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THE VOTER
April 2020
Message from the Leadership Team
Goodness, what a different world we live in now - and who could have ever imagined it. In less than a month's time, we have gone from business as usual to staying at home and, when we do venture out, practicing "physical distancing." Schools and businesses are closed, meetings have been canceled, and we're all having to adapt to dramatic changes in our lives.

As difficult and heartbreaking as many of those changes are, there are a few bright spots. One of those is that we are having to learn to do things in entirely new ways, relying significantly on technology to help us accomplish many things we are accustomed to doing face-to-face. For instance, the Leadership Team met this week via Zoom for a brief discussion of a couple of items that will be addressed farther down in the newsletter. For some of us "olders," it's been challenging but fun. Eventually the virus will wane, one way or another, and it will be interesting to see how many of the changes we've made today will continue in our future.

But no matter what, our work "Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy" will never end!
Inside this issue...
  • LWV-Texas State Convention, April 18
  • Annual Membership Meeting, May 21
  • New Dates for Upcoming Elections
  • Vote by Mail
  • Celebrate 100 Years of Women's Right to Vote - Gillespie County's 100th anniversary events
LWV-Texas State Convention 2020
The League of Women Voters of Texas is going high tech! This year's first ever online Zoom Convention will be held in a webinar Saturday, April 18, beginning at 1:00 p.m. to take action on key business items - adopting a budget, board member elections, and voting on the program(s) for the next biennium. In this streamlined convention, only delegates will be in attendance. For complete information, visit LWV Texas State Convention .

LWV-Hill Country is allotted seven delegates based on the membership total of 67 as of midnight on January 31, 2020. The delegates who will attend the Convention on behalf of our League are Bunny Bond, Leadership Team member and workshop presenter; Barbara Hudson, Blanco County Unit Chair; Cathy Learoyd, Leadership Team member and workshop presenter; Sharon McCoy, member (resides in Kerr County); Julie Rosenberger, Kendall County Unit Chair; Luke Rosenberger, member (resides in Kendall County); and Janice Zitelman, Gillespie County Unit Chair.

Each delegate to the LWV Texas State Convention would normally receive a convention workbook at registration check-in. This year the Convention Committee published the workbook online ahead of the convention. This has allowed League members and delegates to read and prepare ahead of the actual convention. All members are encouraged to review the convention workbook and familiarize themselves with the items of business that delegates will be acting on.

We look forward to hearing a full report on how the new online format worked, hopefully at our annual meeting in May.
Annual Membership Meeting, Thursday, May 21
Our Annual Membership Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 21st. At this point, it is impossible to know whether we will be able to hold that meeting in person, so alternative plans are being considered just in case.

At the Annual Meeting we are required by the bylaws to adopt a local program for the ensuing year, elect the Leadership Team and members of the nominating committee, adopt the amount of dues for the next year, adopt an adequate budget, and transact such other business as may properly come before it. 

This year, in addition to those regular items of business, the Leadership Team will present bylaws revisions for approval by the membership. The revisions must be submitted in writing to the members at least 30 days prior to the Annual Meeting, so the Leadership Team plans to send them by email later this month.
New Dates for Upcoming 2020 Elections
In addition to the social distancing and stay-at-home orders Governor Greg Abbott recently issued, he announced that May 2 local elections may be moved to the November General Election. Please check with your local county elections office to learn whether your elections have been moved. The Texas Primary Runoff Election has been moved to July 14, 2020. Date changes can be found below.

Primary Runoff Elections
Last day to register to vote: Monday, June 15
Early voting begins: Monday, July 6
Early voting ends: Friday, July 10
Election Day: Tuesday, July 14

Local Elections
According to information received by LWV-Hill Country, all local elections in Bandera , Blanco , Gillespie , Kendall , and Kerr Counties have been rescheduled to Tuesday, November 3rd. Contact your county election official for further information (click on the relevant county above). The last day to register to vote in local elections and the early voting dates are the same as for the General Election shown below.

You may also visit the LWV-Hill Country's website at League of Women Voters-Hill Country Texas for dates, voting locations, and other helpful information.

General Election
Last day to register to vote: Monday, October 5
Early voting begins: Monday, October 19
Early voting ends: Friday, October 30
Election Day: Tuesday, November 3
Vote by Mail
The League of Women Voters of Texas is encouraging all eligible voters to apply to vote by mail in the comfort and safety of their own home! For the July 14th primary runoff election, applications must be received (not postmarked) by July 3, 2020.

