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MEMBERS MATTER NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 2023
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In September, we will focus much of our work and energy on registering voters, educating the public about housing issues, restoring voting rights for formerly incarcerated individuals, and recruiting election workers.
Our events are not just gatherings; they are opportunities to make a positive impact on our community and nation. By attending, you'll have a chance to:
Stay Informed: Our events feature knowledgeable speakers who will provide valuable insights into critical issues facing our society today. Stay up-to-date on current events and policy discussions.
Network and Connect: Meet like-minded individuals who share your passion for civic engagement. Forge meaningful connections and build a strong network of fellow LWV members.
Advocate for Change: Learn about key advocacy initiatives and how you can get involved. Your voice matters, and these events will equip you with the knowledge and tools to make a difference.
Empower Yourself: Gain valuable skills, knowledge, and resources that will enable you to become a more effective advocate for positive change in your community.
National Voter Registration Day is an annual event in the United States dedicated to encouraging and facilitating voter registration. It typically takes place on the fourth Tuesday of September. The goal of this day is to raise awareness about the importance of voting, help eligible individuals register to vote, and ensure that all citizens have the opportunity to participate in the democratic process.
Across the nation, the League of Women Voters plays a vital role in National Voter Registration Day by actively engaging in voter registration efforts, educating the public, advocating for voting rights, and working to make the democratic process more accessible and inclusive. Our involvement helps ensure that the event has a significant impact in increasing voter registration and civic participation across the country.
Metro Phoenix Voter Services committee has organized many events for our members during this month to register voters as our commitment to National Voter Registration Day. I urge you to volunteer at these events! These events are rewarding – they fulfill our passion to expand the franchise, to learn about what's on voters minds, and to provide information that prepares informed voters.
We have several important education events organized by our LWVMP teams and committees. Remember, the strength of the LWV lies in its members' active participation. I encourage you to mark these dates on your calendar and join us in making a real impact. Your presence and engagement are invaluable to our mission.
Our events are posted on our website - www.lwvmetrophoenix.org. Invite your network of contacts to join you!
Together, we can continue to make strides towards a more inclusive, informed, and participatory democracy. Thank you for your dedication to our cause, and I look forward to seeing you at these upcoming events.
In League Service,
Pinny Sheoran, President
LWV Metro Phoenix
480.540.4934
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Save these dates!
Register for these events here!
Wednesday, Sept 13, 6-7:30pm: "Priced Out: Why Housing is No Longer
Affordable in 2023"
Tuesday, Sept 19: National Voter Registration Day
Tuesday, Sept 19, 8am-2pm: Voter Registration at Human Services Campus, 1201 W Madison St, Phoenix
Wednesday, Sept 20, 10am-4pm: Voter Registration at Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N Drinkwater, Scottsdale
Thursday, Sept 21, 10am-4pm: Voter Registration at South Mountain Community Library, 7050 S 24th St, Phoenix
Thursday, Sept 21, 12-2pm: "Barred from Voting: The Effort to Restore Voting Rights for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals"
Wednesday, Sept 17, 11am-2pm: Voter Registration at Fresh Start Women's Foundation, 1130 E McDowell, Phoenix
Saturday and Sunday, Oct 21-22, 11am-8pm: Voter Registration at Phoenix Pride Festival
Sunday, Oct 29, 12:30-7pm: Voter Registration at Dia de los Muertos Festival
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Growing our Membership and League Power!
Please join us in welcoming our five new League members who joined in August: Austin Englert, Jeri Ben-Horin, Brad Doran, Kathy MacDonald, and Dawn Reeths.
And, thank you to all 19 renewing members: Marcia Doran, Trish Georgeff, Joey Ghelfi, Susan Goldsmith, Alex Gulotta, Kathleen Hindle, Abdi Lopez, Amanda Lugo, Suzanne Miller, Pike Oliver, Kara & Peter Pelletier, Doris Perlmutter, Catherine Scrivano, Lauren Sheoran-Spenceley, Alexandria Stevens, Nancy Walentas, Elif Unlu, and Solange Whitehead.
