|
A Very Merry Berry Holiday Social
Sunday, December 4 | 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.
Thompson Barn |11184 Lackman Road, Lenexa 66219
Honoring Johnson County and Wyandotte County Election Office Staff Members
Light holiday treats and surprises
Put a star on the day so you don’t miss this festive event!
Bring a friend!
Make your reservation by Thursday, December 1st!
| Join us on a visit to the Redlined: Cities, Suburbs, and Segregation exhibit at the Johnson County Museum. This exhibit, "promises to take visitors on a deep dive on the history of redlining from its origins to lingering legacies. Using artifacts from the Johnson County Museum, State Historical Society of Missouri, and images from more than 20 institutions, this exhibit shows how Johnson County and the region both shaped and was shaped by the federal policy of redlining. An art exhibit within the history exhibit featuring works from the African American Artists Collective provides opportunities for people to reflect on redlining from different perspectives."
The LWV will have a guided tour on December 17 at 2:00 p.m. Cost is $11 for adults and $10 for seniors. Please register for this event. You will pay at the door on day of visit.
|
Help chart LWVJoCo's course for 2023 and beyond.
We will celebrate some of the highlights of a very busy and successful 2022 and spend time in small groups where leaders will facilitate discussions about key elements of our Five-Year Strategic Plan and the roles you, as members, would like to play.
We need your input to make LWVJoCo even stronger!
Please register for the event so we will know how much coffee and food are needed, and we set up the right number of tables for small group discussion.
|
'Tis The Season
Did December sneak up on you, like it did on me? Or have you been tuned in to Hallmark Christmas movies and have all your holiday shopping completed? Or maybe you’re somewhere in-between!
Our Membership Chair, Victoria Smith, and her committed team of volunteers have planned a Very Merry Berry Holiday Celebration on Saturday, December 4. Learn about the details elsewhere in this newsletter. I hope to see you there!
On Saturday, January 7, I strongly encourage you to attend the January annual planning meeting which we are calling A Celebration of Democracy, the League and You! The event will be 9:30-11:30 a.m. (please note later start time) and will take place at the Johnson County Library - Central Resource, located at 9875 W 87th Street in Overland Park. We will celebrate some of the highlights of this very busy and successful year and spend time in small groups where leaders will facilitate discussions about key elements of our Five-Year Strategic Plan and the roles you, as members, would like to play. Please register for the event so that Gloria and Gerald Hiller know how much coffee and food are needed, and we set up the right number of tables for small group discussion.
The LWVJoCo has met at Atonement Church for years and are grateful for their hospitality. Those who attended our May meeting know that there was a mechanical failure with their security system that resulted in a constant beeping that disturbed the panelists and attendees. And disrupted the video recording. In the ensuing months, they have been unable to locate the part needed. Therefore, we are looking for a new home that is ADA compliant, has ample parking, and sufficient space. I’d like to give a shout out to Andrea Vieux and Connie Taylor, our Co-Vice Presidents, for their research of other meeting spaces that meet these needs and are affordable. Please let them know if you have ideas.
An important item that we’ll discuss in January is a possible change in format to have fewer formal programs with panelists (we currently have nine per year) and more in-person small group programs that combine socialization with keeping you up-to-speed with League efforts. We’ll also share statistics on the number of participants at our four virtual programs in 2022, the number of YouTube Views associated with virtual programs, and the number of participants and YouTube views associated with our five in-person programs.
We’re looking for 25 members who aren’t currently serving on a League team to commit to jumping on the bandwagon to help with finite projects such as planning one event or helping in other key areas. Please call or email me, Connie or Andrea if you are willing to invest a few hours in our work. Our info is in the online member directory found on our website.
Finally, please take the time to send a text or note to your volunteer board members to thank them for their service to the League this year. They spent most of the year drinking from a fire hose to meet the challenges of two high-stakes elections. And as we celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve and the friendships made through the LWVJoCo, know that I am proud to be your president.
Cheers,
Janet
| 
DEI Moment
December 3rd is International Day for People with Disabilities. People with disabilities face many obstacles in our society, including barriers to voting. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that provides protections to people with disabilities. Title II of the ADA requires state and local governments make voting accessible to individuals with disabilities. The State of Kansas also requires each polling place to have at least one fully accessible voting machine, requires polling places to be accessible by wheelchair, and allows disabled voters to request assistance from a friend, family member or a poll worker. These standards are codified in the Kansas Help America Vote Act (HAVA).
Despite the ADA, other federal laws, and state laws meant to ensure voting is accessible to individuals with disabilities, they continue to experience hurdles to exercising their right to vote. Transportation issues, lack of accommodations for the visually impaired, and polling places with limited or no access for the mobility impaired are just a few issues faced by Americans covered by the ADA who want to cast a ballot.
Unfortunately, many states are restricting mail-in voting, which disproportionately impacts individuals who have difficulties leaving their home. Mail-in voting is not just a convenience but a necessity for some disabled individuals to be able to exercise their right to vote. Since 2020, 18 states have passed laws making it harder for voters to apply for, receive, or cast a mail-in ballot. But the League of Women Voters continues to support and press for mail-in voting and other voter accessibility measures to ensure individuals in historically underserved communities are able to cast votes and have their voices heard.
For more information about federal laws enacted to provide equal voting access to individuals with disabilities, visit: The Americans with Disabilities Act and Other Federal Laws Protecting the Rights of Voters with Disabilities
More information about HAVA and submitting a complaint if you feel your voting rights have been infringed is available on the Secretary of State’s website, available here: Kansas Secretary of State | Voter Information In Kansas, individuals who believe there has been a violation of Kansas election accessibility laws can file an administrative complaint. The complaint must be filed within 30 days of the incident.
For more information about recent voting restrictions imposed across the country: Explainer: How new U.S. laws could trip up voters this November | Reuters
|  | Member Spotlight: The Great Decisions Discussion Group
Did you know the LWVJoCo offers a foreign policy study group called Great Decisions that was established approximately 20 years ago? Surprised? Learn more about the group’s interesting and important activities.
|
Raquel Koser
Jessica Mindnich
Kim Rich
Tonya Simpson-Hines
| Observer Corps Reports
Catch up on the actions, decisions and proposals of our local public officials.
Following local politics as a League Observer is a great way to stay informed on the issues you care about. Contact Eileen Marshall to find out where you might plug in, and read our latest reports.
- Which library locations are up for renovation?
- What is the unemployment rate in Johnson county?
- How big is the population of homeless students in Johnson County school districts?
| Board and Committee Briefs
- February 4 meeting, details coming soon
- Legislative Coffees, beginning in mid-January
- Voter Girl, January 28 - The Girl Scouts of NE Kansas and NW Missouri, in partnership with The League of Women Voters of Johnson County, The League of Women Voters of Topeka-Shawnee County, and The League of Women Voters of Kansas City, Jackson, Clay Platte Counties, work with Daisy, Brownie, and Junior Scouts to earn their Democracy badges. Girl Scouts and Girl Scout Troops can register at https://www.gsksmo.org/. Interested volunteers can contact VoterInformation@lwvjoco.org. This is an afternoon event. Snow Day 2/4
📰 Stay current: Read about latest work of Leagues throughout the state in the latest issue of LWVK’s VOTER Notes newsletter. | Stay Connected
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter.
Check our Events page.
Keep current on developments through our Facebook page.
Find out more about what the Kansas League is doing.
We welcome your feedback! Please contact the newsletter editor.
View past issues of our newsletter.
Our monthly newsletter, The VOTER, provides information on League programs and events. Get it delivered to your inbox. Subscribe for free! | |