The Voter

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President's Message

Membership changes coming

Migration is slow, but on the way

On Feb. 3, LWVUS migrated to the new membership database. As might be expected with such a large project, there have been some glitches along the way. They have slowed the rollout to occur in stages, starting with board members and smaller Leagues before moving to the larger Leagues. Please be patient as we work through the transition.

All members will eventually receive an email to log in for the first time to “claim your membership.” This just means that you will login and update your membership information. It's important that you login to ensure we have the most up-to-date information, as well as help the League more broadly understand who we are as an organization.

• Once you have access to the portal, you will be able to update your own information, including contact information. 
• You will not be asked to renew again until a year after your most recent renewal. At that time, you will receive an email reminder and be given the option to sign up to auto-renew annually. Your membership will last a year after your last renewal.
• Dues will be pay-what-you-can. The recommended dues amount for all members across the country will be $75, but members can pay any amount (minimum $20).
• There will still be an option to make an additional contribution directly to LWVAC during the second step of the membership renewal process. In the past, many members made a $50 donation through a “Susan B. Anthony” membership. With the new system, after joining or renewing, a second screen will offer an opportunity to make a donation that will go exclusively to our local League, if specified. Thank you for considering this option.
• There will still be the option to renew by check for members who don't use the internet, but members who can access the portal to renew are encouraged to do so.

We hope these changes will make managing your membership easier. On a League level, the change is expected to boost our national membership and bolster our ability to empower voters and defend democracy.

Find answers to FAQs here. Learn more from LWVUS here.

New ways to stay informed

Leaders needed

LWVAC officer nominations

The terms for several members of our Board of Directors end in June:

President (Janice Garry)

Vice President (Gwendolyn Saffo)

Directors (Marcia Storch, Lisa Holley and one open director position)

Janice suggests we have co-presidents. It would share the workload, be fun and would offer the benefit of two skill sets. Per the bylaws, Janice will remain on the board as Past President and will assist the new president, or co-presidents, as needed.

Donna Waller is leading the Nominating Committee to solicit people to fill those positions. Elaine Francis and Candy Birch are the non-board member committee members and Diana Boxer is a board member on the committee.

Lobby Days

Leon County, here we come!

On March 11-12, League members from across the state will trek to Tallahassee to meet with legislators and fight for the future of our state.

Florida League Lobby Days is one of the League's most powerful advocacy events of the year. This is your chance to step inside the Florida Capitol, meet with state legislators, and make sure our elected leaders hear directly from the people they represent. When we show up together, we send a clear message: we refuse to be ignored.

The League helps cover attendees' costs. If you are interested, please contact Janice at janice.garry@gmail.com. Don't miss out on the special hotel rate, which ends Feb. 18.

Civics challenge

Growing Civics, History challenge programs need support

Last year, over 2,000 students in the Alachua County Public Schools (ACPS) took part in the Civics Challenge competition! Co-sponsored by the ACPS and our local League, the Challenge has been shining a spotlight on the importance of studying civics in our public middle schools for eight years.

Last year, we expanded to include a competition for high school students studying U.S. history. But as we grow, so do our expenses. Public schools are stretched to the limit in their budgets, so we are asking you to help keep the Challenge going by making a financial contribution.

The Civics Challenge helps guarantee that future voters understand how our government works, its checks and balances, and how it evolved.

You can help us to keep challenging our students by clicking on this link and donating via Paypal or your credit card. When the box pops up titled, “Special Instructions” please type in “Civics Challenge.”

Or you can write a check to ACPS and mail it to ATTN: Jon Rehm, Alachua County Public Schools, 620 E University Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32607. Please be sure to write “Civics Challenge” on the memo line of your check.

If you wish to learn more about the Civics Challenge, or become an official sponsor, please click on this link for more information. Thank you for helping prepare tomorrow’s citizens! For questions about tax deductions, please consult your tax professionals.

Thank you for your interest in helping students become good citizens. Questions? Contact Sue Hatch.

Want to vote by mail?

Hint! It's time to request to Vote by Mail

Did you know ALL Florida voters who want to vote by mail in 2025 & 2026 need to submit a NEW vote-by-mail ballot request to their county Supervisor of Elections?

You must renew your request every two years! Pursuant to Florida law, the maximum amount of time your request can be honored is "[f]or all elections through the end of the calendar year of the next regularly scheduled general election."

In other words, renew your request for a vote-by-mail ballot at the beginning of each odd-numbered year. Renew your request now: VoteAlachua.gov/Voters/Vote-by-Mail

Do you need a speaker?

