President's Corner

Move Over Beach Season, Election Season Is Here!!

Summertime usually means BBQ’s, beach time and family vacations for many of us, but for democracy nerds like me it also means gearing up for elections, voter outreach, and education rollouts. With the arrival of this hot and humid August election season, we will be under the sun of the democratic process through November. No need for SPF, just a need for solid nonpartisan information around the elections, voting, and the ballot!

This is your reminder to check vote411.org for nonpartisan information about the ballot and candidates, checking your registration, and getting your sample ballot this fall! Vote411 works in every state and is ALWAYS nonpartisan!

You can also sign up to work in our elections! Many positions are paid, and all are rewarding!

Speaking of serving our elections, I know many of you have volunteered and worked for various aspects of service in our elections—from poll monitors to poll challengers, precinct delegates, and observers… but how many of you know about the observation of the Board of Canvassers (BOC)?

Every election worker and volunteer is crucial to the process, from start to finish, working our elections doesn’t just give you a more in-dept understanding of how our civil system works, it also gives you a front-row seat to the many security checks, safeguards, and laws that keep our elections safe and secure. The observation of the BOC is the final stop on the election process train. This is the process of counting the votes and certifying the totals—each county does their own.

Why is this important? 

Well, when we talk about making sure every legitimate vote is counted and every voice is heard, it means ensuring that when we are tallying up the votes, no one person, party, or group is left out or ignored. It also means that the count is clear, fair, and accurate.

Accidents and other mishaps can sometimes occur, and accountability is key to ensuring a strong democratic process. Human administrative errors by local election workers can lead to the disenfranchisement of valid voters, sparking intense legal and partisan battles over whether those votes should be counted after the fact. This can mean a small amount of voters become disenfranchised, (as seen in Detroit)) or a large enough number of voters failing to be counted can affect the outcome of an election (as in Hamtramck.) 

Did you know that the LWV of MI has worked to place observers for every election since 2020?

Our BOC Observer program works to place trained nonpartisan volunteers in all 83 counties in Michigan during the canvass of the votes (which takes place in the 14 days following election day). These observers do not interrupt the canvass but instead observe and report any issues or concerns they have. It is not only a great way to support our elections and our BOC, but a great way to meet our County Clerks, and other election administration officials and get insight into the process from the inside!

For the August election we had over 150 volunteers in 61 counties—we hope to increase those numbers for the general election in November! We are still looking for observers for Van Buren, Cass, and Berrien Counties. Please contact: projectmgr@lwvmi.org if you are interested in learning more and becoming a part of this team!

Do you prefer to support the elections during early voting and on election day? Visit https://www.michigan.gov/sos/elections/pollworker#SpreadWord to check out paid opportunities in your area!

Yours In League,

S. Warner, President

lwvbccpresident@gmail.com

Board Notes

Did you know that LWVBCC will come and speak to your group/school/org/com-

any?

We LOVE meeting and speaking with students, organizations, and anyone else in our community that wants to learn more about all things elections, voting, democracy, and civics! 

Some of our most popular presentations include:

• Voter Rights 101
• The History of the Suffrage Movement
• How a Bill Becomes a Law
• How Elections Work
• Why Your Vote Matters
• What is the Electoral Collage (How Does Your Vote Get Counted)?
• Civics 101
• Why Local Elections Matter and What They Do For YOU
• Voter Registration 101
• And MORE!

If you are interested in having us come out, please e-mail me at lwvbccpresident@gmail.com 

Want to know what we are up to in the community? Check our website for updates and attend our events! 

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What the Constitution Means to Me!

Did you know that the LWVBCC is sponsoring a play? We are bringing “What The Constitution Means To Me” to the Ghostlight Theatre in Benton Harbor next month! Read the Roger Ebert Review HERE: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/what-the-constitution-means-to-me-movie-review-2020 

Here is the blurb from the Ghostlight: 

“Direct from Broadway, playwright Heidi Schreck's boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans.

Fifteen year old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful and achingly human new play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the profound relationship between four generations of women and the founding document that shaped their lives.

