Empowering Voters. Defending Democracy.

Spring has Sprung - It's Time for Action

This season brings renewed energy to our local league’s work of empowering voters and defending democracy, and April is a month for celebrating volunteers, diversity, and the Earth – all foundational values for the League.

Out in the Community

Local league members were busy at No Kings Day 3.0 on March 28, distributing information to the public about the SAVE Act, the proposed California Voter ID Initiative, and USPS postmark changes that affect which ballots are counted. We are working hard to make sure people know about these important issues when they cast their ballots. 

Reaching the Next Generation

Our High School Voter Registration team has been reaching out to high schools, including Fillmore High and Santa Paula High, where we have not previously had a presence - educating students about the importance of voting, and registering students who are eligible and interested. We also supported young people at the recent Youth Civic Engagement Fair.

Forums Coming Soon

Plans are in the works for candidate forums in the upcoming June 2^nd election. All forums will be recorded and posted on our website so that voters who are unable to attend in person can view them at their convenience and get to know the candidates before casting their vote.

Save the Date: Annual Meeting & Luncheon — May 30th

Join us on May 30th for our Annual Meeting and Luncheon where we will not only conduct business such as voting for new board members and the budget, but we will also have the pleasure of hearing from Vanessa Bechtel, President and CEO of the Ventura County Community Foundation, who will speak about "The Power of Community. " We hope to see you there.

A Note about Funding Our Work

We are largely a volunteer organization, and we appreciate and celebrate all our wonderful volunteers, but we also incur costs. Printing flyers, handouts, and training materials; hiring a videographer for forums; renting venues for events; paying for communications platforms – all these expenses add up.

The portion of your dues that reaches our local league, after National and State take their share, does not cover everything. Your membership brought you here because you believe in this work. If you're in a position to do a little more, we hope you'll consider a donation.

The League of Women Voters of Ventura County is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and all contributions are tax-deductible.

• How to donate is at the end of this Voter under "Additional League Information"
• Or you can donate when you renew your annual membership
• Or you can donate right now, online or by mail, on our website

DONATE

Every dollar stays local and goes toward the very work that inspired you to join in the first place.

We hope you enter spring with a renewed sense of purpose, and energized to pursue the League’s mission.

HAPPY EARTH DAY

Yours in League,

Barbara, Cheryl, Kathy, and Lillian

Co-Presidents

APRIL IS EARTH MONTH - See our Climate Committee page for more events

Wednesday, April 1, 5:30 pm - League Happy Hour at Aloha Steakhouse, 364 S. California Street, Ventura, CA 93001 - RSVP to Matty Park. 

Thursday, April 9, 4:00 pm - LWVVC Board Meeting on Zoom

Sunday, April 10, 7:00 pm - Why Celebrate Earth? with Wayne Morgan on Zoom

Sunday, April 12, 4:00 pm - Housing and Homelessness Meeting on Zoom

Wednesday, April 15, 5:30 pm - League Happy Hour on Zoom

RSVP to Kay Armstrong. 

Thursday, April 16, 4:00 pm on Zoom - Social Justice and DEI Meeting

Saturday, April 18, 11 am - 4 pm - Earth Day Festival - MERITO Foundation at Ventura Plaza Park - To volunteer for tabling, RSVP to Pat Butler

Monday, April 20, 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm - Ojai Unit Meeting at Ojai Library Meeting Room, 111 E Ojai Ave, Ojai, CA 93023 - RSVP to Pat Essick or Judy Murphy

Wednesday, April 22, 12pm - 1pm - Learn w/ the League - the SAVE Acts on Zoom

Thursday, April 23, 3:00 pm - Climate Change Committee

Wednesday, May 6, 5:30 pm - League Happy Hour at Aloha Steakhouse, 364 S. California Street, Ventura, CA 93001 - RSVP to Matty Park. 

Saturday, May 30, Save the date - Annual Membership Meeting at

Pleasant Valley Senior Center, 1605 Burnley St. Camarillo

Friday, June 5, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm - LWV Cool Girls Dinner-TO Unit Meeting at Plata Cocina Mexicana, TO - RSVP to Joan Palmieri or Elizabeth Zernik.

Partner Events That Might Interest You

We will be tabling there. Please join us. Look for a SignUpGenius in your email soon. Questions? Contact Pat Butler.

