[LWVNM Action] Fwd: League Update: January 28, 2021

[Meredith Machen]

Several people have told me that you are not getting these important weekly
updates. At the bottom in purple, there's information about how to sign up.

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Deborah Ann Turner <deborah.turner at lwv.org>
Date: Thu, Jan 28, 2021 at 3:35 PM
Subject: League Update: December 28, 2021
To: <meredith.machen at gmail.com>


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The League Update
January 28, 2021
*[image: Black and white image of a crowd at a rally with signs; text: The
For the People Act will improve American elections by making our election
system more free, fair, and accessible to all eligible Americans]*

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
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Z6%2BnpME1OYl4R5Npvx0%2BVEg2fFHqqONh>.
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
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BBPo%2BzHRJYkdCk3hpWwxtUg2fFHqqONh>,
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
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2BuTwnmr%2B8JtwxWwl4tq6m0g2fFHqqONh>
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,

[image: Deborah Ann Turner, MD, JD]

Deborah
Campaign for MAKING DEMOCRACY WORK®

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
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=MCzfyhAMuvSErfD%2FrXVExUMN17cKeUCY>,
and LWVEF staff will reach out to you directly. If you have any questions,
please contact Isamar Garcia-Hernandez (igarcia-hernandez at 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!
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=E1rqKo1qTcCdwmNhOHxnR0g2fFHqqONh>
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
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.
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=K9avt3PZNOiwY715pKgOckg2fFHqqONh>
January Webinar: Recording and Resources

The recording of our January webinar on our nonpartisan and DEI policies can
be found here
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=KqqzhAMI1BT3VIEsl%2F9kQ0g2fFHqqONh>,
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
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=qZwTIgtYl0cfabIYYiYs%2BEg2fFHqqONh>
from PR training firm Ragan to learn how your League can make your social
media more inclusive.
News of the Week
•

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.
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=CoA5HHPuM1aSopHdJNts00g2fFHqqONh>
•

This week, LWV of Kentucky released an updated report
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=kJxVYQgvA1rV%2FRZNJeDTfkg2fFHqqONh>
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.
•

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
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=mwspuf7l%2FBn7VrwAmiV6AEMN17cKeUCY>
of the election and need for further expansions to voter access.
Advocacy
Upcoming Policy Webinar Schedule

Check our page on the League Management Site
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=HZvtlAQHaHCUWrs5ahOiGUg2fFHqqONh>
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.
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=cmCgb3RpgrhMdR3GxpYW8kg2fFHqqONh>
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.
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=7%2FuASVXIBfIMs18lFevSa0g2fFHqqONh>
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
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=nAW1Ihi1ITpdDPvfsiIPQ0g2fFHqqONh>.

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*
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ewqTAvrperJ2e6cniXUBjUg2fFHqqONh>
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
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=wPxiE94tIP%2BtXrPOdw%2FFtUg2fFHqqONh>
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.
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=SiVqQL1GnG4AToFCdc2zVkMN17cKeUCY>
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.
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=CTa%2BysWhWNB03SVfRd%2F9XEg2fFHqqONh>
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.
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=akAcix0wgFFemYjoYX2prUg2fFHqqONh>
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.
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=oCU4iX5LcY4cgbQBvqAns0g2fFHqqONh>
ORGANIZING
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!
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=LZ8KvmNECVpO%2FofVMMW6KEg2fFHqqONh>
*(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.
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=eT67VyocJdQ4HI3snslhCUg2fFHqqONh>
Membership
First Call: 2021 Council

The 2021 Council will be held virtually in June. Find more information
here.
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=KBKqn5ss6yvfx%2F8pi9IPQEg2fFHqqONh>
Last Call: Roster Updates Due January 31st

All League roster updates are due in the Roster Manager Portal
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=PgzKCOaVjNbwxM5dTPhOckg2fFHqqONh>
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 at 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.
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=4PaLW9Bm%2BeyP2zQzVwMr20g2fFHqqONh>
National Popular Vote Activists

The LWVUS National Popular Vote Taskforce
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=kE905EgQ72fWvCQgeZMRoUMN17cKeUCY>
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
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=nwQNh0KXl4aGeb7yJh0XO0g2fFHqqONh>
.
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
<http://salsa.wiredforchange.com/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Qv7rB5rwSZ9Fg6BEhtUf5Ug2fFHqqONh>
.
LEAGUE LEADERS

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and the League Management Site
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-- 
Meredith Ross Machen
505-577-6337
Vote as if your life depended on it!
Meredith.machen at gmail.com
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