Schreck's timely and galvanizing play, directed by Oliver Butler, became a sensation off-Broadway before transferring to Broadway where it received two Tony Award nominations among countless other accolades. The New York Times hailed What the Constitution Means to Me as "not just the best play to open on Broadway so far this season, but also the most important." ** Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Berrien and Cass County**”

We hope you buy tickets and support this joint effort by the LWVBCC and the Ghostlight! Get them now before they are sold out!

Come to the Sunday matinee performances for a free bonus panel afterwards featuring community leaders from organizations working in voting rights, elections, and civil rights!

For more information check out the following Supporting Democracy article below.

Membership

I would like to personally invite you to RSVP for the Pasta & Postcards event on Wednesday, September 9th. 

A relaxed and friendly evening of a pasta dinner, beverages, and dessert hosted by Beverly Gray, Voter Service Chair, and Val Schnable, Membership Chair. LWV postcards, messaging, names / addresses, and postage are provided to encourage voters to cast their ballots in the general election. 

Your RSVP to Val at lwvbccmembership@gmail.com, or call 248-202-1631 by September 8 is requested to assure we have enough at the table to serve everyone.

Val Schnable, Membership Chair

lwvbccmembership@gmail.com

Democracy Matters!

This month Democracy Matters! shines a light on “down ballot” races in the November election and where you can find information before casting your vote.  Never forget that your voice and your vote matter!  

Help!  Who are all these candidates and why should I care?

The General Election is just over two months away on November 3, 2026.  The ballot will contain numerous candidates for federal, state, and local offices.  A flurry of campaign ads and flyers from candidates running for U.S. representative, U.S. senator, and Governor are destined to fill your mailbox and social media with bits of information about candidates’ positions on issues.  Campaign flyers usually try to capture your attention rather than provide a lot of substance on policy stances.  At the very least, the ads provide name recognition in advance of the election.  However, this level of media exposure is likely out of reach for many state and local candidates who lack the financial resources to widely promote their campaigns.  

Many voters cast “down ballot” votes for lesser-known offices (judges, town trustees, local clerks, and school board members, for example) based on very little information.  Some voters decide to vote for the candidate who simply aligns with their party affiliation, but many down ballot races are nonpartisan.   Other voters back the incumbent for no other reason than being the incumbent.  Unfortunately, some voters skip these races altogether because they have no information about the candidates whatsoever.  To be an informed voter in down ballot races, citizens need to actively seek out information if they wish to learn what these candidates have to offer.  

Why vote for down ballot candidates?  

You may think that candidates for federal office or state legislative races are more important because they receive more news coverage.  Although state and local officials may lack the same visibility as their federal counterparts, the hometown races have real, tangible impact on us as well.  Here are just a few of the important ways that local officials impact the community:

• Improve infrastructure (pave roads, build bridges, provide water/sewer services)
• Build and maintain schools and provide staffing 
• Create and maintain parks and public spaces
• Promote public safety (fire, police, and emergency services)
• Build and maintain public libraries
• Implement zoning ordinances 
• Levy property taxes
• Provide courts to handle disputes and administer justice

Why vote for down ballot candidates?  The answer is that local officials impact our lives daily.  We send our children to publicly funded schools.  We travel on local roadways. We take comfort in knowing that emergency services are ready to assist us.  By voting for local officials, you can play a role in determining the future of your community and how these resources are allocated.  Your vote is your voice!

Where Can I Find Information on Down Ballot elections?

The League of Women Voters produces a comprehensive nonpartisan voting resource at VOTE411 (click here).  VOTE411 is a handy guide that will show what is on your ballot in your precinct.  It is a helpful reference as you create your voting plan for the general election.

Although it may be difficult to find campaign information about some local candidates, it is worthwhile to search for school board newsletters, city council meeting minutes, and statements from campaign committees for some judicial candidates.  

For more information on judicial candidates, go to the One Court of Justice-Michigan website (click here) for biographies on justices in the Court of Appeals and the Michigan Supreme Court.  For biographies of Berrien County trial court judges, click here.  

Local press outlets often cover local government meetings and election news.  Watch for candidate forums and interviews!

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Voting sometimes requires a bit of effort to be an informed participant.  Performing due diligence now as you create a voting plan will make you a more knowledgeable voter when you go to the polls in November!  Remember that your voice and your vote matter!!!

