THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS IS A NONPARTISAN, GRASSROOTS NONPROFIT

DEDICATED TO EMPOWERING EVERYONE TO FULLY PARTICIPATE IN OUR DEMOCRACY.

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President's Message

The League of Voters of Sarasota County is positioned to boldly move forward in this crucial election year.

Thanks to our hardworking leadership team and determined volunteers, 2023 was a year of action and impact. Our first action was the creation of a strategic plan focused on growing our audience and expanding our impact on voter empowerment. Among our accomplishments:

Forging new partnerships with other nonpartisan organizations
Implementing new tactics to overcome voter registration obstacles imposed by legislation
Getting Reproductive Rights on the ballot
Elevating our social media reach and profile
Establishing the League as an unbiased, reliable resource for Sarasota voters through editorials, school and hospital board report cards, candidate forums and numerous educational programs.

Our “2024 Get Out the Vote Action Plan” is ready to implement!

This year, for the first time, the LWVSRQ will communicate directly with registered voters throughout Sarasota County. Our plan includes promoting vote411.org, alerting voters to important election deadlines and eligibility, conducting candidate forums and educating voters about the constitutional amendments on the November ballot.

Don’t let this parade pass you by! Jump on the bandwagon!

Become a member! Join an Action Team! Get certified to register voters! Help us engage younger voters! Donate to our Education Fund!

You can make a difference! Let’s work together to "Get Out the Vote"!

In League.

Shawn Bartelt

President

president@lwvsrq.org

STOP BEING A BYSTANDER!

Join Today!

The Nominating Committee is Reaching Out!

Would you like to take a more active role in promoting the League’s mission of voter education and advocacy? At our annual meeting in April, we will be electing three positions for the nominating committee and several positions on the Board of Directors. The nominating committee members will serve for one year and the elected Board of Directors members will serve for two years.

Please contact Kathy McEachran , Chair of the Nominating Committee, if you have any questions or wish to place your name on the ballot.

Yes! I'm Interested!

We Have Great News to Start the New Year!

Thanks to the efforts of our petition heroes and so many others across the state, the proposed constitutional amendment aimed at ensuring abortion rights is on the verge of meeting the petition-signature requirement.

Now the Florida Supreme Court must sign off on the proposed ballot wording...

For adoption, 60% of the voters must approve this proposed constitutional amendment in November.

So...we will still need to register and educate voters. Let's get busy!

Upcoming Events

Why the League Should Focus On Its Core Competencies

January 10th, 10:45-12 Noon

Gulf Coast Community Foundation Philanthropy Center

This is a members only event.

Pew Research finds that 54% of Americans favor stricter gun laws, 61% want legal abortions, 75% support efforts to reduce climate change. So why haven’t laws been passed? Because people who respond to surveys aren’t necessarily voters!

The League of Women Voters is uniquely equipped to educate, register and activate voters. However, over time the League has expanded its issues. There are concerns that the League has spread itself too thin. Read more...

Join us for lunch afterwards at Brick's Smokehouse!

R.S.V.P.

Let Your Voice Be Heard!

Join us on January 23rd & 24th as we converge on Tallahassee and push our legislative agenda forward. Lobby Days marks a unique opportunity to humanize our legislative priorities with our state lawmakers. The League's reach has continued to grow over the past year and we're excited to show that off in the halls of our state capitol.

Learn More

Proposed Changes to our Comprehensive Plan Could Affect Us All!

Lourdes Ramirez scored two court victories against Sarasota County's approval of mega-sized hotels on Siesta Key this past year. Lourdes will tell us how she challenged our local government and won in court. However, recently proposed changes to our Comprehensive Plan would circumvent the court's ruling.

Lourdes and Susan Schoettle, former assistant county attorney and president of Keep the Country, Inc., will explain how these proposed changes and other challenges to growth management could impact Siesta Key, Lakewood Ranch SE and all future development.

"The Sarasota News Leader", a subscription only digital newspaper that is truly local, just published two very comprehensive articles about this court case and the current efforts underway to skirt the court's ruling. We are very grateful to the publisher, who has offered to share these articles with us, free of charge!

First District Court of Appeal upholds DOAH ‘Final Order’

County Commission repeals October 2021 land-use change

This event will be live-streamed on our Facebook page .

"OMG, The Loser Won!"

Why We Need a National Popular Vote!

Learn how that has happened in two of the past six presidential elections and why a national popular vote compact would ensure that every vote counts! Learn more...

Wednesday, February 21st, 5-6PM

via Zoom

VOTER SERVICES IN ACTION

WE NOW HAVE 34 VOTER REGISTRATION CERTIFIED MEMBERS

In the coming months we will reach out to the local minority community and work with other likeminded non-profits to inform and assist voters. Additionally, thanks to the resources available through LWVFL, we will continue to send out postcards to returning citizens. We have also applied for a grant to help us in this important work.

Join Our Voter Registration Team!

Events Recap

December Membership Meeting

All Hands Were on Deck!

Deb Chandler, LWVFL Co-President Shares Her Deep League Experience on How to Connect With Voters

Members, new and active, introduced themselves and engaged with President Shawn Bartelt, Committee Chairs and Action Team Leaders who laid out our "Get Out the Vote" strategy for the 2024 elections.

Eco Summit

On December 5-6, the Science and Environmental Council sponsored an Eco Summit at Van Wezel Hall. LWV Sarasota participated as a sponsor and exhibitor to promote awareness of LWVSRQ in our community and of our recently formed Natural Resources Action Team.

The event was a lively and entertaining solutions-oriented experience with lectures, panel discussions, storytelling, and music. Experts shared insights and innovations for recharging our environment and reducing our impacts — crucial to sustaining our coastal community’s quality of life.

The LWVSRQ table was staffed by our faithful volunteers who collected twenty names of those who want to receive our emails as well as dozens of signed petitions for Reproductive Rights and Clean Water. Many valuable connections were made for potential alliances related to environmental issues.

Holiday Luncheon

Pat Price Honored

Past President, Carol Hartz, chronicled Pat's long history of community service and her commitment to the League of Women Voters of Sarasota County. Pat was presented with a book that commemorated her accomplishments.

SarasotaVotes.gov is Well Prepared for 2024

According to our featured speaker, Ron Turner, Sarasota Supervisor of Elections, we are ready for 2024. These preparations include expanded facilities, increased staffing and new voting machines.