"I don't know any of these people that are on my ballot!" This, or something similar, is a common call to the League of Women Voters of Manatee County. Hear where the candidates stand on key issues, and get the information you need to vote with confidence. Join us as we learn about the School Board candidates running for the seat in District 2 and District 5. | |
School Board District 2 Candidate Forum:
Wednesday, June 24
From 12:00 noon - 1:00 pm
Via Zoom
Candidates JT White, James T Golden, Margi Nanney, Sharon Jefferson and Cindy Spray
Please click here to register for the forum
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Tuesday, June 9, 4:30 pm - Government Action Team Meeting
Click here to register for the Government Action Team meeting.
For more information, email Government Action Team Co- Chairs Holly Kennedy and Alice Newlon.
For information about National Popular Vote, email Deb Mazzaferro.
Wednesday, June 10, 4:00 pm - LWV-Manatee County (LWVMC) Board Meeting. All are welcome!
Click here to join the Board Meeting.
Thursday, June 11, 5:00 pm - Voter Services Action Team Meeting
Click here to join the Voter Services Meeting.
For more information, email Voter Services Chair Terri Kondos.
Friday, June 12, 12:00 pm - Membership/Events Committee Meeting
Click here to register for the Membership Committee Meeting.
For more information, email Felicia Jett at info@lwvmanatee.org
Wednesday, June 24, 4:00 pm - Communications Committee Meeting
Click here to register for the Communications Committee Meeting.
For more information, email Communications Committee Co-Chairs Linda Long or Chey Heath.
The Education Issues Action Team will not meet in June
For more information, email Education Chair Merrie Lynn Parker.
The Natural Resources Action Team will not meet in June
For more information, email Lyle Landon at info@lwvmanatee.org
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The LWVMC Annual Meeting & Luncheon:
A Celebration of Achievement
and a Call to Action
The Palm Aire room was alive with color as flowers and flags set the stage for a memorable afternoon. Seventy‑four members and guests signed in, purchased raffle tickets, reconnected with friends, welcomed new faces, and browsed our program booklet featuring the agenda, speaker profile, and ads from 12 generous sponsors.
Although our scheduled speaker fell ill at the last minute, Terri Kondos, LWVMC Vice President and Voter Services Chair, stepped in and, after burning the midnight oil, delivered a powerful presentation.
Celebrating a Year of “Unite and Rise”
LWVMC President Ruth Harenchar opened the meeting with a look back at an extraordinary year. Under the theme “Unite and Rise,” the League focused on strengthening civic engagement during what the League had designated as a constitutional crisis—a moment when even 3.5% of voters taking action can will create change.
This year’s accomplishments included:
- Lady Liberty yard signs seen across the county
- A spectacular Unite and Rise for Democracy Rally
- A Defending Democracy Rally on the League’s 106th birthday
- A Women’s Equality Day proclamation from the Board of County Commissioners
- A well‑attended Women’s Equality Breakfast
- Numerous public library presentations and school programs
- A tour of the Supervisor of Elections office (their largest group ever)
Read the Annual Report.
A Presentation That Electrified the Room
For 40 minutes, Terri Kondos delivered her talk, “In a Constitutional Crisis, You Can’t be Just Casually Conversant.” Her presentation—rich with history, insight, and clear actions citizens can take—was described by attendees as fascinating, motivating, and alarming all at the same time. Many requested the full script. Read Terri’s presentation.
A Major Milestone: LWVMC Becomes a 501(c)(3)
One of the year’s biggest achievements was LWVMC’s successful transition to 501(c)(3) status, making all donations tax‑deductible and strengthening our long‑term sustainability.
Thank You
A heartfelt thank‑you to everyone who helped make the Annual Meeting and Luncheon such a success—and to all our members and supporters whose dedication made this year of achievement possible.
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A Remarkable Woman
by
Hollis Raphael Weisman
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Sylvia Raphael was a fervent believer in voter engagement and civic education. A former history teacher in the New York City public school system, she continued her activism after she left her job to become a full-time homemaker. While living in Glen Cove, Long Island, she became president of the League of Women Voters in that city, and after moving to Maryland in the mid-1960s, continued her engagement as a LWV board member, sometime campaign manager, lobbyist and leader in political education among senior citizens and in the schools.
