counties are lagging and interest in the Census is hard to sustain. If you would like to host a Facebook Live event or virtual meeting about the Census, please
let LWVIL know
! And don't forget to use the excellent resources on
the LWVIL website
to educate your community about the Census. #ILCountMeIn2020 #2020Census
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How to Fix the FOID
New LWVIL Gun Violence Prevention Specialist, Jim McGrath, outlines GVP priorities for 2020
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As the new Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) Specialist for the LWVIL, I'd like to provide you with my history of GVP work. I've been a member of Moms Demand Action for years and helped form the Barrington Area Moms Demand Action group. I am a member of the NWSOFA GVP group that is chaired by Natalie Warren, a Palatine Area League member. I also attend the weekly calls of the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Coalition. Lastly, I have been a member of the LWV of the Palatine Area for 3 years
So what's important for GVP in 2020? Our priority is on passing SB1966, commonly called the "Fix the FOID" or BIO (Ban Illegal Ownership) Bill which has been proposed by Senator Julie Morrison to prevent occurrences like that at the Henry Pratt Manufacturing Company on Feb 15, 2019. It has passed the House in 2019. Senate President Don Harmon as well as Governor JB Pritzker support this bill. However, with the limited time the legislature is meeting this session and with the Covid19 issues as a priority, we face an uphill battle in passing this bill this session. But that should not stop our advocacy for SB1966.
I have assembled a data base of all bills in Springfield that relate to guns. There are many gun bills that would lessen restrictions on guns. However, there are few gun bills that I will be following that the LWVIL may consider to support in the future. Two bills (HB2254 and SB3711) relate to safe gun storage. Both bills, in my opinion, require refinement before the League should support them.
The other is bill HB4776 written in support of the IASB Resolution 3 that was passed November 2019 by the IASB. While this bill is a good bill in that it would support underfunded rural schools in geographically large counties to fund SROs (School Resource Officers), it includes language to redefine an SRO which has been defined by Illinois statute. The change proposed to the SRO is not appropriate.
If you have question or would like more information on these bills or other GVP bills,
please email me
. I would like to ask anyone that would like to be kept up to date on GVP issues
to contact Morgan Lyn
and ask to be added to the GVP Google Group.
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Have Power Point, Will Travel...
virtually
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A number of the LWVIL Issues Specialists are ready and willing to virtually present programs for your local League. Programs and issues specialists available are:
- Jean Pierce, Ann Courter, and Hilary Denk – Fair Tax Amendment
- Jim McGrath – Gun Violence Prevention
- Janet Kittlaus – Criminal Justice Study
- Paula Lawson and Jane Ballengee – Fair Maps/Redistricting
- Barb Laimins – Civic Education
- Rosemary Heilemann – Abolishing the Electoral College
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100th Anniversary Article - The League in the 70's
New Article sharing the history and legacy of the League.
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A new 100th Anniversary League Article is now available! The article, entitled
League in the 70's
, is penned by League member Marge Massarello, and features great information about the LWV 50th Anniversary Convention, the creation of the National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC), and the League's support of the Equal Rights Amendment.
Don't forget
these articles can be used in your local League newsletter, on your website, as press releases to your local media and can even help in reaching out to your local history museum and/or library to start discussions about partnering for an exhibit. If you have any questions about the
100th Anniversary Committee
,
the tool kit
or articles, please reach out to 100th Anniversary Chair
Mary Kubasak
.
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In Memorium
Honoring 50+ year League members, Margaret "Peg" Price of LWV Naperville and Ann Sulzberger Wolff of LWV Winnetka-Northfield-Kenilworth
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Margaret “Peg” Price
, a two-term Naperville mayor and the first woman to be elected to the position, died Sunday at age 87. Price had a 30-year public service career and served as mayor from 1983 to 1991. She spent two terms as a city council member and served for many years in appointed county and city positions, including tenures on the Naperville Plan and Riverwalk commissions.
Peg was a role model for civic involvement; her many contributions leaving a lasting impression on her community.
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It is with great sadness to inform you of the passing of our longest term member,
Ann Sulzberger Wolff
,
at the young age of 99, Tuesday, April 21st. Ann participated continuously in the League for 75 years, first in Chicago, then on the Board of the LWVIL, and, later, making Winnetka her home, in Winnetka-Northfield-Kenilworth League. She held numerous Board positions during that time. For many years, Ann chaired our Annual Holiday Tea, hosting the three Village Presidents and Managers, who gave their annual, year-end reports at our event.
It was truly a community event, always widely attended. As recently as this past summer, Ann graciously opened her home to our July Summer Luncheon, where she cheerfully greeted a capacity number of guests. --- Chaya Rubenstein, President LWV Winnetka-Northfield-Kenilworth
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Important Dates to Remember
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Dates are subject to change due to the COVID-19 virus and safety protocols. All previously scheduled LWVIL events from March - May 1 have been cancelled. Please visit the
LWVIL Events Calendar
for the latest information.
Please note that this list of important dates is not exhaustive. You can find more events on the
LWVIL Events Calendar
.
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The
League of Women Voters Illinois Education Fund (LWVILEF)
encourages the informed and active participation in government by providing civic education and voter services.
Make a difference today
for you and your community with a
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