Educating Voters. Defending Democracy.

The League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization, encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

The Voter

January 2025



Up Front from our President

Undercover League!

Fifteen of your fellow League members participate year-round in a crucial voter service activity shared by Leagues all over the country. Until I was recruited, I had no idea it was happening!

This stalwart band, collaborating with the South County League, drives all over the county making voter registration forms in several languages available and visible in community centers and libraries, city halls, high schools and community colleges, under a contract with San Mateo County.

Our first three-year contract with the County Elections Department was in 1995 so we’ve been doing this for 30 years! The money paid to us by the county is a major source of revenue for our Leagues.

Our county is divided into North: with six volunteers covering 60+ sites in seven cities (Jean Johnson-coordinator), Central: 59+ sites in 13 cities and nine volunteers (Jackie James-coordinator) and South County: 12 volunteers for 71+ sites in seven cities (Judy Rino-coordinator, South County League).

Each volunteer keeps track of the forms dropped off at each site with each visit, and funnels that information to Jackie Jacobberger, who creates a quarterly report for the county. This information allows the county to track where folks are picking up the forms used to register to vote. 

We have some openings for new volunteers! If you like 

• a flexible work schedule
• a role that requires just an hour or two each month
• getting to know your community a little better
• helping people in San Mateo County participate in our democracy

...then this job is for you!

We are especially looking for volunteers who can deliver voter registration materials in Daly City, Millbrae, Brisbane, South San Francisco, Colma, Pacifica, and San Bruno.

For more details please visit Volunteer Opportunities at our website or contact Jean Johnson at jeanjohnson101@sanbrunocable.com.

Cindy Robbins-Roth, member

January Program Planning for 2025-26 Priorities

Nosh & Nibbles

What do you care about? Every two years before the League of Women Voters of California’s state convention, each league member has the opportunity to influence the selection of issues on which the local and state Leagues will focus time, talent, and money. 

Program Planning is the first step to identifying critical issues required to move Democracy forward. For the League, “Program” refers to the body of issues we choose for study, education, and action. At our January meetings, we will 

collectively propose up to three “Issues of Emphasis” for our local League and three issues for our state League to consider at its convention in June.

Key issues for the California League 2023-2025 are summarized here. Last year locally we chose to focus on:

• Local Government Accountability and Transparency
• Local Housing and Homelessness
• Local Climate Change

Given the past election results, the concerns of your local community, and the League’s ability to contribute, would you keep or change our priorities? 

Join us at one of three meetings for lively conversation with nosh & nibbles. Come and contribute your ideas for future study and action.

Register now for one of three identical meetings:

• Coastside, in-person meeting Saturday, Jan. 11, 10–11:30 a.m. Register here.
• Burlingame, in-person meeting Saturday, Jan. 11, 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Register here.
• Via Zoom, Tuesday Jan. 21, 2025, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Register here.

Eileen Easterbrook, program planning

In 2024, our League’s first Climate Change Caucus met through the year, learned a lot, and began planning a compelling April 2025 General Meeting panel discussion featuring local sustainability officers who will:

• Speak to accomplishments, opportunities and challenges faced in our county.
• Take your questions (please submit at registration)

In 2025, we will not meet monthly. Instead we’ll opt for online collaboration to better achieve our caucus' goals (see our page at our League site).

In the meantime, as the world continues to experience worsening climate problems, there is also reason to hope. In 2017 San Mateo county achieved a 33% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990 levels. Our county is now targeting a 45% reduction by 2030. We offer you three ways to help achieve this goal:

First, test your knowledge with one of these quizzes:

• Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Climate Change? US Dept of Energy
• Climate Change Quiz EPA
• Sea Change NASA

Second, if interested in our work, or to help us find the best online tools for our needs, contact gail.whipple@lwvnscmc.org by January 15.

Third, when wondering what one person can possibly do, remember the words of MLK:

“If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl, but whatever you do, you have to keep moving." —Martin Luther King Jr.

Tina Doede, co-lead

Gail Whipple, co-lead

Voter Service

March 4, 2025 Special Election

Volunteers Needed: February 11, 2025 Shelter Creek Homeowners Association Election

Special Election March 4, 2025

We aren’t quite done with elections...

On December 3, 2024, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors (BoS) called a special election for March 4, 2025. In this election, the voters will decide on a single ballot measure: a proposed amendment to the San Mateo County Charter.

This amendment, if approved, would grant the BoS authority until December 31, 2028, to remove an elected Sheriff from office, for cause, by a four-fifths vote of the BoS, after written notice and an opportunity to be heard. 