Engagement Highlights
Looking for ways to get involved? Interested in getting involved in registering voters, advocating for policy issues including reproductive justice, fighting voter suppression, or increasing our city’s sustainability? Any time you have to spare will be put to great use! Please update your member profile in the new LWVMetroPhoenix website, or simply send us an email at InfoLWVMP@gmail.com, and we’ll get you organized.
Did you know…
Your membership dues go a long way? In addition to supporting the infrastructure of the League at the local, state and national level, your dollars help the League fight legal battles on all sorts of critical issues, including reproductive justice, fighting voter suppression, immigration, money in politics, equal rights, and more! Click here to learn more about how your membership matters! |  | | Voter Registration Events!
LWVMP is gearing up for several voter registration drives supporting National Voter Registration Day in September. Below is a list of the events with a few details. For more specific information on location and shift times, please visit the volunteer opportunities section or the events calendar page on our website, LWVMetroPhoenix.org. You will need to log in to the website to volunteer!
Your League needs table captains/co-captains and volunteers for the events listed below.
1. Voter Registration at Human Services Campus (1201 W Madison St, Phoenix): Tuesday, Sept 19, 8am - 2pm. The site will provide a tent, tables, chairs, and water for us. We just need to bring materials for tabling.
2. Voter Registration at Scottsdale Civic Center Library (3839 N Drinkwater Blvd, Scottsdale), Wednesday, Sept 20, 10am - 4pm. The tabling will be inside, and the library will provide a table and chairs for us.
3. Voter Registration at South Mountain Community Library (7050 S 24th St, Phoenix), Thursday, Sept 21, 10am - 4pm. The tabling will be inside, and the library will provide a table and chairs for us.
4. Voter registration at the Fresh Start Women's Foundation (1130 E McDowell, Phoenix), Wednesday, Sept 27, 11am - 2pm. The event is being held in conjunction with a Fresh Start Women's Foundation Community Leadership series that is open to the public. September's focus is female entrepreneurship and networking. They will provide a table and chairs for this event. |  | Volunteer for Festivals
October has two big festivals for LWVMP volunteers; both will be at Steele Indian School Park (300 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix). First is the Phoenix Pride event, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21 and 22, 11 am - 8 pm with a variety of volunteer shifts available. This is a huge event and a great opportunity to engage with the public.
Next is Dia de Los Muertos, Sunday, Oct. 29, 12:30 - 7 pm. Both of these events are ready for you to sign up to volunteer. Visit the volunteer opportunities section or the events calendar page on our website, LWVMetroPhoenix.org. You will need to log in to the website to volunteer. Look for member-only volunteer opportunities and events after you log in.
The Voter Services team will not meet in October. Join us for the November meeting Tuesday, Nov. 14, 5:30 - 6:30 pm., via Zoom. Register here: Zoom Link Nov 14 VS MTG.
These are important opportunities to engage and inspire eligible voters and to connect with other League members. See you there! | | |
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LWVMP to host series of Education Forums on Housing Issues
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LWVMP Hosts Virtual Forum
“Priced Out: Why Housing Is No Longer Affordable in 2023”
Presenters:Sarah Liguori of the Arizona Community Foundation and
Katie Gentry from the Maricopa Association of Governments
Register Now! Link to Register
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 13
Time: 6-7:30 pm
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Barred from Voting: The Effort to Restore Voting Rights for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals |  | |
Our guest speakers at this event include Kat Jutras and Dana Burns:
Kat Jutras, a LWVMP member and a managing partner of a local rights restoration nonprofit, will discuss the rights restoration process. She will be joined by Dana Burns, who will share her story of her ongoing mission to have her civil rights restored and the challenges she has encountered.
Dana is the founder of A Permanent Voice, an Arizona nonprofit organization that provides marginalized, underrepresented youth, seniors, and families in South Phoenix with vital support through education programs, community-building resources, and meaningful connections with each other. These programs are made possible by donations from community members, corporations, foundations, and community organizations.
This conversation will also include information about the laws/processes and the efforts being made in Maricopa County to help people restore their rights. Kat will also share information about the LWVMP’s efforts, with support from an LWVUS grant, to help formerly incarcerated individuals connect with organizations that can provide voting rights restoration support.
