The Voter

November 2024

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here to view it as a webpage.

To allow our communications volunteers a break, we are sending this condensed version of The Voter, our last installment of the year. Watch for other email messages with pertinent information throughout the rest of the year.

President's Message

By Janice Garry

Dear Communications Chair,;

We are grateful that the national election took place properly due to the dedication of so many Supervisors of Elections, poll workers and volunteers. It was an emotional election with many important issues on ballots. No election pleases everybody, but every election pleases somebody.

Our League friends may be especially helpful during this post-election time. Many of us were highly committed to registering and informing voters and we can relate well to each other. This may be a time for taking a deep breath and reaching out to each other. I am available to all of you.

Because of your work, some election results that followed League recommendations.

The Local Public Utilities Referendum that would repeal the Gainesville Regional Utility Authority passed by just over 72.5%. The At-Large Districts Referendum that will return county commissioner elections in which all voters may cast ballots for all commissioners passed by nearly 72%. League leadership was involved in getting this done. Yes, there is legal action on both matters that we will continue to monitor.
The continuation of the One Mil tax for schools passed by 76%. Congratulations to our children!
State Amendment 1, that would have made school board races partisan, was rejected by 60%.
State Amendment 4 that would have limited government interference in women’s health care was favored by 68% of Alachua County voters, but, statewide did not meet the 60% criteria. But we did our part.
State Amendment 6 that would have eliminated public financing for candidates was rejected by 63%.

On a personal note, I have known Mary Alford and Anna Prizzia for years and am thrilled that both keep their spots on the county commission dais. Alachua County is in good hands.

And finally, we have finalized plans for our annual member holiday party! Woo hoo! The joy of sharing the holiday season with leaguers is something to look forward to. Rhonda Victor Sibilia and her husband are welcoming us to their home on Dec. 6. It sounds lovely. See the details below and watch for an email invitation in the weeks to come.

In League,

Janice

janice.garry@gmail.com

Volunteers in action

Getting information to the people

In the final month of the 2024 election season, LWVAC volunteers were out in force, educating voters and getting out the vote. From knocking on nearly 300 doors to tabling at dozens of community events to our Speakers Bureau team making 19 formal presentations, we touched hundreds of Alachua County voters. Over 80% of eligible voters in Alachua County cast ballots. Thank you, volunteers!

November's Hot Topic on 11/24 @ 1 p.m.

Help with Medicare

Do you have Medicare but are contemplating a change during Open Enrollment? Are you 65 years old and need information to select Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage? Are your parents or family members considering which Medicare choices to make?

Please join the LWVAC Health Committee for a presentation by Ed Weisbart, M.D., National Board Secretary of Physicians for a National Health Program, from 1-2:30 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 24, in Conference Room B at the Millhopper Branch Library, 3145 NW 43rd St. in Gainesville.

Dr. Weisbart will discuss Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, explain their advantages, disadvantages and differences. He effectively uses personal stories to explain possible problems with various choices.

Dr. Weisbart practiced family medicine for 20 years in Chicago, moved to St. Louis to become chief medical officer of Express Scripts, and after retiring, volunteered as an assistant professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

His talk will be available via Zoom. Also available in person to help answer participants’ questions will be several counselors and staff of local SHINE, or Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders, including counselor Barbara Mascari, liaison Cheryl Harris, and program specialist Nerissa Wachter.

Party time!

Gathering in Gainesville

This year's LWVAC member holiday gathering will be held on Dec. 6 at 6:00 p.m. at the home of Rhonda Victor Sibilia, 7629 SW 2nd Place, Gainesville, 32607. Please bring something for a potluck – whatever yummy dish you would like. LWVAC board members and leadership team will provide beverages.

There will be a Board/Leadership meeting at 5 p.m. Any member is welcome to attend. Then, the party kicks off at 6 and lasts until 8 p.m.

An email invitation will be sent to all members closer to the event, so mark your calendars now but watch your email for more specific details.

Other Updates

Florida legislative priorities

Each year the LWVFL sends out a list of possible legislative priorities for the upcoming spring legislative session. A separate email will arrive for you with a list of legislative priority topics. The state League will offer Zoom meetings to discuss the choices. Please begin considering what direction(s) the League should take. Did the election results offer insights that should drive League priorities? Our League will tally your responses and send them to the state League. The tallied results of all 29 local Leagues in Florida will result in our legislative priorities for the year. This is a bottom-up approach to selecting the priorities the League adopts as the most important. Please watch for the email and take the time to make your choices.

LWV membership portal changes coming in January

LWV is switching to a new member portal for all Leagues across the country. There is no action that members need to take right now, but we want to provide you with an overview of what these changes mean for you:

When the system launches in January 2025, you will receive an email to log in to the portal. Once you have access to the portal, you will be able to update your own information, including contact information. Make sure we have your preferred email address. If you would like to update the email address we use, please email us.
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 no longer be a fixed rate but 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 (min. $20), including the current dues rate.
The process to make an additional contribution directly to LWV of Alachua County during the membership renewal process may change. Watch for more information on this.
There will still be the option to renew by check for members who don't use the internet, but members who are able to access the portal and renew that way are encouraged to do so.

On a member level, we hope these changes will make managing your membership easier. On a League level, this is expected to increase membership around the country and increase our ability to empower voters and defend democracy. We will keep you informed as we have new and relevant information.

Find answers to FAQs here.

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.

League of Women Voters of Alachua County

info@lwv-alachua.org | www.lwvalachua.org

352-448-5408

To avoid missing future LWV of Alachua County email, please add our email address to your safe senders list or add the "from" address (communications@lwvac.ccsend.com) to your address book or contacts.