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OCTOBER 9, 2008
In This Issue:
PRESIDENT'S
CORNER
- Message from the President: On the Road
Again with Mary (NEW)
- LWVUS Health Care Study Committee (NEW)
- LWV Participation in Election Year Project
(NEW)
ELECTIONS
- States Illegally Purge Voter Rolls (NEW)
- League Urges Poll Worker Preparedness and
Recruitment (NEW)
- LWVUS Executive Director Interviewed by
Pentagon TV (NEW)
- Send Us Your Voters' Guides
- Leagues Encouraged to Promote "Top 5
Tips for Debate Watchers"
- Overseas Voter Tools
MEMBERSHIP
- Maximizing Visibility at Candidates'
Forums (NEW)
- Promote the League's Work in the Media
(NEW)
- Success Story: Voters Service Hotline
Promotes League's Visibility (NEW)
- Membership Growth Challenge (NEW)
- Summary Sheet Reporting Period Begins on
November 1st (Alert #1)
ADVOCACY
- LWVUS Executive Director Speaks at
Election Reform Conference (NEW)
EDUCATION FUND
- LWVUS Civic Hosting Project (NEW)
- LWVUS Global Democracy Program Hosts Bill
Maynes Fellow (NEW)
OTHER
- Another Way to Support the League (NEW)
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
Dear League Leader,
Last week I continued my travels to
states that are key in this year's election. I started the trip with a
stop in New York City
to tape some VOTE411.org promotions. While I
was there I had the chance to meet with three LWVNYC leaders to discuss
the status of their voter education efforts. From there, I traveled to
Detroit (MI) and had a very informative meeting with the Detroit City
Election Director who provided a valuable tour and explanation of each
step in their election process. It was especially nice to promote
our voter information Web site by presenting a VOTE411.org poster to the
mayor of Detroit.
Also, thanks to all those from surrounding Leagues who joined me at the
Vice Presidential debate watching party!
Then, it was on to Wisconsin
for a terrific Making Democracy Work®
conference sponsored by the LWVWI in Stevens Point (WI). It was a
good time to start thinking about post-election topics such as campaign
finance reform and redistricting. In the morning, I was pleased to share
the stage with the State Election Director and hear how Wisconsin is preparing for a very
large voter turnout.
As always, I ended my travels back home in New Mexico, but this time it was not
so much an end as a continuation of the work I have been doing in other
states – I was delighted to speak at the launch of the publication of the
Voters' Guide issued by the LWVCNM (my home League). It was a magnificent
event made even better because I had the chance to catch up on my local
League.
In League,
Mary
LWVUS Health Care Education
Task Force (NEW)
The LWVUS is pleased to announce the
formation of a seven-member Health Care Education Task Force.
Twenty-seven well-qualified League members applied and we very much
appreciated the broad interest and passion for health care exemplified by
our members nationwide. The Task Force members are Olin Bray (NM), Sue
Bredensteiner (TN), Robin Lane (NC), Susan Leinberger (PA), Doris Nelson
(CA) and Rhonda Tewes(MA). LWVUS/EF Director Janis McMillen is chair of
the Task Force, whose purpose is to design a program for educating our
members about health care.
LWV Participation in Election
Year Project (NEW)
Since 1998, the League has
participated in an election year project conducted by the Center for the
Study of Elections and Democracy (CSED) at Brigham Young
University. Each
election year cycle, League members in selected states work with
academics from universities and colleges in the state to gather
information on campaign communications including mailings, phone calls,
and radio and TV ads. The results of that research have significantly
expanded what we know about how political parties, candidates and groups
communicate with voters.
In 2008, the CSED project will include
Colorado, New
Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina and Ohio. CSED will be contacting League
members in these five states with more detailed information the week of
October 12. We encourage League members to participate. This project
gives the League a unique opportunity to provide researchers and policy
makers with data on how money is spent in elections and who spends it. In
addition, the research will provide us all with a better understanding of
how the democratic process operates in America.