This meeting is open to the public - please share with family and friends! REGISTER HERE
Any questions? Email advocacylwvmp@gmail.com | |
Education Issues Team
We need YOUR help in supporting your local teachers and school boards. Right now, local school boards have become battlegrounds over LGBTQ+ student rights, teaching historically accurate and culturally inclusive curriculum, banning library books, and teaching social/emotional learning. Keep reading to see how you can support school board members, teachers, parents, and administrators in their efforts to fight back through a mix of collaboration, communication, and advocacy.
Whenever you have time for, we have a place where you can help. There are several steps the League and our individual members can take to help school boards and educators navigate the challenges they face:
1. Educate and Inform: Share accurate and comprehensive information about educational policies, curriculum decisions, and school board actions. Provide context for any contentious topics to ensure that community members are well-informed and can make decisions based on accurate information.
2. Show Up: Attend school board meetings to learn more about the school board members and the administration.
3. Leverage Social Media: Use social media and online platforms to share accurate information, counter misinformation, and foster a constructive online dialogue surrounding education and school board decisions. (NOTE: on these platforms, you are speaking for yourself, not as a representative of the League of Women Voters.)
4. Foster Relationships: Nurture relationships with educators to understand their needs and challenges.
5. Speak Up: Encourage school boards to adopt policies that protect teachers' ability to teach a diverse range of perspectives and encourage critical thinking, while also maintaining respect for students' diverse backgrounds.
6. Collaborate: Become familiar and work with other stakeholders who value evidence-based curriculum and educational practices. Together, you can rally behind the school board's efforts to provide quality education.
Please consider joining our Education Issues Team to help in the League’s effort to ensure that students are exposed to a historically and culturally sensitive, evidence-based curriculum in a safe, nurturing environment. Email Leslie at advocacylwvmp@gmail.com for more information or to join the team! | |
Call from LWVMP Nominating Committee for
Office of President-Elect
LWVMP is seeking nominations for the office of President-Elect. This is a great opportunity for an experienced League member to apprentice to the current President now and prepare to lead LWVMP as President beginning in May 2024. There were no nominations or volunteers for this position at our election in April. As a result, this important position has remained vacant. Per our bylaws, the Board is authorized to fill the vacancy. Therefore, the LWVMP Nominating Committee is soliciting nominations, and will present to the Board a slate to select for appointment.
What nominees should know about the President-Elect office
The President-Elect is the safety net for the Board to ensure continuity in the event of a vacancy in the presidency, and to allow for smooth transition and continuation of important actions and policies approved by a current board. To learn more about this very vital leadership role on the Board, please read a detailed description of the roles and responsibilities here. Please submit your application, including a bio of yourself, to Jean Conway, Nominating Chair, at calif.conway@gmail.com no later than Sunday, Oct.15, 2023. Each candidate will be interviewed by the Nominating Committee via Zoom. | |
LWVMP Community Teams
LWVMP Community Teams continue to connect through digital platforms, email and, when possible, as small groups. The rise in infections of the Covid-19 Omicron variant can be a cause-for-pause among some League members regarding meeting in person. We are asking team leads to be mindful of member concerns as they plan in-person gatherings of the community teams. If you want to find out more about community teams contact us at infolwvmp@gmail.com and we will forward your interest to the community team organizers.
Scottsdale Team - Please address your email to Doris Perlmutter
East Valley Team - Please address your email to Gitelle Seer
Phoenix Team - Please address your email to the President and Alexis Lane
If you are interested in assembling a community team please email us at infolwvmp@gmail.com |
LWVMP Scottsdale Community Team Events
All League members and their guests are welcome to join us at both in-person and Zoom events; however, all must register, so please register below! Your participation expands our League community when you network with other League members and learn more about issues that are important to us.
Please put these dates on your calendar and invite a friend to join you!
Wednesday, Sept. 27, 7 pm: Keeping Our Communities Safe from Gun Violence. Registration Link Join us for a conversation with Chief Walthers, Scottsdale Police Department, Chief Duggan, Chandler Police Department, and Chief Cost, Mesa Police Chief (invited), who will share their perspectives on threats to our communities and law enforcement programs and tools in place to protect our communities. The League has a very strong public policy position on gun safety, including advocating for stringent laws on gun ownership and licensing procedures. We believe gun ownership comes with civic responsibility, demonstrating responsible ownership and handling. The spotlight will be on Arizona in 2024, from the start of the heavy tourist season in January and throughout what we believe will be a contentious election year. League volunteers are involved in many ways during elections, and safety is of great concern to us. We welcome questions for our speakers from our members. Please submit them here infolwvmp@gmail.