Don Lenderman, Advocacy & Education Chair

lwvbccae@gmail.com

Fundraising

Next-Gen Fundraising: Powering the Future of LWVBCC

To defend our democracy, fair elections, and the Constitution, our League must grow. We want to pair the deep wisdom of our long-standing members with the energy of a new generation. Engaging younger, passion-driven members requires shifting how we look at fundraising. Modern fundraising isn't just about writing checks—it is about creating experiences that build community.

Bridging the Generational Gap



By focusing on action-oriented, community-centric events, we can show younger residents that the League is an active, modern vehicle for systemic change. Let’s work together to pass the torch and protect our quality of life for generations to come.

Please contact Barbara Starke if you have the enthusiasm and energy to help in our Fun-Raising efforts.

And please know we are glad to accept your money, in any amount, to keep our chapter solvent and thriving. You are not expected to only or always volunteer your time or physical presence. We understand that’s not always possible. Look to future newsletters for more on Fundraising.

Thank you, from the bottom of our Red, White, and Blue hearts!

Barbara Starke, Fundraising Chair

lwvbccfundraising@gmail.com

Supporting Democracy

Fund our Fall Production of What the Constitution Means to Me

Our League of Women Voters is vital to this community. To keep driving voter turnout, we need your active support. This September, we are launching an important education and entertainment opportunity centered around Heidi Schreck’s What the Constitution Means to Me, co-presented by The University of Notre Dame and The GhostLight Theatre.

Performance Schedule & Location

All performances will take place at The GhostLight Theatre located at 101 Hinkley St, Benton Harbor, MI.

• Opening Weekend:

Friday, Sept 18 & Saturday, Sept 19 (7:30 PM – 9:30 PM); Sunday, Sept 20 (3:00 PM – 5:00 PM).

• Closing Weekend:

Friday, Sept 25 & Saturday, Sept 26 (7:30 PM – 9:30 PM); Sunday, Sept 27 (3:00 PM – 5:00 PM).

Special Sunday Roundtables

Don't miss our Sunday matinees! Each Sunday performance will feature an exclusive after-show roundtable discussion. The audience will be joining a panel of local experts in Constitutional Law, Voting Rights, and Women's Rights to discuss the play's real-world impact on our community.

How You Can Take Action Now

• Buy Tickets:

Secure your seats on the official Humanitix Ticket Page. Bring your family, friends, and neighbors!

Your participation lifts confidence that our local League remains a powerful force for voter rights.

Let’s pack the house and protect the vote!

Book Club

The discussion of Ann Patchett’s Whistler yielded one major theme - childhood experiences most often carry into adulthood and affect the way you view yourself and the patterns you set for your own family. 

Patchett uses layers of stories about the characters to present their differing viewpoints on past events. The major event that involves the central characters is a freak accident that occurred on a snowy night in the 1980s that precipitated a family’s break up. 

Two decades later the reunion of the main characters brings the details and secrets to light. Most of the readers viewed the story and characters as realistic and likable.

A more negative view of the story was suggested and possible character flaws were identified, but on the whole, Whistler earned good grades, and it was agreed that the characters were good, kind, compassionate people. 

Our host shared that Patchett writes her books straight from the beginning to the end. Her characters’ backgrounds and vocations are well researched and detailed. The opening scene is in the Metropolitan Museum in New York. It was so well described that I could recall the galleries I visited years ago. 

Our next meeting is Monday September 14 at 10 AM at the home of Marilyn Klawiter. The book for this meeting is from President Obama’s summer reading list – This Land is Your Land: A Road Trip Through US History by Beverly Gage. 

“Ride along with Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Beverly Gage as she travels the country to see the museums, historic sites, roadside attractions, reenactments, and souvenir shops where Americans learn—and fight—about our history. From the birth of the nation in Philadelphia to Disneyland and the California dream, This Land Is Your Land offers a guided tour of thirteen places and thirteen key moments that define America’s greatest successes and challenges. “(Simon&Schuster).

Faith Schoon, Publicity Chair

lwvbccpublicity@gmail.com

Environmental News

Where things stand in Michigan’s Line 5 saga

https://bridgemi.com/michigan-environment-watch/where-things-stand-in-michigans-line-5-saga/

The saga of Enbridge’s Oil pipeline (Line 5) continues. The Bridge reported on August 20 that, “…the question of how to keep oil from spilling out of the aging pipeline and into the Great Lakes is as unsettled as ever.” The pipeline is 73 years old, and opponents of the pipeline want it shut down while supporters continue to push for rerouting the pipeline into a concrete lined tunnel under the Straits of Mackinaw. In the meantime, Enbridge continues to pump over 500,00 barrels of oil per day from Wisconsin to Ontario through the pipeline. 