ELECTIONS
States Illegally Purge Voter
Rolls (NEW)
A recent New York Times article has highlighted the
illegal removal of tens of thousands of voters from the rolls in at least
six states: Colorado, Indiana,
Ohio, Michigan,
Nevada and North Carolina. The LWVUS is in
regular communication with the article's author and we spoke to him at
length prior to the article's publication. According to federal election
law, states are not allowed to purge rolls within 90 days of Election Day
except in very specific circumstances. States are also wrongly applying
the data available from the Social Security Administration to accept or
reject voter registration applications. The LWVUS urges state and
local Leagues in ALL states to get in touch with their elections
officials to make sure eligible voters in every state are afforded the
right to cast their ballot. Visit the League's Public Advocacy for Voter
Protection project, www.lwv.org/PAVP, for more
information.
League Urges Poll Worker
Preparedness and Recruitment (NEW)
Click here to read the
League's press release urging Americans to consider serving as poll
workers in order to ensure all voters are well-served on Election Day.
And, click here to learn more
about helping your community by joining the Election Day workforce.
LWVUS Executive Director
Interviewed by Pentagon TV (NEW)
Last week, LWVUS Executive
Director Nancy Tate was interviewed for a Pentagon TV voter education
segment that will be airing later this month. She guided U.S.
military personnel to the League's election resources, particularly for
overseas voting, at VOTE411.org and covered some LWV Election Basics topics,
including the Electoral College.
Send Us Your Voters' Guides
The General Election season is here! Increase your League's visibility by
sending us your Voters' Guides for inclusion on VOTE411.org
and gain national exposure for your guides. Send your Voters' Guides, as
a pdf or a link, to VoterInfo@lwv.org.
Leagues Encouraged to Promote
"Top 5 Tips for Debate Watchers"
The LWVUS has released its "Top 5 Tips for Debate Watchers"
just in time for the debates this year. Local and state Leagues are
encouraged to customize this press release and share these tips with
media outlets in their area throughout this debate season. Additional
debate watching materials are available on our "Debates 101" page;
including fun tips for hosting debate-watching parties. There also are tips on working with the media,
including story ideas that can be "pitched" to local reporters
this election season (click on "Gaining Visibility Around
Elections"). Tips for writing successful Op/Eds
are available as well.
Overseas Voter Tools
Along with the recent VOTE411 redesign, new tools were
added to the League's overseas voter tool. Not
only can overseas voters register and request an absentee ballot, those
who have already requested their ballot but haven't received it can now
download their ballot, print it and mail it in. Furthermore, Federal
Express is providing them with discounted return postage. Please forward
the link to these tools to any overseas and military citizens you know.
MEMBERSHIP
Maximizing Visibility at
Candidates' Forums (NEW)
In the coming weeks, many
local Leagues will be conducting televised or Web streamed candidate
forums. These are great venues for promoting the League and League
leaders should consider some unique visibility strategies to make the
most of them. To get your membership message out, consider a
"crawler" at the bottom of the screen; this could contain the
League logo and a short message, e.g., "Join Us," plus your
local League contact information. The same information could be in a
"screen shot" at the beginning and end of the
"broadcast." Make sure you have podium signs and, if allowed,
League banners in the background that can be seen from every angle. Ask
the moderator to wear a League pin and to direct people to your League's
Web site for more information about how to join. Also, have League
mugs/cups for the beverages you provide to the panelists/candidates.
We want to share your successes, if
you have any tips that have worked for you in promoting your League on
television or through streaming Web, e-mail them to asteinmetz@lwv.org
and maybe we'll highlight them in an upcoming update.
Promote the League's Work in
the Media (NEW)
Does your League deserve media
attention this election season? YES! Are you unsure how to pitch your
League's election activities to the press? Read these story ideas (click on
"Gaining Visibility Around Elections") and alert your local
media about the good work your League is doing. You can also e-mail or
fax them press releases about your activities. Remember to remind members
of the press that the League of Women Voters is where hands-on work to
safeguard democracy leads to civic improvement!
Success Story: Voters Service
Hotline Promotes League's Visibility (NEW)
A voters service hotline is an easy way for Leagues to be visible and
provide valuable information to voters when they need it most. The LWV of
Palm Beach County (FL) conducted a hotline for the two weeks leading up
to the January Presidential primary. The hotline was open every day from
8 am to 8 pm, and 85 League members "staffed" the line. The
local PBS station provided the office space and PSAs to promote the
hotline. Palm Beach County League President Pamela Goodman reports,
"the PBS station loves the partnership and visibility during election
season, the voter loves talking to a live person, and the League does
what it does best…provides great service, while generating new membership
growth and retention!" It's a "win-win" situation for all
involved!