Key dates for the election: 

• February 1, 2023: LWV NCSMC Pros & Cons for the March 4 Ballot Measure available
• February 3, 2025: Ballots mailed to all San Mateo County registered voters
• February 6, 2025 6-7 p.m.: LWV NCSMC Pro & Cons presentation via Zoom, click here to register
• February 18, 2025: Voter Registration deadline: last day voters can register and receive a non-provisional ballot. People can register after this, until election day, but they will receive a provisional ballot. 
• March 4, 2025: Election Day. All votes must be cast or a mailed ballot must be postmarked by this date.

You can find more information here on the San Mateo County Elections website. If you have ideas, venues, or events for tabling to target voter education for this special election, please let us know via email: voterservice@lwvncsmc.org. 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Shelter Creek Homeowners Association Election – February 11, 2025

As we have done for several years, our League will administer the Shelter Creek HOA election. This contract provides key revenue for our League. We will need about eight volunteers to open and tally ballots on February 11th, starting at 6 p.m. This usually takes 1-1.5 hours. If you can help, please email voterservice@lwvncsmc.org. 

Thank you for your Voter Service support.

Margie Gater

Kathy Wheeler

LWVNCSMC Voter Service Co-chairs

One Person, One Vote

Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.—Edmund Burke, statesman and writer

All League members are invited to the organizing meeting of our new One Person One Vote committee. Here are the details:

What: One Person One Vote committee

Where: via Zoom—Register at the link below.

When: Monday, January 13 at 5 p.m.

Why are we working on this issue? At our national convention in Denver in 2022, LWV then-president Dr. Deborah Turner announced a big, audacious project: to pass a Constitutional amendment to abolish the Electoral College and replace it with a national popular vote for President.

Our League, together with some neighboring Leagues, is organizing a group to work on this issue. Would you like to join? We will need people to:

• Learn about the Electoral College and the Interstate Compact and educate our members and the public
• Give talks to groups and classes in our county
• Write letters to the editor 
• Create social media posts
• Connect with members of other Leagues who are working on One Person, One Vote

If you would like to join this effort, email margaret.lukens@lwvncsmc.org.

And join us for our January meeting. We’d love to include you in the work, whether you can do a big piece or a small one. (Let’s listen to Edmund Burke, and not make the great mistake of doing nothing!)

Margaret Lukens, board member

San Mateo County Independent Redistricting Initiative

The County Board of Supervisors determines the district maps for San Mateo County (SMC) elections every 10 years. The two SMC Leagues are advocating for an independent redistricting commission (IRC) to revise the district map after the next census.

When elected officials draw district lines, they get to choose who votes for them, whereas an independent, citizen-run commission ensures that districts accurately reflect the demographics and that everyone is equitably represented. We welcome you to join this work! No need to be an expert, we are learning as we go. You can read more about IRCs here. If you would like to help with this effort, email elizabeth.wright@lwvncsmc.org.

Linda Jansen

Elizabeth Wright

LWVNCSMC board members

Many who work in our County cannot afford to live here. Join the Housing Caucus, committed to engaging and educating the Local League about our region’s affordability crisis. Register at the link below.

If you are new to our Caucus, please watch our April 11, 2023 General Meeting, Affordable Housing in San Mateo County: Behind the Numbers, to better understand some of the challenges and roadblocks our cities face, as they plan to reach the State's target of 48,000 new housing units--nearly 20,000 of which should be affordable--by 2031.

We meet monthly, on the third Monday at 5 p.m. Our February meeting will be on February 17.

Elana Lieberman, co-chair

New (& Not So New)

Member Orientation

Saturday, February 8, 10–11 a.m.

at our office

444 Peninsula Avenue, Suite 1

San Mateo, CA

(click here to register)

or

Tuesday, February 11, 7–8 p.m. via Zoom

(click here to register)

Welcome to our new members! Please join us for new member orientation to:

•    learn about the League and find answers to your questions
•    meet other League members
•    discover how you can get involved

Whether you’re a new member or have been a member for a while and would like to reconnect, everyone is welcome. Prospective members are also welcome, so please bring a friend!

Linda Jansen, membership chair

“Welcome to California” photo credit: Tobias Müller (Twam), www.twam.info, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

LWVNCSMC Monthly Board Meeting

Wednesday, January 8, 4–6 p.m., via Zoom

All members are welcome. Click here to join.

Welcome to our New Member

Sheila Spieller

In Memoriam

Elaine Raisler

Mark Your Calendar

Stay Informed

Stay informed with updates and alerts from your state and national Leagues. Use these links to register:

• For California League updates, sent monthly: LWVC    
• For national League updates, sent twice a month: LWVUS (scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up for e-mail updates).

Keep an eye on our website, lwvncsmc.org, for the latest on upcoming events.

Join the League

We love having new members join us and help with the important work we are doing. Click here to join online or print out a mail-in form. Scholarships are available for new members. Please contact us at membership@lwvncsmc.org.

Contact us at info@lwvncsmc.org or 650.229.8384