Sunday, Oct. 22, 11am: Sunday brunch at Panera at Gainey Village Event Registration "Women’s Health and Reproductive Rights Local Challenges: What services are available to women in the east valley and what challenges are they facing using these services?"
Sunday, Nov. 12, 11 am: Sunday brunch at Panera at Gainey Village Event Registration.
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Why Working the Polls Matters
Join a conversation with elections officials about the important role of elections workers in ensuring our elections are safe, secure, and accessible for all Arizonan voters! Please see below for times, dates, and registration information. Register now!
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Ranked Choice Voting
Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), also known as instant runoff voting (IRV) is an innovative and intuitive voting method that gives voters more voice, choice, and power in the political system. By giving voters the option to rank candidates in order of preference, the system guarantees the winner of an election actually has majority support (over 50%) and that voters can express themselves honestly, while providing increased electoral opportunities for underrepresented groups.
Ranked Choice Voting is gaining in popularity nationwide. Currently, Alaska and Maine use RCV for state elections, Nevada voted to pass it in 2022 and will have to pass it again in 2024 before it can be implemented, and 62 cities and counties across the United States use RCV. There may be an RCV ballot initiative in the next few years in Arizona.
The RCV Issue Team invites League members curious about RCV and its potential to benefit Arizona voters to join us to help monitor related legislation and educate others about this important election reform. Contact Betsy Boggia or Beth Ballmann at LWVAZadvocacy@gmail.com to learn more. | |
Inaugural Podcast Series on Mis- and Disinformation
The League of Women Voters of Arizona is pleased to announce the launch of a series of Podcasts for the 2023 Democracy Truth Project (DTP). The DTP is grant funded by the LWVUS Education Fund, and the Podcasts are intended to help the public better understand Arizona's democratic and electoral process. Learn more about the project by listening to this brief podcast.
We need volunteers to produce the podcast! Additionally, we are offering a paid internship opportunity to college students with strong writing and voice skills. If you know a student with these talents who might want to be part of this incredible project, please ask them to email Gitelle Seer at lwvazadvocacy@gmail.com. Contact Janet Kerby and Cindy Walsh at lwvazadvocacy@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering.
This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the understanding and advancement of democracy in Arizona. We encourage you to connect with us and be part of the 2023 Democracy Truth Project. | | Openings for Paid Interns!
The state advocacy committee has openings for college students to work as paid interns on state advocacy projects, such as legislative analysis, research, calls to action, social media, the Advocacy and Action newsletter, writing and editing, and work product organization, among other responsibilities. The hours are flexible, and the students can work around their school schedules. Most of the work is virtual, but we may have some on-site projects if the student is local. Interns can also help local leagues engage in state-sponsored events such as forums and other activities under the state advocacy umbrella.
These positions are grant-funded, and we must comply with specific requirements, including the scope of the work. If you know any college students who might be interested, please ask them to send an email to lwvazadvocacy@gmail.com | | | |
LWVMP BOARD
Officers:
Pinny Sheoran, President and LWVAZ State Board President Elect
Vacant - President Elect
Beth Ballmann, Secretary
Barbara Cricket Mitchell, Treasurer, Finance and Development Committee Chair
Board of Directors
Gretchen Bolerjack, Voter Services Chair
Alexis Lane, Membership Committee Chair
Leslie Hanson, Advocacy Committee Chair
Jean Conway and Gitelle Seer, Bylaws Committee Chair
Jean Conway, Nominations Committee Chair
Marcia Barry, Budget Committee Chair
Cindy Walsh, Forums Chair
Gitelle Seer, LWVAZ State Board MP representatives
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I hope you have enjoyed reading this Members Matter! As always, please feel free to reach out to me personally to share your feedback and League experiences.
In League Service,
Pinny Sheoran
President, LWVMP
480.540.4934
infolwvmp@gmail.com | |