Election Worker Opportunity: Would you like to learn more about our local elections? Would you like a temporary job that also helps the community? Well, Ventura County's Election Division is currently hiring workers for the upcoming primary election. If earning some money while supporting democracy sounds good to you, check this out!

Call to Action!

Democracy Needs Your Voice!

Members of Congress have left Washington D.C. for a two-week recess.  That means they will be in their home districts and available to hear your comments. We hope League members will take advantage of their presence at home to talk with them in person at community events or meet with them and their staff in their district offices.

Issues 

Here are the top issues the League is working on. 

• REJECT anti-voter policies and OPPOSE the SAVE Act!
• DEMAND vital immigration policies, including Congress reject additional funding for ICE, CBP, and immigration detention; Investigate ICE, CBP, and DHS’s use of force; impose additional DHS guardrails and accountability measures on immigration enforcement; take steps to protect civilians’ constitutional rights to peacefully protest and assemble.
• SUPPORT S.2523 John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to address racial discrimination in voting 

Talking Points and Action Alerts

Here are links to learn more and take action on each of the main issues.  

• Oppose the SAVE Act
• SAVE Act & Voter Eligibility Talking Points
• Federal Immigration Enforcement Has Gone Too Far
• Pass the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (JLVRAA)

New Requirements in the SAVE Act bills

Are you wondering what's in the various SAVE Acts and why the League opposes them? Here is a summary, including why requiring Documentary Proof of Citizenship (DPOC) is about much more than just 'showing ID'.

The stated reason for these bills is to prevent non-citizens from voting - something that is virtually non-existent since it's already illegal, and there are already effective methods for enforcement.

The actual effect of these bills is to make it much more difficult for eligible voters to vote, especially the young, the poor, and women.

THE SAVE ACT Requires:

• Documentary Proof Of Citizenship in person to register to vote or to re-register or update voter registration
• Voter roll maintenance/purges of non citizen voters

The SAVE America Act Requires:

• All the above requirements plus photo ID to cast a ballot 
• Requires states to submit a list of all eligible voters in the state to the DHS Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system

Documentary Proof Of Citizenship (DPOC) consists of:

• "A form of identification issued consistent with the requirements of the REAL ID Act of 2005 that indicates the applicant is a citizen of the United States" 
  NOTE: California Real ID does NOT prove citizenship
  Accepted Documents:
• Valid United States passport
• US military ID together with military record showing US citizenship
• Valid government photo ID together with one or more of the following:

Certified birth certificate

Naturalization certificate

American Indian Card

Additional documents are required if names don't match

The SAVE ACT and the SAVE America Act have passed in the House. The Senate is currently debating the SAVE America Act

The Make Elections Great Again (MEGA ACT) Requires:

• All the above plus requires mail-in ballots to be received by election day 
• States are required to use auditable paper ballots.
• This act would ban:

Universal vote by mail

“Ballot harvesting”

Ranked choice voting in federal elections

Impacts and Implementation Challenges

• Widespread voter disenfranchisement
• Undermines mail-in voter registration
• Requires in-person presentation of citizenship documentation
• Likely end of online voter registration
• Likely end of third-party voter registration
• Chilling effect on election officials/employees due to criminal penalties for incorrectly registering a voter

These acts would make it much more difficult for citizens to register or re-register to vote and is a form of voter suppression. 

To learn more about the SAVE Act and it’s potential effects on voting

Join us for a Learn with the League at noon on Wednesday 4/22/2026 on zoom

REGISTER HERE

FROM LWV California

LWVC Files Brief Against Unlawful Seizure of Ballots

On March 30, 2026, Campaign Legal Center (CLC) filed a Letter Brief on behalf of Common Cause and the League of Women Voters of California urging the California Supreme Court to take swift and decisive action to address the unlawful seizure of ballots from the 2025 special election by the Riverside County (CA) sheriff.

The sheriff’s abuse of law enforcement authority to seize thousands of ballots on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations of misconduct by a group of election deniers is an escalation of a growing trend by law enforcement to disrupt election administration by taking custody of ballots and other election materials.

These actions risk breaking chain of custody over ballots, endangering sensitive voter data, and amplifying baseless election conspiracies, all of which undermine voter confidence and damage our elections.

Read entire article here.

In Progress: Fair Elections Campaign

It’s time to put power back in the hands of voters! 

