The Voter from Volusia County

MARCH | Your monthly connection to advocacy and action!

A message from our President

We kicked off February, Black History Month, with Unknown Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement, an engaging Hot Topic with Mark Cooper. Out in the community, we tabled at the Black Heritage Festival in New Smyrna Beach, informing voters about changes to election law and checking registration. In DeLand, we once again reached out to voters and had the kids vote for their favorite puppies, a perennial favorite. The Golden Retriever won! Other events included a media workshop to identify accurate vs. false information and a book club at Novel Tea Bookstore, where we discussed The Light Pirate. Stay tuned for more opportunities to read with the League. We are about halfway through the state legislative session, and we are closely following bills as they quickly move through committees. Of utmost concern is HB991 and SB 1334, which would make it increasingly difficult to register and to vote. Please stay tuned for Action Alerts from LWVFL. Additionally, we are keeping a close eye on legislation that is damaging to home rule.

To find out more about home rule, join us on April 23 for our panel discussion, “What is Home Rule and How Does it Affect You?” Details below.

As always, many thanks to you, our members, who make all of these events possible. Continue reading for ways to become or stay engaged!

Nancy Vaughn

LWVVC President 2025 - 2027

LEAGUE T-SHIRTS NOW AVAILABLE—JUST $10

Show your League pride wherever you go! Official League of Women Voters of Volusia County t-shirts are now on sale for only $10.

Wear yours to League events, community programs, voter outreach activities — or anytime you want to spark a conversation about civic engagement and voting rights. It’s a simple way to increase visibility and show your commitment to empowering voters and defending democracy.

Pick up your shirt at one of our upcoming programs, or reserve yours by contacting kim@kimberlycline.com. Get yours today and represent the League with pride!

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

Olga Hernandez, Roster Management

We currently have 198 LWVVC members! Since January, we’ve welcomed eight new members to our League. While three members chose not to renew, it’s wonderful to see continued growth and engagement overall.

We also have great news regarding renewals: 43 members have now opted for automatic renewal. This feature only became visible on the roster this past week, and it’s encouraging to see so many members taking advantage of it. Automatic renewals should make the process smoother and help strengthen member retention moving forward.

In addition, I’ve joined an LWVUS membership group/blog that provides a daily digest of roster questions, answers from roster managers across the country, and suggestions for improvement. It’s a helpful resource, and it’s encouraging to see that the system continues to evolve and improve.

MARCH PROGRAM

Hear from a distinguished panel of former elected women officials as they share their experiences serving in traditionally male-dominated public roles. Learn about the challenges they faced, the perspectives they brought to leadership, and how their work helped shape and strengthen our community.

Our panelists will reflect on what it meant to lead, advocate, and make decisions that impacted residents — and the unique contributions they brought to the table to create meaningful change.

Joyce Cusack: County Council and State Legislature

Deb Denys: School Board and County Council

Elizabeth Fetterhoff: State Legislature

Tracy Remark: City Commission

APRIL PROGRAM

Join the League of Women Voters of Volusia County this April for an engaging and informative Hot Topic discussion exploring the question: What is Home Rule and How Does It Affect You? This timely conversation will help unpack how local decision-making powers, enshrined in the passage of Volusia County’s Home Rule Charter referendum in 1970, shape our communities, how regulations passed at the State level can override Home Rule, and what that means for residents across the county.

MAY ANNUAL MEETING PROGRAM

We are pleased to announce that we have secured our Annual Meeting speaker. Dr. Susan A. MacManus is a highly respected and non-partisan voice in Florida politics today, bringing a wealth of knowledge, experience, and thoughtful perspective to the conversation. Her distinguished background and leadership are reflected in the biography linked here: Click here to learn more!

Save the date and mark your calendars now to attend our Annual Meeting, where we will celebrate our accomplishments, look ahead to the future, conduct voting for new officers and directors, and enjoy a special program featuring our guest speaker.

More information, including lunch details, will be shared soon. We look forward to seeing you there!

THE NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT

The Nominating Committee recommends the following Slate of Officers & Directors

and three Nominating Committee members for approval by the

General Membership at the Annual Meeting (May 2026).

Officers, Directors, and Nominating Committee Nominees

OFFICERS

Second Vice-President (2026-2028) - Kimberly Cline

Secretary (2026-2028) - Linda Cuthbert

Treasurer (2026-2028) - Valerie Bruneell

DIRECTORS

Carolyn Carbonell (2026-2028)

Olga Hernandez (2026-2028)

NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Nominating Committee Chair (2026-2027) - Nicki Junkins

Nominating Committee (2026-2027) - Juanita Collins

Nominating Committee (2026-2027) - Libby Hildebrandt

Team Reports

Education

Natural Resources

Voter Service

No Report at this time

Membership Outreach

Bonnie Friedman

Team Report

Observer Corps Reports

City Council

Reported by

Amy Legare

No Report at this time

Reported by

Ann Harrell

City Council

Reported by

Val Bruneel

City Commission

Reported by

Rice Wagner

City Council

Reported by

Olga Hernandez

No report at this time

Reported by

Karen Rainville

City Commission

Reported by

Pam Breault

Town Council

Reported by

Deb Atkian

City Commission

Reported by

Ann Newman

City Commission

Reported by

Mara Whitridge

City Commission

Reported by

Cindy Wakeland

City Council

Reported by

Linda Mojer

Check out our amazing Natural Resources Team on a recent trip to Farmton/Deering Park. Photo taken at picturesque Cow Creek, left to right: Pat Northey, Jeff and Pam Novy, Peter Sigmann, Nancy Vaughn, Suze and Fred Peace, Melissa Lammers, Robbie Lee (tour guide), Pattie Gertenbach, Joyce Palmer, Saralee and Tom Morrissey, and Nancy Nausbaum.

D O N A T E T O D A Y

Most of our meetings are open to the public.

We aim to educate as many voters as possible, so please

feel free to bring a friend or neighbor to our events.

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