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| The League Update |
| January 28, 2021 |
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Meredith,
2021 has started with a flurry of activity and news – some exciting, some frightening. The emergence of new variants of COVID-19 and the insurrection have consumed our attention, but new emphasis on vaccination, social justice, and environment awareness are heartening. As we send our condolences to the families of the five persons who lost their lives, two officers who have committed suicide and 140 other officers who were seriously injured due to the insurrection, we stand by our position to hold the former president accountable in his role in inciting the insurrection and deny him any opportunity to again hold federal office. We will continue to follow the ongoing investigations and wait to evaluate the facts before calling for further resignations or specific actions.
Let us remember and continue to remind America that the 2020 election was a fair and secure election. This is a FACT to be celebrated by all and to be proudly touted by LWV because of the important part we played in making it so. This FACT has been confirmed in all courts, election offices, and communities across this country. Moreover, we must acknowledge the attempt to overturn the will of the majority of the American people was a clear attempt to disenfranchise millions of votes – many of those votes in communities with large numbers of voters of color. Social injustice and racial animus continue to hamper America’s efforts to form a more perfect union, but it can be done, and the League will and should be a part of that effort.
As we keep our eye on the ongoing developments, we turn with delight to the change being generated in Washington. We are officially one week into the new administration, and I am excited to see movement on some of our priority issues. In the legislature, the For the People Act (H.R. 1) has been introduced in the House, and yesterday, the Senate introduced the D.C. Statehood bill (S. 51). The League has worked diligently to advance these pieces of legislation, and we hope to see them enacted in the months ahead.
On an issue dear to my heart, and in support of the League priority to work toward providing fair and equitable medical care to all in our country, I awoke this morning to the announcement that a special enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act opened, allowing millions who have lost resources during this pandemic to have the opportunity to acquire access to the health care system that they have been denied.
Finally, an important League reminder – the roster management deadline is approaching in a few days. Please be sure to update your rosters by January 31, 2021, so that we can record how the League has grown, have accurate access to who is in leadership roles, and verify the past year to generate your League’s Per Member Payment (PMP). Log in to the roster portal today and update your League’s roster if you have not already.
Winter is still upon us, so those of you who are under storm warnings, please stay safe and listen to your weather alerts. And those of you who are enjoying balmy weather, remember the virus has no respect of weather or person, so continue all precautions. Thanks for your dedication to democracy! Stay safe and wear a mask.
In League,
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Deborah
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| Campaign for MAKING DEMOCRACY WORK® |
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Sign up for VOTE411 in 2021
Does your community have elections during the 2021 election cycle? Are you ready to provide voters in your area with the important, nonpartisan candidate information they need to successfully cast their ballot? If so, join with your colleagues across the country and sign up for the VOTE411.org voters’ guide program now! Let us build on our successes of last year and continue to provide voters with the candidate information they expect from the League, where they are looking, on VOTE411.org. If you would like to sign up for VOTE411 in 2021, please fill out this form, and LWVEF staff will reach out to you directly. If you have any questions, please contact Isamar Garcia-Hernandez (igarcia-hernandez@lwv.org).
Results of Winter 2020 Semi Annual Survey
In 2020, LWVUS launched our first Semi-Annual Survey! This effort is designed to better understand what activities Leagues are engaging in and what groups Leagues are partnering with. Join us on Thursday, February 4, at 7pm ET to learn more about the results of our first survey and plans for the Summer 2021 Semi-Annual Survey. Register now!
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| Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion |
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February Webinar: Applying a DEI Lens to Virtual Event Planning
Join us on February 18 at 7pm ET to discuss how to apply a DEI lens to virtual events including annual meetings, membership meetings, community forums, and others. Register here.
January Webinar: Recording and Resources
The recording of our January webinar on our nonpartisan and DEI policies can be found here, along with related resources.
Using Inclusive Design for Social Media
Most of the U.S. population is on social media in some form. But the experience is not the same for everyone. For those with certain disabilities, the choices you make in your social media marketing can be inclusive or exclusive of their participation. We invite you to check out this resource from PR training firm Ragan to learn how your League can make your social media more inclusive. |
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News of the Week
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LWV of the US Chief Counsel Celina Stewart spoke with The 19th about voting rights bills and priorities in state houses across the country. Read the story.
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This week, LWV of Kentucky released an updated report on disenfranchisement of formerly incarcerated individuals and renewed its call for passage of a bill to allow Kentuckians to vote on a change in the Kentucky Constitution making restoration of the right to vote automatic upon completion of sentence.
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New Jersey completed a historic audit of its November mail-in election. Jesse Burns, executive director of LWV of New Jersey, commented on the accuracy of the election and need for further expansions to voter access.
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Upcoming Policy Webinar Schedule
Check our page on the League Management Site to see a listing of all future and past webinars from the LWVUS Advocacy and Litigation team! Webinars will cover setting Legislative priorities, putting together action alerts, policy briefings on legislative issues, and preparing for your next legislative session. Currently, webinars are scheduled out through March 2021.
How to Engage in Federal Advocacy for the For the People Act
Earlier this month, the House of Representatives reintroduced H.R. 1 or the For the People Act. This bill comprises a bold, transformative set of reforms to strengthen our democracy and return political power to the people. A House vote on the For the People Act is expected to take place in the next couple of weeks. For anyone hoping to help advocate for the passage of this bill, LWVUS has put together a comprehensive toolkit that includes sample social media posts and graphics, letter to the editor templates, talking points, and a summary of the bill itself. This is a great resource for any work you want to do around the For the People Act. Find the toolkit here.