Sylvia was a seasonal resident of Longboat Key for 30 years. In 2014, she and her husband sold their secondary house in Silver Spring, Maryland and moved into an Ericson retirement community nearby. The community, the largest one run by Ericson, straddles Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in Maryland. The first thing Sylvia did after moving there was to seek out the League of Women Voters chapter, only to learn that it was moribund. That was unacceptable to Sylvia. She began talking to her neighbors and friends in the community, setting up meetings, and eventually creating a lively chapter that lobbied on various issues and hosted speakers monthly. Sylvia was program chair. She believed firmly in civic and voter education, concluding that everyone who was properly educated would come to agree with her on politics.
Sylvia was shocked to learn that although Maryland had established a system of ballot drop boxes, there were no drop boxes at Riderwood. Drop boxes were especially essential in a community where many residents had mobility problems and where many residents did not drive. Sylvia took action, calling and meeting with elections officials on two fronts: one in Montgomery County and one in Prince George’s County. By the 2016 elections, there were two drop boxes on the Riderwood campus for Montgomery County residents and one for Prince George’s County residents. Sylvia also worked to arrange for bus transportation for those who wanted to go the polls in person.
Sylvia died on January 5, 2024, at the age of 96. Her daughter, Hollis Weisman, remains a member of the LWV in Manatee County, a volunteer teacher of American government and constitutional history, and the proud recipient of her mother’s legacy.
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Be Sure to Vote on August 18:
School Board Elections May Be Decided*
by
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Dr. Barbara J. Ehren
Chair, Education Committee
NAACP- Manatee Branch
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Dr. Merrie Lynn Parker
Chair, Education Issues Action Team - LWV Manatee County
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School board elections are critical contests in the election cycle in Manatee County. We need to identify the best leaders to serve our diverse student population. Our future depends on it. That process begins and may end in August, a surprise to many voters. To prepare for August voting, the time to vet school board candidates is now. It is not too early to attend candidate forums and other events featuring school board candidates.
As Florida voters, when many of us think of August, we think of primary elections, when candidates within specific political parties are chosen to run as their party’s choice in an upcoming November election. Because of this occurrence, August is widely considered as the month of primary races. Although it is that, thinking of August only as the time when primary races are decided is a real problem for our community, because school board races can be decided in August, and voters may not turn out in the same numbers as voters in November.
Here’s how school board elections in Florida work: They are non-partisan races, meaning that candidates do not run as a candidate of a political party, even though they may be a registered member of that party. They run in an August election. You do not have to be registered as a member of a political party to vote in the August Election for school board. Your choice for school board will be limited to those candidates running to represent the district within which you reside.
“If two or more candidates run for a school board seat, a nonpartisan primary election is held. If a candidate gets a simple majority of votes (50% + 1 vote) in the primary election, they are elected to office outright, provided no write-in candidate qualifies for the general election. If no candidate gets a majority, the two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election” (Ballotopia, n.d ). This process makes it a little confusing for voters. The school board election is still listed as a “primary,” but in reality, it may be the final election, if a candidate receives a simple majority.
If you think that public education is a foundation of our democracy, as did Thomas Jefferson, then you want your vote to count in school board elections. You need to vote in August for that to happen. If a candidate wins a majority of votes, the election is over. If no candidate receives a simple majority, then vote again in November.
If this explanation is more than you want to know, just remember: “Vote for School Board Candidates in August.”
*A similar version of this article appeared in The Bradenton Times 4/30/26
| | Florida Redistricting and Manatee County:
What You Need to Know | | Redistricting is reshaping Manatee County in ways that will affect every resident — from how our communities are represented to how our local government functions. To understand the full picture, join us for an in‑depth presentation by Terri Kondos, Vice President of the League of Women Voters of Manatee County and a Board Member of the League of Women Voters of Florida. | |
| Meet Our New Manatee County School District Superintendent | | |
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On April 21, 2026 Dr. Laurie Breslin, the Manatee School District Superintendent joined the LWVMC Education Issues Action Team members and guests. Dr. Breslin answered their questions about our school district and its schools. | | |
Mya Harden
Ruth Hart
Katherine Greene
Denise Jenkins
Isera Miller
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Erica Sheppard
Tia Sheppard
Tom Stockebrand
Ruth Thomas
Dwana Washington
| | Don't let the name fool you. EVERYONE is welcome. | | The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization working to protect and expand voting rights and ensure everyone is represented in our democracy. We empower voters and defend democracy through advocacy, education, and litigation, at the local, state, and national levels. | | | | |
