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September 2017
President's Letter
Happy September!
Our Committee Chairs are hard at work, scheduling meetings to plan events for the coming  year. Make sure to check the calendar for these upcoming dates. Consider getting involved by  joining a committee (or 2!) and attending a planning meeting. It's a great opportunity for you to  contribute your ideas.

Mark your calendars for the League kickoff event on Tuesday, September 19, at 7:00 p.m. at
the Main Library Veterans Room for the presentation "Home is a Human Right: An Immigration  Update". It's a great time to meet other members and learn about one of our major areas of
focused activism: immigration.  Share the flyer with a friend or neighbor.

We are moving a little closer to completing the application to the IRS to become a 501(c)(3)
organization. We hope to finalize the documents in early October.

The League of Women Voters National Convention will assemble in Chicago from Thursday,
June 28 to Sunday, July 1, 2018. Illinois is the host, so there's an all-call for volunteers in order
to help make this convention a success. Add it to your 2018 calendar! More details to come.

Check out a new "meet and greet" event "Leaguers Who Lunch." It is an informal monthly lunch
gathering for members who are free to meet up at a casual restaurant for socializing and
informal discussion of our issues. Maybe that turkey club sandwich with a side of sweet potato
fries will get your ideas flowing... (Attendees pay for their own meals.) Watch for information in our Week in Preview Monday email and the calendar.

From the archives of 1915-1919
Notes from the meeting of the Suburban Civics and Equal Suffrage Association:
● There were a lack of ballots for women at the primaries of 4/11/1916
● Report on moving pictures: great need of censorship in Oak Park
● Petition presented to the Village Board for waste baskets in the parks: failed - lack of
funds
● Program discussion of proposition to remove streetcar tracks from Chicago Avenue
● Proposed bylaw change to insert "to attain full suffrage ": lost by one vote
● Discussed desirability of men members, approved as full members.
● Program - Junior High proposition
● Amendment was introduced into Congress for a Constitutional Amendment for Women's
Suffrage
● Scarcity of garden seeds for war gardens

I hope you enjoy this small window into the early events of the organization in its infancy, prior
to its formalizing into the League of Women Voters. We have such a wonderful wealth of history.
It is up to you to add to our present events so future members can enjoy reading about us.

Marge Massarello
Automatic Voter Registration 
On August 28,  Illinois Gov. Bruce  Rauner signed SB 1933 which will make it possible for  residents of the state to register to vote electronically  when they apply for a driver's license or a state ID,  unless they opt out. Illinois becomes the 10th state to  allow automatic voter registration. According to the
legislation, the Secretary of State's office will handle the  process which is expected to be up and running in time  for the 2018 elections.
According to Common Cause Illinois, one of the biggest  proponents of automatic voter registration, as many as  two million eligible Illinois residents are not registered  to vote. This legislation improves accessibility to the  ballot, especially for rural voters, active military  personnel, and senior citizens.
Although a previous version of the legislation passed  the General Assembly in 2016, it was vetoed by Rauner  over concerns about voter fraud and potential conflicts  with federal law. This current version of the bill signed by  Rauner complies with the Real ID Law, which ensures  that only legal Illinois residents will be registered. It  passed the General Assembly unanimously on June 29 and was sent to the Governor then. Thanks to everyone who called the Governor's office to encourage his approval of this bill.
Renew Your Membership!
Our membership increased dramatically after the Presidential Election last year. New members wanted to join an organization that had a great reputation for civic education and activism. We nurtured and grew our reputation over the last 93 years with dedicated and active members. It's time to renew your membership to keep our legacy going. Two easy ways to renew: online or by mailing in a renewal form. Calls and email reminders have gone out to 40 members who are past due. Now it's your turn. Renew today!
Fall Plant Fundraiser
We did so well with our Spring Plant Fundraiser, we decided to schedule a Fall Plant Fundraiser! Thanks to the Good Earth Greenhouse, 7900 W. Madison, River Forest, we will receive 10% of sales done on the following days; Friday, 9/15, 9:00am-6:00pm, Saturday, 9/16, 9:00am-5:00pm, and Sunday, 9/17, 10:00am-5:00pm. Shop for mums, asters, and perennials for next year. A great way to dress up your garden and help the League!
Membership Committee - Monday, September 11, 7:00 pm. Set goals and plans for this year. At Marilyn Cantisano's house.  Contact Marilyn for more information.
Environnment Committee - Monday, September 18, 6:30 pm, Oak Park Township Sr. Room, 130 S. Oak Park Ave. Seeking members who are interested in protecting our environment. Contact Beverly Graham or Marsha Borders for more information.
Voter Service Committee - Thursday, September 28, 7:00 pm. Set plans for the coming year. At Peggy Kell's house. Contact Peggy for more information.
Archives Dig - Do you enjoy searching through the archives at the Oak Park River Forest Historical Society? We may have a task for you. Contact Marge Massarello if you are interested in exploring our community circa 1918.
Chicago in Focus - A Look Inside a Broken System, speaker Sheriff Tom Dart, September 25, 5:30-7:00pm. Flyer
Civic Lab Training - Tom Tresser sponsors trainings in grassroots campaigning and community organizing during the fall months. Registration and a fee for each session. Read more here.


League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest  
(708) 342-0803
  [email protected] | http://lwvoprf.org
P.O. Box 3301
Oak Park, IL 60303-3301
[email protected]

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