Join the speakers bureau

Are you interested in keeping LWVAC top of mind even when it's not an election year? Then please consider joining the Speakers Bureau Committee.Our small-but-mighty group does enjoy making presentations, but we also need help from those who would prefer not to do the public speaking. Contact Candy Birch if you would like to talk through how you can contribute. We would love the help of Spanish speakers as well.

If you know of a group that needs a speaker, here are some of our topics:

• Building resilience to mis/disInformation
• Gun violence prevention in Alachua County
• Medicaid expansion in Florida
• Restoring voting rights to felons
• Civics/civility/critical thinking 

Committee updates

Campus Outreach

Santa Fe College

Linda Mussillo, LWVSF liaison/adviser

Gianna Rivera, LWVSF chapter president

Follow us on Instagram

The LWVSF chapter has several campus events members plan to use to educate students about the League's central mission and legislative issues. This week, we will help spread messages of love and tolerance during a Valentine's Day tabling event where students can make message pins and learn about the League. The group plans to send three students and its adviser to Lobby Days in March and to a banned-book outing to the Lynx bookstore where a banned-book scavenger hunt is likely.

University of Florida

Diana Boxer, LWVUF liaison/adviser

Stefanie Gadalean, LWVUF chapter president

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Gun Violence Prevention and Safety

Contact: Gwendolyn Saffo

Concern about gun violence is top of mind for many national, state and local organizations. The League of Women Voters of Florida has identified Gun Safety as an issue it supports and the LWVAC is collaborating with the local organizations such as MOMs Demand Action and the Community Gun Violence Prevention Alliance.

In the first year, members oriented themselves to community priorities and activities to see how best we can contribute to local solutions. The community has relied on data from a variety of sources such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local law enforcement. Recognizing the need for comprehensive local data, we are working to gather this information. The committee is working under a two-year action plan and will use the report as part of our toolkit to raise community awareness. 

The committee meets on Zoom the third Tuesday each month at 6:30 p.m. The next meeting is Feb. 19. 

Meeting ID: 874 0958 3526

Passcode: 962879

Did you know? The most common cause of firearm mortality in Florida and Alachua County is suicide. There were 13 suicide deaths in 2019. In 2023, the number was 30. The increase in suicides is behind the increased firearm fatality rates in Alachua County.

Health Care

Contacts: Barbara Frentzen and Kim Walsh-Childers

Dr. Alex Monaco will speak at 5 p.m. on March 10 at Oak Hammock on how Florida's abortion legislation is affecting patients and ob-gyn providers, recruitment of medical residents and faculty retention.

Committee members at the Feb. 10 meeting heard updates on Medicaid expansion petitioning, gun safety and the committee's collaboration with the Gun Violence Prevention and Safety Committee.

The group discussed concerns about the recent NIH's under-challenge reductions in "indirect costs" that are a part of federal health funding. The next meeting starts at 4 p.m. on March 10.

Oak Hammock

Contacts: Mary White

On Feb. 11, Oak Hammock hosted Professor Ted Bridis, UF College of Journalism lecturer and former AP Pulitzer Prize editor, and two University of Florida student investigative reporters to discuss the challenges of investigative reporting. A recording is available here.

This month, Danaya Wright, a professor of Constitutional Law at the UF Levin College of Law, will discuss amending the Constitution and the Equal Rights Amendment. The meeting is on March 11 at 7 p.m. in the Oak Room at Oak Hammock. All are welcome.

Voter Services

Contact: Dillon Boatner

Earlier this month, the Voter Services committee heard from Gainesville Commissioner James Ingle who encouraged us to let our state legislators know that the people of Gainesville have spoken about GRU control and that their decision should stand.

Rep. Chad Johnson 850-717-5022

Rep. Yvonne Hinson 850- 717-5021

Sen. Jennifer Bradley 850-487-5006

Sen. Stan McLain 850-487-5009

At our March 5 meeting, Mayor Harvey Ward will take us on a deep dive into the city's ever-changing relationship with state and federal government.



Join us on Zoom the first Wednesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. And stay tuned for volunteer tabling and voting rights restoration opportunities in the spring.

Comments, Questions, Feedback? Contact the editors, Connie Nicklin and Mickie Anderson

LWV of Alachua County Leadership Team

President: Janice Garry

Vice President: Gwendolyn Saffo

Secretary: Diane Dimperio

Treasurer: Anne D’Amico

A full list of LWV of Alachua County Board Members and Committee Chairs can be found here.

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