The Trump administration and all Republican elected federal and state officials want the pipeline tunnel. Republicans running for office vow to stop all governmental legal challenges to the tunnel. Last week, the Trump administration granted a key permit for the tunnel, but construction is blocked because the Michigan Supreme Court vacated a key construction permit. 

Legal battles in Attorney General Dana Nessel”s 2019 suit to shut down the pipeline and Governor Whitmer’s 2020 order to close the pipeline continue, and there is no clear timeline for resolution. Permits were granted and blocked, and law suits were filed and are ongoing. Bridge writes, “It could be months or even years before the pipeline’s fate is settled".

The era of fossil fuels is beginning to wind down. Squeezing the last drop of oil out of the Canadian wells and shipping it through a risky pipeline, hopefully will not look as profitable to Enbridge in the near future. Let’s hope that realization comes before there is a rupture and the Great Lakes are irrevocably damaged. 

I came across an interesting column in the Science section of the New York Times (NYT). It’s called “Lost Science.” In the July 7th edition Amy McGovern, a professor in the School of Meteorology and the School of Computer Science at the University of Oklahoma wrote about her work using AI in predicting extreme weather forecasts – hurricanes, tornados, heat waves crippling snow storms. She emphasizes that forecasting extreme weather accurately is different from reporting on temperatures and rain storms because extreme weather forecasts often call for sheltering in place or evacuations and lives depend on their accuracy. 

AI makes it possible to predict when a cold snap would make ocean waters in South Texas too cold for sea turtles so that animal rescue workers could move them to safety. Also, the predictions for hail can be timely enough to give people a chance to move themselves and other outdoor things to safety. There is a lot more that can be done, but last summer her program found out that the funding was going to be allowed to run out and would not be renewed. The Office of Management and Budget accused the research work of promoting “climate hysteria.” This is just one example of “Lost Science” in the United States.  

In a few weeks I have to take my two cats to the vet for their annual wellness checks. Getting them in their cat carriers takes so much stealth and time that I had to ask for an afternoon appointment. But at least I won’t have to don a white jump suit and a protective mesh hood like the students at the University of Georgia’s Veterinary teaching hospital. They are being trained to visit bee hives to check the colonies for signs of disease. 

Honeybees are an essential link in our food supply. They are the pollinators that make fruit, vegetables and nuts grow. Climate change, pesticides and malnutrition are making bees more susceptible to viruses and pathogens. 

While the bee medicine program is still young, it is an important tool in learning how to keep our environment healthy and in spreading the word about members of the insect family and their essential role in life on the planet. Read the article in the NYT Science section from August 11, 2026.



https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/03/science/honeybees-veterinary-medicine.html

Faith Schoon, Publicity Chair

lwvbccpublicity@gmail.com

Ways to Get Involved

We encourage all League members to attend local community meetings, including city council, school Board, and county Board sessions.

The LWVBCC has two webpages of information to help you, click on the links below:

• Get Involved with the Community
• Get Involved with our Chapter

Your participation helps us stay informed and up to date on the important issues affecting our local area.

Voter

Information

2026!

Here is a link to this very informative flyer. Please share!!

Topics include:

• How do I register to vote?
• Michigan has two options to vote early
• What are the photo ID requirements to vote?
• Accessibility

Help Support Michigan Elections by Becoming a Poll Worker

With the 2026 election season approaching, Michigan communities need dedicated poll workers to help ensure elections run smoothly. Poll workers play a vital role in the voting process by assisting voters, setting up polling locations, and supporting local election officials on Election Day.

Whether you're a working professional, retiree, student, or simply looking for a meaningful way to serve your community, becoming a poll worker is a great opportunity to make a difference.

Sign up to be a poll worker today and make a difference in your community!

Click Here to Become a Poll Worker Today

Poll workers have a tremendous impact on our ability to make our voices heard at the ballot box. Become a poll worker and take part in upholding the rights of voters everywhere.

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