The League of Women Voters of California, California Common Cause, and the California Clean Money Action Fund officially launched the campaign for the California Fair Elections Act, appearing on your November 2026 ballot! 

For too long, wealthy special interests have had an outsized influence on our elections. Since 2020, over $1 billion has been spent on state candidate campaigns alone. The California Fair Elections Act (SB 42) will give our communities the power to change that by:

✅ Removing the outdated ban on public campaign financing.

✅ Allowing local communities to decide if they want to amplify small-dollar donors.

✅ Ensuring candidates listen to voters, not just big-money donors.

This isn't just about reform; it's about making sure teachers, nurses, and community leaders can run for office and win. Let’s build a democracy that reflects ALL of California. 

The Ventura County League gathered signatures at tabling events all last year to get this on the ballot. Now we need to convince the voters to pass it.

Read the press release here..

There's a lot happening in California - read all about it on the LWVC website.

FROM LWV Ventura County

It's Been a Busy Month

Happy Hour at Aloha's in Ventura with members and guests.

Talking to young people about voting and helping them register their peers.

"Cool Girls" meeting of the Thousand Oaks Local Action Unit

Tabling at No Kings Day 3.0. Lots of great signs. Passing out flyers about the SAVE ACT, Post Office changes, and the proposed California Voter ID Initiative

Save the date: May 30 - for our Annual Meeting at the Camarillo Senior Center, where we will elect our officers and board for the coming year.

Our featured speaker is Vanessa Bechtel

President and CEO of the

Ventura County Community Foundation,

who will speak about "The Power of Community".

Call to Action!

Urge Congress to reject Big Oil's call for immunity

As climate disasters like floods, fires, and hurricanes intensify, Big Oil companies are lobbying Congress for blanket immunity from any laws or legislation that could hold them accountable. We can't let that happen.

Big Oil is using the gun lobby's playbook for obtaining preemptive immunity from accountability for the harm caused by their products. Should politicians be allowed to wipe away the rights of those suffering the consequences of oil companies’ decades-long deception about how their products would change the earth’s climate? Should they prevent future generations living with drought, disease, and incessant wildfires from seeking redress?

If you agree the answer is "NO!" please sign this petition to Congress - from a wide coalition of environmental groups - to let members of Congress know that we're watching, and we're not OK with this.

Get informed & Get involved

Contact Kathy Morgan or Pat Essick

Get informed: Check out the Voter Information Page on our website.

We're preparing to help Ventura County voters be as informed as possible in the upcoming election by contacting candidates to schedule forums, and to invite them to enter their information into VOTE411.org - the League's voter information site.


If you're a candidate and receive an invitation from 'lwv.vote411@thevoterguide.org' please click on the link in the email and fill out our questionnaire. If you know a candidate, encourage them to be part of our forums and VOTE411.org. It's free, and the voters will thank you.

Wondering what forums the League is planning for the June 2^nd primary election?

At the county level we hope to hold candidate forums for the following races:

·      County Superintendent of Schools

·      County Supervisor races in Districts #2 and #4

·      County Clerk-Recorder, Treasurer -Tax Collector

·      Superior Court Judge Office #15

In these races the incumbents are running unopposed, so there will be no forums:

·      County Assessor

·      Auditor- Controller

At the state and federal level we hope to hold forums for these races:

·      Assembly Districts #36 and #42 and

·      Congressional Districts #26 and #24. 

We do not hold a forum unless there are at least two candidates, so forums will only occur if two or more candidates agree to participate. This is per League guidelines.

We will likely conduct these forums from mid April through mid May. The in-person forums rely on League volunteers to run smoothly. In this capacity, members serve as greeters, runners, question sorters, timers and more.

The latest information will be on our website Forums Page as it becomes available.

To learn more about forums, or to volunteer, contact Kathy Morgan or Pat Essick.  It's a great opportunity to learn about the candidates, meet other League members, and contribute to the League mission of educating voters. Join us!.

For any other questions or information, please contact Kathy Morgan or Pat Essick

Spring Voter Registration and Beyond

In March our volunteers registered new voters at Rio Mesa High School, Oxnard High School, and Fillmore High School.

