Friday, 9/6, 9:00AM - Membership Committee Meeting. Click here to join the Membership Commitee Meeting For more information, email Lyle Landon.



Monday, 9/9, 4:30PM Government and Gun Safety Action Teams Meeting. Click here to join the Government Action Team Meeting. For more information email Government Chair, Ginger McCallum

Monday , 9/9, 5:30PM - Reproductive Rights Action Team Meeting. Click here to register for the Reproductive Rights Action Team Meeting.

For more information, email Nancy Hughes

Wednesday, 9/11, 4:00 PM - LWVMC Board Meeting

All are welcome! Click here to join the Board Meeting

Tuesday, 9/17, 4:00PM - Education Action Team Meeting.   Click here to join the Education Action Team Meeting. For more information, email Education Chair, Merrie Lynn Parker.

Wednesday, 9/25, 5:00PM Voter Services Action Team Meeting - Click here to register for the Voter Services Team Meeting. For more information, email VS Chair Terri Kondos

Next Natural Resources Actions Team Meeting is 10/17. For more information email Ruth Harenchar.

Please participate in whatever way you are able in the Clean Water Amendment petition drive.

Thank You LWV of Manatee County Members

by Alice Newlon, Co-President of LWVMC

I am so grateful, and voters have sent many thanks as well, to our members who did so much critical work this primary election. This primary election, the League of Women Voters of Manatee County members did all this and more:

• Gathered input from candidates for voters guides (Vote411.org). Vote411.org provides candidate and ballot information including LWV-provided questions to the candidates and their responses so that voters can hear the candidate's positions, directly from the candidate.
• New this year: Printed PRIMARY voting guides for senior communities and libraries.
• Held candidate forums and posted those forums and other candidate forums that met the LWV standards on our website, lwvmanatee.org.
• New this year:  Held programs in senior communities and on Zoom on “Why Primary Elections are Important.”
• New this year: Published a series of articles which were also published in Bradenton Times, with voting information including: Why Primaries are Important, How to Evaluate a Candidate, Have a Voting Plan.
• Answered questions of individuals needing assistance that call the LWVMC telephone. Many voters in need of assistance were referred to us by the Supervisor of Elections office and our elected officials.
• Many of our members are poll workers, every election. Isn’t it wonderful that members of a nonpartisan organization is inside the polling place, assuring fair elections. This experience also deepens the League's ability to advocate effectively and with inside experience and knowledge.
• New this year: The Manatee League members were nonpartisan "election protection" volunteers. They were outside polling places and helped those who were having voting issues and also reported violations of election law outside.
• New this year: Two members monitored each canvassing board meeting - 8/16 (vote-by-mail), 8/20 (election day), 8/22 (election certification), and 8/29 (post-election audit).  The Canvassing Board has 3 local elected officials who oversee important parts of the election. This ensures that critical decisions about the election are made by a group rather than by a single person.

Women's Equity Day Remembrance

On 26 August, LWVMC celebrated Women’s Equality Day by presenting “Suffrage and the 72 Year Battle to Gain The Vote,” hosted by the Lakewood Ranch Library. 

From Seneca Falls, New York in 1848 to Nashville, Tennessee in 1920, from Elizabeth Cady Stanton to Carrie Chapman Catt, sharing the story of the movement for women’s rights and the passage of the 19th Amendment is the perfect way to mark the 104th anniversary of its ratification. The room was fascinated as the story unfolded of the heroines and heroes of the first women's rights movement. The sacrifices of U.S. Suffragists is inspiration to exercise our right to vote and honor their work that made it possible. 

Action Alert and Citizen Advocacy Success!

• Historical Sites Returned to Clerk of Courts
• State Park Development Plan Being Reworked

LWVMC sent out 2 action alerts last week: 1. To reverse a decision by the County Commission and return management of historic sites to the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller for Manatee County. 2. To stop destructive plans to put a golf course and other inappropriate development into Florida State Parks.

Thank you to the advocates for efficient and well managed county government. With the demonstrated lack of understanding by both the County Commissioners and the Manatee County Administration of the complications of transferring the management of the county's historical sites, and the lack of any valid reason to move them, the League of Women Voters of Manatee County recommended that the Commission reverse the decision. At the Aug 27 County Commissioner meeting, the Commissioners voted 6-0 to reverse this decision.

Congratulations to all the passionate nature and Florida state park advocates who spoke out against the use of state park land for a golf course, pickle ball courts and luxury resort lodging. Due to action alerts by Sierra Club, Audubon Society, League of Women Voters of Florida and shared action by concerned citizens, the Governor and the Department of Environmental Protection have decided to rework development proposals for the nine Florida state parks covered in the plan, and present them for public review next year.

Together, we have not only saved our precious state parks, for now, from irreversible harm, but reminded our leaders that they serve the people. To protect our wild places, we need to stay vigilant. When the rework of the development proposals become public, we will be ready with study, evaluations and communication.

Should School Board Elections be Partisan?

Amendment 1 in the 2024 General Election ballot would "require members of a district school board to be elected in a partisan election rather than a nonpartisan election."

After careful study, the League of Women Voters recommends a “NO” vote to Amendment 1 so that school board elections remain nonpartisan. *

Reasons given by advocates and sponsors to create partisan school board elections in Florida (A “YES” vote):

• Transparency: Some advocates say that school board races are already partisan, as a candidate’s party affiliation is easily accessible. They believe that voters want to know, up front, a candidate’s party affiliation and ideology.
• Politicization of Education: Some say that since education has already become highly politicized, partisan school board elections are a necessary outgrowth.
• Alignment with Other Partisan Races: Many other local offices are already partisan. Advocates question why school board races should be any different.

Reasons for school boards to remain nonpartisan (A “NO” vote):

• All registered voters, regardless of party affiliation can vote in nonpartisan elections. Nearly 4,000,000 NPA voters in Florida would be excluded from voting for school board candidates in primaries if school board elections become partisan. In some circumstances, only voters of one party would have a say in selecting candidates.
• In nonpartisan elections, a candidate must obtain more than 50% to win. In partisan elections, a candidate can win with less than 50%. Currently, if no candidate obtains more than 50% of the vote in the primary, there is a run-off in the general election with the top two candidates. If school board elections become partisan, the candidate with the most votes in the primary, whether is it 50% or not, goes on to the general election or wins, if there is no opposing party candidate.
• Nonpartisan boards may have more incentives for collaboration and compromise. An effective school board requires collaboration and compromise for the greater good of the district and its students. Partisan members may make decisions based on the ‘party line’ and could increase political polarization, resulting in problems not solved and needs not met.
• Nonpartisan elections maintain local control. Partisan candidates may support their party’s agenda rather than using first-hand knowledge and experience of the local district’s needs, issues, and best interests to provide the appropriate guidance and leadership.
• Partisan elections may create a politically charged school environment. This may reduce applications from potentially exemplary board members, highly qualified teachers, effective school administrators, and community volunteers.

* To see the LWVFL white paper: https://tinyurl.com/LWVnonpartisan

Amendment 4 - The Right to Choose or The Right to Regulate

• Ashley Brown, President/CEO of Women's Resource Center, and
• Michelle Martin, Deputy Director of Grassroots/State Director of Florida for Citizens for Renewing America

Click Here to Watch the Video

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.