September 2024 Contents President's Message Your 2024-2025 slate of officers! #FreedomToRead Week Voter education materials available (Digital and print) Upcoming registration events: We need you! (Multiple dates) Become a voter advocate this Election Day Reports: Recovery Court Virtual Tools: LWV-VA Fact Checker |
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Happy Fall! I would first like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all LWVLY members who have participated in the many voter registration events that we have hosted during the past month. From the naturalization ceremony at Poplar Forest to local festivals and "Back to School" celebrations at local schools and colleges, LWVLY members have worked tirelessly in recent weeks educating, empowering, and energizing voters. If you have not had the chance to volunteer at an event this election season, there are still many opportunities where your help is needed. I encourage you to read the calendar of upcoming events below and make a plan to help where you can. There are many other ways to get involved and get engaged this election season as an election protection volunteer, poll worker, voter advocate, or poll monitor. Don't wait for someone else to step up and make a positive difference this year when YOU can stand for democracy and be that change. Lastly, LWV-Virginia is pleased to announce a new service this election season---Election Office Hours! Every Tuesday beginning on September 17, 2024, through Election Day, November 5, the LWV-Virginia will staff a Zoom meeting from 10am to 11am during which people can log in and ask questions regarding voter registration, casting an in-person or mail-in ballot, and other voting topics. Virginians can sign up here to receive the Zoom link. On Election Day, citizens will be able to reach out via email here if questions arise after 11AM. Hope to see you soon at a voter registration event! Stay safe! Onward and upward, Bethanie Mickles, Esq. (LWVLY President) |
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Your 2024-2025 slate of officers! |
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Thank you for voting on the slate of officers for this year. Your officers are: President: Bethanie Mickles, Esq. Vice President: Muriel Mickles Secretary: Jan Willinger (continuing her term) Treasurer: Sue Stengel (beginning a new term) Communications Officer: Crystal Howell (beginning a new term) |
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As we mark Banned Books Week, also known as Freedom to Read Week, it is urgent to reflect on the importance of defending the freedom to read. Censorship not only threatens individual rights but also stifles the open exchange of ideas that is fundamental to a thriving democracy. Yet, in the last three years, 42 states have experienced book bans, and 16 states have passed “divisive concepts” legislation limiting what can be learned and taught. The League of Women Voters-Virginia is deeply engaged in defending these freedoms and has empowered people and communities across the country to challenge harmful and unlawful censorship policies in court. The League of Women Voters-Virginia supports the #FreedomToRead and the freedom to vote. Find your early voting site at VOTE411. Be sure to check out LWVLY President Bethanie Mickles's #FreedomToRead week video shared by LWV-Virginia here! |
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Voter education materials available |
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Do you belong to other organizations or regularly visit a location where you might distribute flyers or other information about registration and voting? Please contact Bethanie Mickles (bethanie.mickles@gmail.com) or Muriel Mickles (murielmickles@gmail.com) for flyers, posters, and other materials created and distributed by LWV-VA. These materials are in addition to the voter guide and are available in many languages other than English. In particular, we have many materials in Spanish. This year's local voter guide is also available now. Currently, LWVLY plans to distribute guides at these locations. If you would like to help distribute guides or have suggestions for other distribution sites, please sign up on the linked Doc. You can also download and share a digital copy of the guide here. (Please note: The guide is designed to be printed on 8.5"x11" paper and folded into a brochure.) Finally, we have designed a new poster advertising VOTE411. We are currently in the printing process. You can downloand and share a digital version here. (Please note: The poster is designed to be printed on 11"x17" paper.) Members, please also extend many thanks for Niro Rasanayagam for taking the lead on ensuring our local candidates completed their info on VOTE411! |
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Upcoming registration events: We need you! |
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LWVLY members have been BUSY at registration events all around the city! We have many more on our calendar between now and October 15, and we need YOU! Please take a look at this calendar of events and sign up to help. These events are a fun way to serve your community, and don't worry if you're new to registering voters: you'll always have experienced members with you. Want to see pics of our recent events? Be sure to check out our Facebook page! |
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Become a voter advocate this Election Day |
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Growing threats to election workers, voters, and increases in poll worker shortages pose unique challenges to voters. Virginia Election Protection works to ensure that every voter in Virginia can register to vote and successfully cast their ballot. Virginia Election Protection volunteers serve as our “eyes and ears on the ground” at voting locations across Virginia. They help voters who encounter problems at the polls and ensure that every polling place is running as it should---sounding the alarm when something isn’t right. Voter Advocates and Legal Advocates monitor polling places in their communities, looking out for: As a volunteer, you will: Attend an online training Receive an Election Protection t-shirt, badge, and other materials Monitor voting sites during early voting or on election day Report problems to the Virginia Election Protection Coalition
Interested? Please visit the Virginia Election Protection website for more info and to sign up! |
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The Lynchburg Adult Recovery Court program celebrates the recent announcement of a $2 million federal grant provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The awarded funds will be used to increase the capacity of the Lynchburg Adult Recovery Court (LARC) by adding a probation officer to supervise participants, funding for recovery housing, and a robust external evaluation. Since its implementation in 2017, LARC has served 70 individuals by providing comprehensive treatment for those involved in the criminal justice system struggling with substance use addiction with a focus on equitable, accessible, and timely care. The LARC program has been operating at full capacity to meet community needs, but this new funding will allow the program to now serve 20 individuals per year for the next five years. |
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Virtual Tool: LWV-VA Fact Checker to Combat Mis- and Disinformation |
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Tool: VerbaAI The League of Women Voters of Virginia in partnership with VerbaAI, has established a fact-checking website which uses AI to find political statements and then check them against known and trusted sites. These include Snopes, PolitiFact, LeadStories, and Fact Check.org. League members are also active in locating and submitting questionable stories for review. According to Virginia League President, Joan Porte, “The ubiquitous spread of election lies is a clear danger to our democracy. This is just a piece of the work that we do to protect voters, but it is vital.” The website will be active through the November general election and beyond. According to Porte, “We have the dubious distinction of being one of two states with major elections every year. Unfortunately, false information shows no signs of stopping so we will remain vigilant." Read the full info sheet from LWV-VA here. |
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The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging the informed and active participation of citizens in government. It influences public policy through education and advocacy. We never support or oppose any political party or candidate. |
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