Lobby Corps Expansion Information Session
Join us for this information session on Thursday, February 4, at 10am ET, led by members of the LWVUS Lobby Corps, to talk about opportunities for your state and local league to be involved in federal lobbying and advocacy activities on behalf of the League. This session is suitable for state presidents or any of their designees to attend. Register for the session here.
Policy Webinar: Testifying at Your State Legislature
Thank you to those who were able to join us for our January policy webinar. We hope you enjoyed our lively discussion on how to prepare and successfully deliver legislative testimony. As part of our follow up, please find the recording and slides from our webinar on the League Management Site.
Action Alert: Congress Must Pass the For The People Act
In 2019, we celebrated the passage of H.R. 1, the For the People Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives. This sweeping piece of legislation is the most expansive democracy reform agenda we have seen since the Voting Rights Act, but back then it never got to the President's desk. With the start of the 117th Congress, it is imperative that the For the People Act once more become a top priority. Tell Congress to pass the For the People Act as a first order of business in the new administration.
Blog: How Impeachment and the 25th Amendment Work
The last few months have been one big ole civics lesson. And due to current events, people are raising questions about the 25th Amendment and impeachment. These processes are part of our constitutional checks and balances and were intentionally created to be a difficult bar to overcome. The Founders established this set of checks and balances to ensure the health and stability of our democracy, and that if impeachment or the 25th amendment is pursued that it is the best course of action. Learn more about these topics from the litigation team’s own Meghan Browder.
LWV Calls on Biden Administration to Stop Stripping Americans of Their Citizenship
LWV joined Muslim Advocates’ coalition in urging the new Biden Administration to stop the Trump denaturalization regime. Once a last resort tool against Nazis, denaturalizations are now being used to strip naturalized Black and brown Americans of their citizenship. This process, which reinforces a system of second-class citizenship for American immigrants, was condemned by LWV. We urged the new administration to place a moratorium on denaturalizations and work to quickly reinstate the citizenships of those caught in the crossfire. Find the letter here.
LWV Urges Congress to Include Permanent Protections and a Path to Citizenship in COVID-19 Relief
Understanding the compounding health, social, and economic crises brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, LWV joined 512 other organizations in urging the inclusion of immigrant protections in relief packages. Undocumented immigrants have comprised 5 million of our nation’s essential workers during this pandemic, and COVID relief must be inclusive of them. Find the letter here.
LWV Thanks Biden Administration and Says Goodbye to Muslim and African Bans
Alongside the NO BAN Act Coalition, LWV recently celebrated the repeal of the Muslim and African Bans. We thank President Biden for making this action one of his first in office, and for including the NO BAN Act in his immigration legislation to Congress. We urge congressional leadership to take up and pass the NO BAN Act immediately to ensure this never happens again. Read the press release here.
LWV Urges President Biden to Rescind Executive Order Creating Citizenship Database
LWV joined other census and redistricting champions in calling for the recission of EO 13380, which mandated the Census Bureau creation of a block-level citizenship database. This database could cause serious havoc in the 2021 redistricting process in states throughout the country. It is imperative that President Biden direct the Census Bureau to cease work on this project. Find the letter here. |
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Follow LWVUS on OutreachCircle!
Want to stay engaged with empowering voters and defending democracy efforts? Follow the League of Women Voters U.S. on OutreachCircle, our one-stop shop for resources, action alerts, and volunteer opportunities. You can even use this tool to send emails and texts to your network and post on social media! The LWVUS Organizing Team regularly posts updates on our Circle to make sure our supporters stay in the loop! Click here to join the LWVUS OutreachCircle! (You will be prompted to create an account.)
Webinar: Voter Registration: Maintaining Our Momentum
The pandemic has changed the way we register and engage with voters; however, we have seen how Leagues have reached voters in ways that reflect the times. We saw record turnout in the November elections, and we look forward to continuing to build upon that momentum. Join us on February 11th at 3pm ET as we discuss how we can sustain our impact while continuing to navigate the pandemic and the changes it brings. Register here.
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First Call: 2021 Council
The 2021 Council will be held virtually in June. Find more information here.
Last Call: Roster Updates Due January 31st
All League roster updates are due in the Roster Manager Portal by January 31st. To ensure your roster is up to date, any members who will be considered an active member on January 31st must have a membership status of "Active." Any members not active as of January 31st should have a membership status of "Inactive." Let's celebrate the growth the League has seen in 2020 by ensuring that all new members are counted.
The support section of the Roster Manager portal offers answers to common questions and is the best place to submit support requests. If you are unable to login to the portal you can contact rostersupport@lwv.org. We will work to honor any adjustments that need to be made to roster numbers for Leagues with pending roster support requests prior to the roster update deadline.
Due to the high volume of activity during this time, Leagues should expect longer than usual wait times when contacting Roster Support. We suggest you begin submitting your member information as soon as possible in order to ensure ample time for support should the need arise. To access your League’s database, visit the login page.
National Popular Vote Activists
The LWVUS National Popular Vote Taskforce has developed a series of profiles on League activists fighting for National Popular Vote in their state. Meet the first of this series: Sylvia Bernstein of Colorado.
National Popular Vote Presentation for League Use
The LWVUS National Popular Vote (NPV) Task Force has created a PowerPoint presentation for Leagues to educate and inform the public, their membership, and community activists about the need for National Popular Vote and what they can do to help make it the law of the land in their state. Download the presentation from the resources section of the NPV Task Force page.
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Special Notifications: Please don’t reply to this message. For additional information, contact the individual listed or visit our websites: lwv.org and the League Management Site. To help keep your members informed, consider forwarding this bi-weekly message. Want to sign up to receive this email? Use this form. Please note that this is an internal communication that provides both announcements and opportunities meant only for your members and League, as well as updates on important news and events.
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