We also participated in the Youth Civics Engagement Fair sponsored by Supervisor Lopez’s Youth Group on March 25th at Pacifica High School. While Sylvia Cohen, Cathy Trevino and Betsy Patterson engaged young students in playing our Civics Spinner game, our Youth Council member, Simran Suri, “worked the crowd,” registering and pre-registering students at the event.

In April we will go to Westlake High School, Royal High School, Santa Paula High School, and Rio Mesa High School again to talk with students about why voting might be important for them, and helping them register or pre-register other students. We will help with student-led voter registration events at Oak Park High School and more.

Next volunteer trainings will be in August and September, before our big fall registration drive.

If you are interested in helping young people become engaged and interested in voting, please email us at lwvvc.info@gmail.com

Betsy Patterson & Pam Cwiklo

Co-Chairs, LWVVC Voter Registration Committee

Community Outreach Committee (Tabling)

No Kings Day 3.0

It was a great day at the County Government Center! Lots of league members participated in No Kings Day 3.0 with signs and handouts. 

Thank you to our volunteers who signed up to spread the word about our advocacy issues at the No Kings Day rally in Ventura: Allison Maires, Kathy Morgan, Doris Simmelink, Matty Park, Barbara Schulman, Betti Mentzer, Mary Bergen, and Cheryl Collart.  And thanks to everyone who just showed up and took part.   

We also had a presence at the Thousand Oaks No Kings Day. Members of the Thousand Oaks Action Unit, Marla Donnelly and Elizabeth Zernik, distributed handouts to the crowd of attendees and helped raise awareness of the league.

The next Community Outreach event will be:

MERITO Foundation Ventura Earth Day

April 18 at 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

at Plaza Park, 651 E. Thompson, Ventura. 

We will be tabling. Please join us for this important and lively event. Look for SignUpGenius coming to your inbox soon. Questions? Contact Pat Butler.

Community Outreach Coordinator – Pat Butler – contact via email

There's a lot going on right now, but we are still working to build support for a direct popular vote system. For more information, including watching the presentation, see our website

If you want to participate, or would like us to give a presentation at your organization, please contact Pat Butler

The LWVVC Observer Corps observes county and city meetings of governing boards and councils. 

When we observe, we wear our league shirts and observer buttons. Join us as we let elected officials know we're keeping an eye on our local government.

Please reach out to Betti Mentzer if you are interested in becoming a part of the Observer Corps. You can participate as your time permits, and you will be providing a great service to other League members.

Dates for upcoming County Board of Supervisors meetings: April 14th and the 28th

Contact: Kay Armstrong

Scholarships for the current year are being reviewed at each of our three community colleges. The first of our awards will happen at the end of April at Moorpark College. The other two, Ventura and Oxnard, will happen in May.

We hope to have our scholarship awardees join us at our annual meeting in June. More to come.

And of course, scholarship donations, of any size, are very much appreciated!! 

Housing & Homelessness Committee: Join Our Mission!

At our March meeting we heard from Janet Sprissler, owner and broker of Rent 805, a property management company.

She spoke on AB 1482 and SB 567, the Tenant Protections Act, designed to keep unscrupulous landlords from evicting people just to re-rent the units for more money. These bills were signed into law in recent years, and moved our local governments and advocates to take action.

She told us about CAUSE's work in promoting tenants' rights and preventing landlords from harassing tenants. 

The City of Ventura initiated the Housing Rights Center, where people can call to register complaints. There have been about 2000 calls, but only two rose to the level of investigation.  

The City of Oxnard now limits rent increases to 4% and has a rental registry for landlords. The State standard for rent increases is the 5% plus the cost-of-living index.

Janet said the belief that rent control restricts development of new housing is a myth, although this view is controversial among housing developers.

For more information see our Committee Page

DEI & Social Justice Committee

Meetings 3rd Thursday of the month, 4:00pm on Zoom

Contacts:

Kay Armstrong (Social Justice) or 

Laura Hernandez (DEI)

At our meeting on March 19th we focused on our commitment to DEI, and current issues in our county such as FLOCK cameras (which mass-capture automobile characteristics and license plates) and the work of 805 Undocufund.

For anyone who may want to join us please contact either Kay Armstrong or Laura Hernandez. All are invited to join us! Please contact us if you are interested.

Check out our committee page on the LWVVC website for the latest information about what we're doing.

