Volume 78, Number 1 | January 2026 | Your Voice Matters!
Our Annual Planning Meeting is this weekend and we want you to be there! Please join us to share your thoughts & visions as we plan for 2026, the mid-term election cycle, and to make sure our community has informed advocates in every area! Bring your ideas. We'll bring the treats!
We'd love for you to share the League information with a friend! Share this email, our social media posts, or invite them to join you at an upcoming event.
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| Unite and Rise 8.5 Video Series from LWV
In its commitment to encourage civic action, the League of Women Voters (LWV) has launched its Unite and Rise 8.5 YouTube video series with three episodes. Hosted by LWV CEO Celina Stewart, the series brings together leading thinkers and movement builders for candid conversation focused on a critical question: How can Americans effectively stand up and speak to defend our democracy? This series is part of LWV’s Unite and Rise 8.5 initiative, created to engage and mobilize 8.5 million voters to protect and preserve our democracy. The videos highlight the League’s historic commitment to advancing women’s leadership and inspiring communities to take meaningful civic action.
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| JANUARY MEETING
We will meet for 2026 planning on the second Saturday of January, due to holiday schedules. Join us on Saturday January 10th at Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church, 9400 Pflumm Rd, Lenexa, KS 66215 from 9:30-11:00am. We are looking forward to a great 2026 together as we prepare for the upcoming mid-term elections.
LEGISLATIVE COFFEES
Discover what's percolating in the Kansas Legislature. Representatives and Senators will discuss the new legislative session, followed by Q&A. You bring the questions! This series is presented in partnership with the Johnson County Library.
Legislative Coffee - 1/24/2026
Check the Events Calendar to see or register for all upcoming events!
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Find out in this month's observer reports:
1. What was the turnout percentage in JOCO in the November election?
2. What percentage of people in JOCO are low-income?
3. What is happening with the current grass-roots effort to have JOCO election materials in languages other than English?
The Observer Corps has open spots for the Board of County Commissioners, JCCC Board of Trustees, Olathe School Board, JOCO Parks & Rec Board, Olathe City Council, and Lenexa City Council. Email observercorps@lwvjoco.org if you can help!
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| I wish to thank our Membership Team very much for the wonderful Holiday Party which we celebrated on December 10. Members helped to plan it, run it, and then to do the cleanup afterwards. So many people came and appreciated this opportunity to socialize and relax.
I want to give special tribute to our Communications Team for all their work this year. This team puts out THE VOTER each month to keep our members informed and even quite a few of our partners. They create the eBlasts which notify and/or remind our members of special news items. This team updates our website and our social media connections. They also work closely with other teams such as Voter Information and Voter Registration to help them with their events. The Communications team works largely in the background, but they are a true lifeblood of LWVJoCo. They can use your assistance so keep them in mind.
January 10, 2026 (second Saturday due to New Years) is our Planning Meeting for what we want to do in 2026 and what information we want voters (and ourselves) to learn about. This meeting will also give you a chance to learn about all our teams (there are nearly a dozen), find out what they are doing and plan to do in 2026, and give you an opportunity in small groups to talk with them, ask questions, find out what you can do to help, and give you a chance to offer your assistance in this extremely important election year of 2026.
Happy New Year.
Harry Bognich
president@lwvjoco.org
| Important Information about Annual League Membership Dues
We welcome new members to our chapter. The suggested annual League membership fee is $75, but a minimum of $20 may be paid to fit your circumstances. Please go to www.lwv.org. This is the national league's website, which processes all dues. You may renew your annual membership the same way. Renewing members receive email reminder notices 30 and 60 days before their membership expires. At any time, you can check the national site to access your account or create one if you are not yet a League member.
If you need assistance to establish or renew your membership, or just don't feel comfortable with the online process, please come to the check-in table at Saturday meetings, and we will be happy to assist you.
To help us succeed, donations to our Johnson County chapter are most welcome and appreciated in addition to membership fees. Donations in any amount may be made on our website, www.lwvjoco.org. Please look for the donate button.
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