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

October 2024

Hear the Pros and Cons of the November 2024 Ballot Measures. If the Ballot Measures are a mystery to you, this is a great way to demystify them.

Register at the link below. Please see the following article for additional events on Oct 2 and 5.

Speaker: Kathy Wheeler, LWVNCSMC Voter Service

Eileen Easterbrook, co-chair, Program Planning

Get Your Election Information Here!

Our League’s website is brimming with useful election information.

Check out the Current Elections page for comprehensive General Election details, ballot information and key resources. It also includes:

Key Election Dates: See Voter Registration deadlines and mail-in ballot time frames here. 

Pros & Cons: You’ll find details for Pros & Cons in-person and virtual presentations here. There are events on October 2, 5 and 15. 

Candidate Forums: Come in-person, watch virtually, or view the recordings. We are moderating forums for the following races: 

City Council: Brisbane*, Burlingame*, Colma, Millbrae, San Mateo, Foster City, South San Francisco, Half Moon Bay

School Districts and other: Pescadero Municipal Advisory Committee, Brisbane Elementary School District, Cabrillo Unified School District (Half Moon Bay)

We would love to see you at one or more of these events. Also, for all candidate forums, you can submit questions by emailing questions@lwvncsmc.org. Please put the race, e.g. “Colma City Council” in the subject line.

Margie Gater and Kathy Wheeler, co-chairs, Voter Service

*These candidate forums took place in September. Check our website for recordings.

This is the first general election during which our League has used VOTE411.org as our ballot planning tool. Kathee Tyson, our coordinator for the project, has worked hard to ensure that we have accurate and complete information about our state and local elections to share with voters. Please take a minute to go to VOTE411.org, enter your address, and review the information available. We would love your feedback; please send comments to info@lwvncsmc.org. Please help us share this information widely.

Carolyn Belknap, communications

Voter Education Turns Info to Action

Get ready to vote

The LWVC Education Fund has been hard at work to get California’s voters election-ready. Visit CaVotes.org to grab copies of all of our unbiased ballot measure education materials including Easy Voter Guide, Pros & Cons, and VOTE411. They spent August deep in data, studying  ballot measures, collaborating with volunteers, community partners, the Legislative Analyst Office, and community reviewers to ensure that we’ve provided unbiased, accurate, understandable ballot measure education for California’s voters. 

We know that when people understand what’s on the ballot, they are more likely to use their power and vote, and the LWVC Education Fund has a high priority on building power in our communities through voting.  Be on the lookout for a “Vote Ready California” email from us in the coming weeks to make sure that you (your friends, your family, and your neighbors!) have everything you need to be Vote Ready when ballots are out!

LWVC supported bills to be signed

A number of key LWVC-supported bills made it through the infamous Appropriations Committees in August and now await the Governor’s signature, such as:

• AB 544 to pilot voting in jails
• AB 2127 to extend the tenure of the Motor Voter Task Force
• SB 977 to establish an independent Citizens Redistricting Commission in San Luis Obispo County 

Also,  SCA 1 to reform recall elections has been qualified for the November 2026 ballot.  We will let you know when it’s time for us all to take action on this.

How LWVC keeps us informed

The LWVC Action Fund has been analyzing state ballot measures against League positions.  The LWVC Action Fund, through a network of volunteer League policy area experts and LWVC Action Fund staff, reviews ballot measures against League positions each election to recommend what position the League should take.  After much research, analysis, debate, and discussion - the LWVC Board of Directors determines the final LWVC Action Fund positions on measures and you can find those here to help inform your decision-making.

Please feel free to share the Leagues positions with family, friends and neighbors.

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. Next month's meeting will be on November 18.

Elana Lieberman, co-chair

We invite you to our upcoming meeting focused on practical steps we can take to reduce our carbon footprint and a discussion of San Mateo County’s Climate Action Plan (CCAP). This strategic roadmap not only outlines how our community can prepare for climate risks, but it also details effective actions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Tina Doede, co-lead

Gail Whipple, co-lead

New (& Not So New)

Member Orientation

Saturday, November 16, 10–11 a.m.

at our office

444 Peninsula Avenue, Suite 1

San Mateo, CA

(click here to register)



or

Tuesday, Nov 19, 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!

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

Join us for a book discussion of "Why We 're Polarized" by Ezra Klein.

With a very contentious election ahead, our November book discussion will focus on how Americans are divided into two sharply contrasting groups rooted in partisan identities.

"Why We’re Polarized" by Ezra Klein explores the origins of modern political polarization and its differing impact on the two major political parties, how polarization has made American politics a winner-take-all struggle, and ideas for how we might depolarize our politics.

Join us, even if you don’t have time to read a single page. We believe you’ll still find the discussion time well-spent. Everyone is welcome.

Discussion will be led by Barbara Cohen, Planning Committee Member

Register here to join us Wednesday, November 20 from 5 to 6 p.m. via Zoom.

Eileen Easterbrook, co-chair, Program Planning

LWVNCSMC Monthly Board Meeting

Wednesday, October 9, 4–6 p.m., via Zoom

All members are welcome. Click here to join.

Welcome to Our New Members

Josh MacLeitch

Valerie Cardozo

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).
• Subscribe to Bay Area Monitor Notes here.

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.