Who is eligible?
  • 65 years or older
  • Sick or disabled
  • Out of the county during early voting and election day 
  • In jail but otherwise eligible to vote

To obtain a ballot by mail:

Even if you request an application from the Secretary of State's office, you must mail it to the county election official in the county where you are registered to vote.

For complete information and tips for filling out the application, please visit the LWVTX Vote by Mail page, or for questions or concerns, p lease contact the Secretary of State by email at   elections@sos.texas.gov  or call 800.252.VOTE(8683).
Celebrate 100 Years of Women's Right to Vote
Each year the League of Women Voters celebrates Women’s Equality Day, the anniversary of the passage of the 19 th  Amendment on August 26, 1920, giving women the right to vote.  Plans are being made now to celebrate this very important historic event.  A group of women, spearheaded by Tami King, is planning several events in Gillespie County to honor those who fought for the passage of the 19 th  Amendment and to remind all of the importance of the event.  Plans include the following events:

* Independence Day Parade - Thursday, July 4, 10 a.m., Fredericksburg Main Street, at least 100 women and girls to march in the parade wearing suffragist attire

* Gillespie County Fair Parade – Friday, August 21, 10 a.m., Fredericksburg Main Street, at least 100 women and girls to march in the parade wearing suffragist attire

* Centennial Commemoration Ceremony – Wednesday, August 26, 9 a.m., County Court House, Fredericksburg Main Street

*   Ladies Brunch – August 26, 10 a.m., 103 E. San Antonio St, Fredericksburg. Grace Chimene, current president of the League of Women Voters of Texas, will speak at the brunch. Visit  facebook.com/womensvotecentennial/  and share with your friends

If you are able to march in the parades (2 miles), please email Tami King @  womensvote100fbgtx@gmail.com .  Several LWV Hill Country members have committed to participating and will be wearing their suffragist attire with an LWV sash.  Please note that these are non-political, non-partisan events.
Mark Your Calendars
Thursday, May 21 - LWV-Hill Country annual membership meeting
Thursday, July 4 - Independence Day Parade in Fredericksburg
Tuesday, July 14 - Primary Runoff Elections
Friday, August 21 - Gillespie County Fair Parade in Fredericksburg
Wednesday, August 26 - 19th Amendment Centennial Commemoration
Ceremony in Fredericksburg, followed by Ladies Brunch
Tuesday, November 3 - General Election
Join Us!
Be a member of the League; we invite you to join us!  A membership form can be found on our website or you may contact Julie Sentell, Membership Coordinator, at julie.sentell@me.com.  

Our League’s annual dues are $60 for an individual or $85 for two in a household, and $5 for student memberships.  Dues are prorated from January. Please include your name(s), address, email address, and phone number. Make your check payable to LWV-Hill Country Texas and mail to LWV-HC, PO Box 290303, Kerrville, TX 78029-0303.  Join the League and help make democracy work.
 
And consider giving a membership to a student, as they need only be 16 years of age to join.
League of Women Voters-Hill Country Texas
Leadership Team
Treasurer : Mary Ellen Summerlin
Membership Coordinator: Julie Sentell
Voters Service:  Jeanette Ruark
Webmaster : Cathy Learoyd
Members-at-large : Bunny Bond, Alicia Boyett, Maggie Megee, Kat Walker
President’s email (presidentlwvhc@gmail.com) : Cathy Learoyd
Facebook Administrator: Kat Walker
Stay Connected

The LWV-Hill Country welcomes your questions! Post to our Facebook page or submit questions via e-mail to  presidentlwvhc@gmail.com
About the League of Women Voters
The League of Women Voters is a local, state, and national nonpartisan organization.  

Please visit the LWV-Texas state website,  my.lwv.org/texa s .  There you will find more voter information and the League positions on a variety of issues.  The League develops its positions after study and consensus.

The LWV-Texas position on the issue of human trafficking in Texas: The League of Women Voters of Texas is opposed to all forms of domestic and international human trafficking of adults and children, including sex trafficking and labor trafficking.  We consider human trafficking to be a form of modern-day slavery and support measures to prevent the use of force, fraud or coercion to exploit a person for sexual or labor purposes, to prosecute traffickers and to protect victims. 
 
For a free, four-hour TEA continuing education credit course on issues of human trafficking, go https://lwvedu.expertlearning.net . Teachers, take note of this!   This is the online course for which we received the state award.

 The national League, LWVUS,  lwv.org ,  is actively working to influence public policy through education and advocacy.  Go to this website and see the range of issues from voter rights, voter turnout, reforming money in politics, and defending the environment.
League of Women Voters - Hill Country Texas
presidentlwvhc@gmail.com
www.lwvhillcountrytexas.org