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Making Democracy Work Award


Making Democracy Work


The Johnson County League of Women Voters Making Democracy Work Award is given to an outstanding community member. The League created the award in 2008 as a way to recognize and celebrate citizens who demonstrate committed, visionary leadership that strengthens our democracy. With this award, we honor an individual or group who has taken action to “Make Democracy Work” to benefit residents in Johnson and/or Wyandotte counties.


December 2019: Lindsay Begham honored with Making Democracy Work Award for her leadership in the Voter to Voter project. Voter to Voter is a peer relationship effort that increased voter turnout. Check votertovoter.org to learn how you can encourage voters in 2020!



 



Award Criteria

An honoree's work or action must:
  • Clearly demonstrate democracy at work.
  • Be innovative and unique.
  • Encourage active, informed citizenship within the community.
  • Be nonpartisan.
  • Be able to be replicated.

Recipients of the Making Democracy Work award:
  • 2008: Carol Sader, former Kansas State Representative
  • 2009: Ruth Hopkins, Prairie Village city council member
  • 2010: Congressman Dennis Moore, Kansas 3rd District
  • 2011: Annabeth Surbaugh, former chair Board of County Commissioners
  • 2012: Dolores Furtado, Ph.D., former Kansas State Representative
  • 2013: John Vratil, retired member of the Kansas Senate
  • 2014: Brian Newby, Johnson County Election Commissioner
  • 2015: Ed Peterson, former Johnson County Commissioner
  • 2016: Dave Helling, Kansas City Star columnist and editorial writer
  • 2017: Tracy Fuller Forbush, Citizen Program Manager at Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas
  • 2019: Mike Kelly, Roeland Park Mayor and Lindsey Constance, Shawnee City Council Member
  • 2019: Rosehill School Third-Grade teachers Meghan Spalding. Lauren Langhofer and Rachel Serna
  • 2019: Lindsay Behgam for Voter to Voter



May 2019: Lindsey Constance and Mike Kelly honored for their leadership in creating the Metro KC Climate Change Coalition.

May 2019: Rachel Serna and Lauren Langhofer accept the 2019 Making Democracy Work Award for creating curriculum for their third-grade students to foster civic engagement. Their students interacted with departments in Lenexa city government.