Membership Growth Challenge
(NEW)
Congratulations to the LWV of Central New Mexico which has increased its
membership 15.7 percent since January 31! They are now 369
members strong and growing. They take advantage of every
opportunity to be visible in their community; they aggressively turn their
nationally recruited members into local members; and they make sure to
give new members valuable work to do. The LWVCNM challenges other local
Leagues to follow their trend!
Summary Sheet Reporting Period
Begins on November 1st (Alert #1)
Please update your membership
records in the national database so that your League's roster is as
current as possible. This will ensure that new members receive The National Voter and that your
League's FY2009-10 membership count is accurate. We applaud those of you
who are regularly updating your League's membership records. Leagues have
until January 31, 2009, to make roster changes. Please contact membership@lwv.org
if you have questions or need assistance with the database.
ADVOCACY
LWVUS Executive Director
Speaks at Election Reform Conference (NEW)
LWVUS Executive Director Nancy
Tate spoke today at an American University conference, "Looking
Beyond Election Day: The Future of Election Reform." She was a
panelist on "Problems that Remain: Election Reform Delayed,"
moderated by Jack Nelson, journalist and member of the Carter-Baker
Commission on Federal Election Reform. Her co-panelist was Bob Edgar,
president and CEO of Common Cause. C-Span covered this event so we
suggest you check the C-Span Web site for the
scheduled airing date.
EDUCATION FUND
LWVUS Civic Hosting Update
(NEW)
In late October and early
November, ten Leagues will host more than 50 visitors from Eastern Europe
and Central Asia through a project funded by the Open World
Leadership Center. The visitors are an
extraordinary group of active citizens working to strengthen democracy in
their respective countries. The LWVs of Atlanta/Fulton County (GA),
Rochester Metropolitan Area (NY), and Metropolitan Columbus (OH) will
host Ukrainian visitors. Selected Ukrainian delegates include
mayors, NGO leaders, court officials and legal professionals. The LWVs of
Edina (MN) and South Hampton Roads (VA) will host youth leaders and
journalists from Azerbaijan. The
LWVs of Broward County (FL), Minneapolis (MN), Sedalia-Pettis County (MO)
and Wichita (KS) will host Russian elected officials, government
officials, community leaders, professors, NGO leaders and financial
professionals. The League of Duluth (MN) will host the first group of
visitors from Tajikistan.
The Tajik visitors are primarily NGO leaders. For more information please
contact Manuela Campbell at mcampbell@lwv.org. Click on each
of the following hostings for detailed information: Civic Hosting for Ukraine, Civic Hosting for Azerbaijan,
Civic Hosting for Russia and
Civic Hosting for Tajikistan.
LWVUS Global Democracy Program
Hosts Bill Maynes Fellow (NEW)
The League's Global Democracy Program is hosting Ekaterine
Siradze-Delaunay, one of the two inaugural Bill Maynes Fellows. The Bill
Maynes Fellows is a new Eurasia Foundation program that honors and
supports future leaders of Eurasia who
work for stable and prosperous societies. Ekaterine Siradze-Delaunay is
executive director of ISFED, a leading NGO in Tbilisi, Georgia,
that focuses on election monitoring and democracy promotion. She will
spend five weeks in the United
States meeting with experts and
learning about American elections and election processes. The League's
national office has organized a program for Ms. Siradze-Delaynay that
will give her an opportunity to meet with key staff, learn about the
League's activities and share her experiences monitoring elections in Georgia and Moldova.
OTHER
Another Way to Support the
League (NEW)
The Emergency Economic
Stabilization Act of 2008 extends for 2008 and 2009 the "IRA
charitable rollover" provision. This provision allows taxpayers aged
70 ˝ or older to make tax-free contributions of up to $100,000 in both
2008 and 2009, from either traditional or Roth IRAs, to qualified
charitable organizations such as the League of Women Voters Education
Fund. Donations from IRAs are not treated as an itemized deduction, like
most charitable contributions, but are excluded from taxable income.
Thus, the IRA rollover provision applies to taxpayers who itemize as well
as those who take the standard deduction. Every donor's circumstances are
different so please consult with your tax advisor to see if an IRA
rollover is right for you. Contact the League's development office at
202/429-1965 for additional information.
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