Thank you,

Laura and Kay

For Questions about Membership

or Local Action Units



Contact: Doris Simmelink

Welcome to our newest members:

• Camarillo - Kathren Pearce
• Simi Valley - Christabel Schadt
• Thousand Oaks - Ina Gyinness
• Ventura - Linda Kodman, Aryn Kylie

Please remember to use ChapterSpot to join or review your League membership.

RENEWING MEMBERS: Many thanks and gratitude to our members who have renewed their membership, and to those who have made an additional contribution toward the operating expenses of the LWVVC and towards the scholarship fund. Your support is vital to our continued success.

UPDATES

230 MEMBERS TOTAL

LOCAL ACTION UNITS NEWS

These smaller groups are a way to form friendships and plan ways to get involved. From social get-togethers to tackling local issues, this is a chance to bring the league to your immediate community and be more active.

If you are interested in starting a group in your area, or if you have any questions, please reach out. We have ideas, suggestions and materials to get you started.  

Doris Simmelink



Camarillo - This action unit has been attending Camarillo City Council meetings as LWV observers. We also began tabling at the Farmers Market on Saturday, February 28, and because this is an election year, we plan to continue every other Saturday from 8 am to Noon - April, May, and June. 

SignUpGenius invitations will be sent to our members for both tabling and City Council meetings. Please sign up if you can help.

For information about meetings and events, contact Catherine (aka Kitty)

Oak Park - Contact Jim Moynihan for information.

Ojai will have their 3rd meeting on Monday, April 20, at 4:00-5:30pm, in the Ojai Library Meeting Room, located at 111 E. Ojai Avenue, Ojai, CA 93023

Ojai members will receive an email invite. Please RSVP to the email or contact Pat Essick or Judy Murphy for details.

Thousand Oaks will have their next meeting on Friday, June 5, 6:30 pm-8:30 pm at Plata Cocina Mexicana, Thousand Oaks - RSVP to Joan Palmieri or Elizabeth Zernik.

In March we met at the Landing in Westlake, and had one guest who became a new member. On No Kings Day the team handed out flyers about the SAVE Act, the proposed CA Voter ID initiative, and post office changes that affect our ballots.

Ventura? Oxnard? Please contact us if you'd like to start a group.

April 15th @ 5:30pm (3rd Wednesday), ON ZOOM

RSVP to Kay Armstrong.

Happy hour events are not just for new members – everyone is welcome, including guests. Join us for an informal conversation about all things LWVVC. Interested in becoming more involved in our mission of "Empowering Voters, Defending Democracy"? Then come, learn about what we're doing, and how you can help.

You don't have to be a League member to join us for happy hour. Come for five minutes, the whole hour or anywhere in between. We hope to see you there! You are welcome to attend either or both Happy Hours. Please register with the host in advance. 

If you would like to start an in-person Meet the Members in your area

please contact us



Participate in LWVUS and LWVC. Sign up for Updates and League Groups -

Open to all League Members

Join by signing in at: Join an Online Discussion Group and work with other leagues, LWV California staff and LWV US staff.

For all relevant news about the County of Ventura: https://www.ventura.org/

• View Board of Supervisor agendas, documents, broadcasts, and videos.

• Connect with County services.  

Why Renew or Join? Your membership supports our critical work in:

1. Voter education and registration
2. Advocacy for important local and state issues
3. Promoting civic engagement in Ventura County

How to Join or Renew? Visit the LWVVC website and select the Join/Renew link to access the membership portal - or just click the green button below.

Questions? Contact our membership team for assistance.

Donate 

Tax deductible donations may be made to:

•      General Fund

•      Scholarship Fund

•      Ann Gist Scholarship Fund  

•      Ann Gist Voter Education Fund

 OR make your check payable to LWVVC and send it to

P.O. Box 6786, Ventura, CA 93006

If you wish to donate in remembrance of someone, please include their name and a few lines about their life. Please specify the fund you want to support.

Thank you  

Raise Awareness of the League

Email: lwvvc.info@gmail.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LWVVenturaCounty  

Mailing Address: LWVVC, P.O. Box 6786, Ventura, CA 93006 

Phone Number: (805) 303-1476 

  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LWVVenturaCo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lwvofventura/

The League of Women Voters of Ventura County is a 501(c)3 organization.

All contributions are tax deductible.  

The League of Women Voters, a grassroots non-partisan 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 League of Women Voters does not support or oppose candidates or political parties.